Anyone who has been blogging for a while will tell you there’s a lot of work that goes behind a blog post. It’s not just about writing what you think; there are also facts and figures to consider and then putting all those pieces together. Now, wouldn’t it be great if there’s a tool that can make the process easier? That’s why I am about to show you how to use the Evernote app for blogging productivity.
My Encounter With Evernote
Founded in 2008 (that’s almost 11 years ago), Evernote is designed to be a software that can manage and organize note-taking for the users. In the beginning, it was popular for personal use but gradually evolves into a multitasking tool that can be used for anyone who works online.
When I first got to know about the app, I didn’t pay much attention to it. Needless to say, I wasn’t writing much at that point in time. As I became more committed to blogging, I knew I needed some extra help and that’s when I revisited Evernote. After the first week of using the app, I could clearly see how it’s going to change the way I build my content moving forward – in a positive way of course.
Using Evernote – The Desktop Version
As mentioned earlier, planning is necessary when it comes to writing a good quality article. Using the desktop version of Evernote, I discovered that the task can be systemically broken down into three stages.
1 – Keyword Organization
Assuming your goal is to publish 12 articles per month. That means you need to research for 12 long-tail keywords as potential topics for your content. My favorite keyword tool does a great job on that and can even group them into specific lists, but that’s as far as it would go. When keywords are stored elsewhere and out of your view, they tend to be forgotten.
On the other hand, by transferring those keywords into Evernote and creating a schedule for each topic, you may actually write more effectively. For example, I have created a notebook for each month and established a keyword list so I know what to write in the next few days. This practice saves me time and keeps things on track. You should do it too sometimes.
2 – Content Curation
Now that you have a ‘note’ for each keyword, it’s time to start curating the content. I called this content research and that means scouring the internet for various relevant articles, blogs, videos, infographics, PDFs, product reviews and images. The more complex the topic, the more resources you are going to get. That’s a good thing because more information can make content more valuable.
However, if you don’t have a proper way to organize the information, things can be very haphazard and confusing. In the past, I used to just bookmark pages for reference and even with that, I tend to lose track of where and what.
Luckily with the Web Clipper feature, you can now save information right from a webpage by clipping them to a specific note. You can do so using the right-click feature of the mouse to copy a text OR use the pop-up app window to clip a specific text or imagery. That way, you will always have a resource folder for reference when you work on your content later.
What I also like about this clipping technique is the ability to take a snapshot and create annotations for diagrams to complement your content. I used to use Monosnap for this purpose, but the application didn’t work properly on my PC so it’s great to find a new alternative within Evernote.
3 – Content Creation
With all the information in one place, there’s no need to open up too many browsers because most of the things can be easily accessed from the app’s dashboard. Plus, if you like distraction-free writing, you will appreciate the spacious editor as well. Minimal, but still delivers all the basic commands.
Some of you might think, why can’t I just write from within my website editor? Well, you could, but just make sure that it has the ability to save while the writing is in progress. I use WordPress and found that it can be a bit tricky if you don’t click the ‘Save as Draft’ button and when the server is down, you can potentially lose a properly edited article. Therefore, having a quick auto-save feature like Evernote (or even Google Docs) is crucial to prevent wasting time.
I don’t know about you, but I use my phone a lot to research for blogging ideas while I am stuck in traffic or trying to spend my lunchtime productively. Before Evernote, I was scribbling on paper notes and sharing links to my email. These methods are okay, but it gets messy after a while.
The good thing about this app is that I can record more information and organize them in a better manner while I am on the go. For example, I can take photos, record audios and also write digitally (things that aren’t usually done with PCs) as part of the note-taking process. It helps to keep ideas fresh and constantly make me look around my surrounding for blogging inspiration.
Most importantly, it syncs with your desktop so that your notes are constantly up-to-date.
The free plan enables syncing up to 2 devices and provides 60 MB of monthly storage space. If you want offline access, more storage space, and more technical support, you can upgrade to either the Premium or Business plans, both of which come with free trials.
As for writing, I would still use the desktop version simply because there’s more room for my fingers to move around (and for my mind to think freely). To get started on either one of the versions, you just need to sign up with your Google account and you are good to go.
Other Features Worth Mentioning
1 – Referral program
If you are addicted to using Evernote and feel like it could help your audience in their personal or online tasks, you could refer new users to the app and earn points (not commissions). When a certain threshold is met, these points will allow you to become a Premium user for free. Even though it’s not as rewarding as money, it’s still a positive incentive never the less and any type of niche blogger can leverage from this app conversion.
2 – Postach.io
Think this is another fancy name? Well, that’s the new platform that enables you to publish notes directly into a blog from the Evernote app. You can create a free blog that comes with a subdomain or if you want to use a custom domain, their simple hosting plans are $5 per month and $50 per year.
Personally, the features are really basic. It’s okay for personal blogging, but if you are planning to monetize online or blog for business, you will need something with better SEO traction and improved website customization. For that purpose, I would still recommend using self-hosted WordPress due to its solid reputation.
My Overall Experience With Evernote
Honestly, the idea behind this app is nothing new. Taking online notes, creating a checklist and capturing images – there are many programs that can do these tasks. However, very few can do a good integration, streamline the process and keep things simple.
Evernote is so versatile that it even works for a blogger’s routine – for me, that’s impressive. As an innovative app company, I hope the team will continue to add better features in the future. Meanwhile, I could see myself using this tool from now on to amp up my blogging and hopefully after reading this, you would do the same too.
By the way, if you’re looking for more ways to improve on your blogging skills or serious about creating an income from a blog, feel free to check out this robust training platform for more information.
Have some comments/questions about this topic? Just leave them in the space below.
I appreciate this information. I’ve used Evernote around the 2008-2009 timeframe and was not happy with it and never tried it again. This post might change my mind about that because now I am a blogger and can see how this app could benefit me.
Also, reading some of the other comments here, I see that Evernote has come a long way from their early years. The most intriguing thing is the screenshot option. It is so cumbersome to have to paste my screenshot in another file before I can retrieve and edit it. I usually use two devices (iPad & laptop) just so I can get a decent screenshot, save to the cloud and pull it from another device. Quite a headache when you are trying to be efficient with your time.
Evernote seems like a great app for people who constantly on the go. I can see its convenience in places like on the train, the waiting area and at the airport. Your clear explanation about the different features makes me want to try this app myself. So thanks for this informative review!
Hi Cathy, I must say that this article helped me a lot to discover more about Evernote. I actually heard about it but I did not know that it has so many other features besides note-taking. When it comes to writing content, I am using Google Docs and it is not bad at all. It’s easy to focus on my writing. I will certainly give Evernote a try and see what kind of experience I will get.
I had heard of Evernote by name, but I never seriously looked into it until now.
The web clipper tool sounds interesting, since managing URLs is a huge pain. All in all, I don’t think there is that much variation between writing software, but every software tends to have something which makes it stands out and everyone has a personal favorite they stick to (or some just use a different editor every day I suppose, to keep things fresh and get the best of both worlds).
Thanks for this review. I might take a look and see if it’s something that can amplify my blogging routine.
I LOVE Evernote! And yes, it’s indispensable as a writing tool. What I’ve discovered is that you have to find your own creative ways to use it and sometimes that can take awhile. I use several tools, including Grammarly, Copyscape, Open Office, Scrivener, and of course, Evernote.
But Evernote is where it all starts. I clip my references in there, shuffle them around, organize them, and start my first rough draft there. You can even save images in there! I also use the mobile version for reading through my references while I’m stuck in traffic or sitting at a restaurant. I don’t know what I’d do without all these neat tools, but for sure I don’t know what I’d do without Evernote.
I appreciate this informative post. I never knew that the desktop version for Evernote existed until now. I used to have the app version on my android, but it was a bit finicky to use for blogging. It will certainly be better to have a desktop integration. Thanks for showing us how this works!
Just what I’ve been looking for. Whenever I make a plan concerning what to write for my blog, I always end up writing another things because of the loss of information. Though, I tried opting for some apps and software to do the task, the fee charges are way too high and expensive to manage.
So, I’m very happy to come across this review. Even the free features seems like a good bargain. Will definitely install immediately to get my work started. Thanks!
WOW! You’ve just made my life a lot easier by discussing about Evernote. Usually, I take notes during university lectures, but I could see that the system works for blog research as well. In regards to content creation, does Evernote have any grammar check tool built into it? I tend to make a lot of mistakes in this area.
Hi there, I am currently using Evernote basic and also have Grammarly turned on as well. Both the apps don’t seem to sync though because the grammar check seems to be done through the default right click. The premium version allows integration but didn’t mention anything about grammar checking. As of now, I don’t think that feature is available.
This app offers a lot of benefits to bloggers and one thing that I really like is the ability to save notes automatically. You just need to paste the info and move on with whatever work you are doing. Even though there’s no save button whatsoever, your data will still be intact right inside the app.
Anyone who research stuff and publish their work online should definitely take advantage of the Evernote app.