Resources

I thought it would be helpful to build a list of the most useful CMS related resources I’ve used and discovered during my ventures online. This list will be expanded upon and refined as new resources and services are discovered, so I’d recommend bookmarking this page for future reference.

If you’re looking for CMS-specific recommendations, check out the CMS Recommendations section for recommended plugins, themes and services related to the CMS of your choice.

Disclosure: Some of these recommendations are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I’ll receive a commission if you choose to make a purchase. I recommend these products because I’m a happy customer who feels they are worth sharing, and not because of the small commission I’d receive.

Web Hosting

  • Linode Fantastic virtual servers web host I have been a happy customer of since January 2012. Servers come ‘as-is’ giving you full control although you’ll need some technical knowledge, or a developer friend/colleague to get set up. Linode has a great wiki to get you started.

SEO / Keyword Research

  • Long Tail Pro A user-friendly and highly recommended keyword research tool that I use regularly. Find keywords to target with your content and analyse your website’s competition within your niche or subject.
  • Google Adwords Tool Helpful for choosing keywords if you’re considering an AdWords campaign. Can also be used as a keyword research tool for your website’s content.
  • Serpfox Clean and simple web app to easily track your website’s position in Google’s rankings. You can track up to 10 keywords for free, with monthly plans available if you’d like to track more.
  • SEO Starter Guide Google’s easy to understand starter guide to help you laern the basics of SEO and creating a search-engine friendly website.
  • Advanced Guide to SEO Neil Patel’s fantastic, in-depth and free guide to just about everything on slightly more advanced SEO techniques.

Writing

  • iA Writer My choice markdown editor on OSX. The almost non-existent user interface helps me to really focus on what I’m writing. The best praise I can give is that it’s a pleasure to use.
  • MarkdownPad(Win) and Dillenger(Web) are both good markdown editor alternatives.
  • Rainy Mood Ambient background noise I often listen to so I can focus on my work/writing instead of distracting music. Press play, minimise and really focus. Give it a try.