Back in 2018, I shared a deep dive into my blogging process and review tips: How I Blog: Blogging & Review Tips. But let’s be real—in the tech world, 2018 feels like a lifetime ago. Many of the tools and plugins I relied on back then have since vanished or evolved. Since my workflow has changed along with the landscape, I thought it was time for a fresh update on what I’m currently using to keep this blog running.
Where I Blog: I started my journey on Blogger, a great free platform that also offers paid options. Eventually, I made the move to WordPress, which provides both free and premium hosting plans. Ultimately, the right platform depends on your personal goals and the specific features you want for your blog.
Plugins are essential to a successful blog, but navigating the costs can be tricky. Most offer a “freemium” model where you get the basics for free, while the “bells and whistles” require a paid upgrade. In my experience, some tools are absolutely worth the investment, while others work perfectly fine in their free version.
Free Plugins
- CommetLuv – “Lets your commuters share a post from their site.”
- Mailchimp – Can pay for, but I do free. “Newsletter service.”
- Smooth Back To Top Button – “Allow your visitors to easily scroll back to the top of the page.”
- Social Icons & Sharing Buttons by WPZOOM – “Add social media icons and sharing buttons to your website.”
- WP Snow – Best Snow Effect Plugin – I turn this on in Nov. – Jan. “Animation effect of falling snow.”
- WP About Author – If you don’t use UBB then this plugin is perfect for your blog. “Author bios below your posts.”
- Jetpack – Can pay for full use, but partial is free. “Seamless WordPress Management With Tools Built for Speed, Security, and Growth. All-in-One Plugin.”
Paid for Plugins
- FS Poster – One time fee. Great for repost old blog posts and new. Also for sharing pictures to all your social media platforms. “Social media auto poster and scheduler plugin.”
- RafflePress Pro – One time fee. Alternate to Rafflecopter. “Entry form used for promotions & giveaways.”
- Norse Graze – Ultimate Book Blogger – One time fee. Can renew each year to get updates. “Super charge your reviews.”
- UBB Reading Challenges Add-On – One time fee. Can renew each year to get updates. “Keep track of your reading challenge progress “
Essential Websites for Bloggers: Beyond plugins, there are several external websites that are vital to my daily workflow. Whether I’m running a giveaway, organizing a blog hop, or looking for design inspiration, having a go-to list of resources saves so much time. Below are the sites I use constantly and highly recommend for any book blogger.
- Linktree – Free or Paid access. I use the free portion. “It’s a tool that creates a single, customizable landing page to house multiple links (social media, websites, products) for social profiles”
- Canva – Free or Paid access. I use the paid option now, but did do free for many years. “Online graphic design tool.”
- Giveaway Tools – Free tool – Giveaway. Alternate to Rafflecopter. “Embeddable entry form used for promotions & giveaways.”
- MisterLinky – Free or Paid access. I use the paid it’s like $20 for the year. “Manage and collect links for blog hops, memes, and link-ups.”
- Color Adobe – Free. “Color themes and palettes plus color codes.”
- Emojis – Free. “Full collection of Emojis.”
- Time Converter – Free.
I’d love to hear from you—are any of these tools part of your daily blogging routine, how has your toolkit changed since you started blogging, or do you have a hidden gem I missed? I’m always looking for new resources, so please share your favorites in the comments below!
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Angel’s Book Nook sounds like such a cozy and welcoming space for book lovers — I love finding spots that celebrate reading and community. Whether it’s curated recommendations, comfortable vibes, or thoughtful discussions, places like this really make a difference for fellow readers.
I like seeing what others bloggers use. When I started mine, I felt like I was stumbling around in the dark. I had an idea of the outcome I wanted, but getting there wasn’t always that easy, and I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but I’m happy with it. Sometimes I get an itch to make bigger changes, but then I wonder if it’s really worth it and I wait until the feeling goes away. My blog is on WordPress hosted by Bluehost. I pay for the hosting and I paid for a few plugins, but I use the free version for most of them.
Rolé, I felt exactly the same way when I started! My husband was actually the one who suggested blogging since I was reading so much back then. I had no clue what I was doing at first and constantly tweaked things, but it never felt quite right. I’m finally at a place where I love my setup! I still make minor adjustments here and there, but nothing major anymore. Thanks so much for visiting and sharing your experience!
I use UBB and Nose Graze hosts my blog for me too now. I have a LinkTree but it is mostly for my library stuff, and I need to utilize it more. I LOVE Canva, I could play around on it all day. Fun post!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2026/02/23/e-galley-review-my-worst-mistake-texas-diamonds-3-by-emma-lee-jayne/
I am obsessed with Canva! I get so lost in creating graphics that I completely lose track of time—especially when I have a good audiobook playing in the background. Also, the Norse Graze – Ultimate Book Blogger plugin is a total game-changer; it makes my review posts look absolutely spectacular. Thanks so much for checking out my updated post!”
Thanks for sharing this update! I love seeing how bloggers optimize their sites with plugins and other tools — it’s always helpful to learn what works for others in terms of performance, SEO, and user experience. I often look for blogging tips and website strategies online, and your insights definitely gave me some ideas to try on my own site. Great post!
When I first started blogging, I was always asking others which plugins they were using whenever I saw a feature I loved. I decided to put together a “how I blog” post 4-years into my journey, and now that it’s been 8-years, I felt it was definitely time for an update! My blog has moved and evolved so much since then, and I think it’s always helpful to share what’s actually working (and what might not be) in the current landscape.
This is such a helpful “2026 reality check” post. I like how you split the list into free vs paid and actually name what each tool does, FS Poster for resurfacing old posts and Norse Graze/UBB for review + challenge tracking are real time-savers. The freemium squeeze is so real, so your Canva + MisterLinky notes will help a lot of newer bloggers. Quick safety tip for anyone who’s scared after a plugin hiccup: do a backup first and test on a staging copy if you can, even a basic setup prevents the “my site is broken” panic. What are you using these days for spam control and comment moderation, Akismet or something else?
With the WordPress site I pay for Jetpack is included along with the Akismet Anti Spam. Both work wonders.
I upgraded my wordpress blog to a paid version this year. I went to add a plugin on the page and thoroughly messed up my blog so I removed it. I like the reading challenge progress bar I see on a bunch of blogs but I cannot justify spending the money while on a tight budget. So my blog will be borning lol!
But I love that you shared this post with us readers. I saved some links for when my budget allows. Thanks for sharing Angela
I completely understand, Melissa! I was hesitant for a long time to pay for a domain or plugins myself. It’s hard to justify the cost when you aren’t making money, even when you’re passionate about creating a great experience for your readers.
I used to use a free version called Progress Bar that might still be available in the WordPress directory. While I personally prefer Norse Graze – UBB Reading Challenges Add-On now, I know that’s not in everyone’s budget. That’s exactly why I wanted to share these updates—to help fellow bloggers find alternatives that work, whether they are ready to invest or looking for free resources!
I’m so happy you stopped by to check out this post and share your thoughts, Melissa!