essentials

Tools I Use to Build My Website

Building a professional website takes the right tools.

Here, I’ve listed the ones I use daily to design, optimize, and grow my site.

I’ll share what works, what doesn’t, and why these tools are game-changers for me.

Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission - at no extra cost to you. If you use them, you’re keeping my Wi-Fi running. Thanks for supporting what I do! ☺️

Website

Tools that form the foundation of my site - design, hosting, and everything that keeps it running smoothly.

Thrive Themes

Speed & Simplicity

What is it?

A WordPress theme built for creating landing pages fast and efficiently.

How does it help me?

It lets me build eye-catching articles quickly. I can easily insert images between text, use ready-made content templates, and break up walls of text with attractive elements. It’s a game-changer for keeping readers engaged.

Wordpress

Powerful CMS

logo wordpress

What is it?

A free content management system (CMS) for building and managing websites.

How does it help me?

It’s free and beginner-friendly. I can manage it without a developer, create articles easily, and use countless free/paid plugins. It’s SEO-friendly, and there are tons of free YouTube tutorials to learn from.

Rocket.net

Speed & Simplicity

What is it?

Fast, managed WordPress hosting with CDN.

How does it help me?

It takes the stress out of hosting. Your site loads fast, Core Web Vitals improve, and support is super quick. You also get an enterprise CDN and WP Rocket included - no extra fees.

Hostinger

Reliable Email

logo hostinger

What is it?

Professional email hosting with smooth syncing.

How does it help me?

It syncs quickly on all your devices, handles spam well, and gives you plenty of space (10GB or 50GB). Not as robust as Gmail or Exchange, but way more reliable than free email from cheap hosting.

Design

Tools to create visually appealing graphics and layouts that captivate and engage visitors.

Canva

Effortless Design

logo canva

What is it?

An online tool for creating beautiful designs effortlessly.

How does it help me?

I use Canva to design banners and add stats to my posts. It’s great for removing image backgrounds too. Aligning images is quick and easy, saving me tons of time.

Iconscout

Creative Assets

logo iconscout

What is it?

A library of ready-made vector illustrations.

How does it help me?

Creating custom vector illustrations takes time and money. Iconscout offers a great collection of trending, high-res illustrations that save me both.

Audience Growth

Tools to connect, nurture, and grow my audience effectively and efficiently.

Kit

Simple Emails

What is it?

Email marketing tool made for creators.

How does it help me?

Great for text-based emails - clean editor, super easy to use. Free for up to 10,000 subscribers (with 1 automation). A like-minded creator community is there too, if you want to connect.

Pollfish

Quick Insights

logo pollfish

What is it?

A survey tool for collecting data quickly and efficiently.

How does it help me?

The AI survey feature helps me create questions fast. It’s reasonably priced compared to competitors, and the results come in surprisingly quickly. The interface is also super easy to use.

Courses

Courses that sharpen my skills and provide actionable insights to improve my website and content.

Copy Cure by Marie Forleo

Better Writing

logo copy cure by Marie Forleo course

What is it?

A four-module video course that teaches you to write better copy.

How does it help me?

It helped me spot past mistakes and improve my writing. The lessons are easy to follow, and the lifetime access includes updates. Plus, guest experts share their insights, adding even more value.

SEO That Works by Brian Dean

Link Strategies

logo seo that works by Brian Dean course

What is it?

A video course on creating content frameworks that attract links.

How does it help me?

This course delivers results. My first magnet page attracted links and user-generated content, boosting my confidence in SEO. It also gave me insights into how world-class SEO experts operate.