Starting a blog is loads of work, but can also be loads of fun. In my short time blogging, I’ve already met so many great new people, made great relationships, partnered with some awesome brands, and have gotten some cool experiences!
About Me- The face behind Sunshine and Sippy Cups
As many of you already know, my name is Meagan, and I’m the stay-at-home momma of a little girl who will be turning a year old this month. I started Sunshine and Sippy Cups back in February of 2011, so I’ve only been blogging for about 6 months… But, I do it almost full time, and put a lot of work and effort into learning as much as I can. I was a totally NON-techy person when I started this site, so, um… It was challenging, to say the least! I was SO proud of myself when I realized that I had just purchased a domain name, installed WordPress on a Blog Hosting at GoDaddy.com
account that I had set up all by myself, and now had my very own self-hosted WordPress blog! Wooo! I thought that the hard part was over, and it’d be easy peasy from then on.
I was wrong, lol.
There have been HUGE challenges… Learning some basic HTML code, SEO tips, how to add photo and video to my blog posts, and, even though I swore I’d never do it, I had to learn how to use Twitter! {A social networking site that EVERYONE uses but me, then not being able to figure it out, made me feel much older than my 31 years…}
But there have also been HUGE rewards! I’m steadily growing in followers, revenue, and partnerships, which is so exciting. I’ve gotten to partner with Baby Brezza for their new cookbook {you’ll see the baby and I in their new book, released soon!}, I’ve learned so much as a syndicate partner for the ultra-amazing Digitwirl weekly videos, and had a blast learning and connecting with some great ladies at the recent Lady Bloggers Society Online Conference. {I highly reccommend this one if you are a newer blogger who can’t yet afford the time and money to go to one of the big blogging conferences!}
Sharing is Caring, right?
So, since I learned a lot from the advice and tips that other bloggers shared with me, I want to give back and share some of what I’ve learned! I felt like it was really hard to find blogging advice that applied to me when I first started, so I hope I can share some helpful tips with you guys, and answer some questions that I’ve been asked really often lately.
Blogging Tips Series Starts Today!
Over the next two weeks, I’ll be sharing at LEAST one post a day, maybe more, filled with tips and resources to help you be a better blogger.
I’m starting today with some tips on increasing the revenue you earn from your blog, since that is the question that I get asked the most. Over the next two weeks I plan to share on the following topics:
- Giveaways: How to run an effective giveaway, some do’s and don’ts, how to promote your giveaway and get more entries, and how to get prizes for those giveaways!
- Followers: When I first started blogging, I would publish a post, and it seemed like I could hear the crickets chirping, you know? Was ANYONE out there reading my posts? I know we don’t do it just for the attention, but it’s nice to know that someone is reading, and that you’re information is appreciated. I’ll share some tips on how to get your blog seen by more people, and how to find some new faces!
- Product Reviews: I’ll also share a TON of great resources that can help you get FREE products to review, some tips on effective review writing, and more.
- Networks: There are so many great networks out there, you’re sure to find a few that are a good fit for you! Joining a network is an amazing way to learn from other bloggers like yourself, ask questions, and partner with others for fun events. You can also find great brand sponsorship partnerships through some of these networks, to get paid post opportunties and giveaway prizes.
- More Revenue Options: Like I mentioned, this is the question that I get asked the most, so I’ll have 3-4 posts sharing different ways to earn money from your blog. There are a million different types of blogs, and a million different goals, so I want to give you a lot of fun options to choose from to help you meet YOUR unique goals as a blogger!
- Social Networking: Some tips to make the most of Facebook and Twitter, some etiquette tips, and some stuff thats just for fun.
Share your questions and goals!
I’d LOVE to hear more from you guys, about what you want to learn. I don’t know everything {surprising, I know}, and am no expert on blogging at all. But I’ve read a ton of books, subscribed to a load of great newsletters, and have learned so much already. I know many of you are also working full time jobs in addition to blogging, and don’t have as much time to track down the info you need, so I hope the resources I share will help you!
Share your goals for your blog in the comments… One of the things that I like most about blogging is the community of it. I love sharing my thoughts, and then getting to hear back from others when they add to it with their comments. So share with me, and the other lovely ladies reading: Why did you start blogging? What are your goals? What are your biggest challenges? Or, if you have a great tip to share, post it!
Related Content:
Day 1: Blogging Tips: How to Earn an Income from Your Blog: Affiliate Marketing, Ad Networks, and Selling your own Ad Space.
Day 2: How to host a Giveaway. Why a giveaway is important, how it can give your blog a big boost, and how to find partnerships for prize sponsorships.
Day 3: Tips for a Successful Givaway. This covers the basics of how to set it up and run it fairly, some do’s and don’ts, and some great linkys to help you promote your giveaway!
that heats up super hot to sear and lowers quickly enough to seal in flavor, and, ok, it happens to be really cute. Then, onto The Omaha Steak’s Steak Time App which solves the age-old question, how long does this (fill in the blank) need to cook? Lastly we are off to every chef’s nirvana for recipes that… well, let’s just say they’re a very good thing. So check out this week’s episode where Carley gets all up in your grill.
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