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 with your networks too!
Bloggertunities: The Best Opportunities for Women Bloggers 10/18
I know these have been inconsistent again for awhile, and I apologize to those of you who were emailing me saying, “what the heck is up, Meagan?? Where’s the Bloggertunity post today??” The past couple of weeks. It seems like it’s just one crisis after another around here. The latest is that Abby has had more seizures. {You might remember me talking about it a few months ago? She had a seizure that they hoped was maybe a febrile seizure, but it turns out it’s not.} I’ve been so busy traveling to Seattle Children’s Hospital, trying to coordinate appointments between the doctors here, there, and the darn insurance company – Blogging kind of got pushed to the back burner for a bit.
Welcome to another Week of Bloggertunities!
But, hopefully now that all of our appointments are set, and we’re hoping for some kind of answers, I can work a little more consistently. On that note – here’s the newest list of opps and leads. Hope you enjoy – remember to sign up for email updates so you never miss a new post! And here’s my opp that I’m MOST excited about for this week…. [Read more…]
Bloggertunities
“If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never have got anywhere.” – Marilyn Monroe
When it comes to the wild, wild, web – there are a million rules. And most of them have reasons to be broken. It’s smart to study, read, and research – but just like when it comes to parenting advice, remember that your blog is unique, and what works/doesn’t work for someone else, may NOT be what’s right for you. And being as fully YOU as possible each week is the best way to be successful – for both your blog, and your own happiness! Enjoy the list this week of opps, leads, tips, and reads. Pick the ones that are best for you and your goals. And then be sure to leave your own helpers in the comments – event sign ups, linkys, hops, tips posts, fave affiliate links – whatever you think might help another blogger reading this post! Thanks for all you do – and have a great week!
Hey ladies – Want to win a full VIP Inner Circle Membership to the new Blogs to Riches Club? Enter to WIN today!
Networks and Linkys
- Social Fabric: Many of you have probably heard about Collective Bias/Social Fabric – the’re the company that does the fun shopping trips and product post. Not really a typical review, and there are always tons of new projects to work on with them. They’re open to new sign ups again – the key to success with them is great quality photos, good content, and creativity. They have a really generous compensation plan, are very supportive of everyone in their community, and a great company to work with!Networks & Linkys to Join
- Mommy Solutions: This is one of my favorite linkys to join each week. I get great traffic from it, I love that she features the previous week’s most popular posts to promote them, and whooooo boy – I find some awesome posts to check out each week when I go to link up! The Mommy Club: Share your resources and solutions!
- POP Alerts: Sign up for these newsletters on the Mom Fuse site – Get POP Alerts – to get updates when there are new promotions, campaigns, review opps, and more. Mom Fuse POP (Post Our Pitch) alerts are targeted towards mom bloggers, but are diverse enough to work great for everyone.
- She Heard: Are you a blogger looking to connect with brands for blogging opportunities like giveaways, reviews, sponsored posts & Twitter parties? Then sign up as a member of SheHeard today!
Freelance Writing
- Social Media Direct: From their newsletter: “Do you have a social media tip you’d like to share? Or an online marketing strategy that worked for you? We’re looking for guest posts and would love to share your awesomeness on our site, promote your biz and show you off to our fans and followers as well! Just send in your guest post idea to prerna@socialmediadirectbiz.com and let’s get started!”
- Examiner: I love the way that I’m able to use this local column to connect with cool local businesses. Everyone wants to be featured and promoted – it’s a great thing for those businesses to be able to share on their own social media – So I have so many people on my “To Cover” list, waiting to be posted about. It’s a super fun way to get to know people in your area, make new connections, and get fun freebies that help you write about local events. Find your favorite topic of expertise locally {I’m a Yakima Frugal Living Examiner} – then sign up to host your own column too.
Money to make
- Business2Blogger: This is a great network filled with cool opps you can apply for – I was able to go on an all-expenses paid trip to Texas to work with an awesome company earlier this year, connected to me by an opp on this site. Very cool stuff. Blogger Outreach – Join today.
- Monetize Your Blog: This is a post that I wrote a couple of months ago for the Bi-Annual Blogathon event. It’s my best tips on how to earn an income from your blog – most people can find at least one or two new ideas here. 5 Simple Ways to Monetize Your Blog.
- Social Spark: Simple to complete campaigns, and really great payouts. Request a PayPal payment everytime you have $50 in your account {or pay a small fee if you have less but want your cash asap} – Love this site, especially during the holiday season. Join Social Spark.
- Paper Coterie: I’ve told you before how much I adore this site… If you’d like to see their products yourself, and get pics to make it easier to promote their great stuff, get a FREE $40 worth of products until the end of the month. Seriously – $40 off a $40 purchase – how much more rockin’ can you get? If you love it, sign up as a member of their affiliate program too. You get free product codes monthly, access to great deals to promote, and more.
- Escalate: This is one of the easiest affiliates to work with, and they have SUPER quick payouts each month, at only $25 minimum to get a check our PayPal payment. Sweet, right? Great offers for mom bloggers.
- Logical: One of my fave things about Logical Media is that the offers they have available stay valid for a LONG time. So that I can get clicks and conversions on posts that I wrote a year ago, that still get random traffic. So great! Logical Media – Make Money!
- Glam: This is my much-loved ad network. I do NOT suggest ever relying on Google Adsense, since they are known to strip people of their earnings at the drop of a hat {Happened to me, $11oo bucks. Ugh.} But a network like Glam does more than just provide you with ad codes to help you monetize your sidebars. They also have an amazing sponsored post program too. Apply to be a part of their network here {don’t let the huge traffic numbers scare you away- I didn’t meet that when I applied either!} – But do know that the biggest thing that Glam is looking for is bloggers with unique content.
- Free Product: Ok, this isn’t a way to get paid cash {although one of the tips does include getting real checks…} – But, as a blogger, you have a huge network and sphere of influence. As a busy mom, you have a great eye for quality and what’s cool. As someone who’s online a LOT, you know a good deal when you see one. So combine those things, and use this list to share the best daily deals, and earn a TON of free credit to buy the things that your family wants most. 15 Awesome Ways to Shop for Free. I did this before I blogged, and have even more success now. I was able to do almost all of our holiday shopping last year {gifts, outfits, events and experiences, and food} for almost free, using these sites. LOVE.
Product opps
- Sample Party: If you’re a member of Mom’s Meet {if you’re not, there’s a link to apply right in this survey} – apply to host a National Geographic Super Readers party for your moms group or playdate members. Learn more and fill out the survey to apply.
- Twitter Tuesday: You definitely should subscribe to email updates on the Blogathon site – she posts tons of helpful content each week, and my favorite is this weekly Twitter Leads post.
Good reads, tools, resources
- Affiliates: If you do any affiliate marketing – you might be interested in the new Affiliate Benchmark Survey results. It’s filled with best practices for making affiliate marketing work for you – Great info.
- Blogging Checklist: This is a really solid basic checklist of things to check for on your blog, to ensure you’re successful. The Ultimate Blogging Checklist.
- Website Down: Were you affected by the HUGE GoDaddy crash a few days ago? {I was. Ugh. So frustrating!} Young, Fabulous, and Self Employed has a great article with tips on what to do if your site goes down, and how to tell if it’s really down or not.
- Facebook: Get 100 ideas to jumpstart your Facebook page – this list of 100 Facebook Page Posting ideas runs from basic to more creative – and will help you boost engagement with your fans by mixing up the way you share content there.
- Smore: This is SUCH a cool site. I used it a couple of weeks ago to make an online flyer to promote my latest giveaways, and it got over 100 views in 3 hours. So cool. This free tool works great for so many things – school fundraisers, local events, birthdays, house parties, business promotions, sales, and so much more. Learn how to make a free online promotional flyer using Smore.com today.
Events & Giveaways:
- Twitter Party: Join us for the Mompact party Thursday evening – we’re giving away some super fun swag to help make the fall season easier for busy moms! New to Twitter parties? Check out these great resources: TweetGrid tutorial video, and Twitter Party 101.
- Christmas: This is a super fun giveaway event going up soon – Sign up to join today! Free Blogger Christmas Opp.
- Facebook: Are you confused by the Facebook giveaway and promotion rules? Watch the video that explains it all, so you can be sure that you’re within the guidelines.
FOLLOW ME FOR NEW WEEKLY UPDATES!
You can sign up to get my daily email updates – up there in the sidebar – if you want to make sure you never miss a weekly Bloggertunities post. You can also browse through all of the good stuff in the past Bloggertunities posts, and check out my big Blogging & Social Media board on Pinterest too. Have a great week!
If you love it then you shoulda put a tweet on it….
Rock Ya Blog: Learn about the best new opps, tips, leads, and events for awesome women #blogging rockstars – sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/09/blogge…
— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) September 13, 2012
Have a fab week ladies! And don’t forget to share your news/opps/events in the comments!
{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.}
Blogs To Riches Club VIP Membership Giveaway Event
Blogs To Riches Club is having a grand opening party and you’re invited! This awesome even is hosted by Giveaway Promote. And it’s being sponsored by the amazing Mompreneur Mogul. There are crazy-cool prizes to be won, and I can’t wait to have you guys join us at the new Blogs to Riches Club – Read on to learn more!
Come and see what all the buzz is about and enter to win a VIP membership to the exclusive Inner Circle at “The Club”
Prizes valued at over $2,600. From Lisa Cash Hanson, the author of “Get Famous The Most Amazing Mom Bloggers Resource On The Planet” (one of the most talked about blogger’s resources), comes the hottest new blogging community on the planet, the Blogs To Riches Club. Blogs To Riches Club is the exclusive, invitation only blogging, business and entrepreneurs community. It’s free to become a member but openings are limited. If you want to learn how you can live the life of your dreams, be energized, enjoy more financial freedom, overcome obstacles, expand your influence and have fun, the Blogs To Riches Club is the place for you.
Let your blog do the work and make money while you enjoy the freedom of living the life you’ve always dreamed of! Listen as Lisa shares exclusive details right here!
The Inner Circle
This giveaway features one of the most talked about groups in the Blogs To Riches Club, The Inner Circle At “The Club”. The Inner Circle is where bloggers come to really go deep and grow their business and blog like never before. It’s the Mastery Coaching Club where Lisa reveals never before seen strategies she’s used in her own business. In the Inner Circle, Lisa will be sharing exact email pitches, top resources, methods used to launch her first book, how she made money blogging in the first two weeks and more. Check out the demo video of the Blogs To Riches Club.
About Lisa Cash Hanson
Lisa has been featured on Yahoo!, named Circle of Mom’s Top 25 Mom Tech Blog & Blogtrepreneur’s Top 40 Mompreneurs to follow on Twitter. She is the founder of Mompreneur Mogul, an award winning blog where business and inspiration meet. Her weekly newsletter is filled with tips for those who want to make money blogging and get media attention for their blogs.
Enter to win prizes valued at over $2,600!
Grand Prize: One year VIP membership to the exclusive Inner Circle of the Blogs to Riches Club and a private mastery coaching session with Lisa Cash Hanson.
Other Prizes: 1 six month and 2 three month VIP memberships to the exclusive Inner Circle of the Blogs to Riches Club.
Disclosure: Lisa has achieved some amazing results and she is sharing her strategies with you. However, individual results will vary. Blogs To Riches Club, Momprenuer Mogul, and Lisa Cash Hanson are not promising you riches. Your success is up to you.
Bloggers, join a group giveaway event like this one! Sign up to be emailed about future events hosted by Giveaway Promote.
If you’d like to hear about all group giveaway and hop events open for blogger sign-ups, subscribe to Giveaway Promote’s weekly group giveaway events and hops newsletter.
Moms Back to School Swag Giveaway! #Mompact
Meet the Moms Giveaway: Back to School Must-Haves Edition! I think that almost all of us have finally gotten the kiddos off to school by now… And are trying to adjust to the changing schedules, changing weather, and changing lifestyle that the fall season brings. If you need a little help getting back on track and into school year routines again, you’ll love this prize package filled with helpful gear – all invented by smart moms just like you!
Back to School Must-Haves – By Moms, For Moms
Moms supporting moms… in Business. That’s what Mompact is all about – helping mom entrepreneurs succeed in their businesses, helping bloggers learn to better connect with brands, connecting busy moms with the best brands and products that help solve the challenges of running a household. Who understands what a mom really needs better than another mom, right? So – Show some support by entering and sharing this giveaway – then visit Mompact.com today. Find awesome resources for every type of mom, learn more about the busy women behind these great product lines, and sign up for email updates for fun new promotions coming up this fall!
Enter to WIN it all!
One lucky fan will win ALL of these great prizes – perfect to kick off the new school year successfully. And if you want to learn a little more about some of the great gear included – check out the #Mompact hashtag on Twitter, or read my post about the amazing line from Buti-Bag…
Have kids clothing challenges? Learn how Buti-Bag makes it easy to DIY cute solutions, even if you’re not the crafty type!
Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below to get your entries in. And be sure to tweet out a big ol’ mom-to-mom thank you to the mom inventors for putting together this great prize package! Good luck!
Big thank you to the #Mompact team for a great #giveaway package – RT if you support moms in business!sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/09/moms-b…
— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) September 5, 2012
How Busy Moms Use Skype to be More Productive
“All one needs is a computer, a network connection, and a bright spark of initiative and creativity to join the economy.” – Don Tapscott… My life has changed so dramatically in the past couple of years. The switch from a fast-paced job in retail management, to the even faster-paced life of a work-at-home mom has brought a lot of unique challenges. While the unpredictable nature of the work I do makes it tough to create a daily schedule, I do my best to keep up with consistent routines. I build in time for snacks, naps, housekeeping, and of course – working. And, with all of the awesome technology that exists, I’m able to work almost anywhere that my busy day takes me…
“The phrase ‘working mother’ is redundant.” – Jane Sellman
I usually get up with the sun – I start my day around 6am, grab a BIG cup of coffee, and head out to the patio with my laptop to start working. I check emails for anything urgent, then get out my planner to see what I have scheduled for the day. I try to do as much of my serious working as I can in the morning before the kids are up – things like phone calls, articles to write, or Skype chats with potential partners. Abby’s afternoon naps are kind of sporadic, so I can’t count on nap time to be a quiet time. And it can get awkward trying to have a phone call with a brand rep while you have a toddler screaming for another cookie in the background. {I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, right? Ah, the joys of motherhood.} Once the kiddos get up, I take a break to get them all dressed, fed, and set up with an activity – like a cartoon, puzzles, or coloring. I love that I finally splurged on a new laptop – so that as we move into summer afternoons, I can work on the patio while I keep an eye on the kids in the pool, or pack it up to take with me when we head to the park. Between blogging, freelance writing, campaign projects, and my social media addiction – I’m connected pretty much 24/7 by either computer or my iPhone. Crazy, I know.
Productivity Tools for Busy Moms
Since I’m online so much, most of the tools that I use each day to help me stay on track are techy-type solutions – I love, love, LOVE using Google Calendar to manage my family’s schedules. I use Mint.com to help me track my spending and keep good records. I couldn’t live without all of the amazing apps on my iPhone. And, when it comes to keeping in touch with business contacts – Skype is a lifesaver for me! We use Skype to connect with our extended family that live far away – {Abby loves to chat with her Papa} – and I just love the ability to get time face-to-face with people, instead of just speaking over the phone. I’m definitely a people person, so using Skype is a perfect solution for me. And when you’ve got a group of people who need to run a project together, there is just nothing better than getting them all together on a Skype group chat to bounce ideas off of each other. Crazy how productive those can get. So – if you’re ready to give Skype a try, here are a few tips for a successful chat:
- Connection: Obviously you need access to the internet to use Skype – but you also need to make sure you’ve got a connection that’s high speed enough that you’re chat can be smooth and seamless. A slow connection can make your call really choppy and frustrating.
- Location: You want to set up your computer in a quiet location, without a lot of background noise. If possible, find a room with good natural light – maybe near a window. Try to have a “clean” background without a ton of clutter, so that it’s not distracting the attention away from what you have to say.
- Appearance: Ok – I Skype in my pajamas with no make-up all the time when talking to my family or friends. But if it’s business time – even with my blogging buddies – I bump it up a notch. The camera can kind of wash you out, so make sure to add a little blush and lip gloss. Some eyeliner and mascara will help your eyes stand out better on the screen too. Find a top in a solid color or small print, and a couple of great accessories. Not only will you look better on the Skype screen – but you’ll feel more confident too.
Once you think you’ve got these all down – practice! If you’re planning your first Skype chat as an interview or business connection, I totally recommend trying it out a couple of times with friends first, to make sure your volume settings are good, the lighting looks great, and your equipment all works fine. Don’t worry – a couple of times using Skype, and you’ll be a pro!
It’s time to say more and stay human. It’s time for Skype.
{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Skype via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Skype. Photo credit by Anastassia.}
Free Corporations for First Time Entrepreneurs #eminutes
eMinutes is on a mission to help 500 entrepreneurs form companies for free… If you are a first-time entrepreneur in California or New York, and you have a passion for your business, then they would love to learn about your business, and help you give it a boost. And when they say free, they mean FREE – they are even paying for your state filing fees. This pretty much rocks.
So who is Jeff Unger, the guy giving this all away free?
Jeff Unger is a graduate of Babson College where he was awarded the Economics Letter of Achievement. Then in 1997, he founded eMinutes, a corporate law firm that forms corporations and LLCs for some pretty awesome people – like A-list movie stars, Grammy award-winning musicians, and athletes. Jeff is admitted to practice in both California and New York – giving him the ability to split time between Los Angeles and Manhattan, and help entrepreneurs on both coasts.
Why is he giving this away for free?
Jeff explains “I had the idea to form free corporations for 500 first-time entrepreneurs. I thought it was a great way to build my brand and to meet some really interesting people, but I had no idea how it would impact me on a personal and emotional level. Corporate lawyers usually don’t get thank you notes and now I have bunches of them. We love the enthusiasm and passion that each entrepreneur brings to our lives”. A few quick facts about eMinutes, and why it rocks:
- 10,000 Trees: As lawyers, the team at eMinutes knows first hand how much paper gets wasted each day. So they have a goal of planting 10,000 trees by 2013, and have switched to mostly paperless options in their business.
- Operate like a Business: They study metrics like crazy, and operate more like a business than a traditional law firm. That means they have the same entrepreneur type mindset that you have.
- Flat Fees: They don’t have time clocks that tick along, adding up more and more minutes of time that you’ll get an unexpected bill for. They have a flat rate of $1,250 to form a corporation or LLC – but right now, you can get it done for FREE. Amazing, I know.
So – if you’re an entrepreneur in California or New York – the states that Jeff does business in – you have got to check this out today before it completely fills up! And while you’re on the site, click around a little and read the stories of the other business owners he’s already helped out for free. So cool.
eMinutes: A law firm like no other.