10 Great Apps and Tools for the Freelance Blogger

There’s nothing better than a great app or computer program that makes work quicker, easier and more fun. From a simple alarm clock to the most specialized email management software, the right app can not only keep you organized but help you enjoy your time at work.

As a freelance blogger, you’re already familiar with the most essential programs and tools of your trade: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, OneDrive, WordPress and Grammarly. If you’re like most people, however, it’s easy to get stuck in a technological rut and stop trying out new things after awhile.

You’ve got a lot on your plate as a blogger, in terms of coming up with creative ideas, meeting deadlines and organizing your accounts, and chances are you aren’t making use of the some of the best tools out there. If you’re a fan of technological assistance, the following apps and tools could help you stay on top of it all.

1. Asana

Asana is a desktop and mobile-based application that lets you create your own projects and task lists. You can add due-dates for each, and even assign tasks to other members of your Asana team who are added via their email addresses. The in-app messaging system cuts back on messy email threads and keeps team projects streamlined without the need to check back and forth between emails and other messaging systems.

Best Feature: You can create multiple projects with separate task lists for each.

2. CoSchedule Headline Analyzer

This tool helps fine-tune your article headlines so that they are more clickable and engaging. All you have to do is visit the webpage, paste or type your working headline into the tool, and press enter. The Headline Analyzer will give your title an overall score out of 100 and offer advice on how to make that score higher.

Best Feature: The preview of your title in an online search and email message.

3. Intuit QuickBooks Online

Use this program to create and send invoices to clients, track your expenses, pay bills and track billable hours. Every independent entrepreneur needs to stay on top of his or her finances, not only to properly track income but to be ready when tax season arrives.

Best Feature: The ability to link your bank and credit accounts to the application.

4. TitleCase

The best of bloggers doesn’t always capitalize titles and subtitles the right way. TitleCase allows you to paste your titles directly into the page and automatically correct any mistakes you’ve made.

Best Feature: The password generator that helps you create a highly secure password for any account or program.

5. Windows Live Writer

Bloggers have a wide variety of publishing options tp choose from when it comes to posting blogs online, but many of them prefer to create offline drafts first. If you aren’t sure about that, maybe you should give Windows Live Writer a try! It allows WordPress users to create blog posts as if they are typing directly into their pre-formatted web page.

Best Feature: Your blog posts are saved directly to your computer so that you can access them at any time, with or without an internet connection.

6. OmmWriter

Are you the kind of blogger that really enjoys breaking free of the “normal” computer environment in order to get creative? OmmWriter is a simple word processing program that isolates you in the environment of your choosing. Pick from different colour schemes that gently shift with soft music or sound effects.

Best Feature: The library effect that surrounds you with soft typing sounds to enhance your work environment.

7. Coffitivity

This cool website is similar to OmmWriter but solely with sound effects. You can choose from six different sound tracks that mimic cafes and different locations and times of the day. For a subscription fee you have access to extra sound tracks.

Best Feature: Very easy to use; just open the website and the sound effects start automatically.

8. Evernote

Countless writers and creative types love using Evernote to keep track of all kinds of inspiring bits of information throughout the day. You can use this application to save photos, web links, handwritten notes, typed notes, text copied from other sources and audio clips. Refer back to these notes anytime, from any device.

Best Feature: Collaborate with others on a project by creating a group notebook.

9. WORDcounter

When you’re in a great writing groove, you don’t tend to think about keyword density and optimization. Without SEO, however, your stellar work is a lot less likely to be viewed and appreciated. Check your blog before posting it with WORDcounter and the site will calculate keyword density for sets of 1, 2 or 3 words. If the density isn’t where you want it, it’s easy to update the article in the site’s simple text editor.

Best Feature: WORDcounter tells you the estimated reading time and speaking time for your article.

10. Pexels

All great blogs need some stunning photos, and it’s not always feasible to come up with your own for each new post. When you’re in need of a high-quality snapshot that you can publish with no strings attached, check out Pexels. You can find photos for most occasions, whether your search is as broad as “home cooking” or as specific as “cat, computer.” Don’t laugh—I use that last one at least once a week.

Best Feature: Unlike most other high-quality image sources sites, Pexels is totally free to use!

A Little Technological Experimentation Could Do You a World of Good

I’m totally guilty of letting my blogging technology get a bit stale, but every time I find a new, useful app or program it really brightens my world. Since bloggers are online or at least using our computers for 95 percent of our lives, it’s a bit of a crime to ignore all the fun options out there that can help make work more effective and fun.

Try out some of the apps on the list and let us know which are your favourite! Have I missed anything important? Let me know!