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round trip travel and lifestyle blog

5 Free Blogging Tools I Love

February 15, 2017
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I still find it funny that I never wanted to start a blog three years ago.  Nope, not me.  I didn’t want to be like my big sister who had a blog, and who would even want to read 500 words about my Wednesday afternoon?  But after talking to a magazine professional and asking her advice on how I could grow in my abilities, she suggested I start a blog.  The idea began to grow, and bam.   More than two years later, I can’t imagine my life without Round Trip.  I’ve made many mistakes and have learned more than I ever imagined.  Recently I was scrolling through old posts of mine and cringed at the low-quality pictures whose horizons were not aligned straight.  Even reading some of my first posts, I want to wrinkle my face because my writing was so mechanical and lacked voice.  I still have miles to go in terms of improvement and growth, but it’s so incredible to see where I’ve come from.  And over the years, I’ve found some of my favorite free blogging tools that I’d love to share with you:

1. Adobe Lightroom

Literally a game changer. You don’t need to be a professional photographer with a fancy camera to take beautiful photos. I am obsessed with my Adobe Lightroom app because I can polish up my photos and even save my presets. I edit virtually all of my photos on Lightroom, which gives my feed a more cohesive look.

2. Hootsuite

Sites that manage social media have also been around town for quite some time.  My sister who works in marketing recommended Hootsuite to me several times, and I thought, Do I really need one more account?  And how helpful will this actually be?  Oh, snap.  This site has revolutionized my life.  Posting becomes much less random or a when-I-have-time-or-remember type deal.  As my dear friend Cate of Habit & Heart always says, “consistency creates legitimacy.”  And Hootsuite has allowed me to do just that: to schedule posts and do it for me when my audience is online.

hootsuite-free-blogging-tools-round-trip-travel

3. Trello

This is my new favorite toy. This planning account works great with desktop and helps me organize my to-dos and also organize my content in a way that’s convenient for planning purposes. Along with my to-do lists, I also added my blog bucket list, so that I can dream about how I’d like to grow and update my blog in the future. And you can pick fun backgrounds and color code it all. I am in love with this free blogging tool!

Trello Account Screenshot

4. Webinars

I completely underestimated how valuable webinars could be.  I’ve read ample articles on how to blog better and even listened to a podcast, so what could a webinar offer me that these couldn’t?  Boy, was I ready for a treat?!  I signed up for Wonderfelle and Brittney Lynn’s free webinar on how to never run out of content ideas.  I learned such incredible, practical advice that I’d never heard of anywhere before.  I also signed up for Helene in Between’s webinar on Instagram Success.  Helene is so relatable, honest and personable.  I emailed her, and she responded about four hours later.  (Mind you, she has over 30,000 Insta followers!!)  And for both of these webinars, viewers could comment in real time to leave responses and ask questions.best-free-blogging-tools-round-trip-travel

5. Pinterest

I know it’s hard to believe, but this site is good for more than cake ball recipes and mason jar crafts.  Out of all these tools, I’ve found most of my blogging expertise via blogging pins.  And I’d like to share some useful posts I’ve found.  Even though you probably won’t use every last one, BC Creative’s 200+ Blog Post Ideas for All Types of Blogs is sure to get some juices flowing and fight that blogger’s block.  Yes and Yes’s super practical post on Why + How to Update Your Old Blog Posts helps you make the most of all your hard work over the months (or years).

But above all, your best resource is other bloggers.  Find out what they like, how they deal with blogger’s block, where they think best, how they brainstorm.  Maybe ask them to guest post.  Blogging is all about community; you are not a one woman show.  And that ain’t a bad thing, sister.

My blog and my idea of a good blog have changed dramatically over the years.  Round Trip began simply as a blog title but has blossomed into a brand promoting not just travel but personal growth and authenticity on the journey we call life.  You don’t have to have it all figured out; I certainly don’t.  But hey, we’re on our way, right?

Tell me about your favorite free blogging tools in the comments.

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Comments

  1. claireprather says

    February 15, 2017 at 11:34 am

    this is super helpful! thank you!! I’m definitely going to get hootsuite- I’m the worst with posting consistently! Keep doin your think girl. 🙂

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      February 15, 2017 at 1:11 pm

      Thanks, Miss Claire! Glad I could be of help 🙂 happy blogging!

      Reply
  2. amt07 says

    February 15, 2017 at 11:55 am

    Wonderful post!!

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      February 15, 2017 at 1:11 pm

      Thanks for stopping by 🙂 happy blogging!

      Reply
  3. Amy says

    February 15, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    Great post,really helpful definitely downloading hootsuite

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      February 15, 2017 at 1:12 pm

      Thanks, Amy! It’s beyond incredible! When I have an extra couple minutes or am waiting, I can just pull out my app and schedule some posts 🙂 happy blogging!

      Reply
  4. Wanderfully Living says

    February 15, 2017 at 3:36 pm

    I hadn’t even heard of hoot suite or VSCO but will definitely be trying them out now, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      February 15, 2017 at 4:15 pm

      Hi Rhianne! Glad you stopped by 🙂 I’m low-key addicted to VSCO!! Happy blogging!!

      Reply
      • Wanderfully Living says

        February 15, 2017 at 4:29 pm

        Just away to download it right now!

  5. earthsmagicalplaces says

    February 15, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    Really helpful post 🙂 x

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      February 15, 2017 at 4:15 pm

      Hi Rachel! Glad I could help 🙂 Happy blogging!

      Reply
  6. healthylivingbyeva says

    February 22, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    Great ideas– I actually didn’t know about vsco and will definitely have to try it out. How do you take most of your photos? Phone or by DSLR?

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      February 22, 2017 at 4:24 pm

      I’m so addicted to VSCO!! I’ve had a Nikon D3200 (named Cammie) for several years and am hooked. I definitely use my iPhone, too, but I’m partial to my DSLR. But iPhone do take some stellar pics, too!

      Reply
  7. pedrol says

    December 18, 2019 at 9:59 am

    thanks for sharing Kristin 🙂 I use wordpress (of course lol) and then I edit my photos with an app called ‘foodie and then an app for videos called ‘quick’ 🙂 thanks for sharing these and happy blogging! i am following you now, hope you can follow back! greetings from Lisbon, PedroL

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      December 25, 2019 at 7:50 pm

      Hey there! So cool, I hadn’t heard of those. Thanks for sharing 🙂 I’ve only ever been to the Lisbon airport, but I’ll need to actually visit Portugal!!

      Reply
      • pedrol says

        December 26, 2019 at 5:47 am

        of course you need Kristin eheh happy new year 🙂 PedroL

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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
learn more about my story

Want free access to my 30-minute travel budgeting course?

A staycation truly isn’t the worst thing when yo A staycation truly isn’t the worst thing when you live in southern France🙈😂

☀️This weekend I had a college friend come visit me in Marseille. I showed her some of my favorite spots for walking, biking and obviously ice cream-eating🍦 We hiked to one of my favorite spots, la calanque de Sugiton. Can’t recommend it enough!

⛴And together we explored some spots I’d never been to either. We took a boat to a nearby island, it’s casual💁🏼‍♀️ And we tried an Asian food spot I’d passed countless times but hadn’t gotten around to trying. It was life-changing tbh😋

I’ve had lots of people ask me, what are you doing with your 2-week vacation in February? And I said, hanging near home. And that ain’t a bad thing! The past week of nearby exploring, sleeping in, submitting my taxes (super sexy right?), taking walks along the beach and living life *even* more slowly — this is exactly what I needed🥰
Let's talk crushes😍Ever been somewhere that giv Let's talk crushes😍Ever been somewhere that gives you butterflies in your tummy and a warm sensation in your heart? Truly all the signs of a crush, but it's a place, not a person.

🛤️This weekend I visited Bordeaux for the first time, and let me tell you, I am ~CrUsHiNg~ This charming city sported a vibrant attitude, and its cobblestone streets leaked hints of modernity and irreverence. @ToriHantak and I strolled the streets, and we just looked at each other and said, "I am in love with this place."

💗From the kindest wine shop owner who was eager to chat about our move to France to the cute, old man at the boucherie who jokingly invited himself to our charcuterie night, Tor and I were smitten.

🍷We drank wine in our jammies, ate ice cream in a bubbly square and sauntered along La Garonne. For a few moments, life felt normal. Two young twenty-something gal pals running around southern France, giggling endlessly and getting impromptu piercings.

💟Ever have those moments in crush-worthy places that send you into an enchanting trance? I will cherish this dreamy Bordeaux weekend with a sweet college friend.
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Do we have any adrenaline junkies here?🙋The one Do we have any adrenaline junkies here?🙋The one who loved the thrill of the high diving board growing up? The human who loves being thrown every which way on a rollercoaster? The person who wants to skydiving for their birthday?

💥Sometimes I like that adrenaline rush, but when it really comes down to it, I like being comfortable. It's so much easier to stay in the familiar: the same routine, town, friends, furniture arrangement.

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😶The months of waiting and preparing were tough. Would I still get to go? Would my dream of living in France come true? Would I be able to make friends in a pandemic? Was I crazy to move 4,000 miles from home during a pandemic?

And when I finally boarded my flight, I still wasn't sure how it would turn out. It could've been une catastrophe, truly. But even with the bumps and bruises, I have reaped a much bigger reward than if I'd stayed in the comfortable + familiar.

⭐It ain't perfect, but I'm living my dream. And that is worth the leap of faith!

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One year ago, @torihantak and I were in a freezing One year ago, @torihantak and I were in a freezing cold queue line to get into crowded, sweaty bar👀 Just a few weeks before the world turned upside down.

We’d taken several French classes together and recently submitted our TAPIF applications to teach English in France.

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