Grow your blog – Monetize, find new leads and blogging opportunities, and get the best tips too… Hi all! Welcome to another weekly Bloggertunities post, a round-up of the best blogging tips, tools, leads, opps, and events of the week. I hope you’ll find some helpful stuff – and if you do, be sure to share it! And if you have something awesome to share – event sign ups, linkys, tips posts, etc – post ’em in the comments! I do my best to tweet those links out all week too.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
This week, I’ve broken up some of the opps and resources by category. Obviously, many of us fall into several categories, and many of the resources listed could apply to more than one type of blogger. But I wanted to shake things up just a little bit – so I thought I’d try something new. You can click through to each category you’re interested in – and at the bottom, I have a list of networks, events and tips on earning more income. As always – I hope you guys find something helpful here; if so, be sure to give it a tweet, a Facebook share, or a thumbs up n StumbleUpon. Happy New Year – I hope you’re all getting off to a rockin’ start!
Want to learn more about the blogging world? Fill out this survey from A Helicopter Mom – And stay tuned for the answers soon!
Foodie Bloggers
Whether you’re already a total food blogging ninja, or just getting started sharing your recipes, this is a great way to fill your site with creative content that readers really need. Get Top 10 Resources for Food Bloggers, and find something new to help you in the new year.
Fashion Bloggers
I’ve only done a bit of fashion blogging before – but it’s something I love. I used to work in fashion merchandising, management, and visual display for over 10 years, and loved it. So in the new year, I’d like to share more of my favorite “real mom” fashion tips here on Sunshine and Sippy Cups – and here are my Top 10 Resources for Fashion Bloggers that I’ll be learning from.
Creative & DIY Bloggers
These are some of my favorite tips on improving posts, some cool new communities to connect with new readers, and awesome linkys to help promote that amazing content you create each week. Top 10 Resources for Creative & DIY Bloggers.
Building Content on your Site
- Merge: This is a cool concept – Each week they’ll have two writing prompts – example, this week there’s a video with a song, combined with the word WISH. You write anything – anything – that this inspires you to write. By combining a couple of varied ideas each week, they hope to inspire some more creative posts. Then you can link up weekly to share your work.
- Ultimate Blog Challenge: This is another cool one, and I’ve participated in this before. Sign up on the form here – and get a daily email with new writing prompts, tips, and other ways to participate.
- BlogHer: Have you joined NaBloPoMo before? It’s another great way to get inspiration for writing new posts – You get a daily prompt, you can link up your posts, and check out the content that the prompts inspired others to write. I love this – I’m participating starting today – and like setting time aside once a day to do a post on a random topic. Whether I just post a photo, a quick post, or a full-on personal post inspired by the prompt, it helps me break out of my usual routine.
Freelance Writing
- Interact: I just joined Interact Media this week – but there are TONS of opps available here. The payouts are per word, and you choose your topics, payout amounts, and jobs you want to take. They update each hour with new projects that you can take. You just write them and submit them -they don’t need to be posted to your site.
- Squidoo: This is a really cool site – I started with this at the beginning of 2012, and slacked off on ever doing much with it. Then – the amazing Sadie over at Slap Dash Mom was showing me how she hasn’t posted in months, and still makes a residual income here. Definitely on my list in the new year of places to get active with again!
- Examiner: You know how much I enjoy my Frugal Living column on Examiner.com – and the way it gives me an extra way to connect with local businesses, and get media credentials {I’ve talked about it many times.} I’m earning a much steadier income with this now, that I’ve put a little more effort into it all. And now the Mister of the house is starting a column too – on local Racing. If you’re interested, and are an expert on a local topic, apply to be an Examiner of your choice of topic today.
- Demand Studios: This is a good one that pays weekly, and it’s moderately easy work. I’ve only used them a little bit, but will share more feedback as I get more familiar here. Sign up at Demand Studios.
- Hire My Mom: This is a great site whether you’re looking to pick up new freelance work – or are interested in finding some reliable to outsource some of your current work to. Join or submit a listing on Hire my Mom.
- Writers Cash: This is one where you have to be choosy, some of the opps are super weird, lol. But I do make money here often, so it’s worth taking a look at if you’re wanting more freelance writing options. Writers Cash.
Monetize Your Site
- Six Apart: This is an ad network – the same type of idea as Google Adsense, Glam, or Burst Media. They have a few basic requirements, and you have to be able to put ads above the fold {which I can’t do, since I am required to only have Glam ads there} – but it looks like a really great option. Join Six Apart here.
- LinkVehicle: This is very similar – and again, just be sure you’re being choosy about which opps you accept, so you’re not compromising the integrity of your site. {Update on this – So, it used to be that whatever you were quoted, you got paid half of that. Well – this month I got two CRAZY-easy posts to write. $50, and $40. Just got payment today of FULL payment for both??} So, I’m paying more attention to this site, since they’re simple posts to write up. Join LinkVehicle.
- Escalate: Great offers to promote, good payouts, and you get payout each month really quickly. This is such an easy network to work with. I don’t even post offers often anymore – but still see an income from stuff I posted last year when I did more frugal content – I earned over $100 last month on this one 10 Ways to Earn an Income from Home, same with this one, The Free Money Tip You Can’t Afford to Miss – Join Escalate.
- Integrate: I absolutely love these guys. They always send out little cards and thank yous – things like Starbucks gift cards, or Amazon gift codes. {Got a $100 code recentely just for helping out with a survey. Rockin’, right?} A couple of my recent fave campaigns are the Seven Slings free baby stuff {which I actually got myself, a few years ago when I was pregnant with Abby, and loved.} And the Bake Pops {which I really wanted, and just got for Christmas, lol.} Learn more about getting started with Integrate in a post I wrote a while back – or join here.
- MySavings: Ok, if you post a lot of coupons – or any type of deals and sweet savings – this is a good network to join. MySavings Media – Promote brand name coupons and free product samples on your web site or blog. Click Here to join their network, or learn more.
- Share a Sale: I’ve mentioned this before – and if you know me well, you know I totally RAVE about this one! I love that the brands from this affiliate network reach out for reviews, offer bonus payouts just or posting a link or a banner, or other cool things. This is an awesome way to get into affiliates – Best I’ve worked with, ever. Learn more and join shareasale.com.
Ok ladies – I’m exhausted!! Lol. But I hope you all find some goodies that work well for you – I love to share what I find. At one time, this list was for a few friends – I’d email it once a week. Then people wanted to share it. Then sometimes the links wouldn’t work as they were spread around. So I thought I’d make a post…. Never knowing it would become THE most popular post of each week! I love that it helps a few of ya – And Happy New Year!
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{Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. But all opps and leads listed are things that I trust, and have used myself. I only share what I love with ya’all! Photo Credit.}
Thanks for the mention, Meaghan!
Thank you for this.
Thank you so much for this list! I’m kinda new ( year and a half) and great to see a list and real information about it.
I totally loved this list and have 7 tabs open right now. Thank you so much!
Do you know anyone about IZEA ads, by the way?
We have a support group for those doing NaBloPoMo topics, too. I’d love it if anyone was interested in joining!
http://www.facebook.com/groups/188670501271232/