Here’s a list of tools I use on this website and on some of my other websites.
*For tools and services needed to create a website (such as hosting, domains etc.) check my Start a Blog page.
I’ll keep it short and sweet and try to stick to only the best ones.
You know what, actually, let me spread that across several categories, Essential Tools and Great to Have Tools.
Remember, you can’t have it all. The more tools or plugins you put on your website the more functionality and features your website will have. But, at the same time, you put a bigger load on your server, your website becomes a bit slower, you need to invest more time to keep everything updated, things can break, and hackers can find a way into your website.
I’m not saying you should stop using WP plugins altogether, just be reasonable, don’t overdo it, and check user reviews, and support threads before you install anything to make sure all is good and safe.
Oh and, you don’t have to use anything, this is all optional. However, by smartly (is that a word?) using specific plugins on your website you can significantly increase the chances of your blog ranking better, staying safe, making more money, saving time, and making your life easier now and in the future.
Essential Tools
Pretty Links – Great for affiliate link tracking and redirection; they have a free version that’s probably good enough for you.
WP Rocket – A must-have plugin to speed up your site, I use it everywhere. Just by installing it you’ll get at least a 50% increase in speed.
Rank Math – Not only will it optimize your entire website for Google, but it will also help you write better SEO-optimized articles.
Thrive Leads – My favorite tool for creating opt-in forms and other cool things. It has a full page builder built-in, it’s super powerful.
Fluent Forms – Lightweight but powerful contact forms, if you want an alternative to Typeform use their premium version.
Great to Have Tools
- Surfer SEO (improve your content for SEO)
- Mangools (best for keyword research + affordable)
- ConvertKit (my preferred email marketing toolkit)
- Elementor Pro (one of the best page builders for WordPress, the free version is ok, but their Pro version has all the fun widgets)
- Thrive Architect (another powerful WP page builder with many cool plugins in their suite)
- Tailwind (for social media posting, namely Pinterest)
