A great blog isn’t just about words- visuals play an important part as well. Whether you’re crafting an in-depth guide, a quick listicle or a product review, the right images can enhance your content, boost engagement and make your posts more shareable. But where do you find high-quality stock photos that won’t break the bank (or worse, land you in copyright trouble)?

Here’s a roundup of the best places to find stock photos for your blog:

1. Unsplash- Beautiful, High-Quality Images

Unsplash provides stunning, high-resolution images that don’t look like typical stock photos. Photographers from around the world contribute their work, making it a goldmine for aesthetically pleasing visuals. Bonus: all images are free to use for personal and commercial projects without attribution (though crediting the photographer is always a nice gesture).

2. Pexels- A Little Bit of Everything

Pexels offers a vast collection of free stock photos and videos, covering a wide range of themes. Their search functionality is great and the images tend to be modern, vibrant, and diverse. If you need professional-looking visuals without the price tag, this is a great place to start.

3. Pixabay- Photos, Vectors, and More

Pixabay offers stock photos, illustrations, vectors AND videos. With over two million assets available for free, you’re bound to find something that fits your blog’s aesthetic.

4. Reshot- Unique and Authentic Visuals

If you’re tired of generic stock photos, Reshot is worth checking out. It specializes in handpicked, unique images that feel more natural and less staged. This is especially great if you want to stand out from other bloggers using the same stock photos over and over again.

5. Burst by Shopify- Perfect for Business and Lifestyle Blogs

Burst, powered by Shopify, is designed with entrepreneurs and small business owners in mind. It offers high-quality images that work well for e-commerce, lifestyle and marketing-related content. If you’re running a business-focused blog, this is a must-visit.

6. Kaboompics- Stylish and Color-Coordinated Photos

Kaboompics is a fantastic resource if you’re looking for cohesive images. It allows you to search by color palette, which is a dream for bloggers who want to maintain a consistent aesthetic. The photos are high-quality and work beautifully for lifestyle, fashion and creative blogs.

7. Gratisography- Quirky and Fun Stock Photos

For those who want something a little less conventional, Gratisography offers fun, whimsical and sometimes downright bizarre stock photos. If your blog has a playful, lighthearted tone, this is a great place to find visuals that match your personality.

8. Canva- Stock Photos with Customization

Canva has an extensive library of stock photos, including both free and paid options. You can edit and customize images directly within the platform, making it easier to create branded visuals for your blog.

9. Adobe Stock and Shutterstock- Premium Options

If you’re looking for exclusive, ultra-professional images and don’t mind paying, Adobe Stock and Shutterstock are for you. They offer millions of high-resolution images, vectors and videos with advanced search features. These are ideal if you need highly specific visuals for your brand but I don’t recommend it if you’re still in the early stages with your blog.

Finding the right stock photos for your blog doesn’t have to be a challenge. Whether you’re looking for something sleek and professional or quirky and unique, there’s a platform out there that fits your needs.

So you’ve started a blog but you’re struggling to find time to actually blog. I hear you. This is something that we have all struggled with at some point or another. Blogging is an incredibly time consuming venture and if you’re working/studying/raising a family it’s difficult to squeeze in time for your blog. Here are a few tips on how to develop a blog schedule that works for you.

Look at your schedule. When are you free?

Firstly take a look at your current schedule and see when you are free. Can you move things around? I have a physical diary from Typo that I use to plan my blogging time.

Not sure where exactly your time is going? Start tracking your days for about a week or so. See if there is any time that is wasted or that can be better used.

Whenever I’m running low on blog content, I eliminate Netflix for a few days so that I can focus on my blog.

What Duties Do You Have as a Blogger?

This varies depending on the type of blog you run. For example, reading is technically a blogging duty for me (also you’d notice that there is little to no recent book reviews on this blog) but when I’m crunched for time, this is one of the first things to go.

I use Canva for my pictures but maybe you need to schedule in time to take and edit your own photos. Are you using video content? Are you outsourcing any of your tasks? Make a list of exactly what your blogging tasks look like.

Overestimate the Time Each Task Will Take

Now that you know everything that goes into your blog, estimate how long the task will take and add about 20 minutes to that estimate. I use Clockify to track how long each blogging task takes so I know how long I need to schedule in time for. Life happens and you might not always have time to sit down and churn out an entire blog post from scratch. But you can work in bits and pieces and maybe draft a post one day and edit on another day.

Schedule to Suit YOUR Productivity Level

I know I’m most productive in the mornings so I almost always work on blogging tasks in the morning. Similarly get to know when you’re at your most focused and schedule in your work for that time.

Evaluate This Schedule Regularly

Every 3 to 4 months, take a look at this schedule and see if it’s working for you or not. If it’s not, change it up.

Balancing blogging with your daily life can be tough but with a whole lot of planning it is possible. Do you have any other hacks for creating a blog schedule? Let me know below.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up your online presence, understanding the what and why of branding is crucial. Here are a few tips for beginners on branding your blog- what it is, why is it important and how to do it:

What is Branding?

Picture this: you’re strolling down the street, and you catch a glimpse of iconic golden arches. Immediately, you know it’s McDonald’s. That is branding. When it comes to your blog, branding is more than just a fancy logo or a catchy name. It’s the overall experience, the feeling that your readers associate with your content. Branding is about creating a cohesive identity that resonates with your audience.

How to Brand Your Blog

Building a Consistent Brand Identity:

Think of your blog as a person. To create a strong brand identity, you need consistency. Choose a color palette that represents your blog’s vibe. Are you all about bright and cheerful or sophisticated and minimalistic? Pick out your visuals, fonts, and style. When your readers see your blog, they should instantly know it’s you.

Creating a Unique Tone:

You have a specific way of speaking. Just like that, your blog needs a distinctive tone that expresses who you are. Are you the sarcastic blogger who keeps it real, or the helpful friend who offers practical advice? Find your style and stick to it. A consistent tone makes your writing authentic and helps you connect with your readers.

Establishing Trust and Credibility:

Imagine you’re scrolling through a blog. The colors are all over the place, the writing style changes from casual to technical (Chat GPT, is that you?), and it feels like a wild rollercoaster of inconsistency. Would you trust that blog? Probably not. Building a strong and cohesive brand helps establish trust and credibility. A well-branded blog appears professional, reliable, and like it knows its stuff. You want your readers to feel like they’re in good hands, so consistency is key. If you’re just starting out or if you’re blogging for fun you probably don’t care about branding. But in the world that we live in, almost everyone can be found online and whether you care about branding or not, people WILL find your blog and they will make assumptions about it (which will then affect your personal brand). I used to think that this blog was private (way back in the beginning when I didn’t have anything personal about me posted here) but I was always hearing friends and family stumble across my blog. Eventually this blog got me my first Marketing job and then my first writing job. By that time I knew I had to do something about the branding.

Increasing Brand Recognition and Recall:

You know that feeling when a song gets stuck in your head and refuses to leave? That’s the power of recognition and recall. When your brand is strong and consistent, it becomes memorable. It’s like having a catchy jingle that’s impossible to forget. The more your readers recognize and remember your brand, the more they’ll share it with others, and that’s great for growing your blog.

Tips for Branding Your Blog as a Beginner:

If you’re just starting out, here are a few tips to help brand your blog:

• Choose a color palette that reflects your style and niche (a great hack for this is to do some research on colours and their meanings)
• Create a logo or wordmark that captures your blog’s essence
  Be consistent with your fonts and typography choices
• Develop a style guide for your blog, including image filters and design elements
• Maintain a consistent tone throughout your writing

Branding your blog isn’t just about looking pretty; it’s about creating an unforgettable experience. By having a consistent brand identity, a unique tone, and building trust and recognition, you’re setting yourself up for success in the blogosphere.

Looking for more Branding and Digital Marketing tips? Follow my Marketing blog, The Digital Unicorn for more tips.

I remember starting my blog and being so proud of myself. I had a little piece of the internet that belonged to me. But as time went on, I started realising things about my blog that were off. For starters, I had no pictures. Or links. How were other people doing that? Was I a bad blogger? As with most things in life, blogging is something where you learn by doing (or lots of Google). I am hoping to save you some time by sharing the 5 tools I wish I knew about as a beginner blogger.

1. Canva

Canva wins first place because I had zero clue how I managed as a blogger before Canva. Canva can be used to create design assets for your blog, email, social media and so much more. I use Canva for work, for blogging and even for wishing family members on special days. If you don’t know what Canva is or haven’t tried it yet, GO NOW!!!! This is an excellent way for non-graphic designers to create designs.

2. Planable

Soo full disclosure…November and December posts have been planned on Planable- which I have only just discovered. I’ve been blogging for over a decade. I do not know why I am only finding Planable now (hey, we live and learn, right?)

3. Buffer

Buffer is great for scheduling social media posts. And if you haven’t started scheduling social media posts, I strongly suggest you look into this. It is SUCH a game-changer. Simply draw up a social media calendar (or decide how often you want to post), and use Buffer to schedule these posts in advance. Not sure which social media platforms you should be using? Here’s a few steps to choosing your social media platforms.

4. WordPress App

Using the WordPress App is a quick and easy way to draft out blog posts. While I don’t typically post live from the app, I do love using it to write on the go (some of my more emotional posts are done on the app while the content-heavy blog posts are done via laptop).

5. Google Analytics

Google Analytics gives you access to cool information such as where is your audience located, what devices are they using to access your blog and which are the most popular blog posts or pages on your blog. By simply signing up, Google will walk you through the steps for connecting your blog and voila, instant access to user demographics.

Do you use any of these tools or do you have your own set of blogger tools that you’re obsessed with? Let me know below!

Choosing the right social media platforms for your blog is a vital decision. While there are many social media platforms available, not all of them are suitable for every blog. Here are some steps to help you choose the right social media platforms for your blog:

Step 1: Define your target audience

The first step in choosing the right social media platforms for your blog is to define your target audience. Who are you writing for, and where do they spend their time online? Different social media platforms attract different demographics, so it’s essential to understand your audience’s preferences and habits.

Step 2: Determine your goals

What are your goals for using social media? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your blog, or engage with your audience? Different social media platforms excel at different goals, so it’s essential to determine what you want to achieve with social media before choosing which platforms to use.

Step 3: Research social media platforms

Once you understand your audience and goals, it’s time to research different social media platforms to determine which ones align with your objectives. Some popular platforms for bloggers include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Each platform has unique features and strengths, so research each one carefully.

Step 4: Evaluate the platform’s features

When evaluating social media platforms, it’s essential to consider their features. For example, if your blog is highly visual, you may want to focus on platforms that emphasize photos and videos, such as Instagram or TikTok. If you’re looking to build a professional network, LinkedIn may be the best platform for you.

Step 5: Consider the platform’s engagement levels

It’s also important to consider the engagement levels of each social media platform. Some platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, are highly interactive, while others, such as LinkedIn, are more focused

on professional networking. Choose a platform that aligns with your blogging goals and audience preferences.

Step 6: Start small

It’s okay to start with one or two social media platforms and then expand as you grow. Don’t feel like you need to be on every social media platform from the beginning. Focus on platforms that align with your audience and goals, and then expand as needed.

Step 7: Be Open to Trial and Error

Maybe you start on a social media platform and change your mind. It’s okay. Be sure to give your platform of choice atleast a few months as a trial run. If it doesn’t work out, you can move on to something else.

By understanding your audience, goals, and the unique features and strengths of each platform, you can choose the best platforms for your blog and start building your social media presence.

So you’ve created a blog. You wrote your first post or your first few posts. But then life got in the way. Now what? Do you go back after months of radio silence? How often should you be blogging anyway?

There is no one correct answer. Experts say two to three times a week as per a quick Google search. I say that the correct blogging schedule is the one that you can stick to. Maybe that means once a week or once a month. As long as your audience knows when to expect new content from you, you’re good. Just remember that Google also needs to know that your blog is active.

Maybe you don’t feel like blogging constantly but there are things you can do to update your content. Or if you’re feeling too lazy, repurpose your existing content.

Take a look at others in your niche. How often are they blogging? Is it overkill or just enough? If I had time and resources I could get away with daily blog posts on books but things in the corporate world move a little slower.

As long as you continue to engage with your audience in some sort of way, you should be good to go.