Recommended tools.
Finding the right tools can sometimes be difficult, especially when you are starting out. With the right tools, you can save a lot of time, be as effective as possible, and make your work more enjoyable.
Here I’m sharing some of my favorite tools that I use in my daily work. These all are tools that I’ve used for a long time, and I’ve found to be useful in my workflow.
Website
Hosting
SiteGround Hosting
Hosting is crucial for your website’s performance, especially site speed. I have tried many different hosting services, and I have found that Siteground gives the most value to its price – especially for beginners. Starting at only $3.95 / month, it’s very affordable, and more importantly, is reliable, has excellent support, and is easy-to-use.
WordPress tools
Astra is one of the lightest and fastest WordPress themes on the market. I have used many free and premium themes and even coded my own themes, but currently, I’m using almost exclusively Astra. It is well coded and extremely versatile. The best part is that they offer a free version. To unlock more features, you can always switch to their Pro or Agency plans to unlock the full potential.
Page builders are a lifesaver, especially for beginner bloggers and website creators. With the help of a page builder, you can quickly build a website without any knowledge of coding. Elementor is the page builder I usually use. Unlike many other page builders, Elementor is fast and doesn’t leave a shortcode mess behind.
Domain registrar
Namecheap
Registering a domain is the first step when launching a website. I register all my domains at Namecheap.com. They have competitive pricing and the registration process is fast, and easy.
Email automation
Convertkit
Convertkit
To keep your audience engaged, keeping in touch with your audience is crucial. These days social media plays a massive role in this, but to take full control of your networking, starting an email list is a must. An email list enables you to make a personal connection and deepen your relationship with your readers/followers. To make emailing more productive, you need an email automation service. Convertkit is easy-to-use, reasonable prices, and has all the features you’ll need to get started with email marketing.
Content Creation
Photo & Video Editing, Graphic design
If you want to edit photos and videos, having Adobe’s Creative Cloud is the most comprehensive option available. I personally use Adobe’s apps every day in my work.
With the Creative Cloud you’ll get:
- Lightroom and Photoshop for photo editing
- Adobe Premiere Pro and After effects for video editing
- Illustrator and Indesign for graphic design
- Cloud Storage
- Mobile apps to edit on the go
- + Much more!
Camera Gear
Camera
1. Your Phone
Yes, your smartphone is a great option to create great content because it is always with you. Modern phones have fantastic cameras that can compete with digital cameras in many situations. I personally use and recommend a Samsung Galaxy S10
Nikon Z6. I recently switched to a mirrorless Full Frame Camera. If you want to be serious about creating high-quality content, I recommend getting a mirrorless full-frame camera. Mirrorless cameras are the future, and I always prefer full-frame to a crop sensor camera. An excellent camera for both photography and videos.
3. Small travel camera
When you travel, you probably want a camera that is smaller, easier to carry with you, compact. But you would still want to capture high-quality photos. There are several excellent options on the market:
Tripod
If you want to take self-portraits, you absolutely have to own a tripod. Tripod is handy for any type of photography: from product to landscape photography.
Gorillapod is a flexible mini tripod, which is perfect for traveling and vlogging. You can mount and secure your camera almost anywhere: trees, rails, on the ground, etc.
- Gorillapod 5K Kit: choose the 5k kit if you have a heavier camera setup (3kg – 5kg)
- Gorillapod 3K Kit: enough for most modern cameras (up to 3kg / 6,6lbs)
Graphic elements + Stock photography
When you need graphic elements or stock photos, Creative Market is an excellent place to find them. You’ll find templates, photos, graphics, 3d, fonts, and much more that will help you create better content faster and easier.
My go-to place for stock photography is Adobe Stock. It integrates nicely with the Creative Cloud subscription.