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]]>Welcome to the Ladies Collective Linkup! A linkup where you can share your favorite posts and meet new blogging friends. Every week, we will feature the best of the best and blast their awesomeness across social media!
Meet your hosts
www.bestofbabylady.com www.mommyzoid.ca www.glamgranolageek.com
Best of Baby – Iulia Gulia is a mother of a spunky toddler and a squishy infant. With a touch of sarcasm and a good dose of self-deprecating humor, Iulia writes about her obsession – pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding…basically all things baby.
Mommyzoid - Stephanie is a new mom and military wife with a penchant for DIY, home-made, and home-grown!
GlamGranolaGeek – Self proclaimed modern hippie and former office manager turned stay-at-home Mama of two little rascals, Sarah blogs about the crunchier side of parenting, beauty and life at home with kids.
This Week’s Features
1. Becoming a Blogger - Just Another Mom
2. How We Add Fruits and Vegetables To Our Diets- Adoring Creations
3. What I Wore- The Resourceful Mama
The Ladies Collective Linkup is live! #bloghop #linkparty #LCLinkup
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Linkup Guidelines
1) Please follow your hosts in some way (check out the links above)
2) Stick around for a while and check out some other lovely ladies’ blogs. We all love a good comment!
3) Link backs are appreciated and if you were featured feel free to grab our button!
Note: Please make sure you abide by image copyright and third party content use laws. By linking up you are confirming that you own the rights to the photo you are using in your post or that the photo is in the creative commons/public domain. You are also giving us permission to use your images on our blogs and social media platforms. We will not feature images to which you do not have legal rights.
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]]>The post Ladies Collective Linkup – 6 appeared first on .
]]>Welcome to the Ladies Collective Linkup! A linkup where you can share your favorite posts and meet new blogging friends. Every week, we will feature the best of the best and blast their awesomeness across social media!
Meet your hosts
www.bestofbabylady.com www.mommyzoid.ca www.glamgranolageek.com
Best of Baby – Iulia Gulia is a mother of a spunky toddler and a squishy infant. With a touch of sarcasm and a good dose of self-deprecating humor, Iulia writes about her obsession – pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding…basically all things baby.
Mommyzoid - Stephanie is a new mom and military wife with a penchant for DIY, home-made, and home-grown!
GlamGranolaGeek – Self proclaimed modern hippie and former office manager turned stay-at-home Mama of two little rascals, Sarah blogs about the crunchier side of parenting, beauty and life at home with kids.
This Week’s Features
1. 5 Reasons I Loved Internet Dating My Husband - All That Srocks
2. Fear Less Blog More: One Blogger’s Confessions - Faith Filled Food For Moms
3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit Review and Swatches- The Classified Chic
The Ladies Collective Linkup is live! #bloghop #linkparty #LCLinkup
Click To Tweet
Linkup Guidelines
1) Please follow your hosts in some way (check out the links above)
2) Stick around for a while and check out some other lovely ladies’ blogs. We all love a good comment!
3) Link backs are appreciated and if you were featured feel free to grab our button!
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]]>The post Why We Blog appeared first on .
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I have two babies. One has 2 legs and 2 arms and the other you’re staring at. My blog is my little place on the internet where our life is chronicled. My ups and downs of mommy-hood can be found right here at this web address.
But why on earth do I choose to lay it all out on the table? I’ll admit it’s a touch embarrassing when my real life friends ask me about something from my blog. I honestly forget that anyone even reads what I write.
When I was pregnant I spent my days researching. I visited literally thousands of blogs while trying to narrow down what car seat I wanted, what stroller would suit our lives best, and how the heck to start cloth diapering. I was so fortunate to have all my questions answered and then some. Through these blogs I discovered a whole other world of parenting. A world where you could ask questions and not just accept the norm when it comes to raising your kids.
Now that I’m deep in the trenches of motherhood, I figure I’ve learned a few things that I can share with moms to be. No, I certainly don’t fancy myself an expert. Not one bit! But each and every day I am learning news tricks of the trade that I want to pass on to other mothers and care givers. It wouldn’t be fair to hoard all the knowledge, now would it?
Why do I Blog? It’s my turn to give back to the blog world that was there for me when I needed it…
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It’s my turn to give back to the blog world that was there for me when I needed it most and I know that same blog world will be there in days, months, and years to come when I run into new challenges and have more questions. Once again I will turn to some wise blogging mothers who have been there before me.
I feel I owe a little something something to the moms who’ll come after me. It’s as if I’ve taken something and now it’s my turn to replace it. Those women googling parenting tips, nursery ideas, & cloth diaper how-tos? I was you and I’ve got your back! My goal is to answer some of your pressing questions, give you some new ideas, and maybe even get you re-thinking some aspects of parenthood.
I have two babies. One keeps me up all night and the other is my alarm clock. Can you guess which is which?
PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these fabulous blogs!
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]]>The post Ladies Collective Linkup – 5 appeared first on .
]]>Welcome to the Ladies Collective Linkup! A linkup where you can share your favorite posts and meet new blogging friends. Every week, we will feature the best of the best and blast their awesomeness across social media!
Meet your hosts
www.bestofbabylady.com www.mommyzoid.ca www.glamgranolageek.com
Best of Baby – Iulia Gulia is a mother of a spunky toddler and a squishy infant. With a touch of sarcasm and a good dose of self-deprecating humor, Iulia writes about her obsession – pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding…basically all things baby.
Mommyzoid - Stephanie is a new mom and military wife with a penchant for DIY, home-made, and home-grown!
GlamGranolaGeek – Self proclaimed modern hippie and former office manager turned stay-at-home Mama of two little rascals, Sarah blogs about the crunchier side of parenting, beauty and life at home with kids.
This Week’s Features
1. 10 Ways to Love Your Husband- Bloom By Grace
2. Top 4 Mommy Blogs You Should Be Following! - Brand New Mom
3. 5 Things No One Told Me About Being A Mom- Math Mom With A Blog
The Ladies Collective Linkup is live! #bloghop #linkparty #LCLinkup
Click To Tweet
Linkup Guidelines
1) Please follow your hosts in some way (check out the links above)
2) Stick around for a while and check out some other lovely ladies’ blogs. We all love a good comment!
3) Link backs are appreciated and if you were featured feel free to grab our button!
Note: Please make sure you abide by image copyright and third party content use laws. By linking up you are confirming that you own the rights to the photo you are using in your post or that the photo is in the creative commons/public domain. You are also giving us permission to use your images on our blogs and social media platforms. We will not feature images to which you do not have legal rights.
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]]>The post #BLOGGERPHOTOCHALLENGE on Instagram appeared first on .
]]>I am super into finding and taking beautiful photos on Instagram. (See how you can improve your Instagram game here). But some times I need a swift kick in the butt and a heaping dose of inspiration. That’s why I decided to host a photo challenge on Instagram this month! Every day for the month of March, there will be a new word or phrase to inspire you to think outside the box and post something new. If you feel like playing, all you have to do it re-gram (screenshot works well too!) the list of prompts so you remember which photos to take each day. Invite your pals to play along too, the more the merrier! And you know what? If you’re not a blogger, don’t fret! You’re invited too.
Join me for the #bloggerphotochallenge on @Instagram!!
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Make sure you are sharing your photos with the handing dandy hashtag #bloggerphotochallenge! I’ll be sharing my favourite photos of the day so keep sharing and keep watching for me to share yours! Follow me @mommyzoid to see your photos!
In the past I’ve participated in a few different Instagram photo challenges and I’ve met and followed so many wonderful bloggers I other wise would have never crossed paths with! If anything it’s a great excuse to hone your Instagram skills and find out what your followers like when it comes to your ‘grams.
So what d’ya say? Join me on this 31 day creative challenge? Let me know in the comments if you’ll be participating! PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these fab blogs!
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]]>The post Ladies Collective Linkup – 4 appeared first on .
]]>Welcome to the Ladies Collective Linkup! A linkup where you can share your favorite posts and meet new blogging friends. Every week, we will feature the best of the best and blast their awesomeness across social media!
Meet your hosts
www.bestofbabylady.com www.mommyzoid.ca www.glamgranolageek.com
Best of Baby – Iulia Gulia is a mother of a spunky toddler and a squishy infant. With a touch of sarcasm and a good dose of self-deprecating humor, Iulia writes about her obsession – pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding…basically all things baby.
Mommyzoid - Stephanie is a new mom and military wife with a penchant for DIY, home-made, and home-grown!
GlamGranolaGeek – Self proclaimed modern hippie and former office manager turned stay-at-home Mama of two little rascals, Sarah blogs about the crunchier side of parenting, beauty and life at home with kids.
This Week’s Features
1. Things I Said Before I Was A Parent- Crazily Normal
2. 5 Things To Do When Depression Strikes - How To Get Organized At Home
3. How To Make And Install Wooden Stairs For Less Than $25 - Zipperhead Creations
The Ladies Collective Linkup is live! #bloghop #linkparty #LCLinkup
Click To Tweet
Linkup Guidelines
1) Please follow your hosts in some way (check out the links above)
2) Stick around for a while and check out some other lovely ladies’ blogs. We all love a good comment!
3) Link backs are appreciated and if you were featured feel free to grab our button!
Note: Please make sure you abide by image copyright and third party content use laws. By linking up you are confirming that you own the rights to the photo you are using in your post or that the photo is in the creative commons/public domain. You are also giving us permission to use your images on our blogs and social media platforms. We will not feature images to which you do not have legal rights.
The post Ladies Collective Linkup – 4 appeared first on .
]]>The post Ladies Collective Linkup – 2 appeared first on .
]]>Welcome to the Ladies Collective Linkup! A linkup where you can share your favorite posts and meet new blogging friends. Every week, we will feature the best of the best and blast their awesomeness across social media!
Meet your hosts
www.bestofbabylady.com www.mommyzoid.ca www.glamgranolageek.com
Best of Baby – Iulia Gulia is a mother of a spunky toddler and a squishy infant. With a touch of sarcasm and a good dose of self-deprecating humor, Iulia writes about her obsession – pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding…basically all things baby.
Mommyzoid - Stephanie is a new mom and military wife with a penchant for DIY, home-made, and home-grown!
GlamGranolaGeek – Self proclaimed modern hippie and former office manager turned stay-at-home Mama of two little rascals, Sarah blogs about the crunchier side of parenting, beauty and life at home with kids.
This Week’s Features
1. 30 Delightful Ways to Connect With Your Child – The Deliberate Mom
2. 4 Cleaning Tricks From a Professional Cleaner – A Debt Free Stress Free Life
3. 6 Tips to Help You Stay Sane While Working From Home - Legendary Mama
The Ladies Collective Linkup is live! #bloghop #linkparty #LCLinkup www.mommyzoid.ca
Click To Tweet
Linkup Guidelines
1) Please follow your hosts in some way (check out the links above)
2) Stick around for a while and check out some other lovely ladies’ blogs. We all love a good comment!
3) Link backs are appreciated and if you were featured feel free to grab our button!
Note: Please make sure you abide by image copyright and third party content use laws. By linking up you are confirming that you own the rights to the photo you are using in your post or that the photo is in the creative commons/public domain. You are also giving us permission to use your images on our blogs and social media platforms. We will not feature images to which you do not have legal rights.
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]]>The post Instagram – A How-To For Bloggers appeared first on .
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Take a peek at some of these tried and true tips for making your Instagram account work for you.
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If you’ve delved into your Google Analytics, you might find you don’t get much, if any, traffic from Instagram. But don’t let that stop you from curating pretty images for your followers. Instagram is an amazing and personal way to share your life with your blog followers and give them a look behind the scenes. By seeing a photo or two a day from you, your followers will start to get to know you and look forward to your posts, and you will stay top of mind for them.
Personally I don’t click on the live link for brands or other bloggers from my phone very often but the way I see it, that’s not the point of Instagram. That’s why I don’t like to blatently promote my blog on Instagram very often. Instagram is more about building relationships which in turns helps build loyalty to your brand.
Whether you’re a seasoned Instagram vet or you’ve just taken the plunge, take a peek at some of my tried and true tips for making your Instagram account work for you.
1. Follow other bloggers.
Lifestyle and mommy bloggers are all over Instagram. Some of my favourite bloggers to follow are Kyla from House of Hipsters and Jessica Garvin from Little Baby Garvin. Their feeds are chalk full of drool-worthy pictures that will inspire you to be a better blogger, I swear.
2. Share your world.
I like to think of Instagram as the Pinterest board of my actual life! As bloggers we love sharing photos of our projects but readers want to get to know the real you, too! Share your lazy Sunday or give a sneak peak at an upcoming project.
3. Leave thoughtful comments.
Just like you would comment on a blog post, comment on other bloggers and brands images. Believe me, comments don’t go un-noticed. A lot of the partnerships I’ve formed through my blog blossomed out of interacting on Instagram.
4. Tag Brands.
When you take pretty stylized pictures of a brands products being used in your real life, tag them in it! Brands LOVE using pictures from fans and will often ask you if you don’t mind them sharing them with their fans. This equals a shout out to you to all their fans! You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours, you know what I mean?
5. Don’t spam.
We get it, you’re doing a giveaway but it’s important to not bug or overload your followers feeds. It’s a thin line to walk between advertising your blog and being too spammy. Unfortunately if people get the spam vibe from you, you’ll get un-followed.
6. Filters.
Don’t over use them! When Instagram first hit it big, filters and frames were all the rage but what’s now in vogue is bright, clear, and naturally beautiful pictures. And remember no body likes Kelvin!
7. Link to your blog.
Instagram gives you a spot in your profile to add a live link — make it a link to your blog! It may seem like a no brainer but you’d be surprised how many bloggers I’ve seen without a link to their work.
8. Use hashtags.
But don’t over do it. Find out what hashtags your Instagram role models are using and use those as a starting point. Some of my favourite hashtags in the mommy blogging niche? #makeclothmainstream #normalizeit #wearallthebabies.
9. Don’t over-post.
Instagram isn’t like Facebook — you don’t have to post EVERY photo from your family vacation. I usually don’t post more than 2 times a day and I like to space them out. I’ve definatly un-followed someone because my feed was getting clogged up by their gym selfies.
10. What do I post?
If you’re stuck, you can never go wrong with a cute baby! They always get a like!
11. Go ahead and follow me!!
Hungry for more blog tips? Here are some of my time-saving blog tools and here are my favourite plugins for WordPress.
Have idea for something you want me to cover? Let me know in the comments!
PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these lovely blogs.
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]]>The post Ladies Collective Linkup – 1 appeared first on .
]]>Welcome to the Ladies Collective Linkup! A linkup where you can share your favorite posts and meet new blogging friends. Every week, we will feature the best of the best and blast their awesomeness across social media!
Meet your hosts
www.bestofbabylady.com www.mommyzoid.ca www.glamgranolageek.com
Best of Baby – Iulia Gulia is a mother of a spunky toddler and a squishy infant. With a touch of sarcasm and a good dose of self-deprecating humor, Iulia writes about her obsession – pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding…basically all things baby.
Mommyzoid - Stephanie is a new mom and military wife with a penchant for DIY, home-made, and home-grown!
GlamGranolaGeek – Self proclaimed modern hippie and former office manager turned stay-at-home Mama of two little rascals, Sarah blogs about the crunchier side of parenting, beauty and life at home with kids.
This Week’s Host Features
1. If I’m The Breast Police, Are You a Hooter Hater? – Best of Baby
2. Homemaking Like a Boss {Tidying Edition + Video} – GlamGranolaGeek
3. Dear Pregnant Mom – Mommyzoid
The Ladies Collective Linkup is live! #bloghop #linkparty #LCLinkup
Click To Tweet
Linkup Guidelines
1) Please follow your hosts in some way (check out the links above)
2) Stick around for a while and check out some other lovely ladies’ blogs. We all love a good comment!
3) Link backs are appreciated and if you were featured feel free to grab our button!
Note: Please make sure you abide by image copyright and third party content use laws. By linking up you are confirming that you own the rights to the photo you are using in your post or that the photo is in the creative commons/public domain. You are also giving us permission to use your images on our blogs and social media platforms. We will not feature images to which you do not have legal rights.
The post Ladies Collective Linkup – 1 appeared first on .
]]>The post Time Saving Blog Tools appeared first on .
]]>[This Post contains affiliate links. See full disclaimer here]
When you really dive into blogging, you start to learn there is so much that goes into it between maintaing countless social media accounts, taking & editing images, responding to emails & comments, checking analytics, implementing new plugins, attending link-ups, and actually writing a post — it gets busy! But lucky for you I’ve compiled a list of the scheduling tools I use to help get my posts out into internet land without even logging on!
Save time blogging with these smart scheduling tools
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I promise you these tools will enhance your blogging experience and save you time.
Hoot Suite
Hoot Suite is superb for managing all your major social media platforms all in one place. You’re able to schedule Google+ (both your profile and any pages you manage), Facebook, & Twitter all from one place. You can also set up your dashboard so that you have a tab with all your the scheduled tweets and posts visible at one time, like I’ve done. Hootsuite is very customizable if you’re like me and have the need to see everything all at once!
Viral Woot
Pinterest is where my highest volume of traffic comes from so I treat it like my baby. If you have a Pinterest for Business account, you’re able to see your analytics and see what pins are driving pinners to your site and ones that aren’t so hot. If you check out your analytics you can determine what day and time of the week is the busiest for your pins. Generally speaking though, Pinterest sees a spike in traffic Friday and Saturday night as well as Saturday mornings, so I use Viral Woot to schedule my pins to go live during those peak times! It’s a very simple tool that uses a bookmarklet. You can choose the date, time, board, and what you want the description to say! I literally could go on all day about Pinterest and how you can really harness it for your blog.
Mail Chimp
If you have a newsletter already or you are thinking of starting one up, Mail Chimp* is phenomenal. In terms of scheduling, you have the ability to prepare your newsletter ahead of time and set the date and time that you want it to be delivered to your recipients. With a Paid Account, you get even more automation control like the ability to send an email after people subscribe, click, open, or buy.
Facebook Schedule
Built right into Facebook is the ability to schedule posts to your page. Don’t you love it when companies let you do it all in one place instead of having to trek all over the internet to do your sharing and scheduling? Thank you, Facebook, for making our lives just that much more easier!
Do Share
If you use Google Chrome as your browser, I recommend adding the Do Share extension to easily schedule posts to your Google + account, either your personal profile or a public page you manage! I often hear other bloggers complaining about Google + and feeling like it’s a burden to maintain. I was one of those bloggers up until a short time ago but once I read up on the SEO benefits of Google + I decided to put more effort in and really step up my Google + game. With Do Share, I can easily schedule a bunch of posts without even heading over to my account! Easy as pie.
Did I miss any you can’t live without? Do you use any of these? Let me know!
PS: I’ll be sharing this post on these lovely blogs!
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