Resources

1. NameCheap

I bought this domain from NameCheap. And this was in 2021 when I was a newbie copywriter who just wanted this site to be her portfolio. NameCheap’s affordable, straightforward AND they have the best customer service. For hosting, I use their Stellar hosting: it’s reliable and easy to use. In fact, it was so seamless that for the longest time I didn’t even know my site was self-hosted because my brain believed that self-hosting=more work.

3. Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO is the plugin I use to optimize every blog post for search engines. It gives you a checklist for SEO best practices as you write, which is incredibly helpful when you’re trying to rank on Google. I use the free version as a WordPress plugin and it ensures that my posts are all optimized before I publish.

2. WP Rocket

I use WP Rocket on this site to speed up load times, image optimization and more. It’s a caching plugin that requires basically no technical know-how: all you have to do is activate it and your site’s set. If you’re using a premium theme (or heavily reply on CSS like me to change certain elements here and there), having this is non-negotiable. If you’re a power user like me, it also has advanced rules related to caching and cookies.

1. Grammarly

I use Grammarly to catch typos, awkward phrasing, and grammar mistakes before I hit publish. I’ve used both the free and premium version (via my college and now work accounts) for years, and it’s saved me from embarrassing errors more times than I can count. With the Grammarly AI, I also workshop how I want to structure sentences and say things without going off on a tangent. If you write anything online, you need this.

3. QuillBot

I use QuillBot for paraphrasing and improving sentence structure when I’m editing. It’s particularly useful when you’ve written something five different ways and still can’t get it right. The free version handles basic needs, premium unlocks more features if you’re working on longer content. Think of it as a supplement to Grammarly. It aso helps me check that my work is being read as human and not AI. I just like that. And if you’re a freelancer, these reports are very helpful to show that you’ve done the work yourself.

5. SurveyMonkey

I use SurveyMonkey for audience research and reader feedback. If you want to create content people actually care about, you need to ask them what they want. The free plan covers basic surveys, which is enough to gather actionable insights for your content strategy.

2. Notion

Notion is where I organize my entire life. I use it as a database for all my writings: blogs, manuscript, short stories, work documentation and more. I use it to plan EVERYTHING: my daily schedule, setting up reminders for appointments and also as my diary. It’s incredibly flexible, and once you get the hang of it, you can basically use it for anything you need: school work, client work and more. I use it every single day.

4. Monday.com

Monday.com is my project management system for bigger projects and collaborations. It’s visually intuitive, which matters when you’re juggling multiple deadlines. Great for bloggers managing content calendars, client work, and long-term projects without drowning in spreadsheets. I use it, in addition to Notion, as my project tracker to share w clients (because Notion is basically my diary and I don’t want clients to know I ate feta cheese at 3 AM). It helps clients and you visual the content strategy and see the work you’re doing.

1. Canva

Canva is how I create all of my blog graphics, Pinterest pins, and social media images. I use the premium version and it has more templates and features than I could ever need. The learning curve is almost nonexistent. If you can drag and drop, you can use Canva.

3. Coolors

Coolors is how I generate color palettes for branding projects and design work. You can lock colors you like and generate combinations until you find something that works. It’s fast, intuitive, and I use it for basically every design project.

2. Pexels

Pexels is where I find free stock photos for my blog posts. The quality is high, the images are royalty-free, and I’ve never had an issue finding something that works. If you need visuals for your blog or social media and don’t have a budget for stock photo subscriptions, start herre.

1. Apollo.io

Apollo is what I use for lead generation and prospect research when doing cold outreach. It’s a sales intelligence platform that helps you find contact information, track companies, and manage outreach campaigns. If you’re a freelancer or consultant looking to land clients through direct outreach, Apollo makes it significantly easier to build targeted prospect lists.

2. LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is an online course platform I recommend if you’re thinking about creating and selling courses. It’s particularly strong for creators who want branded course sites with built-in marketing tools, student communities, and assessment features. If you’re considering monetizing your expertise through courses, this is THE platform for you.