Tools, Resources and Education

Every web entrepreneur and online business designer needs a set of tools and resources, myself included. So here’s a nice set to get you going:

1. Market and keyword research

• Market Samurai – for me, the only tool worth checking out when it comes to doing market and keyword research. Market Samurai provides a completely free keyword research module, and 7-day free trial modules for: online competition analysis, rank tracking, publishing content, and more. The full version of the software starts at $97.

2. The basis – getting a domain and hosting

• Go Daddy – easy domain registration for less than $10.
• Host Gator – reliable hosting. One of the leaders in the field. You can start for less than $4 a month.

3. Setting up a website

• WordPress – the best website operating system available. Period. And it’s free. Visit this site to get a copy.
• ThemeFuse – one of the best looking and most functional WordPress themes on the internet. Affordable and reliable. Remember – don’t use free themes – they’re evil.
• WooThemes – another WordPress themes store (if you don’t like ThemeFuse, for some reason). High quality, affordable price.
• Thesis Theme – one of the most popular theme frameworks on the web. I only recommend this if you already have a web developer who has the experience and can manage it for you. Big SEO possibilities, according to many satisfied users.

4. Setting up an email list

• MailChimp – my favorite email delivery service. Extremely easy to use, and they even offer a free plan for people who are just starting out with email marketing.

5. Education

Training material by ProBlogger:

• ProBlogger’s Guide to your First Week of Blogging
• 31 Days to Build a Better Blog
• The Copywriting Scorecard for Bloggers

Training material by Rockable Press:

• How to Build a Successful Blog Business
• How to be a Rockstar WordPress Designer
• Rockstar Presentations

6. Books worth reading

Some of my most favorite books. Each with an Amazon link:

• The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
• Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
• The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less by Richard Koch
• The Art of War by Sun Tzu
• Getting Things Done by David Allen
• The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo
• Outrageous Advertising That’s Outrageously Successful by Bill Glazer

7. Additional tools

• The Best Spinner – the name says it all. It’s the best article spinner available. Not only my opinion, but hundreds of other marketers’ as well. You can get a 7 day trial for $7.
• A/B Split Test Significance Checker – split tests should be an important part of your marketing efforts (including SEO), but in order for them to give you any value you have to make sure that the results are statistically significant. Click for more info. (The tool is free, by the way)