Is Content King or An Afterthought?

Back when I started blogging (ahem...2009...feels like forever ago!) content was king. It was the only thing that drew people to your blog. Even though blogging was not as popular as it is today, the market was still there and quite saturated with similar voices and similar experiences. So, as is reasonable, your blog content mattered more than anything. 

I know I am speaking for many other bloggers from that time period when I say that we were all spending hours on the WORDS we wrote. We would write and write and write and edit and edit and edit. The work we put out was personal, built community and was often pretty darn good! Personally, I would write for hours before I felt happy with a post. I would pour my heart out on the page and let it just lay out for people to read. It was probably why people commented and shared and felt connected to me even if they had never met me before.

Content was king. 

RECIPE: Whipped Shortbreads

It's Foodie Friday, and my sister Lizzy is here with my FAVOURITE holiday cookie recipe! These are MUST HAVES at our house (for eating, for entertaining & as gifts!) If you make them, let us know how they turn out:)

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Around this time of year there are so many holiday parties. 

Really, who wants to be stuck in the kitchen in all day before a party?

This is where my grandmas Whipped Shortbreads come in handy. They are fast, easy and melt in your mouth. People will think you’ve been cooking all day but really they just make you look like a rockstar!

What do you need?
1 package of salted butter softened (I prefer Gay Lea Salted Butter as it has the best salt to butter ratio for these cookies!)
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/2 cup of icing sugar
1 1/2 cups of flour

How do you do it? (and work a little skin magic in the process!)

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees and whip your butter until it is fluffy. I leave the butter to beat for at least 5 minutes while I put on a face mask. 

mix, mix, mix!

When I have a party, I like to prepare my face for the night ahead. Detoxing your face is the best thing you can do!

Now add the rest of the ingredients and mix for as long as you can. Remember, the more you mix the better texture the cookies will be. 

While it’s mixing, I wash the face mask off my face and put on some moisturizer. Moisturizer will help keep your skin looking fresh all night and morning. Remember, many of those holiday drinks can strip your face of nutrients and leave you looking tired by the end of the night.

Spoon the mixture onto the cookie sheet two inches apart. You can also add some cherries for colour if you wish. 

Bake for 12 – 15 minutes.  

During the baking time, I do my eye make-up. I could spend hours on my make-up, so this is a great way to limit myself!

Take the cookies out of the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for five to ten minutes. 

Once cooling, I put on the rest of my make-up (foundation, blush etc). 

Once done, I return to the kitchen to let the cookies cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes.

While they are on the rack I do my hair. By the time they are done cooking, my hair is done. I package them up and then get dressed.  

YUMMMM!

Time management is my best friend during the holidays. Stick with my holiday motto: Stay hydrated and always look fabulous! Remember, you never know who might be at the party. 

Be good or be good at it!

Lizzy 

Blogging Is The New Black: Where Can Blogging Take You?

aka: is blogging really worth it

Before I even start, let me say that if you begin blogging because you are interested in making money or gaining notoriety, STOP. The chances of you becoming a 'mega blogger' who is raking in the dough are slim. The chances of you becoming an expert on tv, a go-to for newspapers, or writing a column for a magazine are slim. The chances of blogging becoming your full time job are very slim. It CAN happen, but I want to be realistic with you. There are very few 'mega bloggers' out there, for good reason. WRITE a blog because you have something to say or something to put out there...the rest will fall into place if it's meant to be.

That being said, blogging can bring AMAZING opportunities into your life, and that's what I want to focus on here. Where can blogging take you and what can you gain out of it? I thought I'd share some of my experiences with you:

1. Regular Contributor- For a few years, I had the fantastic opportunity of being a regular writer for Urbanmoms.ca.  This site opened me up to a Canada-wide audience and also helped me focus my particular writing style. I was trapped in a cycle of reading 'major' bloggers and trying to emulate them, instead of just being myself. Writing for UrbanMoms provided me with the platform I needed to see what really worked with readers and what didn't ring true. Granted, everyone has their own opinion and your writing will never resonate with everyone, but this national writing opportunity was one that I will forever be grateful for. How did I get it? I wrote a guest post for UrbanMoms that was well received. As they were growing and adding new bloggers at that time, the founder asked me if I would consider writing a blog from a new mom perspective. The rest is history. Something to be said for right time, right place! One should know, however, that a regular contributor is often required to post a certain amount each week, and generally has 'guidelines' (some strict, some loose, depending on the site) to follow for their contributions. If you can get a regular contributor gig on a site you love (like I did with UrbanMoms), consider yourself VERY lucky!

2. Ghost Writer- I am a blog 'ghost writer'. I write blog posts for a few small business, some on a regular basis. I obviously cannot divulge which business I write for (not very ghosty!) but it has been a great experience for me. Although you can't take credit for what you write, there is something very satisfying about assisting a company in growing its social media presence. How did I get it? I was approached by a small business in the fitness industry who was looking to improve their social media presence. I had taken one of their classes and they had read my blog (I put my blog link at the bottom of all my personal emails- good thing to do as you never know who will read it!). From there, I have worked with a photography company and a few mom spaces. I don't advertise but rely on word of mouth.

3. Freelance Writer- Just because you blog does not mean you can write an article. I learned this the hard way. Throughout high school and university, I did some freelance work but had stopped when I started teaching full time. Once my blog gained a bit of momentum, I thought it was time to take my writing skills to the magazine/newspaper market. There are a plethora of smaller publications that rely on freelance writers to make up their content- especially in the parenting arena. It is not for the faint of heart though, and these small publications often have very young and inexperienced editors that can be hard to work with at times. Steady yourself and be willing to take criticism and you can really succeed. Remember, though, that the payment you receive for these articles is often quite nominal and you should focus on the experience that this freelance writing provides you, not the money you receive! How did I get it? I queried a local parenting magazine that is published monthly. I had an idea for a story, pitched it, and was given the green light to write it! That being said, when I was pregnant with William, I all but stopped writing as life majorly kicked my butt. Re-establishing contacts in the freelance world is HARD WORK, so I suggest that you not follow my lead in this regard. Always stay in touch with editors! Remember that you will likely be rejected quite a bit before you get any opportunities, so be prepared to persevere!

4. Advertising and/or Sponsored Posts- This is the way a lot of bloggers make their money, albeit a small amount. Should you reach a certain level with your blog, or fill a specific niche, selling advertising or writing sponsored posts (where you receive product/money in exchange for a review) is generally the next step. Not only does it generate income- anywhere from $25 to $200 a month, on average- it often gives the appearance that your blog is well read and well liked. How did I get it? I do not have advertising on my blog yet. This has been a personal choice. However, I have started to be approached as my blog numbers have grown and am considering the addition of advertising. That being said, I know many fantastic bloggers that sell advertising by approaching local business that fit into their niche and have had great success with this. I will occasionally do sponsored posts through PTPA Media or Mom Central. I am VERY CAREFUL that the advertising I do endorse is realistic. If I do not like a product or had a bad experience, I generally do not feature it or at the  try least give the advertiser/sponsor a head-up. I'm not interesting in pimping my blog out to the highest bidder.

5. Partnership- Occasionally, a blogger will have the opportunity to partner with a larger blog, a site, or even a corporate sponsor. This is always an exciting venture as it allows you to work with someone who has a larger reach than you do, but generally allows you to maintain content control. How did I get it? After being chosen as a Circle Of Moms Top 25 Blogger, I received quite a few partnership offers, but the one I took up was with Savvymom.ca, which allows me to upload posts to their SavvyStories. It has generated great traffic for this site. It differs from being a 'regular contributor' as I only upload posts of my choosing, when I choose to do it. Obviously the more often you contribute the better, but if I don't blog for a week it's not a big deal! I don't always get paid for partnerships, but I think their value outweighs the potential money to be earned.

There are countless other ways that blogging can bring you financial gains (no matter how small) and/or success in other areas. Community managers, product tester, conference facilitator/speaker, travel writer, etc. Blogging opens doors. Sometimes you really have to work for those doors to be opened. Sometimes they open without so much as a knock from you. The key, in my very limited and humble experience, is to say YES to opportunities, to work for little to nothing just to get your name out there (but put in as much effort as you would if you were working for $1,000), and to LOVE what you do. It takes time to build a readership, time to find your niche, and time to find your voice.

Blogging is the New Black (or something like that)

In the past few months I've been asked by at three different friends how to blog effectively.

I'm not a fancy-pants blogger. There are people out there with quadruple my hits on a daily basis. But my blog does well- it's a nice space with awesome readers and it has been growing in the past few months more than I could ever imagine. So, while I'm certainly not the MOST qualified to give advice, I'm dishing it out anyway.

1) Have an idea of what you want your blog to be- but don't box yourself in.

When I started Sleeping Is For Losers, I knew I wanted to write about being a mom to a baby that was exhausting the heck out of me. But it hasn't been SOLEY about that. Decide what the "main" focus of your blog will be but don't be afraid to stray and post about anything that catches your eye and means something to you. In blogging, content is king and most people don't really care who (or what) your content is about as long as it's passionate, real, and meaningful to you.

2) Use social media to garner readers

Social media (ie: Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest, etc.) are amazing resources for drawing in readers. Don't worry that you'll alienate people by always posting links to your posts. Do you know how often people post things that I don't bother to read? It's not a big deal! Instead, use it as a tool to market your writing and draw in readers who would otherwise have no idea that you exist. HOWEVER, do not use social media to only pimp your blog. Make sure you're still utilizing it as a way to keep in touch, chat, learn, etc. Just throw your blog posts in there every once in a while. I have garnered more readers through social media then any other source!

3) Read other blogs- and comment!

I don't read as many blogs as I would like, but every time I read a blog post that I like, I comment. It doesn't matter if it's a huge blog or a small, just starting out blog. Comment. You will almost always gain a reader in return! That being said, don't be fake in your comments- comment because you actually have something to say! HOWEVER....

4) Don't get caught up in comments on your blog

I don't get TONS of comments as a general rule. But my per post hits are well into the the thousands. Lots of people don't comment for lots of reasons. Don't let yourself get caught up in this! When someone new does comment on your blog, make sure you either respond or check out their blog (assuming they have one).

5) Use writing prompts!

I don't really use these any more, but writing prompts (and linking up your post) is an awesome way to get people reading your blog!!! Twitter is a great place to hop on board linkups (where you post a link to your blog about a specific topic) and generally gets people noticing your blog!

6) Don't get caught up in the "Free Stuff"

If you are active in social media and have a few followers, PR people will notice. And they will want to give you free stuff. Which is AWESOME. But it's also a bit of a trap that you don't want to get caught up in (unless you want your blog to be a review blog, which is something entirely different and I can't help you with!). Working with brands is great but only do it if the brand means something to you or can add value to your life or the life of your readers. This is different for everyone, but I have chosen to only work with brands/products that I would A) actually use or B) allow me to give back. You make up your own mind-but don't be afraid to say "NO"!

7) BE YOURSELF

It's great to read other blogs. It's great to see what works for other people. But it is most important to be yourself and write the content YOU want to write!!! You will not have thousands of hits overnight. Let it build slowly. Don't be controversial just to be controversial. Don't write posts just because you think people want to hear about that topic. When you're disingenuous in your writing, people will know. And they won't like it.

8) Just write

That's all. Write. That's the whole point of a blog in the first place. Write your heart out!