In the previous article I was talking about; WordPress vs. Blogger – PROs & CONs for Choosing the Right Platform; it's a full comparison that helps you decide blogger or WordPress. But I found that new users know how to purchase domain name
but some of them don't know about adding blogger custom domain name to
Godaddy account to build own blogging URL addressing to Blogspot. I got
the question; 'How do I connect my domain to the blogger in GoDaddy?'
Let's see how to setup BlogSpot custom domain name to GoDaddy quickly.
Setting up BlogSpot Custom Domain To GoDaddy —
People used to search; how do I create a blog on Godaddy? How do I use
my domain name on Blogger? Is Blogger free? What is the custom domain?
How much does it cost to start a blog? How do I link my Godaddy domain
to BlogSpot? How do I setup BlogSpot custom domain? How to buy a url
and link to BlogSpot? How to add a custom domain to blogger? What is
blogger DNS settings? How to add blogger nameservers to Godaddy? Quick
set up blogger nameservers GoDaddy? get a free domain for blogger, how
to change blogger custom domain? how to park domain to Blogspot? Ans so
on...
You must know that the custom domain name helps in better blog branding.
When you open a blogger account and specify a blog name, it gives you
link to a free domain name that looks like 'yourname.blogspot.com'
whereas setting up a domain is nothing but 'yourname.com' shows better branding; e.g. problogbooster.com. The registering a domain name
and linking it to BlogSpot is just like a display URL for your BlogSpot
blog that allows you to create a valuable and simple to remember URL.
The custom domain setup in BlogSpot.com is applied to create your own blog URL.
The web address (URL) is your online identity by which all your
followers get connected to & it looks much more professional and
indicate that you take your blog seriously. So it is highly recommended
to get a custom domain name instead of free domain name. Even if you are blogging free on BlogSpot platform, the first step you require to purchase custom domain name and link it to your BlogSpot site to start your own blog; like shifting from 'yourname.blogspot.com' to 'yourname.com.'
Setup Custom Domain on Blogger with Godaddy
Blogger allows you to quickly integrate & connect with any domain name registrar services like GoDaddy. When you buy a domain from Godaddy.com,
they allocate an IP address for the domain you purchased in Godaddy
account. Hereafter, you require making the changes in these records to
point to your blogspot.com blog.
You just need to make your Godaddy Domain name pointing to Google servers assigned by Blogspot. This quick tutorial will help you step by step to get your own domain name
with the screenshots & guidance to make it simpler for you. This
DIY guide will assist you to change the A & CNAME records of Godaddy
account to add a BlogSpot custom domain to your blogger blog.
GoDaddy is one of the largest domain registrar company, and it’s reliable organization to purchase a domain. These custom domain names make easier for others to identify and remember your link and furthermore, you can set up your own custom email name
addresses with the domain name you assigned and purchased. But now in
this tutorial, I will be helping you step-by-step with screenshots on
how to set up a custom domain name with the custom domain purchased from
GoDaddy.
Follow the steps to setup blogger custom domain name on GoDaddy:
1. Add the purchased domain name to BlogSpot Blog.
First, you need to add the custom domain name into Blogspot account.
Login into your Blogspot account >> go to your blog >> settings >> click on "Basic" >> Look for "Publishing" section >>
Now click on 'Edit' >> and type 'www.yourdomainname.com' (don't forget to add 'www')
Once you added; you will get an error in red saying "We have not been able to verify your authority to this domain. Error 12." And following this error; you will get CNAME records from blogger for Google server to use in GoDaddy.
Note:Make a screenshot of that window and also copy all the
message into a notepad file and save it in a secure place. It may
require in future use in case you want to switch Blogger to WordPress or
want to use Cloudflare.
Now you need use these records and add them into Godaddy. Proceed to step 2.
You have CNAME records derived from blogger dashboard. You need
to add those records to Goddady domain control panel. The codes derived
by Blogger will be unique for you, so don’t type any or alter just copy & paste these codes.
Login into your Godaddy account >> click on 'Domains' >> click 'All domains' >> choose your desired domain >> click on 'Manage' >>
At the bottom side of the page >> you will see the option for managing the DNS >> Click on "Manage DNS"
Then the "Records" table will be poped out on next page (Shown
below). If there is already 'www' name is available then you need to
edit it or if not, then you need to add a new record.
Click on "ADD" >> In "Type" choose "CNAME" >> in "Host" type "www" >> and in "Points to" field type "ghs.google.com" as shown below;
Similarly; you need to add another CNAME provided by blogger account;
Click on "ADD" >> In "Type" choose "CNAME" >> in "Host" type Second CNAME record >> and in "Points to" field type the
respective address. As shown below;
Now its time to update the A zone records; i.e. IP addresses provided by the BlogSpot server. The process is same as that of shown in above steps; let's do it.
Here you need to add 4 IP addresses which are common for all the blogger users at the same record table shown above.
Click on "ADD" >> In "Type" choose "A" >> in "Host" type "@" >> and in "Points to" field type "216.239.32.21" As shown below;
Again as same as above, including all add following 4 address;
This is how you can set the domain IP addresses that now pointing to
your Blogger server addresses. The final CNAME & A record table will
be like this;
Are
you looking for the highest DA blog submission sites to get some
quality links in 2019, you’re in the right place. Every blogger wants
more traffic, more links and more sales. But majority of the people
don’t put the right efforts to improve their SEO.
See,
SEO is what helps you get faster results. Not only a better SEO can
boost your traffic but more importantly your overall website’s sales.
If you are blogging for a while, you might already know the fact that, Off Page SEO
is all about quality links. The reason why authority sites rank higher
in Google even for the toughest keywords is they get a lot of links from
other sites.
And Google gives rewarding results to those sites with lots of quality links. If you are looking for proven ways to quickly build high quality links for your blogs and increase your content exposure, I’ve a good news for you.
In
this article, I’m going to discuss about few top blog submission sites
that help you build both quality links and increase your blog’s exposure
in 2019.
Blog
directories or blog submission sites allow you to submit your blog
and/or blog posts so you gain more exposure and build some backlinks to
your sites.
Although there are so many blog submission sites out
there but most of them are not active or don’t have good domain
authority. So it’s always better NOT to submit your blog on every blog
directory under the sun if you don’t want to get penalized by Google.
That’s
why I came up with this top 28 blog submission sites list with the good
domain authority of over 30. So you can safely submit your blogs on
them to build some quality links for free.
Do blog directories (or) blog submission sites still matter?
Yes,
they do. Blog submission sites are still a better way to increase your
blog’s exposure. And as I said above if you submit your blog or website
on good domain authority blog directories, it can help you boost your
link authority.
Why Should You Submit Your Blog to Blog Submission Sites?
If
you are still wondering why should you spend time on submitting your
blogs on the top blog submission sites I’m going to discuss here, let me
give you few reasons. Here are few amazing benefits of using blog
submission sites even in 2019.
Backlinks: Whether you know it or not, SEO is the key to building any profitable blog
or online business. SEO is all about building quality links. You REALLY
can’t rank higher in Google search results without building links. Blog
submission sites help you build quality links for free.
Increase exposure:
When you submit a blog on these top blog directories, it can give you
more exposure and traffic. There are thousands of bloggers who use blog
directories to find content online. So if you have an interested blog to
read, it will bring you more traffic from these blog submission sites.
Increase DA: Domain authority
is a metric given by Moz team. It is one of the crucial metric and the
more DA a blog has the better search rankings it can get. Blog
directories give you quality links and in turn you will get a good DA
with quality backlinks.
Quick note before discovering the top 28 blog submission sites: I’ve
used DA (Domain Authority) as the metric to write this article. And I
included only those blog directories which have DA of over 30 so you can
get some good links. Also make a note that, most of the blog
directories mentioned here are few and very few of the blog directories
here are paid one’s, it means they charge you a couple of bucks to
submit your blog.
Now, let’s dive into the details.
Top blog submission sites to submit your blog and get more exposure in 2019
1. Alltop (DA is 70)
Guy Kawasaki
(the social media expert and one of the finest Internet marketers)
started Alltop. Alltop is one of the best blog submission sites which
can help you bring more exposure to your sites along with the quality
links.
Alltop covers every niche ranging from technology to
marketing to fitness to real estate. It doesn’t matter which niche you
are in, you can easily find a relevant topic to submit your blog for
free.
All top imports the stories and articles of the top news
websites and blogs for any given topic and display the headlines of the
five most recent stories. That’s how you can bring more traffic to your
sites. So make sure to always use attention grabbing headlines when you
write next time. How to submit your blog to Alltop? Step 1:Click here to submit your site. It will ask you to register yourself with any username and your email. Step 2: Alltop support team will review your submission and sends you a confirmation email once your site goes live. Step 3 (optional): You can add Alltop badge once your blog goes live to boast about it!
2. Blog Flux (DA is 44)
Blog
Flux is the central destination for most blogs. It’s where over 150,000
blogs are featured ranging from health to music to travel.
Here’s how to join it to submit your blog. Step 1: Click here to register an account for free. Step 2: Once you get the confirmation email, simply add your blog or website from their home page. You are done!
3. Blogarama (DA is 45)
Blogarama
is the oldest and largest blog submission sites on the web. It was
started over a decade ago and has over 100,000 registered users. Here’s how to join it to submit your blog for free. Step 1: Click here to register yourself with your email. Step 2: Add your new blog for free to their blog directory. That’s it!
4. On Top List (DA is 58)
On
Top List is another great blog directory where you can find a lot of
tech related stuff, business pages and blogging related sites from all
over the globe. Step 1:Click here to join their community. Their support team will manually review your site. Step 2: For faster reviewing process, add their site’s badge to your blog and email their customer support team about it.
5. Blog Adda (DA is 50)
This
is the latest and widely used Indian blog directory. It not only has a
great network of bloggers to connect but the editors pick best blog
posts every single day to help you get more exposure.
Here’s how to join it for free. Step 1: Click here to join their community. Step 2: Add your blog and enjoy the blog’s exposure.
6. Blog Hub (DA is 43)
This
is an online community for all kinds of bloggers to submit your blog
for free. You can also create a blog with their service! Step 1: Click here to sign up for their account for free. Step 2: Once you activate the link that you get in your email inbox, you can add your site for free.
7. Blogs Collection (DA is 41)
Blogs
Collection is a huge blog directory which collects all major blogs news
articles from all over the globe and it is another oldest blog
submission site which was started over 9 years ago. Step 1:Click here to add your blog. Step 2: Select their “Partner and Regular” listing option to submit your blog for free.
8. Blog Listing (DA is 48)
This
is another fastest growing blog submission site on the web where you
can submit your blog for free to get more exposure. It’s also a HIGH PR
(Page Rank) directory site with the domain authority of 59. Step 1: Click here to add your blog. Step 2: Once your blog goes live, start connecting with the other bloggers to increase your site exposure.
9. Blog Engage (DA is 37)
Blog
Engage is another great blog directory that has a huge blogging
community. The great thing about this site is that you will see lots of
bloggers and marketers promoting their blog posts.
Even you too can do so by joining it for free. How to submit your blog to Blog Engage? Step 1: You can register from here. Step 2:
To do manual submission of your blog posts, you should either add a
banner of their site or write a review about them. Once it’s done, you
can contact their support team to get free access to their site.
10. Indiblogger.in (DA is 50)
As
the name says, IndiBlogger is the largest Indian blogger community. If
you are an Indian and want to submit your blog for free, this is perfect
for you. You can also find thousands of Indian bloggers from various blogging topics to engage and connect. How to join Indiblogger? Step 1:Click here to sign up for their account for free. Step 2: Enter your blog title and other information to submit your blog on Indiblogger Step 3: Whenever you publish a new post, make sure to manually submit it to their forum to get more exposure.
11. Blogging Fusion (DA is 32)
Although
this is a paid blogging directory but you can still get their free
account by adding a link to their blog directory. It’s used by a wide
range of people so it’s a good place to submit your site. Step 1:Click here to submit your blog. Step 2:
Either write about them or include a link to their blog directory and
contact their support team about and you will get the free account.
That’s it!
12. Blog Ville (DA is 30)
Blogville
is a fast growing blog directory to submit your blog no matter what
your niche is. They will manually review your blog before approving it
to their blog directory.
Here’s how to add your blog to it. Step 1:Click here to register yourself for free. Step 2: You will get a confirmation email after you register, your blog will be manually review. You’ll get an email once it goes live.
13. Blog Directory (DA is 31)
It’s
another great blog directory where you can freely submit your blog for
getting links and increasing your content exposure. It periodically
shows various blogs under various topics ranging from Academics to
Computers to Real Estate.
Here’s how to submit your blog to it. Step 1: Click here to register an account. Step 2: Pick a category that’s relevant to your blog’s topic and you are done!
14. Fuel My Blog (DA is 36)
You can submit your blog or website for free on Fuel My Blog. You can also add your blog and an image, you can find a lot of interesting blogs to read as well. Here’s how to add your blog. Step 1:Click here to register for free. Step 2: Click on Add your blog (you will get a code, add it on your blog, and you are done). Step 3: You can add friends as many as you want to connect and find and read interesting blogs.
15. BlogDirectory.co (DA is 20)
Another
great source for adding your blog or website for free. This blog
directory pulls your RSS feed and shows your information whenever you
update your blog with new blog posts. Step 1:Click here to join for free. Step 2: Enjoy the exposure you get whenever you publish a new post!
16. Boing Boing (DA 88)
Boing
Boing is one of the highest domain authority blog submission sites. It
has a DA of 92. That’s too great to ignore submitting your site to it.
How to submit your blog to one of the top blog submission sites i.e Boing Boing?
Step 1: Go to Boing Boing and you will notice a thing called “Submit” at the top of the website. Just adjacent to their home page logo.
Step
2: You will be redirected to a page where you need to enter all your
details like name, email, your website’s link and description. Just make
sure to enter relevant and detailed description about your site’s
topics and click “Boing” to finish the step. That’s it! That’s how you
will be able to submit to one of the highest DA blog submission sites.
17. Entire Web (DA 52)
This
is one of the widely used blog submission sites with over 3.5 million
people worldwide have used the Entire Web service to submit their sites
for free. Once you submit your site on it, your site will start showing
on all the major search engines including Google, Yahoo and a ton of
other platforms.
So how to submit your site for free at Entire Web?
Step 1: Click on this link and you will need to enter details like your site’s URL along with your primary email address.
Step 2: Click on proceed to submit your site FREE to this blog submission sites.
18. Sonic Run (DA 36)
Sonic Run is also one of the best blog submission sites with a good domain authority to get a free link to your sites.
Here’s how to submit to this blog submission sites
Step 1: Click here to list your site for free. Enter your URL, email and name to finish the submission process.
Step 2: It will usually take upto 90 days to get your site listed on this free blog submission site.
19. So Much (DA 37)
So
Much is not just one of those random blog submission sites. Not only it
has a very good DA but it is a friendly free link directory where you
can find the best human edited links sorted by topic and category.
So how to submit on this submission site?
Step 1: Click here to submit a link
of your site for free. Just enter your site URL along with its relevant
category (along with a short description of your site). You’re done.
Step
2: The free version (submission of site) usually takes anywhere from a
few hours to a couple of weeks before your site is listed depending on
number of submissions yet to be checked. They also have a paid version
that costs around $10 where your site will get approved within a day!
20. Blog Top Sites (DA is 41)
This
is one of the highest DA blog submission sites with a whopping 82 DA
and it has been around the web for a long time since 2004.
Here’s the exact way to submit your site for free on this platform Step 1: Click here to submit and add your blog. Step 2: You’ll
just need to enter your details name, email, password and so on and you
login to your account, you can easily add your blog to their site.
21. Blog Roll Center (DA is 38)
Blog
Roll Center is also another excellent platform for blog submission
which has a healthy DA score of 77. Not only that, it includes blogs
ranging from arts and beauty to fitness and travel and so on so you can
submit your blog in the right categories.
How to submit your site for free on Blog Roll Center? Step 1: Click on this link add your site where you need to enter your website’s URL Step 2: In
this step, you need to create a username along with the password to
continue. It will automatically fetch your site details along with the
title and meta description so you don’t have enter it again. Choose an
appropriate category and click on submit button and you’re done.
22. Bloggernity (DA is 40)
Bloggernity
is one of the most preferred blog directories because it’s not only a
high DA submission site but also has a dedicated forum where you can
interact with other bloggers.
Here’s how you can submit your blog for free on Bloggernity. Step 1: Click on this link to visit Bloggernity login page where you’ll need to sign up using your email address which is free. Step 2: Once
you’re signed up with your email, you can use your email login details
to login and click on “Add Blog” option to add your blog to their
directory.
23. Plazoo (DA is 42)
If
you want to add your blog feed or RSS feed, you should definitely start
using Plazoo blog posting site list which has a great domain authority
of 69 and also supports multiple languages worldwide.
Here’s how you can submit your blog for free on Plazoo which has 69 DA. Step 1: Visit this link to add your website or blog’s RSS feed Step 2: Enter
your blog details to proceed and you’re done. The benefit of using
Plazoo is that it gives you access to the Plazoo Reader which is more
than a standard RSS reader where you can easily add and manage RSS
feeds. It also gives access to all kinds of other media including news,
job offerings, movies, pictures, audio files and so on.
24. Top Sites Web Directory (DA is 31)
This
directory is listed on every major web directory resource on the web
and that’s the reason why it gets so much of traffic. So if you’re not
only looking for blog submission sites in USA for just links but also to
get more traffic, this is a great fit for you.
Here’s how you can submit your blog for free on Top Sites Web Directory with DA of 56. Step 1: Visit this website link to submit your site where you’ll need to enter your website details to proceed. Step 2: If
you want to get your site listed really fast, you can try their paid
inclusion where you can get your site reviewed in only 48 hours for a
one time flat fee of 10.00 Euros or you can also give them a reciprocal
link for faster review.
25. 1Abc Directory (DA is 32)
1Abc
Directory is one of the oldest blog directories in the world which has
been available on the web for more than 12 years now with a DA of 55.
Here’s how you can add a link to your blog for free on 1Abc Directory. Step 1: Click on this link to visit their submit link page where you’ll find several submission options. Step 2: Pick the free submission option and enter your blog details including title, description, URL and so on
26. Pegasus Web Directory (DA is 33)
One
of the best reasons to use Pegasus Directory is because it’s not only a
free general web directory where you can submit your blog links for
free but it’s completely human edited which means, you rarely see spam
links or spammy websites.
Here’s how you can submit your blog for free on Pegasus directory. Step 1: Visit their home page and pick a category where your blog niche belongs to. Step 2: You’ll
find a submit page where you can submit your blog. You’ll usually find 3
options (2 premium options). Simply pick the free option to
proceed.You’ll need to add your site details such as title, meta,
keywords and so on.
27. Gain Web (DA is 29)
Gain
Web is another incredible human edited blog submission list where you
can find mostly high quality websites around the blogosphere.
Here’s how you can submit your blog for free on Gain Web. Step 1: Here’s how you can submit your website on their platform where you’ll find multiple options including premium pricing plans. Step 2: Pick the “Regular Link” which says free and enter your site details and you’re done.
28. Cipinet Web Directory (DA is 35)
Cipinet is one of the oldest blog submission sites which has been around the web since 2002, yes you heard it right.
This
is a freemium web directory submission site which means it offers you
both free and paid listings to add links to your site where you can add
top level domains, individual pages along with sub-domains are accepted
and they will review your site within 24 hours even with the basic
subscription plan (which costs you just $35 which is a one-time fee).
With
the free plan, your site approval might take some time for the review
and here’s how you can submit your blog for free on Cipinet Web
Directory which has DA of 54 Step 1: Visit this link to proceed to their home page and you’ll find a ton of categories. Choose one among them where your site category belongs to. Step 2: Click on Add Site (OR) Add URL button to submit your site for free.
Are there any disadvantages of using blog submission websites?
There’s only one BIG disadvantage of using blog submission directory sites and that is “spamming”.
Spammy
blog submission directories (that accept almost all kinds of sites
along with adult content, illegal content, gambling and so on) can get
your site penalized in Google search results sooner or later. So we
highly recommend you to stay away from such sites.
All the blog posting sites list mentioned here are manually verified by us so they are safe to use.
FAQs About Top DA Free Blog Submission Sites for 2019
Here
are some of the most important questions about top DA blog submission
list you might want to know to know how they work and how you can get
benefits from them in 2019 and beyond. #1. What are the best free blog posting sites for SEO in 2019?
If
you’ve gone through the above list of blog submission sites, almost all
of them are safe to use. Although few among them are paid blog
directories where you’ll have to pay few bucks to be able to add your
site.
That said, here are few best free blog post sites that are really good for SEO in 2019 and beyond.
Alltop
Blog Engage
Boing Boing
Plazoo
Indiblogger
Blog Adda
The
above blog directories have strict rules and thousands of regular users
and they often do moderation to remove spam links from their sites so
they are considered as safe blog posting sites for SEO. #2. What is blog submission in SEO and how to do blog submission for free?
Blog
submission involves in submitting your blog links or blog post links in
order to get links, more exposure to your content and other SEO
benefits. Blog submission is definitely a good SEO practice for anyone
who wants to increase their search engine traffic to their sites.
Blog
submission is pretty simple. All you need to do is to visit the sites
(blog submission directory sites) where you want to add links, and click
on “Add URL or Submit Blog URL” buttons in order to submit your blogs
for free. Some of the sites do instant approval while others review your
site personally before adding to their directories. #3. Are blog submission site list good or bad for SEO?
This
is the most obvious and common question that most people have: are blog
submission directory sites good or bad for SEO? Honestly speaking, they
are as good as getting links from guest posting sites.
You can
get better SEO results by getting links from those blog directory sites
where they do manual review and approval of sites to keep their
platforms safe from spammy links. Fortunately now you have access to a
list of some of the high DA sites that are all safe to use for SEO.
So
yes, as long as you submit your blog links on high authority or high DA
sites, you’re safe from all Google algorithm updates. But as a
recommendation, limit your submission to 10 to 15 sites instead of
adding your blog links on almost every directory under the sun because
you never know when they’ll fade out or filled up with spammy website
links. #4. Is it okay to add my blog on the blog submission directory sites that ask for a reciprocal link?
There
are a few blog submission sites in India that ask you for reciprocal
links which means, you’ll need to add a link back to their platform
where you’re getting links from. You can either add their links in the
footer or usually as a form of widget (along with the link to their
site).
Although there’s no harm in adding reciprocal links
especially when your site is relatively new but you can avoid them as
well if you don’t want to pass any links to external sites. We recommend
you to go through all the blog directories mentioned on this page and
add links to only those sites where there’s a free submission without
having to add any link to their site. #5. What do most blog submission directories offer me apart from giving me a link?
That’s
a good question as most of the blog submission directories not only
allow you to add your blog links for free but they also allow you to add
their badge as a widget for displaying on your site. That means, you
can add your blog with your links and also vote for other blogs that you
like to read and follow.
Apart from that, you can also use blog
directories to find interesting blogs to read by going through their
catalogue, display your blog’s feed on the front page and the list goes
on. Quick note: All the above blog submission
sites have at least 40+ domain authority. DA (Domain Authority) is
usually measured by the quality and number of links that are pointing to
your site. It is calculated monthly by Moz team which is usually
considered as a great domain metric at SEO level. So this top blog
submission sites post is a great treat for anyone who wants to get high
quality links from top DA sites.
Blog submission sites: Are they really worth it?
So
far you’ve discovered some of the top DA blog submission sites. Some of
them are paid sites but most of them are free to submit. Now comes the
most important question, are blog submission sites worth your time or
money?
Yes, undoubtedly the blog submission sites are worth your time. Here are few quick reasons why I’m saying it.
Free:
Most of the top blog submission sites that you find on this page are
FREE. So there’s nothing you’re going to lose by submitting your sites.
High DA: Each and every blog submission sites that you find here have a DA of more than 30 which can be really helpful to improve your SEO.
Quick crawling:
These top blog submission sites help you crawl your websites really
fast whenever your site gets updated so they are helpful in boosting
your SEO quickly.
Final thoughts about best free & paid blog submission sites in 2019
As
I said in the article, blog submission sites with good domain authority
(DA) can help you boost your search results by giving you some good
link juice. Not only that, you can increase your blog’s exposure
whenever you publish a new content.
So there you go. Those are the
top 28 blog submission sites with 30+ DA in 2019. I hope you submit
your blogs on those blog directories to increase your SEO. I’ll be keep
updating this page in 2019 with new information so make sure to bookmark
it for future reference.
What do you think about blog submission
sites? Did I miss anything? Please let me know your thoughts in the
comments and don’t forget to share the post.
The C++ Programming Language is a computer programming book first published in October 1985. It was the first book to describe the C++ programming language, written by the language's creator, Bjarne Stroustrup. In the absence of an official standard, the book served for several years as the de facto documentation for the evolving C++ language, until the release of the ISO/IEC 14882:1998: Programming Language C++ standard on 1 September 1998. As the standard further evolved with the standardization of language and library extensions and with the publication of technical corrigenda, later editions of the book were updated to incorporate the new changes.
If you have an SD card that doesn’t have the Raspbian operating
system on it yet, or if you want to reset your Raspberry Pi, you can
easily install Raspbian yourself. To do so, you need a computer that has
an SD card port — most laptop and desktop computers have one.
The Raspbian operating system via NOOBS
Using the NOOBS software is the easiest way to install Raspbian on your SD card.
You should see a box linking to the NOOBS files. Click on the box.
The simplest option is to download the zip archive of the files.
Make sure to pay attention to where you save the archive, so that you
can find it again quickly.
Format the SD card
Anything that’s stored on the SD card will be overwritten during
formatting. So if the SD card on which you want to install Raspbian
currently has any files on it, e.g. from an older version of Raspbian,
you may wish to back these files up first to not lose them permanently.
Visit the SD Association’s website and download SD Formatter for Windows or Mac.
Follow the instructions to install the software.
Insert your SD card into the computer or laptop’s SD card slot.
In SD Formatter, select your SD card, and the format the card.
Extract NOOBS from the zip archive
Next, you will need to extract the files from the NOOBS zip archive you downloaded from the Raspberry Pi website.
Find the downloaded archive — by default, it should be in your Downloads folder.
Double-click on it to extract the files, and keep the resulting Explorer/Finder window open.
Copy the files
Now open another Explorer/Finder window and navigate to the SD card. It’s best to position the two windows side by side.
Select all the files in the NOOBS folder and drag them into the SD card window to copy them to the card.
Once the files have all been copied over, you can eject the SD card.
Many people still think that mobile apps only work for big companies and organizations, but things have changed and small-medium companies have started to follow the trend. Mobile apps make a business visible to customers all the time and help create a direct marketing channel. They provide more value to the customer, help build brand image and recognition and enhance customer engagement. They also help you stand out from the competition and cultivate customer loyalty in a more effective and cost-efficient way.
The cost and time required to develop a native app were the top factors holding small businesses and entrepreneurs back from developing their own apps. However, technology has transformed almost everything and now cost of developing an app is no more such a serious concern. Gone are the days when we were totally dependent on serial programmers to develop an app.
You have come to the right place if you already know how mobile apps can help transform small-medium businesses and want to learn more about developing your own app, but without any coding experience. To make the research easier for you, we have picked up the top twelve tools you can use to easily create professional-grade apps. We’ll briefly cover each platform and include pros and cons of each to make the selection process easier for you.
AppMachine
Netherlands-based AppMachine is a great tool to start building your own app right away and supports both Android and iOS. Pricing starts from $59/app/month while reseller bundles are also available if you are seriously into the business of making professional-grade apps.
The tool automatically scans a website to use its content to build an app, including photos, RSS feeds, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube accounts and more. Whether you are an artist, a coffee shop owner or in the real-estate business, this tool is very easy to use and helps users start developing their apps right away without any complications. The platform does all the hard work for you whether you are adding content, building blocks or uploading your app to the Google Play Store or iTunes.
Pros
Very easy to use
A lot of pre-built designs and templates
You only pay when you decide to publish your app
You get all the features even in the trial version
Real-time previews
Wizard-based app building
100% native apps
Available in ten different languages
Highly customizable built-in templates
Cons
AppMachine logo show on the app until you make payment
Dropsource allows you to build native Android and iOS apps right from a web browser and is a powerful platform for developing data-driven apps. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes developing an app a breeze, while the platform does all the coding work in the background.
The people behind the platform believe in working smartly instead of working harder and the platform allows users to focus more on the UX and vital features instead of worrying about the code and debugging. The platform is absolutely free to use during the beta period and you only have to pay once your app is ready for the real world (pricing is provided upon request).
Pros
Browser and mobile based app testing
Scalable and adaptive layouts
Drag-and-drop interface
Fully customizable apps
Swagger API Framework (RESTful APIs)
Native source code for each app (iOS apps in SWIFT, Android apps in Java)
100% availability of the source code
Custom plug-in testing
Cons
May require some time to get along with the advanced interface
You need to have an idea of how data-driven apps work
Appypie aims to make it easier for non-technical users to create their own Android and iOS apps and supports almost all other major mobile platforms including Windows, BlackBerry and Fire OS (available only in the Platinum plan). The platform also provides specialized tools for creating Church, Radio, Restaurant, small business, real-estate, wedding and more industry-specific apps. AppyPie’s customers include some big industry names such as NIKE, L’OREAL , AUTODESK and NHS. It allows creating a database-driven app using Google Spreadsheets and forms, while it also provides deep analytics using Google Analytics.
The platform comes loaded with all the features needed to create functional apps for a variety of mobile platforms. The ad-supported version is available for free and supports Android, iOS and HTML5, while the paid version (Basic) starts from $14 a month/app and supports only HTML5 and Android. The Gold package costs $30 a month/app and supports both Android and iOS apps as well as HTML5. App add-ons cost more but provide even more functionality like unlimited push notifications and resubmissions to app stores. AppyPie is a great solution if you want to create some basic apps, but for complex apps make sure to review integration with third party technologies as they can cost a lot.
Pros
Very easy to use
Loaded with features needed for creating apps and games
Specialized tools for different industries
Allows creating in-app store
Support for more than 10 platforms such as Amazon, Shopify
MailChimp integration
Harnesses the power of Google Analytics
Cons
Advanced features mostly rely on third-party solutions
You may need to integrate your apps with 3rd party developers, especially when cloning complex apps
Limited customization options
Uninspiring documentation
Add-ons and 3rd party integrations can eventually turn out to be quite costly
Thunkable is a drag-and-drop platform that focuses on Android apps (iOS support expected soon) and makes use of the new material design interface. Its support for Microsoft Emotion and image Recognizer means you can add captions and emotions automatically to the images. Thunkable is a great starting point for users who have zero coding experience and want to get started with app creation right away. The platform supports Maps and Location, cloud and local storage, sharing and more, allowing you to create fully functional apps. Users can get started for free, but you’d need to pay for certain features. The platform aims to bring app development to the masses by providing an easy-to-use interface and offering a lot of functionalities and features in a neatly designed package.
Pros
Intuitive, user-friendly interface
Native UI and Material Design
Maps and Location
Cloud and local storage options
AdMob Ads
Support for hardware features such as NFC, Bluetooth and Accelerometers
Andromo is a specialized platform for creating Android apps and allows anyone to get started without any coding experience. The platform supports only Android OS and eliminates complexities and hassles related to cross-platform app development. It does only one thing, but in a smarter, faster and more efficient way by creating real Java code for all apps. It compiles the apps in its own cloud servers using the official Android SDK provided by Google.
Affordability is another factor that helps differentiate Andromo from the competition. The ad-supported version is free and does not support monetization, while the starter package costs $8/month (billed annually) and allows creating up to 50 apps. The professional plan costs $21/month (billed annually) and includes advanced features such as no Andromo logo on the ‘About’ screen and priority queuing.
Pros
Affordable
Specialized platform for Android OS
Customizable appearance and style
Supports photo galleries, blogs and feeds, Social Media, Videos and more
Goodbarber is an Android, iOS and progressive web apps development platform that uses a modular approach and features many fully customizable templates. A library of more than 3,000 icons, 150+ Google Fonts and 150,000 Hi-resolution images means adequate resources are available to create engaging and interactive apps.
The intuitive workspace makes it easier to design apps, while the real-time preview of apps on different devices ensures they work as expected on all devices. The content management system supports text, images, videos, sound, forms, calendars and maps. Rich notifications options ensure that the right notification is pushed at the right time to the right user.
Pricing starts from €24/$24 per month , but it only includes one Progressive Web App. For Android and iOS development, pricing starts from €32/$32 per month. Those looking for advanced features would find €48/month advanced package more suitable, while reseller package costs €200/month.
Pros
Easy-to-use, intuitive interface
Excellent theme collection and other resources
Fully customizable templates
Modular design
Intuitive navigation
Triple data backup
Team management features
Supports over 30 languages
Instant preview
Cons
No Support for email-marketing integration
Source code remains hidden from the user, which is not something advanced users would want
GameSalad is a specialized platform for creating games and helps non-technical users get started in no time. However, it may not be the right choice if you are a seasonal gaming developer as many developers have reported performance issues with games developed using this platform.
Being a game engine, GameSalad provides a solid foundation for beginners to get started right away. The platform only supports gaming apps and mostly suits users who want to easily and quickly build interactive mobile apps without any coding experience.
Cross-platform compatibility is good as it supports Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Amazon Kindle and HTML5. The basic version is available for free, while the Pro version costs $29/month and offers features including in-app purchases, cross-platform publishing tools, social features and priority technical support.
Pros
Cross-platform compatibility
Easy to use and get started
Easy publishing of apps
Excellent community support
Clutter-free interface
Cons
Performance issues in demanding games
Fixing a game can be difficult if a problem occurs
AppMakr is an affordable software that allows people with no programming background to easily create mobile apps for Android and iOS. The DIY platform allows users to start building apps in no time using the simple drag-and-drop interface. It’s simple, yet feature packed and offers excellent cross-platform compatibility. Users can create a single app and publish it on both Android and iOS platforms.
AppMakr makes it easier to customize the look and functionality of apps and allows users to match color schemes, logos and text according to their brand identity. The free version comes with limited functionality but follows a ‘No Ads Ever’ policy, which is something we don’t usually find in most other free subscriptions. Pricing starts at as low as $1/month, while the Pro package costs $19/month and reseller (10 apps) package $39/month.
Formerly Como, Swiftic App Maker targets small businesses and provides them with all the tools they need to create fully functional apps.
The platform also supports a variety of services, including PayPal, OrderIn, OpenTable and booker, making technology accessible to small businesses and allowing them to compete with larger competitors.
Swiftic guarantees success and business results in the first six months and promises six more months free if the outcome is not according to expectations. Cross-platform compatibility saves businesses precious time and allows them to create a single app that is compatible with multiple platforms i.e. Android and iOS.
Pricing starts from $57/month (monthly payment) and users have the option to opt for yearly and 2-year payment plan that costs $48 and $41/month respectively.
AppYourself is an app builder targeted at optimizing mobile and online presence and allows businesses to reach their customers directly with push notifications.
The platform supports all major mobile platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows Phone and HTML5. More than 30 different modules and a variety of templates allow users to create fully functional and engaging apps in very little time using the easy-to-use and intuitive interface.
Pricing for Web-only apps start from €5/month while the basic package costs €15/month and supports Android, iOS and web apps. The premium package costs €30/month and features unlimited modules. However, users have to submit their app themselves otherwise charges may apply.
Pros
Plenty of options and features
E-commerce, in-app store
Very easy to use
Capable stimulator, quick loading
Powerful statistics
Cons
Limited customization options and templates
Online Knowledge Base provides bare minimum information
Mobincube is another app builder that allows non-technical users to create functional Android and iOS apps without any coding experience. The visual interface is easy to use and helps users start designing their apps right away using the drag-and-drop tools.
Mobincube offers a lot when it comes to customization and offers great flexibility. Users can decide how their apps look and behave, while the built-in templates provide a starting point and are very customizable. Advanced features include online shop, source code availability and Google Analytics.
Pricing starts from €9.99/month, while Advanced and Reseller packages cost €19.99 and €99.99 per month respectively.
Mobapp is an app creation as well as a marketing tool that makes it simpler for non-technical users to create and promote their apps. Available for both Android and iOS, Mobapp saves users from the hassle of app submission and provides marketing tools that allow effective sharing of apps.
The white label dashboard is fully customizable and provides an opportunity to showcase a brand. Access control features enable app creators to restrict customers from accessing certain parts of the management interface.
Pricing starts from $32.50/month, while the Pro and Advanced packages cost $82.50 and $165.83 per month respectively (billed annually). Separate packages are available for agencies starting from $125/month (billed annually).
Pros
Simplified user interface
User access controls
Detailed statistics
Robust app creation tools
Simple and easy-to-use interface
Cons
A little costlier than other solutions
White label apps feature only available in Pro and Advanced features
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