When it comes to choosing a blogging platform, almost everyone says go for Wordpress. I understand why. It's very customizable, with many plug-ins among other things ... But you need to be a bit "geeky" to get the most out of it. And a custom design can be pricey. Getting reliable hosting for it is tricky too. That's more time taken to find it, along with the cost.

Weebly is so easy to use

According to my current situation and needs, Wordpress is too much hassle. That's why I like Weebly as a blogging platform. I have several blogs with it and I couldn't be happier.

Now you can use Weebly for free. But I would recommend getting the Pro option, which is only 50 bucks a year or thereabouts. There are many advantages from doing this including better customer service. I know from personal experience that they are definitely responsive and helpful.

You also have more template options. Of course you can get a custom design if you wish. But frankly I think the ones you already have access to look absolutely fine.

Weebly is a website builder and (very reliable) host all in one. The drag and drop interface is just so user-friendly. And the blogging tool is a seamless part of it. So, if you've set up your custom domain with them (a straightforward process) the blog comes off the main domain automatically, like with this site.

The dashboard is very easy to navigate and use. It's a doddle to add social media buttons, maps, slide shows, "read more" breaks, video, audio and other content.

Image library included

One feature that I particularly like is related to images. Of course you can upload these from your hard drive, but you can also search for, then publish them directly within the Weebly interface. They've set it up with access to a free and paid image library.

Now the pictures aren't all brilliant. And you often need to tweak your search terms to get something appropriate.

Still, you can usually find a picture to go with your post that complements it quite well. And you didn't have to fork out money and spend time looking through stock images on other sites.

This isn't a huge thing. But it certainly saves time and money.

Ecommerce options available

There are also ecommerce tools you can use within the platform itself. That's great if you want to offer products or services either through your blog or the other pages of a niche website.

I haven't yet utilized this option. But I may well do in future. The fact that it is already there in front of me and sure to be pretty straightforward is a real bonus.

So, Weebly definitely meets my blogging needs and will do for a while. If, like me, you love blogging but aren't into the more technical aspects of web design and building -- yet still want to promote and sell stuff then it's an excellent, reliable and affordable option.

Sure, it's not Wordpress. But there's still heaps you can do with it that's quick and easy. And this range of options will surely keep expanding over time.

As many people surely know already, it's easy to become hooked on using Pinterest. It really is a feast for the eyes. There are countless appealing images on there that you can pin to your own boards.

And it's not just the photographs ... One thing I really enjoy doing is browsing all the infographics related to blogging, social media and online marketing on there. Given how addictive the site is, it's not surprising that 80% of pins are actually repins.


While there's no harm in repinning stuff it's a good idea to put as much completely new content on there as well. That means that you'll stand out ... But then if that's all you do, it's going to take a lot longer to build up your boards …

Repin a lot to build momentum

So the strategy I would suggest for new Pinterest users is this: Repinning like crazy to get some momentum up with your boards. And as you do this, go for the popular stuff that is getting repinned a lot anyway.

Commenting on popular pins helps a little, much like blog commenting does. As you would do on blog posts, only do it if you feel a sincere need to, and your contribution adds value somehow.

But the main thing is to build up some boards with lots of good and relevant pins on them.

This gives you a clear sense of achievement and direction apart from anything else. And with so much on there, your boards will be more attractive to other Pinterest users.

Pin entirely new images to stand out

Once you've got some nice big ones happening, I would focus almost entirely on putting new stuff on there.

Some of these pins are going to go gangbusters, and you'll reap the benefits because you were the first to put it on there.

This is another reason why all your blog posts should contain at least one image. If it's completely original, even better.

Relevance is key

Of course the most beautiful photos go best on Pinterest. But they don't have to be masterpieces. I've got some locally oriented boards that include photos I took from around Sydney and Perth. They've been repinned, and brought traffic to those posts consistently over along period of time.

Again, it's all about relevance. Combine a decent new photo or image with a good description and put it on a board that's got a very clear focus, with heaps of good content already and you'll lift the odds of it being seen and therefore repinned substantially.

Again, as with so many things. It's all about being persistent and strategic.