RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Whatever stage you’re in of building your online brand, good tools can:
- Save you tons of wasted time and unnecessary stress.
- Simplify tedious marketing and content creation tasks.
- Save thousands of dollars on freelancers and fulfillment.
👉 The trick is knowing which tool to use in each task.
My commitment to you is only to share tools I have used, vetted, enjoy using, and help me with my work, not hinder it. (we’ve all used tools that did nothing but cost time, amiright?!)
In short, the resources I recommend below are the essential tools and resources I use to build my brand and business online. I recommend these resources to other online entrepreneurs like you because they are truly helpful and useful, not because I make a few bucks from them.
DISCLOSURE: Much of what I recommend, I am an affiliate for. This means I will receive a small commission for my recommendation -or- I’ll get credit(s) toward my future payments. There’s no obligation to use any of the links on this page. However, doing so will be greatly appreciated and you can do so at no additional cost to you. In fact, some resources give you better pricing or increased benefits through my recommendation.
*SPECIAL BONUS* If you use my link(s) to purchase any of these resources and you email me your receipt so I can confirm (join my email community for my direct email), I’ll send you a personal walk-thru of the platform showing you how I use it, answering any specific questions you have about getting started and/or overcoming tech hurdles.
⚙️ Tools To Build & Market
#1 For Email Marketing
Flodesk
Flodesk is my go-to tool for email marketing and email list management. Why? Because they give you everything you need to build and scale your email list(s) without the pain of paying more as you grow. Flodesk is unlimited everything for one flat rate. It’s easy to learn and use, its design features are top-notch, and it gives you the power to sell and deliver products and services. *GET 50% OFF for 1 YEAR with my link.
#1 For Buying Domains
NameSilo
Since discovering NameSilo, I’ve not used another domain provider. Why? Domain privacy is included with every domain, at no additional cost. (this is easily a minimum savings of $10/yr per domain) Most domain providers charge $15+ EXTRA to add domain privacy. I absolutely love NameSilo and use it for every domain I buy. (which, is a lot 😬)
#1 For WordPress Hosting
SiteGround
I’ve used about every major hosting provider over the past 13 years. Since switching to SiteGround, life has been MUCH smoother and less stressful. Their tech support is fast, helpful, and friendly, they provide free SSL, site backups, and much more which makes them a no-brainer for WordPress hosting.
#1 For Building WordPress Sites
Elegant Themes & Divi
For as long as I can remember, Elegant Themes has been my source for building WordPress sites and more. I’ve been a lifetime member for many years. Their Divi Builder is first in its class, their support is beyond top-notch, and the Divi/ET community is active and helpful. I’ve built websites for a living and ET has made much of that possible.
#1 For Scheduling Content
Publer
Once I found Publer, I’ve never used another! Finding that “perfect” content scheduler was a painful path. I never actually enjoyed scheduling content until I found Publer. Everything from the user interface to the advanced posting features, it just hits! The icing on the cake? They don’t drain your wallet to do all the awesome stuff like the other platforms. Do yourself a favor and switch to Publer.
🎨 Tools To Create & Design
#1 For Fast & Professional Design
Canva
It’s no secret that creators love Canva, and I am one of them. 90% of the time, when I’m in need of creating a graphic, social post, or template, you name it, I use Canva. It’s probably my #1 used tool for digital creation. And for roughly $13/mo to get the Pro account, it’s an absolute no-brainer. But you can get a lot for free, too.
#1 For Sourcing Videos
4k Downloader Suite
4k Downloader is my go-to suite for downloading videos to use, whether for reaction videos, fair use cases, etc. Why? Because when you use free online downloaders you never know what’s sneaking onto your computer; spyware, malware, viruses, tracking scripts, etc. Download pretty much any video off the internet. Free for life for basic uses!
#1 For Fast Video Creation & More
Wave.Video
For Faceless videos and/or videos that require stock footage (with or without vocal narration), Wave Video is my go-to. I’ve tried InVideo (which is widely popular) but it wasted my time more than it helped. Wave Video is constantly improving and adding to their already robust feature set. *Get an additional 10% OFF with my link, start for free.
#1 For Screen Recording & MORE (Mac Only)
ScreenFlow
ScreenFlow has been my ride-or-die video editing software for over a decade. It’s great for screen recording, yes, but it’s also a fantastic streamlined video editor. I’ve even edited full-fledged video projects for clients with it. ScreenFlow is a beast, for quick, basic editing.
#1 For Compressing Video Files
HandBrake
When it comes to uploading video files, size really does matter – the SMALLER the better. HandBrake is the tool I use to squash video files by up to 90% without any visible quality loss. It makes storing video files better, makes uploading files much faster, AND it allows the platforms to process and deliver your videos faster. Highly recommended for anyone uploading video to the interwebs. Oh yea, it’s completely free.