Wednesday

WFMW-Favorite Blogging Tools


I'm seriously not the person to answer your blogging questions. 


The few people who've asked me technical questions have had low expectations, I'm sure.

They might be beating their heads against the wall right now.

The technical side of blogging has been a slow learning process for me. I think this simple pie chart explains it well:
(That's also the ratio of women to men who read my blog based on a recent poll I conducted. Hey dudes!)

But there are a few free tools I love using. You've probably heard of most of them, but I thought I'd pass the tips along in case your pie chart looks like mine:

Google Alerts   Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.I like to use Google Alerts to see where my blog name and personal name show up. I keep the names of my children private, so I'm alerted if their names are ever published on the Web.

Google Docs   I'm pretty new to Google Docs, but I used their form for my poll and I thought it was very easy and user friendly. 

Pingdom Tools   My favorite feature in Pingdom Tools is a full page test. If my blog is running slow or {panic attack} not loading at all, I can enter my URL and it tells me what widget, picture, etc. is slowing down my blog. Seriously, love this tool!

Website Grader  This is a really cool site that evaluates your blog and grades it accordingly. It details problematic areas. I don't like tools that compare my blog with others, but I like Website Grader because it offers helpful ideas based on improving your site. (Of course, I don't know how to make some of the changes it suggests!)

What are some of your favorite tools?

Please make sure you mark calendar for WFMW: Frugal Edition NEXT WEDNESDAY, May 6, the first Wednesday of May. (During these economic times, I thought it would be helpful to share a frugal/money saving tip for any area of your life!)

{Thank you for joining me for WFMW! You can read the guidelines here.}

Have a Works-For-Me Wednesday tip you'd like to share?  I'd love for you to join us!  Please note that the links will close at 8 pm CST tonight, in order to keep away the spammers!

Was your link deleted? Click here.

Links are now closed. Please join us next week!
Works for Me Wednesday Participants
1. It Feels Like Chaos (rid of pests)
2. Living With Lindsay (Got Grimy Grout?)
3. 5intow (using white boards
4. Cents to Get Debt Free (Healthy Snacks)
5. Real Life (Spring Cleaning for the Car)
6. Erin @ Closing Time (fun kids activity)
7. the BLAH BLAH BLAHger (shipping large items for less)
8. Raise Them Up (Gardening Tip)
9. Homemaker Barbi (Protect Against Blog Negativity)
10. Amy @ Finer Things (teacher appreciation week)
11. Katie @ Clean and Classic Interiors(Remedy Binder)
12. Saving Cents with Sense (Buzz Agent!)
13. The Diaper Diaries (Headache help)
14. Many Little Blessings (Repurpose a Ruined Cake)
15. Raising Olives (Better Scheduling)
16. Denise @ Full Nest (fighting Ants)
17. Christy Klein (Sugar & Salt Uses)
18. Kate @ Which Proverbs 14:1 Woman? (Vacuum Bag)
19. Brianna @Heart(h) Management (Yet Another Time Management Tool)
20. the southern mama-FAUX-REAL
21. Upstatemomof3 (sticking by my team)
22. Sunnymama (cocktail stick snacks)
23. Sunnymama (dandelion bouquets)
24. Frugal Girls! {Organizing my Coupons in a Cute Basket!}
25. Lisa@ Elbows (A Sip, A Slurp, A Suit, A Sentiment)
26. Heather @ JustDoingMyBest (Ideas for Leftovers)
27. Mommy\'s Idea Book (Vacation Budgeting)
28. My Frugal Adventures: Quick organization tips- shoes, toys and donations
29. Home School Dad (3 Things This Thursday)
30. Kirsty@Momedy: Make Procrastination Work For You
31. Mrs. Petrie: Fresh Greens
32. A Simple Walk
33. Daiquiri (gingersnaps & dealing with a bully)
34. Smockity Frocks ("How Do You Do It?": Homeschooling Many)
35. Cooking During Stolen Moments (Creamy Peanut Butter Pie)
36. NerdFamily (water tip)
37. The Happy Housewife ~ No Sibling Rivalry
38. ElizabethG (simplifying birthdays)
39. Chief Family Officer (best high chair mat ever)
40. momstheword (staying connected)
41. Anita (My home is my office)
42. CamianAcademy (Leap Frog Letter Factory)
43. In...Fence (40 Uses For Lemons)
44. Weird, Unsocialized HS\'ers (Cleaning Mini-Blinds)
45. Niki @ Free 2 Be Frugal (earning swagbucks from others\' searches)
46. Green Baby Guide (Organize your freezer)
47. Penny Raine - Twitter
48. Health Begins With Mom (Avocados!)
49. Lana (Shortcuts)
50. mombrud (wish I\'d done this years ago)
51. Effortless Savings (Garage Sale Success)
52. Nichole @ A Call to Higher Places (Getting ready for Baby!)
53. Scribble Ink Cafe (Old Is Cute, that works for me!)
54. Innkeeper Seely (glass baking pans)
55. Rachel (Simple, happy, frugal-- my list)
56. What is it NOW!!! (Memory Foam Mattess Topper)
57. Monica @ DailyDwelling (after dinner help)
58. Tasha @ Hectic Calm (3-D Artwork, cheap)
59. Lisa @ Moore Minutes (Summertime Panini Sandwiches!)
60. The Prudent Homemaker (One dish family dinner for under $2)
61. Julie (Less Fat Cookies, YUM)
62. Beautiful Calling (Rainy Day \'Treats\')
63. FishMama@LifeasMOM
64. Laryssa @Heaven In The Home (Favorite Books For Chilren)
65. Laryssa @Heaven In The Home (Favorite Books For Children)
66. afamiliarpath
67. Sara @ Learning the Frugal Life (Starting Them Early)
68. Mrs. Querido:: Not Brushing My Kids Teeth
69. Amyswandering (Free Blog Bling)
70. Lori- Simple Life at Home (4 Week Menu Planning, tons of recipes)
71. Abel - Family Travel Tips and Your Best Tips
72. Maren - Target Popcorn
73. momsfrugal (31 Scoop Ice Cream at Bask.Rob)
74. A Beach Cottage Budget Wine Box Table Tutorial
75. Molly Green (guitar storage)
76. Mary Ann (simple recipe holder)
77. exhale. return to center. (bugs garden gloves)
78. Cardamoms Pod (Thrifty Salad Spinner)
79. Cardamoms Pod (Thrifty Salad Spinner)
80. *Michelle* (Chico Bag Giveaway and more Free stuff!)
81. Tracey @ Girls to Grow (Picky Eater)
82. Common Cents Mom (Menu Planning 101)
83. Girls in White Dresses (happiness scavenger hunt)
84. Life with Three (organization for moms)
85. Kate\'s Kitchen: Iced Tea
86. steadymom.com (social justice & children)
87. Pink Licorice:Life (Conditioning Body Wash Use)
88. Becky (photo collage)
89. BusyMom (finding blogging help for the non programmer)
90. se7en (Poetry Resources for Kids)
91. Nicole @ The Graves\' House
92. Jolanthe (Emergency Binder: Medical Information Sheet)
93. Herb Of Grace (Rainy Day Idea)
94. Multi-Tasking Mommy (frozen relief for teething)
95. Beautiful Calling (SOAPNUTS & a giveaway)
96. The Shabby Chic Cottage (yard sale scores)
97. MC (easy centerpiece ideas)
98. Jen @ What\'s Shakin\'? (displaying kids artwork)
99. Bake at 350 (Royal Icing 101)
100. Sarah Mae (8 Ways To Share Your Opinion Effectively)
101. Beverly (learning something new)
102. Lori (cleaning window blinds)
103. Bailey\'s Leaf (Egg Tips)
104. charlotte (fresh food)
105. charlotte (sex ed)
106. Angela @ Simply Practical - (Starting with baby steps)
107. Stockpiling/Storage in small spaces
108. Stephanie Babetz
109. Simply Practical (Double Duty in the Car)
110. Donna @ Another New Season (This doesn\'t work for me)
111. Stephanie (Talking Spatula)
112. Corrie @ "Cents"able Momma (How to Shop at Rite Aid)
113. Lisa @ JoyousFrugalFamily (yard sell season)
114. Hoosier Homemade(Offie SupplyCanisters)
115. Kari (three little tips)
116. Carol ~ Deoderant, it\'s just a suggestion
117. Lori (drinking water)
118. Christy @ Mercy Every Morning (Easy Homemade Bread)
119. Joyful Johnsons (writing)
120. Melissa @ Frugal Creativity (pizza sauce)
121. QAMOM (Teaching letter recognition)
122. Buffie (tub toy storage)
123. Melonie K. (boxed lunches)
124. PapuaGirl (Cheap Books Online!)
125. Elisa (blogging tools)
126. The Thrifty Mommy (A Unique Way to Display Them)
127. Nancy (Making your own lashing tool)
128. Julie From Inmates (Great Lotion)
129. Fly Away Family (Saving Money on your wedding)
130. Aunt LoLo (Make A Cheap Stamp)
131. Elisa (recycled diaper boxes)
132. First Fridays (Blogger Networking)
133. Kitchen Stewardship (Heathy Meals at Aldi or Sav-A-Lot?)
134. Katie
135. Moneywise Moms (Grocery List Template)
136. Sheila ~ To Love, Honor and Vacuum (unfinished craft projects!)
137. Scott@ Honey I Fed the Kids (Cantaloupe Dump Cake)
138. Bloom Where You\'re Planted! (fabric dilemma)
139. Lazy Mom Amanda
140. LFinn(Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars)
141. Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers (the CREAMIEST Mac and Cheese!)
142. Jennifer (combining sales w/coupons)
143. Jenn
144. Lynn (gardening)
145. Thrifty Jinxy (Frozen Waffle Tip)
146. Organizing Mommy (hospitality)
147. Carol @SheLives (Seam Ripper Tip)
148. ET @ Titus2:3-5 (time management)
149. Michelle(Organized kid\'s stuff!)
150. FamilyMakesCents (planting potatoes)
151. Rookie Mom 101 (Pregnancy Comments)
152. Liz @ Frugally Blonde (Rolling over Target Deals)
153. Sharon @ Because I Must (recipe site)
154. BeyondJustMom (Enriched by Motherhood)
155. Lauren (New Recipe)
156. Joy(Refrigerator dough from mashed potatoes!)
157. Amy @ muddy boots (get your 2 year old CLEANING)
158. Stacey (cheap, easy, and good salsa. Try for Cinco do Mayo!
159. Laura @ Bloggin\' Mama (toddler bedtime)
160. Beth--Online Chores System
161. Lizzie (25 Ideas for Frugal Fun)
162. Sonja (texting)
163. Jackie @ Blessings Overflowing (Otoscope for Home Use)
164. Julie
165. Jeni (Keep track of baby socks!)
166. Elena@My Domestic Church Birthworks
167. pennypinchinmomma(responsible children)
168. Kristen (many recipes from one)
169. This Side of Eternity (Stamp Out Hunger)
170. care-in (fun date night idea)
171. Donielle @ Raising Peanuts (Nursing a Newborn)
172. DarcyLee (Greek Yogurt)
173. Jerri @ Jerri\'s Journey (Kitchen Essentials - Appliances)
174. Kirstin: Electric toothbrush with timer
175. Terri @ Funny Farm (almost Free Family Fun!)
176. Amy @ Tiny Blessings (useful freebies, not clutter)
177. Newlyweds (5th Gen Rice Farmers)
178. kartho (Salad Bar Dinner, first one!)
179. Jendi (TP tip)
180. Rona - Couple Shopping
181. Making This Home
182. Lindsay @ Passionate Homemaking (natural frugal stain & cleaning agent!)
183. Nichole (first chores)
184. Kristin (sorting laundry quickly)
185. Lazy Mom Leslie (jeans)
186. Rina Mama Bear Martha Stewarts BEST THINGS
187. Thoughts by Kim (Skin Care)
188. missy @ missysthrifty (uses for clothes pins)
189. Judy @ Frugal at Home (Coupon Organization)
190. Trixie (Ideas for Bloggers to Earn SwagBucks Referral)
191. Lauren @ Team Giles {Running}
192. Kristin -The Goat (Creative Envelope Labels)
193. Thia (degreasing bacon)
194. Our Nifty Notebook (Singing & Learning)
195. MemeGRL (StubHub)
196. TV Watching Mama (Ticking Nursery Clock)
197. Pam (reeses cup pie)
198. Melissa (hodge-podge)
199. Heather (Simple daily nag reducer)
200. Christine (kid getting sassy?)
201. Better is Little ~ Outside boot storage
202. bahama shores mama (library)
203. Kathryn
204. Melanie (freezer storage)
205. Christine @ becomingp31 (Mocha Meringues)
206. Courtney (how making a grocery list works for me)
207. BRC Banter (Make your own baking stone)
208. tutu (forward tips)
209. Meghan (detangle spray)
210. The Simple Life of the Boreings (Under the Sink Solution!)
211. Angie @ Annies Home (hand sanitizer)
212. Sarah@VintageChicHome(coupon organizing)
213. Heather (7th gr. Science)
214. Jessica @ Who Left The Light On? (Uses for Vinegar)
215. In...Fence (Keeping It Real)
216. Heather Kay (hummingbirds)
217. warillever (staying offline)
218. Michelle
219. Moms by Heart (FUN SUMMER AT HOME IDEAS)
220. Michelle (trying to conceive, part 3)
221. Christy @ One Little Word She Knew (dicing an onion)
222. Lisa @ The Owl\'s Nest (how to never forget birthday cards ever again)
223. mary
224. Shannon (Food Roots: where does your food come from?)
225. GROCERY CART CHALLENGE (homemade PB for $.98)
226. Penny @A Day in the Life at Our House(bloggy stuff)
227. Tanya (easy eggs)
228. cool dad (cool reusable shopping bags)
229. Keeping the Castle - toy organization
230. Kisses of Sunshine: Quick Stain Remover
231. Chic Critique (Choosing a Sunscreen)
232. Kelly @ Fruit of the Womb (teaching 3 yr old to read)
233. Adventures in Mommydom (assign a color)
234. Heather@Journey of Faith (paperback swap)
235. \'Becca (best sippy cups)
236. The 6 O\'Clock Stitch (Indoor Sandbox)
237. Condo Blues (burst water pipe)
238. Colleen - Mommy Always Wins (SEO tips)
239. Sharon-orange marmalade recipe
240. Holly @ A Mommy\'s Blessings (outdoor vinegar uses)
241. Diana @Be Home Happy
242. Em. @ GSF (Back Up Box)
243. Catherine @ Adventures in Domesticity (weighed bookmark)
244. Eden (dry skin remedy)
245. Overwhelmed Working Mom (Easy hot crab dip recipe)
246. angelina
247. Simply Sweet Home (giveaway)
248. Sandra @ A Lot of Savings (Snack Bag)
249. mom2fur (giftie box stuff)
250. Stephanie (Training My Daughters)
251. Wani ($170 giftcards for $13.50!)
252. Linda @ Ramblings of a Southern Belle (Shopping w/ 5 children)
253. Brittani\'s Holding Little Hands (creative birthday gifts)
254. All Things Cherished (new uses for toothpaste)
255. Tara @ Feels like Home (babysitting)
256. BandSP
257. Cheerios Underfoot-Make your own feltboards
258. Saving in Greenville ($1.95 for a $25 TARGET Gift Card!!)

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44 comments:

Raising Olives said...

Sorry for the double post, the first link #11 is broken. Could you delete? I apologize for the trouble.

Blessings,
Kimberly

The Southern Family said...

Loving those tips! Who knew you were SUPER SAVVY ;-)

Real Life Sarah said...

I just saw Website grader today, and I LOVED it! I learned some great things about my blog and how I could improve it!

I also couldn't live without Google Analytics

Brianna said...

Hey, I didn't know about some of the tools you suggested--most of them actually. So, you must be doing better than you think!

I like to read Problogger and BlogCoach to learn new things about blogging. They've been very helpful for this newbie.

Falling Around said...

Cool bloggy tips... thanks!

It Feels Like Chaos said...

You officially know more than I do!!! Thanks for sharing this; I need all the help I can get!

momstheword said...

Wow. I have never heard of some of these. What great tips! I would like to look into these, thank you so much for sharing and thank you for hosting!

momstheword said...

Just out of curiousity, if you do find a google alert that tells you if your kid's name is published, is there a way to remove their name or do you have to ask the person?

Unknown said...

I've been trying to figure out the tweet deck. I'm not sure if I like it. But won't give my final verdict till I get it figured out.

Angie @ Many Little Blessings said...

I just tried out a couple of the tools that you listed that I hadn't heard of before. Too, too cool!

Anonymous said...

Oh, there are a couple of tools I haven't heard of before! I'm off to play...because, you know, playing with blogging tools is a lot more fun than checking kids' workbooks.

Daiquiri said...

Ooo - just tried that Pingdom test. Love it! I don't know what half of it means...but cool :) Thanks for the great links.

Laryssa Herbert said...

Sorry for the double link! I misspelled children in the first one.

That's what I get for posting late at night!

Melissa Stover said...

love learning new blogging stuff. thanks for sharing the links.

Raise Them Up said...

Wow! Most of these I've never heard of! Thanks! I'll definitely be checking them out!

dana said...

AWESOME tips. Seriously, thanks for posting!

Lisa aka @those2girls said...

I'm trying twitter as a way to promote my blog(s)
I'll be sure to check out the ones you listed as well

Unknown said...

Thanks for your list!

I use some of them, but off to check out the others.

eringoodman said...

very cool. thanks for the tips.

my blog is being analyzed and graded as i type this!!!

se7en said...

I love problogger - his site is full of blogging tips and I am working through his 31 Days to Build a Better Blog (http://www.problogger.net/page/3/?s=dbbb) some of us need all the help we can get. He has set a daily task and they are actually quite manageable - believe it or not!!!

Jennifer said...

Hahaha-- love that pie chart. That's me, too.

Thanks for the great tips! I've bookmarked a few. =)

Happy Wednesday!

bridget {bake at 350} said...

Awesome tips!!! I can't wait to check those out!

Lori said...

Oh great! Some of those sites I hadn't heard of! Thank you for sharing! :)

Lori said...

Oh great! Some of those sites I hadn't heard of! Thank you for sharing! :)

Phoebe @ GettingFreedom said...

Thanks for sharing! I wasn't familiar with any of these. I need to check them out for sure.

Shell in your Pocket said...

Wow...I didn't even know those existed...thanks.
sandy toe

Jackie said...

I just did the website grader and it was cool. Thanks for all of the links.

Nancy at EmbroideryIt.com said...

I've been struggling with uploading a blog button and I'm hoping someing could walk me through step by step. I've made one, now I just need to learn how to grab the html code and upload it to my blog. I want one of those buttons where when other people have my blog button on their site and people click on it, it will link back to my site. Make sense?
Have a wonderful day.
Nancy
www.basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com

Hoosier Homemade said...

Thanks for the great suggetions! I'm new to blogging and every bit of help I get is really appreciated.
Thanks for hosting!
~Liz

Pam said...

Thanks for the great tips. I can use all the help I can get!

Jena Webber said...

For a non-techie, you're doing pretty well! I wrote about hospitality again, if anyone is interested. I think you guys who have a hard time making conversation will like this one.

Carol @SheLives said...

I find Technorati and Statcounter to be quite useful as well!

Liz said...

Thanks for the tips!

I'm a total newbie and need help to learn how to design in Blogger. Any advice from anyone?

Kelly said...

These links are great! Thank you!!

One (not to tech savy) question, what stat site do you use?

Jenny said...

LOL at your pie chart!

I'm going to check out the links now. Thanks for sharing them.

Bahama Shores Mama said...

can't wait to try out some of these new-to-me links!

Melanie Sheridan said...

Thanks for letting us post!

zuborg said...

http://Site-Perf.com/ - this tool is even better than Pingdom Tools

Heather said...

Thanks for hosting and thanks for these great tips.

Grace said...

??? Why can I not find a link on your blog to list my post for WFMW? It must be right in front of my eyes, but I've been searching and can't find it.

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

Thanks for these!!!

I didn't know of some of these site and its good info to have!

Now...to fancy-up my blog so that it gets more than its current score of "90" - I'm happy with that, but its not quite the 96.6 it reports your site to have!

Lisa@BlessedwithGrace said...

Great info for us technically challenged bloggers. Thanks. I am going to check out the Pindom Tools and Website Grade.
You are the BEST!

Lady Pamela said...

I found this to be a very helpful post, being that I am a novice blogger myself. Thanks.

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