The best apps for blogging

May 28, 2014

Where do you blog most? On a desktop, a laptop, a tablet…or your phone? Here’s a list of my best apps for blogging.

The best apps for blogging - a great list of the best apps for bloggers to use to speed up blogging and photo editing, save time and drive traffic

At the start of the year over on TalkMum we were talking about social media and blogging when you’re a parent. In a post of tips for new bloggers, one of mine was about using your phone as much as possible to help. It’s a huge time-saver, great when time is the one thing you don’t have and blogging can come way down on a never-ending to do list, even when it’s your job (sound familiar?)

I prefer using the laptop for many things-blogging, but it’s much easier to use my phone as it’s generally always around in those snatched non-toddler moments. It’s useful for inspiration, making lists and notes, drafting posts, using and editing phone photos, uploading simple posts and social sharing.

So here’s the apps and ways and means I use when blogging on my mobile (I have an iPhone, but Android versions are available etc etc) – my best apps for blogging:

Notes, writing, posting

  • I use the notes section in my phone to a) make lists of posts I want to write (this is a never-ending list) and b) write posts and then upload them (I never, ever write straight into WordPress in case it loses the post. Always have a backup)
  • Google Drive is also useful for writing, saving, organising and so on
  • I always use the WordPress app for uploading text I’ve drafted on my phone, even if I publish from elsewhere. It’s not so brilliant for multiple photo uploading, you can’t change the photo file name, and you also have to fill out all the SEO tags later. But it does the job pretty well.

Photos

  • Gorillacam has a self timer and also the option to take a series of photos at once; perfect for blog selfies if your husband really hates being your photographer (nothing at all to do with the fact I’m that picky. Oh no)
  • There are loads and loads of photo editing apps, which is great for when you’re using iPhone photos on posts. Among the ones I use are: VCSO cam, Afterlight (it makes photos into letter shapes – as seen in thisΒ Peppa Pig post) A Beautiful Mess, Photography+, Picframe for collages, the list goes on and on…
  • I also use PhotoSync to transfer photos from my phone to the laptop.

Social sharing

  • In terms of the best social apps for blogging, once you’ve posted, you can share via all the usuals – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+. Some are better than others on your mobile though
  • You can also get apps for programmes like IFTTT and Buffer that you can set up to share things automatically.

Reading

  • There’s a whole load of RSS readers, from Feedly to Bloglovin
  • And last in my list of the best apps for blogging, for the old-school, and those who love the proper, full visual experience, bookmarks on Safari do the job. I still have a folder of my favourites called ‘night feeds’ from back when E was really tiny.

What apps do you use for blogging? PS I’ve not linked to any of these as it would take a while, but shout if you can’t find one and I’ll add it in.

More? Here’s my post on 24 time-saving apps for blogging

Also read my tips on using your phone and social media for breastfeeding, and my profile on why I blog.

13 Comments

  • Caroline

    May 28, 2014 at 4:11 pm

    I’m a massive fan of Evernote. I use it for everything, but I have a dedicated notebook for my blog. Any post ideas I start as a new note, then I write the post when I have the time. The beauty is that I have it on my phone, iPad and MacBook and it syncs all three locations seamlessly. So the idea may go on to my phone, I’ll often write the post on my iPad in front of the TV, but then move to the MacBook to edit and upload photos, and copy the text from Evernote in to WordPress.

    I use Evernote to keep my life organised in other ways too. I have a recipe notebook. Ian and I share a notebook and keep things like the shopping list in there. I promise I’m not associated with them in anyway, but I do really love it!

    1. Kelly @ IdealistMom.com

      June 14, 2014 at 4:31 pm

      I’m in love with Evernote too! Great list, thank you πŸ™‚

      1. gillian

        June 14, 2014 at 10:30 pm

        I need to start using it! Everyone says it’s amazing πŸ™‚

  • Alison Perry

    May 28, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    Love these tips – going to use some of them. I’m increasingly blogging on the go, and it’s so useful to have handy apps to help!

  • Polly

    May 28, 2014 at 7:00 pm

    great tips – i have to say i’m not a fan of blogging from my phone or tablet…. though the apps are useful if i’m away from home

  • fritha

    May 28, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    I love gorillacam after you recommended it to me! x

  • laura redburn

    May 29, 2014 at 12:47 pm

    i don’t necessarily care for some fancy note taking app, but for me any note taking thing is so essential! sometimes i don’t have a pen or paper with me and to be able to get things/ideas quickly is really important as i’m so forgetful. also, love vsco!

  • Siobhan – BeFree Project

    August 14, 2014 at 3:30 am

    Great post. Like many of the other commenters I swear by Evernote.

  • suzanne3childrenandit

    September 22, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    I am currently on blogger (must about to shift to WordPress) and it’s always annoyed me that I haven’t been able to blog ‘on the go’ as it were. I’ve recently discovered ‘Blog Go’ which is a fantastically simple app for anyone on blogger.

    1. gillian

      September 30, 2014 at 8:17 pm

      Is there not a Blogger mobile app? Annoying! The WordPress one isn’t amazing, but it does the job pretty well. Good luck with the switch over! x

  • How to be a brilliant mummy blogger |

    March 16, 2015 at 12:04 am

    […] Here’s some more tips on using apps to help with blogging. […]

  • Ivana

    September 25, 2017 at 10:57 pm

    Canva! It doesn’t have all the design templates like the desktop version but it saves me time and i use it every free moment i have cause pulling out the computer with a toddler is … almost impossible πŸ™‚

    1. gillian

      October 19, 2017 at 10:23 pm

      Love Canva! It’s so useful x

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Prev Post Next Post