Tools and ResourcesWhat follows is a list of the tools and resources I currently use myself. Most are free but some cost a little money. They’re are well worth it though, I’m living proof, I bought them all myself.

I’ve added links and a brief description where appropriate. I can personally recommend them all as like I said, I use every single one myself.

Please note that some of the links are affiliate links so I may receive a small commission if you purchase them using my link. Feel free to email me with any questions you have regarding any of these tools and resources. I’ll be happy to answer them…

Online Business Tools I Use Daily

  • Market Samurai – The de-facto standard keyword research tool. There’s a great free trial and I use the full version every time I create new content. Endless features and if you’re big on search engine optimisation (SEO) it’s a ‘must have’ tool.
  • PowWeb – The hosting company which I use to host this website and a couple of others. It’s Linux based, allows automatic installation of tools like WordPress and best of all it’s very good value.
  • FeedBurner - Now owned by Google, if you want advanced statistics about your RSS subscribers and activity this is awesome.
  • WordPress - The website management system that I and millions of others use to run their blogs. It’s flexible, easy to use and free, need I say more.
  • iThemes Flexx - Free WordPress themes are fine sometimes but if you need more flexibility this is a good choice. It’s not free and I don’t use it on this site but for my other niche sites I use and love it.
  • SEOPressor - If you want to SEO your blog posts as you edit them then this SEO plugin is great. I use it on this site all the time and I’m considering the multi site licence so I can use it on my niche sites too.
  • SEOBook - Keyword density is an important part of search engine optimisation. I aim for 1% to 2% and use this free web based tool to achieve it on my niche sites.
  • AWeber - In internet business you really do need a mailing list. This service isn’t cheap but I and countless other internet marketers use it to manage their mailing lists. When it comes to something as valuable as your mailing list, don’t leave it in the hands of free services. You get what you pay for here.
  • Google Analytics - This free web analytics from Google is an absolute must. This is one of the few free services which is truly awesome and I use it on every single site I create.
  • Google Webmaster - I’ve only just started using this webmaster tool but it’s a great free tool for spotting dead links on your site and any other anomalies or problems you wouldn’t otherwise be aware of.
  • Google AdWords - An advertising service I used with great success until recently when I figured that the increasingly strict guidelines were too difficult keep up with. I used it for years though and learned a lot from it. It’s great for split testing headlines etc but there’s a steep learning curve so maybe it’s not for beginners.
  • Google AdSense - Easy to setup, free and a good way to see some passive income from your websites. Not the best way to monetize a site but probably the easiest. I use it in moderation on many of my sites.
  • Alexa - If you’re interested in the world rankings of your site, or comparing it’s popularity with other sites, this free service is worth a peek.
  • PageRank Checker - The free service I use to check the Google page rank of my sites… and of course of my competitors.
  • Backlink Watch - Links back to your site (off page SEO) should be a key part of your SEO strategy. This free tool helps you keep track of your backlinks.

Mindset Books I’ve Read or Re-Read in 2011

Social Network Tools I Use Daily

  • Twitter - By far my favourite social networking service. I put more effort into my Twitter strategy than the other networking/bookmarking tools put together. It’s free and I love it.
  • TweetDeck - I use both the iPhone app and the desktop version for managing my Twitter account. Simple, powerful, free and I use it every day.
  • BufferApp – This is a great free tool if you want to schedule your tweets to be sent  automatically when you’re on holiday or working.
  • Tweriod – Use this tool to find out when your Twitter followers are most active. Using it in conjunction with BufferApp above is a very effective strategy.
  • Facebook - If I’m honest I’m not a great fan of Facebook but I have to recommend and use it because it’s massive. I’d be a fool not to use it and many people prefer it to Twitter. Make your choice or even better, utilise both.

Social Bookmarking I Use Sometimes

These are the social bookmarking services I use, but certainly not to their full potential. They’re all on my list of things to learn more about and utilize more. They’re all free so no harm in trying them out.

Article Directories I Write For Weekly

As mentioned above, backlinks to your site are vital to your SEO strategy and article writing is one of the easiest ways of achieving backlinks. If you didn’t understand a word of that, don’t worry you can still use article marketing to build your personal brand and increase your exposure.

These are the free article directories I use myself. There was an extra one (which will remain nameless) but since it’s been performing painfully slowly recently I’ve removed it. Only the best makes it to my recommended resources list.

  • EzineArticles
  • GoArticles
  • ArticlesBase
  • ArticleAlley
  • ArticleCity

Other Stuff I Use Occasionally

  • Google Calendar - If you want a free online calendar service that amongst other things will send you email or SMS reminders this service is awesome. Access it from anywhere and never miss an appointment again. I even used it to remind me to write this very web page.
  • SurveyMonkey - An online custom survey creator, response collector and results analyser. Easy to use and at the time of writing this I’m actually using it for my own survey. See the side bar on the right, it might still be there. It’s currently free for surveys with up to ten questions and limited to a hundred responses. I use the free service but there are paid plans if you require more flexibility.
  • Share.com - An online service I use in the UK for buying, tracking and selling shares. I’ve used it for about five years and have had no problems with it. Give it a try if you’re into investing and you’re aware of the risks involved with buying shares.
  • QR Code Generator - Have you seen those funny looking square bar codes which are popping up everywhere now? They’re called QR codes and you can generate your own for free with this service. At the time of writing I have one on my contact page, so feel free to take a look.
  • iStock Photos - You’ve seen those little images I use in the top corner of my blog posts and this very page. Well this is where I find them. You buy credits in advance and then use those credits to buy the rights to images as and when you need them. To find half decent copyright free images takes far too long. With iStock I just find what I want, pay about a pound for it and away I go. Excellent professional looking images in seconds. Check out the ones I’ve used in my posts.
  • Flip UltraHD – My girlfriend just bought me this video camera for my birthday (at my request) so that I can create some YouTube videos. I’m really impressed with it after taking footage of myself, my cat and various other animate objects around the house. Really looking forward to using it for YouTube.
  • iTunes U - A great resource I discovered recently which enables you to download course material from the worlds best universities. The content is free and includes entire lectures in audio or video format. Subjects include business, but are wide and varied with something for everyone.

Note: I am an affiliate for some of the above paid products and services so may get paid a small commission if you purchase them. However, I do use ALL of the above products and services and only recommend stuff I use myself, have purchased myself (if they’re not freely available) and am happy to personally endorse. Thanks.

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