I am back and at this again, but staying consistent on this grind is NOT easy. I’ve been working on a way of figuring out how to make this work for months now. Even for the last few years, I have been constantly working through trial and error. I have found many tools to make my life easier, but also to ensure that I can keep up with this blog despite a busy lifestyle. Being able to blog consistently isn’t easy. Most of these tools are found on both your phone and a laptop, making them perfect for people on-the-go, but also people who like to work remotely. My top 4 tools that I love to use are Coschedule, UNUM, Todoist, and Later. I’ve spoken about some of them briefly in the past, but I am happy to share more about why I’ve continued to use them before.
1.Coschedule
Coschedule has been a tool in and out of my life for years now, but I’ve finally found the magic in it recently. As a tool, Coschedule is one of the greatest things. It allows me to create campaigns around my content, so when posts go live, I’m already scheduling social posts that go live at optimal times. In an industry that revolves around a constant saturation of media, it’s important to make sure that there’s never a lull in your creating, and Coschedule is my favourite way of doing that!
I’ve found that the best way for me to stay on top of my work is to syndicate old content to keep it at the top of everyone’s newsfeed. Coschedule uses an algorithm to time out content, recycling old posts so you don’t have to. This is a great tool for bloggers and it’s not crazy expensive either, especially for a solo team like mine. I can connect WordPress and all of my socials through Coschedule and it is an invaluable part of my system here.
2. UNUM
Despite the fact that the algorithm is absolute trash and everyone really hates Instagram deep down, it is one of the core aspects of blogging. I need to plan out my visuals so far in advance, and UNUM is my tool of choice. I spoke about it on my post about 4 Free Apps that Every Instagrammer Needs, but it has lasted the test of time. There are many tools out there that do the same thing, but UNUM actually does it better and for free.
You can use UNUM to plan your visual content right on the screen. The set up is reminiscent of the 3×3 grid that is used on Instagram at present. You can see how the new posts will look on your feed before you post them. Plus, you’ll be able to hide/switch/plan posts out for days ahead of time. It also allows you to schedule your posts. So if you know a great time that works on specific days, use it to your advantage and it will send you an alert when it’s time to post.
3. Todoist
I will live and die by Todoist. I started using this to-do list app during college and it has literally saved my life many a time. I’ve tried many to-do apps because with my mind racing a million miles an hour, sometimes, I forget things. Todoist is a great app because I can take it everywhere with me. I can write things down just as they come through my brain. I can write it down on the app and keep track of it as I move through my day, even setting recurring tasks.
When I want to remind myself that I need to schedule pins for 4 minutes each day, I just set a really easy daily recurring task and check it off as it goes. I’m also able to prioritize tasks on 4 different levels. This allows me to move through my day, prioritize the ones that need to happen first, and push things off in case I don’t have time during the day.
4. Later
The last tool that I love is Later. This tool has had many names and gone through various forms, but it’s current state is a favorite. Later allows me to schedule my Instagram posts as I please, which is perfect for someone who plans ahead. While it does have similar features to Coschedule and UNUM, for both of the other apps, I have to go in and manually post. With Later, I can simply schedule it and it will manually post it for me, which is a GODSEND! I can schedule posts for 2pm in the middle of my meetings or for early in the AM when I’m still asleep. This avoids the shuffle of running to the bathroom to post and allows me to stay consistent. This requires a lot of knowing exactly what you want to post. It’s the perfect tool for people who have jobs outside of blogging, but want to stay on top of it.
I really hope that these tools can help anyone on their path to be a better blogger. Blogging tools are hard to find, especially ones that fit any budget. These are great tools that can work with just about any budget and help people become more consistent.