We thought that it would beneficial to create this resource page to help DIY/craft bloggers learn about the products and services we use to run this blog on a daily basis. This list will be updated frequently as we try/test different resources that work well for us.
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and we will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. We use all of the products listed below and recommend them because they are companies that we have found helpful and trustworthy. Please let us know if you have any questions about anything listed below!
Getting Started With Your Own Craft Blog
Blue Host – Blue Host is our #1 recommended hosting provider for individuals who are launching their first website or blog. They offer a 1-click WordPress installation and you can get your website live in under 15 minutes. If you want to learn step-by-step on setting up your blog, make sure to visit our How to Start a Craft Blog page. The really cool thing about this company that we love, is that they offer a free domain registration with your hosting. Give them a try today, you will be happy that you did!
Genesis Framework – Genesis Framework is the current theme we are using here at Cool Crafts. It offers a wide variety of child themes for you to choose from if you need more design layout options. They also have plugins available specifically for Genesis based themes to provide you with greater customization and flexibility. The great thing about Genesis, there are plenty of Genesis designers available if you wanted to customize your theme.
Food Blogger Pro – One of the hardest things about blogging is getting started. What if you had a step-by-step plan for launching growing your blog? Better yet, what if you had a community of others to connect with, ask questions, and help you grow your blog? Would that help you? Of course it would. Food Blogger Pro is the program for you and much more. You don’t have to be a food blogger to join because what you will learn will work for just about any industry, especially DIY & crafts, since they are so similar.
Aweber – Aweber is an email marketing software that we use to distribute our newsletter emails to you. It is an autoresponder service that allows you to automate the process of sending emails to your newsletter subscribers. If you currently have a blog and not currently collecting emails, we highly recommend that you start because it allows you to follow up and send important updates to your blog readers.
OptinMonster – One huge mistake that we see far too often made by craft bloggers, is not building an email list. Having an email list is what we think is your #1 most important asset when blogging because it allows you to follow up and connect with your readers. Optinmonster is a lead generation solution that allows you to capture emails using an exit popup technology that captures someones attention before exiting your website. This is huge because once someone leaves your site, they might not ever come back. So why not capture their email before they leave, so that you can bring them back.
Tail Wind App – One word that should give every craft blogger the shivers “Pinterest.” Not only can Pinterest drive thousands of visitors back to your blog, but it is also the #1 platform your audience is on. Tailwind also lets you put your Pinterest marketing and management on autopilot. Pre-scheduling pins, monitoring traffic, measuring trends, and seeing who are the influential pinners in the industry. They offer a free trial, so I recommend giving this service a try if you are already spending hours a day on Pinterest. This app has helped Cool Crafts Pinterest account get over a million views a month!
Making Money With Your Blog
Shareasale – Shareasale is one of the top performance marketing affiliate networks that has thousands of merchants to choose from to promote. We love this network because they have plenty of merchants that sell products in the DIY and crafts space that we can promote as affiliates. This allows us to share complimentary products that our readers might be interested in trying. It is absolutely free to signup and you can do so by clicking here.
Craftsy – As crafters, words can’t explain how much we love Craftsy. From sewing classes, to cake decorating, to woodworking, they offer an array of online video classes for you to promote. Your audience will fall in love with their classes and make you some money in the process by you recommending them to them. If you are a craft blogger, this is a company you should definitely consider becoming an affiliate of and they just happened to be on Shareasale.
Etsy – Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods. This marketplace allows you to sell your custom made goods and instantly reach millions of potential customers instantly. It is a e-commerce platform that was built for creative entrepreneurs and crafters like yourself.