Steph’s presentation can be seen LIVE in streaming video at blogindiana.tv/?channel=2

Steph’s talking about the history of her blog adventuresinbabywearing.com

For her, it was a journey. Starting in 2005 when she started her blog. She made a funny name and then realized she was going to have it forever.

One blog at a time.

Meeting them by leaving blog comments. It let her to a community.

“5 minutes for mom” – had an ultimate blog party in 2007. Her post on it got over 1,000 comments. And it took off. Google contacted her come speak on a mom blog panel. And she started to meet other mom bloggers.

They answered why mom’s wrote online (therapy…hobby)

How much they knew about her pregancy

She started writing about her pregnancy. Now that her daughter is two, it’s now been like “The Truman Show.’

Not that she’s an expert, she’s just experience.

Rule #1

Be yourself. Even if you don’t know who you are right now. That’s part of the journey.

It’s helped her. She even wrote about her mistakes. People have enjoyed reading them. It’s helped her find more friends and mommy bloggers.

They have other opinions, but she’s learned that’s what a community is about.

Degrees of Mommy Blogger

• Some just blog
• She’s more inspirational writing

Advice

• use photos – doesn’t have to be fancy (iPhone works)
• be open
• comment, comment, comment. Write on other blogs. Be friends! Make a friend. Make the time worthwhile!
• reply to comments
• giveaways work from time to time. She did it when she was a “baby blogger.” But don’t necessarily leave comments to what you have going on your blog on their posts. Let them find you. – Learned it from experience
• And when you make mistakes, ADMIT to them.
• Don’t know where to start? Google for a “blog  carnival.” It gives daily topics and themes you can participate in. “It’s how people find each other.” ex – I Should Be Folding Laundry gives weekly challenges. – “You can’t always wait to be followed.”

Question:  When to get out of blog carnival if you aren’t getting the results?
Answer:  Be true to yourself. If you really don’t feel like doing it. Don’t do it (there are other places)

Another option: Writing Prompt Carnivals:  for example - The bigger picture moment

Favorite example: Life Nut

How do you find the time to blog? (esp with 4 children)

• don’t sleep much
• late at night
• nap time
• commercial breaks
• in the car, on the back of an envelope
• notes on iphone
• sneak away when possible
• make time! (schedule if you’re that kind of person). Work on design. Make sure there’s social sharing…
• make sure to include engagement in the time
• make sure you take time offline…helps write about life. Or you run the risk of blogging about blogging – go to the source of the inspiration

Additional Advice

• Make sure your blog comments come to your email!
• Doesn’t like Disqus:  Can’t comment from iPhone
• Have blog cards (business cards)
• To find other similar niche blogs:  Blog URL on your email. (Google search. Engage from that) “birds of a feather.”
• Stay involved on your niche!

5 Minutes for Parenting

• Side project
• Always looking for guest bloggers (another way to get involved)
• Only Parent writers:  no reviews, no giveaways
• class invited to blog – NIC

Kirtsy – “Digg for Women.”

Privacy

• What are kids gonna find about later when kids get older?
• Sometimes, kids need their privacy!
• Make sure you know the privacy settings of the online tools you use (ESPECIALLY FACEBOOK!)
• Discern what is best for you family / friends
• Sometimes, it’s good to ask permission especially when others are involved
• How do you want people to find you? – make sure they know how to subscribe? If you don’t want them to find you? Take it privacy

Blog Conferences

• Get out among your fellow bloggers. Niche
• Basic courses offered.
• Conferences – BlogHer (national),  Blissdom (Nashville) , Mom 2.0 Summit (national – great for talking to brands and how to make money), Type-A Mom Conference (USA  – southern)

Blog “Techy Stuff”

• SEO-y stuff (Gag). She doesn’t pay attention to much. But she writes soooo much that she’s helped it with great content
• Google Alerts:  set keywords to know if someone is using your stuff, linking to you, writing about you
• Ads:  Get established first!  Track stats. – Get info and you can start estimating what to charge.
• Ad networks:  Blog Her Ads (watch their rules), Clever Girls Collective, Making it Lovely
• Rates:  1 dollar per 1,000 page view (could be superlow). Or a good way to start. No charging less that $25 or so a month
• Google Analytics (we’ll talk, Steph!).

Reviews:  How to Get the Free Stuff

Be establishedd

make sure content network is available

then start getting on review lists

Remember: 1) have to disclose 2) rules:  watch out for those “contact ups before you post a negative review” rules

General Rule

Don’t do it if you don’t love it

Love it; make it from the heart!

The End

Questions:

Design? – Many mom bloggers do their own designs. Steph has a great friend who designed it for her. If you get established, you might get volunteer. Pretty blogs work

Name evolution? Blogger to baby blogger to mommy blogger to mom blogger…will “mother blogger…”

Steph is a “mom blogger.”

So far, so good. This means we’re now able to post on location for the next NWI Tweetup!