Essential Tools Every Blogger and Small Business Owner Needs + A Giveaway

There are certain tools you had no idea you needed when you first started blogging. These tools will make your life easier, will make your blog money, will increase your page views and will take your blog to the next level. If you feel like you're stuck on a blogging plateau, it is time to step up your blogging game with these essential tools that every blogger and small business owner needs.

This graphic below is the perfect example, I made it using images from this site, but more on that in a moment.  

1. Dropbox I could not function without Dropbox. I have the paid version which offers you a terabyte of space. I'm not sure if you're able to wrap your head around just how much space that is, I know I can't. Here are all of the things that I use Dropbox for, and don't even come close to filling that space. 

       As an External Hard Drive 

I don't keep a single file on my actual computer. Dropbox has an app that allows you to access your account as if it was just another file on your computer. So when you go to open a file, this is what you'll see: 

 As an Automatic Backup for my iPhone Camera Roll As soon as I take a picture (or video!!) on my iPhone, it is placed in my dropbox. If you're like me, your phone gets full with just one video. With automatic backups, you'll be able to take more pictures and more videos because storage won't be an issue. 
Access Files From any Computer I have a desktop and a laptop. Anything I do on my laptop is automatically accessible on my desktop at home. 

2. Adobe Photoshop

I'm about to blow your mind. Adobe Creative Suite with Photoshop is no longer over a thousand dollars anymore. You can now get the latest version of Adobe Photoshop, plus Adobe Lightroom for $9.99 a month.

I said, TEN DOLLARS a month. For flipping Photoshop! This previously cost over $1000.

Boom, your blog's graphics and photos are about to go to the next level. 

3. Take a Photography Class, Replace Your Kit Lens

Just like a lot of bloggers, my first purchase to help the blog was a DSLR. The problem though? My pictures looked no different from my iPhone. Two things totally changed my blog's photography. 
I took a Class Use Groupon or Living Social and take a 4 hour photography class where they'll show you how to use your camera in manual mode. I wouldn't recommend an online class, photography needs to be taught in a hands-on environment. Everything I know about my camera I learned in that 4 hour photo class I spent $49 on. I'd have paid $59 but don't tell them that. 
I Bought this Lens Now I'm no expert photographer, but I do know this lens never comes off my camera. Your iPhone will NOT compare to the photos that come from using that lens. At $125 (compared to thousands for other lenses) it won't break the bank. Perfect for someone needing to up their blog photo game. 

4. Buy Photoshop Actions You know the photo editing app for your phone, Afterlight? Well, Photoshop Actions are like that only a million times more powerful. Actions are packs of pre-made filters that will make your pictures look amazing. 
It literally could not be easier to use them in Photoshop. You simply press play. No joke, you buy them, download them, and press play. 
Here is an example. This photo below is the raw image that came from my camera. Looks pretty nice already...

But then you press that play button on the right side of your screen and BAM! Your photo is 100 times better. 

I'll probably work on a slightly more in-depth tutorial on how to use actions, but until then allow me to recommend some you must buy ASAP. I have all of these from A Beautiful Mess! 

5. Graphic Stock Every single post you write needs a post summary image listed before any other image. Just like the first image on this post, which I made using this site. 
I don't care if you're writing a post about weight loss, or blogging, or sports, or your weekend, sum it up with an image. That first image will be the picture shown on Bloglovin, and it will be the image your readers Pin on Pinterest. 
I use a lot of stock photos for my main image, since I don't always own a fitness picture or a nice image of a styled desk. I personally have the paid subscription to Graphic Stock, but they do also offer a free subscription which you can find here. 
Why I like them over other stock photography sites, is because you get unlimited downloads, and access to over 250,000 graphics, backgrounds, icons and images. The site I used before them required that you pay per image, which added up very quickly. 
I've actually partnered with them to give away a one year membership to Graphic Stock absolutely free to one of my readers.
 To win all you have to do is: 
1. Click Here and check out the 5 categories in the top left
2. Leave a comment telling me which of those five topics you'd use the most on your blog
3. Like this post on Bloglovin


One thing that doesn't cost anything at all is to get a blogging bestie, Helene and I collaborate on posts all the time. Check out her post on this same topic, where she offers 8 totally different tools every blogger needs!