Income School Project 24: Every Tool I Use to Create YouTube Videos and Blog Posts

Nobody talks about the unglamorous side of building a content business: the hours you spend figuring out which microphone does not produce horrible audio, which video editor does not crash every twenty minutes, and whether you need to spend $500 on a webcam or if a $100 option will do the job. Alston built his Project 24 blog and YouTube channel while working through all of that in real time. This post documents every tool and service he uses — paid and free — so you can skip the trial-and-error phase he went through.

These are not theoretical recommendations. Every item on this list is something Alston was actively using when this video was recorded. Some are affiliate links; he discloses that clearly. The goal here is an honest, functional toolkit you can actually act on, not a gear wishlist.

What You’ll Walk Out With

A web hosting recommendation for beginners and an honest explanation of when to upgrade
The exact video editing software Alston uses for screen-recorded YouTube videos
An entry-level microphone setup that works for both YouTube and online course creation
A background and lighting setup for recording when your desk looks like a disaster area
A 4K webcam recommendation with an honest Mac compatibility caveat
Five free tools that run the day-to-day content operation (no paid upsells)
A quick-reference honest drawbacks list for each major tool
A free quiz to find the right online income path for your setup — finder.platformproof.com

Web Hosting: Starting with Bluehost

Every blog needs a home, and Bluehost is where Alston started. It is not the most powerful hosting option, but it has a low barrier to entry, includes a free SSL certificate, and is compatible with WordPress out of the box. For a brand-new blogger who has never set up a website, that combination — ease of setup, SSL included, well-documented support resources — removes several headaches at once.

Bluehost is shared hosting, which means your website lives on a server alongside hundreds or possibly thousands of other websites. The upside is price. The downside is that if another site on the same server hogs bandwidth, your page speed can take a hit. For a site getting a few hundred visitors per month, that is not usually a problem. Once you start approaching 5,000 to 10,000 monthly visitors, it is worth looking into a virtual private server or dedicated hosting that gives you more isolated resources.

Alston also mentions Named Hero as a hosting provider with notably better customer service than Bluehost — but notes Bluehost is where he started and recommends it as a solid entry point. Other major players like Hostgator and GoDaddy are in the same category and would work fine too. The brand matters less than getting started.

Video Editing: ScreenFlow

Alston records and edits his YouTube videos using ScreenFlow. It is a Mac-only application that handles both screen recording and video editing in the same interface. You can record what is happening on your screen, record your webcam feed, add text overlays, fade in and out, splice clips together, and set up an intro sequence that imports automatically. It is the all-in-one tool he uses to produce the kind of tutorial-style content that Project 24 recommends for niche YouTube channels.

ScreenFlow does cost money — it is not cheap — but it comes with a free trial. Alston learned about it from other YouTube creators before starting Project 24 and has not switched since. One of the features he highlights: you can export your finished video directly to YouTube without touching a file on your desktop, though he personally prefers to save locally first. For creators on a Mac who are doing screen-recorded or talking-head YouTube content, ScreenFlow is a practical choice. Windows creators would need to look at alternatives like Camtasia.

Keyboard and Mouse: The Overlooked Part of the Toolkit

This one sounds obvious until you have typed 75,000 words on a keyboard you hate. Alston’s recommendation is simple: go wireless. A wireless keyboard and mouse give you flexibility — whether you are at a desk, on a couch, or rearranging your recording setup. He went through a solar-powered keyboard that eventually fell apart before landing on the wireless model he uses now.

For the mouse, he uses a rechargeable wireless model he describes as one of his favorite tools in the setup. One caveat he is direct about: it is designed for right-handed users. If you are left-handed, this specific mouse will not work for you. Charge it and turn it off when not in use — leaving it on drains the battery within six months or less depending on usage. These are small details that matter when a dead mouse interrupts a recording session or a writing sprint.

Audio: The Blue Snowball Microphone

Alston uses the Blue Snowball as his primary recording microphone. He originally bought it for teaching on Udemy, then kept using it as Project 24 pushed him toward producing YouTube videos for his niche sites. It is an entry-level USB microphone that connects directly to a computer — no audio interface, no additional hardware required. For someone who is not ready to commit to a professional setup, it is a pragmatic starting point.

He pairs the Snowball with a pop filter and a mic arm. Two things to know before buying: first, the Blue Snowball’s standard stand has an unusual mounting thread, so you need to verify that your arm is compatible before purchasing — Alston watched multiple YouTube videos to sort this out. Second, there is no power button. The only way to mute the mic is to physically unplug it from the USB port. The red recording light stays on whenever it is plugged in. It is a minor inconvenience, but worth knowing so it does not throw you off when you first set it up.

Recording Setup: Background Paper and Lighting

Alston’s recording desk was, by his own description, a mess. His solution: seamless background paper on a hanging stand that blocks the clutter behind him and creates a clean, professional-looking backdrop. He purchased a full kit that includes the stand and the paper. The width is something to pay attention to when buying — depending on how wide your camera angle is, you may need a wider roll than the standard option.

For lighting, he uses Neewer LED lights that mount on top of a DSLR camera or sit on a desk stand. He has two of them. They come with color filter attachments and adjustable brightness, which helps balance the light to match your room’s ambient conditions. The one thing they do not include: batteries. They can be powered by plugging into an outlet, but if you want portability, you need to buy the batteries separately as an additional cost. Alston describes these lights as a solid low-cost solution for anyone who struggles with the flat, shadowy look you get from recording without dedicated lighting.

Camera: The Logitech Brio Webcam

The Logitech Brio shoots in 4K, which Alston bought partly for future-proofing purposes. It sits on top of a monitor or desktop, plugs in via USB, and works as a plug-and-play device without requiring software to function. He uses it for videos where he is showing both his face and his screen simultaneously.

The honest caveat he flags: Logitech marketed additional Mac software for the Brio, but at the time of recording, that software had not materialized nearly a year after it was promised. The camera works on Mac — the video quality is good and the plug-and-play feature functions — but some of the advanced features that Windows users get are not available on macOS. If you are a Mac user and looking at the Brio, it is worth checking current compatibility before purchasing. If you are on Windows, the concern does not apply.

Free Tools That Run the Daily Content Operation

Canva

Canva is the tool Alston uses for every image on his blog and every YouTube thumbnail. It is a browser-based graphic design tool that is free to start. You pick a template — thumbnail, logo, social graphic, infographic — and customize it with your own text, colors, and images. The free tier gives you enough to produce professional-looking thumbnails and blog images without ever opening Photoshop. There is a premium version at roughly $13 per month that unlocks more stock image options, but the free version is where most bloggers operate for a long time. Canva also saves your work in the cloud, so you can access it from any device as long as you know your login.

Google Sheets

Alston uses Google Sheets multiple times per day. Specifically, he uses it to track his Project 24 60-step process (knowing exactly which step he is on), to maintain his article hit-list of keyword ideas, and to capture research from tools like Answer the Public without losing it between sessions. Google Sheets is free, cloud-stored, accessible from any device, and shareable with collaborators via email. If you are building a content business, a simple spreadsheet that tracks what you plan to write, what you have written, and what is pending review will keep you from losing track of your output as the volume grows.

Google Docs

Google Docs is Alston’s writing environment of choice — not because it is technically superior to Microsoft Word, but because it is everywhere. Start drafting on your home computer, pick it up on your phone during a commute, finish it on a work computer during lunch. No file transfer, no emailing documents to yourself. He keeps a running Google Doc that is over 30 pages long filled with ideas, to-do lists, and notes that accumulate between videos and posts. For bloggers, having a permanent ideas document you can add to at any moment matters more than most people realize. The best ideas tend to show up when you are not at your desk.

Grammarly

Grammarly is a browser extension that checks grammar, spelling, and punctuation as you type. It requires Google Chrome to function as an extension. The free tier catches real errors — not just obvious misspellings, but word-choice problems that Microsoft Word’s spellcheck misses. Alston describes it as a lifesaver specifically for late-night writing sessions, when the quality of your editing eye degrades but the need to publish does not. You can accept or ignore any suggestion it makes, so it does not override your voice — it just flags the spots worth double-checking. There is a premium version, but Alston uses the free version and considers it sufficient for blogging purposes.

Google Chrome

Chrome is Alston’s primary browser, and the reason it is on the list is practical: it ties everything together. Grammarly requires it. Google Sheets and Docs work best in it. Chrome syncs your history across devices, saves your passwords (and now suggests strong ones automatically), and keeps your research sessions organized. Some people object to Chrome on privacy grounds. For a content creator who is doing keyword research, competitive analysis, and writing in one browser all day, the cross-device sync and Grammarly compatibility make it the default choice.

Building a content business but not sure if blogging and YouTube is the right vehicle for your situation?

Take the free quiz at finder.platformproof.com to find the online income method that fits your current skills and schedule.

Honest Drawbacks: What to Know Before You Buy

A tool that works for Alston may not work for you. Here is a plain-English list of the real limitations in this toolkit.

Bluehost: Customer service is consistently mediocre. Shared hosting creates page speed risks as traffic grows. Plan to upgrade to VPS hosting around 5,000 to 10,000 monthly visitors.
ScreenFlow: Mac only. Not a cheap application. Windows creators need a different solution like Camtasia or DaVinci Resolve.
Blue Snowball mic: Requires a compatible arm (verify before purchasing). No power button — unplug to mute. Entry-level sound quality that will eventually push you toward an upgrade if you build a large YouTube audience.
Neewer lights: Batteries not included. An additional purchase required for portability.
Logitech Brio: Mac users do not get full feature parity with Windows. Verify current Mac compatibility before purchasing.
Wireless mouse (right-handed model): Does not work for left-handed users. A different model is needed.
Canva free tier: Limited stock image library. Premium unlocks more options at roughly $13 per month.
Grammarly: Requires Google Chrome to function as a browser extension. The free tier catches most issues; premium adds tone analysis and more advanced suggestions.

Find Your X

Having the right tools matters, but tools without the right strategy just mean you produce bad content faster. The first question is not which microphone to buy — it is whether a blog-and-YouTube content business is the right vehicle for your situation at all. The answer depends on your time, your income timeline, and what you are willing to build consistently over 12 to 24 months.

Take the free quiz at finder.platformproof.com to find which online income method fits where you actually are, not just where you want to be.

Frequently Asked Questions

What web hosting does Alston use for his Project 24 blogs?

Alston uses Bluehost for his blog hosting. He recommends it as a solid starting point for beginners because of its low cost, free SSL certificate, and WordPress compatibility. He notes that once a site hits around 5,000 to 10,000 monthly visitors, it is worth moving to VPS or dedicated hosting for better performance. Named Hero is a hosting provider he mentions for its notably better customer service, though he started with Bluehost.

What video editing software does Alston use for YouTube?

Alston uses ScreenFlow to record and edit his YouTube videos. It is a Mac-only application that handles screen recording, webcam footage, and video editing in one tool. He uses it to record himself, add text overlays, set up intros, and export finished videos. It costs money but comes with a free trial. Windows users would need a different application since ScreenFlow does not run on Windows.

Is the Blue Snowball microphone good enough for YouTube?

For an entry-level setup, yes. The Blue Snowball is a USB microphone that records usable audio for YouTube videos, online courses, and podcasts without requiring additional equipment like an audio interface. Alston uses it with a pop filter and a compatible mic arm. The main limitations are the lack of an on/off switch and the arm compatibility issue. It is a practical starting point before investing in a higher-end XLR microphone setup.

Does the Logitech Brio webcam work on Mac?

Partially. The Brio works as a plug-and-play 4K webcam on Mac — the video quality is good and it connects without software. However, Logitech promised Mac-specific software for the Brio that had not been released nearly a year after the product launched, at the time of Alston’s video. Some Windows features are not available on Mac as a result. If you are on a Mac, check current compatibility before purchasing to see whether software support has improved since this video was recorded.

What free tools does Alston use for his blog and YouTube channel?

Alston uses five free tools daily: Canva for image and thumbnail creation, Google Sheets for tracking his 60-step Project 24 progress and keyword ideas, Google Docs for writing and brainstorming, Grammarly for catching grammar errors in his posts, and Google Chrome as his primary browser. All five are free to start, and he uses all of them every day as part of his content workflow.

How does Alston use Google Sheets for Project 24?

Alston uses Google Sheets to track where he is in the Project 24 60-step course — he keeps a spreadsheet that shows which steps are complete and which are in progress. He also uses it for his article hit-list, recording keyword ideas from tools like Answer the Public so he can reference them later without returning to the original tool. The spreadsheet gives him a clear, always-current picture of his content pipeline and course progress.

Do I need expensive equipment to start a YouTube channel for affiliate marketing?

No. Alston’s setup is functional and honest — it includes a Blue Snowball mic (entry-level), seamless background paper to mask a messy desk, affordable Neewer LED lights, and a Logitech Brio webcam. None of these are professional broadcast equipment. The combined cost is a few hundred dollars, not thousands. The gear ceiling rises as your channel grows and your income justifies upgrades. Starting with good-enough audio, a clean background, and decent lighting is sufficient to produce content that ranks and builds an audience.

Is Grammarly worth using for blog posts?

Alston uses the free version and considers it essential for his workflow. The main value is catching errors that Microsoft Word misses — particularly word-choice mistakes where the wrong word is spelled correctly. It also helps during late-night writing sessions when your editing accuracy naturally decreases. The free tier is sufficient for most bloggers. The premium version adds tone suggestions and more advanced grammar detection, but the free version alone is worth installing before publishing any post.

Sources

Alston Godbolt, “Tools I Use to Create Content | YouTube and Blogging Setup” — YouTube, youtu.be/ahOR9nWuBd4
Bluehost — bluehost.com
ScreenFlow (Telestream) — telestream.net/screenflow
Blue Snowball Microphone — bluemic.com
Logitech Brio Webcam — logitech.com
Canva — canva.com
Grammarly — grammarly.com