When it comes to finding your organizational groove, it takes a lot of trial and error. To help you avoid wasting time trying things that don’t work, we made a list of all our favorite organizational tools for bloggers. Instead of spending weeks wading through all of the options, you can jump right into the best of the best and see just how much they improve your productivity and workflow.
1. Hatch Notebook
Brainstorming and ideation is an integral part of blogging — but simply coming up with an idea isn’t enough. You can use a regular notebook to flesh out your ideas, but if you want to really turn your ideas into something special (or just evaluate all of those random ideas that pop into your head) then the Hatch notebook is a must-have.
There are three sections: Conceive, Incubate, and Hatch. In the Conceive section, you have an organized place to write down all of your ideas in a handy chart that you can organize by category if you want. It also serves as a table of contents so you can find your ideas in the other sections. The Incubate section guides you through determining if those ideas should be pursued, tabled, or abandoned by having you analyze the idea from all angles. If you decide to pursue the idea, then you move it to the Hatch section. In this section, you map out your plan, action steps, and deadlines. You also have several pages for you to draw out the idea, write down notes, and do anything else you need to make that idea a reality. The Hatch notebook is perfect for those who take ideation seriously and like to have a little extra help in organizing a project until it becomes a reality.
For 10% off Hatch Notebook, use the discount code ESLHATCH10 at checkout!
2. Buffer
There’s no denying that social media is the key to success for any blogger — but it’s hard to keep up with all of your posts on all of your different social media platforms. One of the best ways to stay on top of this is using a tool like Buffer.
With the ability to schedule across all platforms, you can manage your posts, improve your visibility, and maintain a consistent brand with ease. Leave the days of forgetting to post on Facebook behind you, and welcome in an era of efficiency.
3. Tailwind
Tailwind is an essential tool for any blogger who depends on Pinterest and Instagram for building an audience and increasing site traffic. With their own unique algorithms and interfaces, these two social channels are harder to figure out from an analytical standpoint.
Tailwind can help you get accurate analytics, decode them, and use the information to improve your visibility on Pinterest and Instagram. In addition to scheduling posts, you can also launch promotions and monitor the comments on your posts more easily. Bada-bing, bada-boom.
4. Blog Energizer 2017 Blog Planner
Sometimes nothing beats good, old-fashioned paper. If you’re the kind of person who prefers putting pen to paper, then the 2017 Blog Planner from Blog Energizer can help you out. Instead of just using a normal planner for your personal life and shopping lists, this planner is designed specifically to help you with your blog.
There are spots to check off your social media posts, four separate columns for your posts, emails, outreaches and offers, tracking for paid work, and weekly ideas and focus. The best part is that it’s all included in an organized, space-savvy design so you can see everything from a weekly view to compare your consistency and progress.
5. Wunderlist
This tool is made for list lovers. Wunderlist allows you to create multiple lists, complete them with all the details you need, and sync them across multiple devices so you’re never without. You can create lists by topic, and give each individual item detailed notes, due dates, attachments, and sub-tasks.
If you work with a partner or team, you can also use Wunderlist to assign tasks and discuss the items on the lists. Wunderlist takes making a to-do list to a whole new level and easily assists you in staying on top of your work.