What are Your’s Top Blogging Tools?

First I am going to share here few top blogging tools with you and some of these I do use on every day basis. But at the same time I am looking forward for you to share your top blogging tools here so that together we can assess the popularity of these tools.

If you are wondering what kind of blogging tools I mean, then here is a short list of the tools which can help you to keep the focus on the question:

Blog Platforms 

WordPress – WordPress has both a hosted service (WordPress.com) and downloadable software to run on your own server (WordPress.org). We’ll cover both of these:

• WordPress.org – is free open source blogging software that is available to anyone to run on their own hosting account. This is the fully featured and heavily customizable version. WordPress has long been one of the top platforms among bloggers for years. Because it’s open-source, it’s a good choice for those that require the ability to customize everything. There are a plethora of easy to install templates, plugins and other goodies for WordPress. If you are looking for a free, open-source, fully-featured platform with room for customization and a supportive community of users this may be the best choice for you.

• WordPress.com – is a hosted blog service very similar but not exactly the same software you can download from WordPress.org. It does not allow the ability to upload plugins or themes, and has some other handicaps, but it’s free, easy and because it’s hosted & free you can get started within minutes.

Blogger is a free hosted blogging service available from Google. Compared to WordPress.com’s hosted solution, Blogger has some advantages like being able to modify templates (even the css) and drag-and-drop a variety of modules and third party tools. Blogger is worth considering as your platform if you are looking for a free & hosted solution with cool features. The ease of Google Adsense integration is another reason many webmasters choose Blogger. Blogger also gives the option to host your blog at your own Web site by FTPing posts to your site.

MovableType is SixApart’s free, perl-based, open source blogging platform. Like WordPress.org, you download this software and host it on your server. The software is slightly more complicated to install than WordPress, and comparably customizable with plenty of templates and plugins available from the MT community of developers. Business wishing to get a blog up and running should consider MovableType’s paid services which offer great support and features.

b2evolution – Is a free & open-source blog platform which you download and install on your own server. It includes features such as file & photo management, advanced skinning, multiple blogs support and more. If you are looking for a super-powerful, flexible CMS that can also provide multi-user blog engine — this could be for you. However, bloggers without such needs may find b2evolution too bloated and complicated.

Typepad is the hosted version of Movable Type. Basic pricing starts at $5/mo. Typepad allows customers to set-up a clean, professional blog with ease. There are about 50 available widgets from partner sites, but the downfalls are that it doesn’t allow 3rd party javascript or creation of static pages.

Serendipity is worth a mention as a PHP-powered, flexible Blogging/CMS application that you install and run on your own server. Some features worth mentioning include: BSD-liscenced, easy to use plugins (over 120 of them), and it uses the Smarty templating engine.

Typo runs off Ruby on Rails – if you don’t know what that means, this isn’t the solution for you. But for Ruby on Rail fans, this is a great choice for blogging software.

LifeType Why pay at all when you can get everything that MovableType offers free of charge from pLog? Both applications have virtually the same basic features and personally, I think pLog is a lot easier to customize. pLog is ideal for anyone wanting to easily host a blogging community (with its summary.php page), and has added functionality for extras like podcasting built into the core.

Drupal - Drupal is an excellent content management system or focussed community management application that doesn’t really cut the mustard when it comes to providing multiple blogs. Technically perfect but is limited by a focus on the group rather than the individual. Worth a look as this might be what you’re after.

Desktop Blogging Tools or Publishers

BlogJet – A popular Windows blog client for your WordPress, TypePad, Blogger, Drupal, etc. blogs. Get convenience and speed of a native application, and the ability to write posts offline.

Windows Live Writer – Writer makes it easy to share your photos and videos on almost any blog service—Windows Live, WordPress, Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad, and many more.

I am not capturing here some common text editors like textpad, notepad etc.

RSS Readers

Bloglines – Excellent and invaluable for keeping all those feeds in order.

Google Feedburner – Yes the new name is now Google Feedburner as Feedburner is acquired by Google.

RSS Reader – This is a free RSS reader which can handle any RSS feed and atom feed.

Google Reader – This is a new version available now which can help you aggregate all your feeds at your desktop.

Blog Poll Tools 

BlogPolls - You don’t have to be a member to create new polls here.

Vizu - Add an interactive poll to a web page or blog post in seconds. Customize the look to match your site.

Blog Poll - Custom Poll Builder for Bloggers

Blog Flux Poll - Blog Flux Polls are the easiest way to add fun and interactive polls to your sites.

WP-Polls - Wordpress WP-Polls Plugin

Email Subscription Tools 

 

Feedblitz - Automatically create newsletters from your blog; send a newsflash; or build your own content with our editor. Track activity, segment your mailings, generate RSS & web archives, report in real-time and more. All at no extra cost.

Zookoda - Keep your blog audience informed in the form of an email newsletter. Zookoda gives you complete control over all your email marketing… free!

Aweber – Quickly create and run your campaigns with powerful, easy-to-use email marketing tools. Send engaging email newsletters to your opt-in subscribers.

 

AWeber Demo

Less Work – More Sales Sound good? AWeber’s unlimited follow up autoresponders increase sales, lower costs, build lasting customer relationships, and increase your profits! Find out how with Unlimited Autoresponders.

 

Yutter - Internet Directory and you can submit your site here.

RSSfwd - Get any blog in your email.

Feedburner – Get Feedburner email subscription service.

Hope you take benefit of the above resources and also don’t forget to share your top blogging tools here!

Wishing you successful blogging,

Jay Author

Related Posts:

• What Blogging Platform should I use?

Tagged with: best blogging tools • blog platforms • blog poll tools • blogging platforms • desktop blogging tools • email subscription tools • popular blogging tools • RSS readers • share your top blogging tools • top blogging tool • top blogging tools • what are your top blogging tools?

Filed under: blog tools • blogging tips • blogging tricks

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