Free Blogging Guides, Tips, Tools, and Resources

Blogging is SO much more fun and rewarding when you have guides to help you through the rough spots and get right to the good stuff! These are the best free blogging guides to help you grow your blog and business.

Three years ago I would wake up stressed. Life was hard and filled with anxiety. I was facing failure in my business and I didn’t know where to turn. I needed HELP! Now I wake up happy, amazed at the wonderful life I now have thanks to my little craft blog. I get to connect with people just like me, inspire and educate them, and support my family while I do it. You can read my story here. It is AH-mazing!!

So what changed that allowed me to live my best life?

I got help!

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In my business, I thought I could figure it all out on my own. Eventually I wised up and knew I needed help, but then I couldn’t find it. No one was sharing their secrets.

So when I started my blog, I looked for help from the get-go. The Internet was no longer a new frontier like it had been when I began my business. It had come into its own and now there were plenty of people who had found success and were willing to share their secrets. Hallelujah!

My problem now was not a lack of help, but an overabundance of it. So many voices, so many opinions. Who was I to believe?

I searched and searched for several months. SO many Google searches, so many articles. Eventually I found other bloggers who had stories I resonated with. I looked closer at them, and what guides they had used, and discovered all four had taken Elite Blog Academy and followed a super-successful blogger by the name of Ruth Soukup. And I thought to myself, hey, maybe this Ruth lady could be my guide. I mean, here was a successful blogger and business owner who was willing to share what she knew with others — and not just her friends, but ANYONE who was willing to listen.

I have to be totally honest here. At first, the idea of following a guide scared me a little. I mean, maybe she just talked a good talk and really didn’t know more than me. I had been working online for WAY longer than her. Could she REALLY teach me?

But when I thought about it, really dug deep, I realized I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Trying to figure it all out on my own and forging through alone had NOT solved my problems. The thing I knew I’d been missing all along was a guide and mentor to help me cut to the quick and get through the rough spots.

So I promised myself I’d let go of my pride and be open to be taught the new ways.

Once I did that, it was like opening a floodgate. I was an empty vessel and her information, advice, and expertise poured into me like a glorious river of knowledge. (Haha, I’m such a dork. But seriously…. it did.)

Now I do NOT doubt the need for guides, mentors, and help. Why wouldn’t I turn to those who know and seek their help? It makes SUCH A DIFFERENCE.

I try to pay it forward as much as I can now so I can reach back and give others a helping hand, too!

So I’ve created a list of free blogging guides for you that I’ve personally vetted. I’ve broken them all down by category so you can hone in on just what you need!

I’m excited to share these free blogging resources! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy.

The BEST FREE Blogging Guides, Tips & Resources

Click on any link below to get your free copies of these super-helpful blogging resources! Then read and implement them.

I Need Help Deciding If Blogging Is Right For Me!

Blogging Assessment — If you’re just thinking about whether blogging is something you can do, start here. This will help you decide. I don’t think blogging is for everyone, but it may be right for you and this will help!

I Need Help Setting Up a Blog

How to Make a Blog in 15 Minutes – This is my personal step-by-step guide to setting up a WordPress blog. I walk you through each step to setup a self-hosted WordPress by all by yourself in way less time than you might think it takes now.
The Secret Blueprint for Blogging Success – Wondering just how to get from A to B with your blog? Wish someone would just map it all out for you? This IS the map. And it’s the map I used (and am still using). Everyone should read this.
Blog Structure Blueprint – Understanding how to structure your blog in a logical way that makes sense to your readers is a game changer. This guide walks you though the entire organization of your blog so your audience can find what they need and will keep coming back!
The Beginner’s Guide to Branding Your Blog – I’m ALL about branding and I think it’s what can make your blog stand out from the rest, which can make or break your blog. This guide explains how to brand and design your blog to appeal to YOUR audience.
20 Free (or almost free) WordPress Plugins – I often get asked about what plugins are best (or essential) for a great blog and this is an awesome list of plugins. These plugins can make your blog ROCK and I use many of them myself. Get this list and stop stressing about whether a plugin is any good or not.

I Need Help Growing My Blog

120 Awesome Blog Post Ideas – Wondering what to write about on your blog? Feeling stuck for ideas? This list will help you see the wide array of topics and post ideas that your readers will find interesting and helpful!
List Love: Introduction to List Building for Bloggers – This is my own mini e-book that shares my story of how I came to have an amazing mailing list and what I did to create it. Packed with lots and lots of tips!
The New Blogger’s Guide to Guest Posting – Guest posting is a great way to generate traffic and strengthen your own blog’s authority with the search engines. This guide explains how to get started and how to use that guest post to build your own audience (so important).
101 Website Traffic Ideas – This is a GREAT list of ways to grow your traffic. There are over 100 ideas here! If you think you’ve tried it all, check out this list and find a new idea!

I Need Help Earning Money From My Blog

7 Surefire Ways to Boost Your Blog Income Overnight – A successfully monetized blog usually has a lot of little things going on that add up to a big impact! This mini e-book has some great actionable tips that you can do right now to make a difference.
10 Steps to Take When a Blog Post Goes Viral – When you get a winning post, don’t just sit back and watch the pageviews — put it to work for you! This guide explains how to maximize a popular post for income and blog growth!
How Blogs Make Money – Learn how I personally earn money from my blog and how I grew my blog to a full-time income over the course of one year.
Quick-Start Guide to Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers – Affiliate marketing is HUGE for bloggers, and this guide can get you started on the right track to monetizing your content.

I Need Help Staying Focused and Getting Stuff Done

A Maker’s Schedule: How to Be Productive as a Creative Spirit – This is a guide to how I structure my day and actually get stuff done … and I do it without a to-do list! If you’re struggling with structure, this will set you free and push you to higher productivity levels!
The Essential Blog Promotion Checklist – It’s not enough to just write blog posts — you MUST also promote, and promote in the right ways. This is one of my personal all-time favorite resources, and it’s the checklist I use! I like it so much, I did two videos about how I personally implement this checklist here and here.
8 Bad Blogging Habits and How to Break Them – I started with a lot of bad habits and I’ve had to learn to undo over time. Read this and learn how to get beat them to get your time back! Even if you only do one, it’ll make a difference. I also did a video on this here.
15 Mobile Apps Every Blogger Needs – Being able to blog from a mobile device can give you a serious advantage and allow you to do more in the margins of your life. This guide shows you how to do everything from photo editing to writing!