My blogging toolkit includes Bluehost, GeneratePress, Semrush, Kit, WP Rocket, Rank Math, Canva, Grammarly, and more.
Note: I’ve personally used this same toolkit on over 30 blogs and have implemented it for my students and businesses as well.
I only share tools, software, and platforms that I personally use and trust. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your blog, these handpicked resources can help you move forward with confidence.
Disclosure: Please read this before exploring any recommended tools.
Some of the brands mentioned here are partners, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at “ZERO” cost to you. You might even get an extra discount! Only click or purchase if it adds real value to you.
Let’s dive into the details.
Blogging Essentials
My 3 must-have tools are designed to support your blogging journey — from discovering the right keywords to creating, hosting, and sharing your content with ease.
Bluehost WordPress Hosting
I’ve been using Bluehost since 2015 — Tried & tested for 7 blogs.
Bluehost is my only reliable partner in hosting a blog. I prefer Bluehost for 3 key reasons — performance, beginner-friendly dashboards, and fast customer support (I’ve resolved most issues in under 7 minutes). What else does a blogger need?
You can unlock exclusive access for just $1.99/month (vs $3.95 for others) — only for readers of Shailesh Thakran.
GeneratePress — Speed, Stability & Accessibility
After 9 years of building websites & scaling traffic, one thing is clear — speed and customization are essential. I’ve tested 3 popular themes — including Newspaper, Astra, and Kadence — but GeneratePress checks all points. Let me explain!
Trusted Choice: With over 6.5 million downloads, 1,000+ 5-star reviews, and 100,000+ happy users, GeneratePress isn’t just popular — it’s trusted by top bloggers worldwide.
Blazing fast: Tom Usborne (creator of GeneratePress) focuses on speed and usability. It’s lightweight and fully optimized for performance.
100% Beginner-friendly: Perfect for non-techies who still want flexibility. GeneratePress also offers well-documented guides to help you make changes with confidence.
Super Affordable: At just $49, it’s far cheaper — and performs better — than many $130+ “premium” themes I’ve worked with.
Pre-designed Templates: You get access to a 30+ professional, pre-designed site library featuring clean, modern designs — all installable in under 30 seconds.
Endless Customization: With hundreds of design controls and block-based theme building, GeneratePress Premium takes flexibility to the next level.
Semrush — Keywords, Market Research, Etc
I’ve been using Semrush since 2017. It helps me find hidden keyword opportunities, perform competitor analysis, and run blog audits. It’s been well worth the investment. However, if you’re looking only for keyword research, I recommend the following tools:
1. AnswerThePublic — Useful for finding long-tail keyword ideas.
2. ChatGPT — Helpful for brainstorming keyword ideas, though it doesn’t provide search volumes. Ideally, a good place to start, at least.
3. Perplexity — Similar to ChatGPT, I found Perplexity more capable in content research and sources. You can use either or both of them.
4. Google Trends — Absolutely free tool to discover the latest trends in your blogging niche.
Kit — formerly ConvertKit
I love Kit.
Frankly, I’ve tried other email marketing platforms such as Beehiiv, but I stick to Kit for their excellent features, such as segmentation, automation, and customer tagging. Wait! You also get a seamless experience and good customer support.
In fact, I follow Nathan Barry, the founder of Kit. He is a blogger himself and understands the issues faced by digital creators, including bloggers. FYI – Kit is used by the world’s best bloggers, including Pat Flynn, James Clear, Ali Abdaal, Justin Welsh, and many more.
WordPress Plugins
I’m pretty sure you won’t need more than these 4 essential plugins — they cover everything you need with ZERO impact on performance.
WP Rocket
In my 9 years in SEO, I’ve never seen a slow website succeed in Google search.
Actually, including you, nobody likes waiting for a webpage to load. WP Rocket improved my blog performance by 36%, delivering faster load times and a seamless experience for every visitor.
It fixes your website issues, such as page caching (including pre-loading), image optimisation, CDN, latency, etc., in 3 steps.
Rank Math SEO
I’ve moved from Yoast to Rank Math in 2022.
As the name suggests, Rank Math takes care of your blog’s on-page SEO, helping you optimize and rank (including other factors). Among 89 features, here’s what stands out before you even think about WordPress SEO!
Easy to Set Up & Maintain: It offers an easy-to-follow setup wizard to set up the entire plugin in 5 minutes (even less if you have a few handy data points; otherwise, 2 minutes).
Clearn & Simple Interface: Whether you’re installing or optimizing an article, you’ll have the correct information at the right time. In addition, it provides you with a preview and continuous feedback on your optimization levels.
Advanced Features: With the paid version, you get an AI content assistant, an advanced analytics module, a rank tracker, and my favourite – advanced schema markups.
As a beginner, you shouldn’t think of Rank Math Pro until you hit a specific goal with blog. I recommend comparing all features – Pro vs Free.
Akismet Anti-Spam
Akismet helps you filter out malicious comments, contact form spam, and suspicious submissions from articles/pages — so you don’t have to do it manually.
Trusted by millions of blogs and websites, it uses real-time data from millions of sites to protect your blog and keep your content clean.
Easy Table of Contents
I use the free TOC plugin by Magazine 3 developers.
You get a modern, fast, easy-to-use, and 90% customizable features (free version). It improves user experience by making long-form content easier to navigate, while also enhancing on-page SEO with internal anchor links & structured data.
Content
Content is king — but only when it’s brandable, polished, and packed with purpose. These handpicked tools make that effortlessly achievable.
Canva — Graphic Design
Canva is my no-nonsense, self-taught online graphic design tool I’ve been using since 2020.
I primarily use Canva Pro to create post images (thumbnails and other visuals) and content for social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
One of the main reasons I prefer Canva is that it allows me to create custom branding assets and avoid relying on generic stock footage.
PS: Google has never officially stated that using stock images impacts performance, but seeing the same image across multiple blogs and websites can hurt your brand’s uniqueness. For me, that’s a red flag in terms of branding.
Grammarly
I rely on Grammarly Premium for quick spelling and grammar checks. It also helps improve my writing, punctuation, and sentence clarity.
PS: When I say “rely,” I also mean that Grammarly helps me learn and grow as a writer.
Grammarly is available as Chrome Extension, Windows, and iOS.
Blog Monetization
Ads are one of the easiest ways to start earning from your blog. With the right network, your traffic can quickly turn into real income.
AdSense
With AdSense, monetizing your blog is simple.
It automatically displays ads that match your content or niche, helping you earn money effortlessly. For new bloggers, it’s one of the easiest and most reliable ways to start generating income from day one.
Raptive
Raptive is a premium ad management solution for high-traffic bloggers. It offers a robust, data-driven platform designed to maximize earnings, boost engagement, and grow your blog. Here’s why I prefer Raptive over Mediavine or other premium ad networks!
Max Earnings: Raptive offers higher RPMs (revenue per thousand impressions), custom ad strategies, growth tools, expert support, and a strong creator community — all while keeping your blog future-proof.
Eligibility: Your blog should have 100K+ monthly pageviews, quality original content, and most of its traffic from the US, CA, UK, AU, or NZ.
Productivity
I use Notion along with Google Docs and Excel.
Gadgets
I love my blogging setup and suggest you set up an environment because you are going to build a real business.
Laptops & Essentials
I use a Dell G15 (2023) with 16GB RAM and an Intel Core i5, paired with an LG UltraGear QHD 144Hz 32″ monitor and a CORSAIR K95 RGB Platinum mechanical keyboard.
When travelling, I switch to a lighter Dell Inspiron 15 (2022) with 8GB RAM and an Intel Core i5. For music and calls, I rely on my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.
Transparency Note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links (partnership with multiple brands such as Bluehost, etc.). If you click on one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission — at no additional cost to you. In fact, you may even receive a discount (typically 5–10%). Thank you for your support — it helps keep this content free and running!
