10 Vital Mobile Features, Apps & Hacks For Bloggers
As a blogger, you have the obligation to constantly communicate with your audience.
This could be quite a vexing task for someone who’s always on the go.
But with today’s advanced technology, you no longer need a computer to engage, post and build your blog.
Once you’ve already built and launched your blog online, all you will ever need is a mobile device. Through mobile blogging, you can easily publish your posts through your smartphone.
The development of numerous mobile apps make blogging possible even when you are on the move.
You don’t just blog often, you also get to improve your writing and track your social media and website success regularly (since you already have everything handy on your phone).
Here are 10 important mobile features, apps, and hacks that fit your needs as a blogger, so you get more done while you travel.
These blogging platforms allow you to do everything you normally do on your computer which includes drafting a new post, reviewing comments, and tracking statistics.
Just a tip, though, after you post your blog through the mentioned apps, make sure to review the post with your phone browser.
Either with a desktop or with the full site view enabled, do this to get an insight on how your post will look like to readers who are not using their mobile devices.
With the metrics provided by HubSpot, you can see which of your email campaigns are getting the most clicks and opens through your mobile device.
You not only stay on top of your sales activity, you also get to share the best email approaches amongst your team. HubSpot also offers an excellent Social Media Integration and keeps you updated through real-time notifications.
With just one click, you can save, manage, and read the things you find while online.
You also have the option to post on different platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc., as long as they are linked to Instapaper.
Also, you can create posts even when you’re offline – they will be automatically saved and posted the next time you go online.
Wherever you are in the world, Flickr lets you upload, edit, organize, and share your photos.
And if you need picturesque and engaging photos for your blog, the Pixlr app lets you edit images from your phone.
Most people nowadays are visual so having a picture editor that delivers good quality photos will make a great contribution to the success of your blog.
WordPress and Blogger make it easier for you to set-up Google Analytics on your blog.
This app is most effective when you don’t do random blog changes. To correctly measure your traffic, major changes should be carefully planned and scheduled.
But with so many social media networks available, it’s difficult to post regularly. This is where Buffer becomes a very useful app.
Buffer allows you to queue your social media posts for different sites and post them automatically at precise intervals. This app automates the process for you.
You simply need to set aside some time to fill up your queue with social media postings.
To publish a video blog, you simply have to upload a video from your smartphone to your account in YouTube, copy the published URL and paste the URL into your post.
For a Facebook Live video, you just have to tap on the Live Video Button, add your broadcast description, and then tap on the Go Live Button whenever you're ready.
Plus, you can also give access to a trusted friend with good grammar skills through the collaboration features of Google Docs.
This app gives you convenience so it’ll be easier for you to let others check your work.
It’s a social platform for journaling that allows readers to share experiences, thoughts, guidance, and fiction by posting to interest-based communities and journals.
With text messaging and voice posting, you can make posts even when you’re traveling.
The community features enable you to publish a response to comments, moderate comments and maintain high engagement levels despite being away from your desktop.
With the constant change in technology, it’s quite tough to keep up with the new apps.
Current phones also become quickly obsolete as soon as a new model unit enters the picture.
As a blogger, you should not limit yourself to your desktop or laptop, and you should learn to adopt mobile blogging.
Making use of the most important mobile features, apps, and hacks is the best way to make your blog active even if you’re away from your work desk.
Mobile blogging allows you to remain competitive against other sites by letting you publish content faster, so make the best use of it.
This could be quite a vexing task for someone who’s always on the go.
But with today’s advanced technology, you no longer need a computer to engage, post and build your blog.
Once you’ve already built and launched your blog online, all you will ever need is a mobile device. Through mobile blogging, you can easily publish your posts through your smartphone.
The development of numerous mobile apps make blogging possible even when you are on the move.
You don’t just blog often, you also get to improve your writing and track your social media and website success regularly (since you already have everything handy on your phone).
Here are 10 important mobile features, apps, and hacks that fit your needs as a blogger, so you get more done while you travel.
1. Mobile Blogging Platform
Depending on which platform you’ve selected for publishing your site, popular options such as WordPress and Blogger have mobile apps available. You can edit, compose, and publish your posts even when you’re on the road.These blogging platforms allow you to do everything you normally do on your computer which includes drafting a new post, reviewing comments, and tracking statistics.
Just a tip, though, after you post your blog through the mentioned apps, make sure to review the post with your phone browser.
Either with a desktop or with the full site view enabled, do this to get an insight on how your post will look like to readers who are not using their mobile devices.
2. HubSpot (CRM & Sales)
This app enables you to create a library of customized sales content and email templates that you can easily access from your inbox.With the metrics provided by HubSpot, you can see which of your email campaigns are getting the most clicks and opens through your mobile device.
You not only stay on top of your sales activity, you also get to share the best email approaches amongst your team. HubSpot also offers an excellent Social Media Integration and keeps you updated through real-time notifications.
3. Instapaper
The Instapaper app is a simple tool that lets you save web pages for your reading later. You can save all the interesting articles you come across while browsing the Internet.With just one click, you can save, manage, and read the things you find while online.
You also have the option to post on different platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc., as long as they are linked to Instapaper.
Also, you can create posts even when you’re offline – they will be automatically saved and posted the next time you go online.
4. Photo Blogging
Flickr is a photo portfolio app that allows you to publish photos from your smartphone to your blog. This is a very convenient app for those who love to take pictures while they travel.Wherever you are in the world, Flickr lets you upload, edit, organize, and share your photos.
And if you need picturesque and engaging photos for your blog, the Pixlr app lets you edit images from your phone.
Most people nowadays are visual so having a picture editor that delivers good quality photos will make a great contribution to the success of your blog.
5. Traffic Analysis by Google Analytics
Google Analytics is an important tool that enables you to get insights from your readers’ activity. You can check real-time data and metrics to monitor your blog while you are on the go.WordPress and Blogger make it easier for you to set-up Google Analytics on your blog.
This app is most effective when you don’t do random blog changes. To correctly measure your traffic, major changes should be carefully planned and scheduled.
6. Social Networking by Buffer
It’s important as a blogger to also engage your readers on various social media platforms. Promoting your content more than once on social media contributes well to follower engagement.But with so many social media networks available, it’s difficult to post regularly. This is where Buffer becomes a very useful app.
Buffer allows you to queue your social media posts for different sites and post them automatically at precise intervals. This app automates the process for you.
You simply need to set aside some time to fill up your queue with social media postings.
7. Video Blogging
Videos are more convenient and engaging than photos, so video blogging through mobile has become quite a trend nowadays. Facebook and YouTube allow you to upload videos straight from your phone.To publish a video blog, you simply have to upload a video from your smartphone to your account in YouTube, copy the published URL and paste the URL into your post.
For a Facebook Live video, you just have to tap on the Live Video Button, add your broadcast description, and then tap on the Go Live Button whenever you're ready.
8. Text Editor by Google Docs
It’s easy to lose your work while composing your posts in a blogging app. Through Google Docs, your content will be backed up automatically.Plus, you can also give access to a trusted friend with good grammar skills through the collaboration features of Google Docs.
This app gives you convenience so it’ll be easier for you to let others check your work.
9. LiveJournal
LiveJournal allows users to post a photo or entry on journals.It’s a social platform for journaling that allows readers to share experiences, thoughts, guidance, and fiction by posting to interest-based communities and journals.
With text messaging and voice posting, you can make posts even when you’re traveling.
10. Disqus Commenting System
More and more bloggers are integrating Disqus onto their blogs as it keeps commenters engaged.The community features enable you to publish a response to comments, moderate comments and maintain high engagement levels despite being away from your desktop.
With the constant change in technology, it’s quite tough to keep up with the new apps.
Current phones also become quickly obsolete as soon as a new model unit enters the picture.
As a blogger, you should not limit yourself to your desktop or laptop, and you should learn to adopt mobile blogging.
Making use of the most important mobile features, apps, and hacks is the best way to make your blog active even if you’re away from your work desk.
Mobile blogging allows you to remain competitive against other sites by letting you publish content faster, so make the best use of it.
Guest contribution by: Al-moottil P Antony a C-Suite Executive Support Professional for Zain.com, a leading mobile and data services operator with a commercial footprint in 8 Middle Eastern and African countries.
