Pinterest is a BIGGIE. If you’re not familiar with Pinterest, all it really is is an electronic bulletin board where you can pin the ideas you come across so you can access them later.

Pinterest is a Search Engine

Here’s the thing about Pinterest, though. While it seems like it’s just a big electronic bulletin board, it’s really a search engine.

In fact, it’s the second largest search engine (ONLY second to Google).

This has a lot of implications for your mom blog, but essentially, if you manage it right (with SEO, etc.) when you pin your posts to Pinterest, you have the opportunity for search engines like Google to rank your Pinterest pins + you have the opportunity for your audience that is searching on Pinterest to find your post pins.

How Pinterest Can Work for Your Mom Blog

Super quick example. For all three of my daughters’ first birthdays, I PORED over hundreds (if not thousands) of party themes + ideas. I planned all three of their parties from Pinterest pins.

MORE importantly for you, I bought a lot of the products I needed for the parties because I found it through Pinterest.

I have to say that TONS of MOMS are all OVER PINTEREST.

Whether your biz is product or service based, Pinterest works. AND if you are a mom blogger or pro of ANY kind, you need to be where your potential clients are – + they are on PINTEREST.

Here’s how it might go down.

A mom is searching for 1st birthday party theme ideas. They see your pin for a guide with 100s of 1st birthday party theme ideas. They click on the pic you pinned. They click on the guide pic that opens up OR they click on the website below that says where the pic is from + voila they’re reading your guide.

Keep in mind that your guide + the pic that you’ve posted to Pinterest sits on your blog.

As they peruse your fab guide, they realize that you sell some of the fabulous theme items (or offer the theme services) that you feature in your oh-so helpful guide. They buy said products (or book your services).

A SALE + all because they came across a picture you posted on Pinterest that led them to a guide that led them to the products/services you’re selling that they want to buy.

Pinterest for Mom Service Businesses

Remember, Pinterest works just as well for services. If you offer a guide on the top 100 ways to throw a big 1st birthday on a small budget + you’re a party planner, you’re setting yourself up to land some business.

Now it goes a lot deeper than this because people can turn around + pin your pins, which again is how the word spreads + how sales numbers get a boost.

How to Put Pinterest to Work For Your Mom Blog

From a business or blog owner’s perspective, this is what you want to do to share your content. First, open an account on Pinterest.

You can use your personal Pinterest account or open an account for your business/blog. That’s up to you. One thing, you want to do is create boards for your pins.

When you post a pic with your blog posts (which every blog post should have a picture), you can then pin this picture to your Pinterest account on the appropriate board.

Complete each section of the pin, starting with a keyword rich title, fill in a keyword rich description + input the link that takes them directly to the content where it sits on your blog.

If you’re offering a free guide or download of some sort through the pin or as a content upgrade from the post, you want to mention this in the pin description as well.

In other words, try to add a call to action to the description, so you can get them to click on your pins.

Pin it and you’re done. It’s now searchable, pinnable + shareable.

Create Visual Content for Pinterest

Another thing you can do is create “a teaser” pic. This is where you choose a photo + use a site like PicMonkey or Canva to add some text to the photo. You take the same steps to get it on Pinterest + it can have the same effect.

Pinterest also offers promoted pins now, so you can pay to promote specific pins. It’s a great way to share your free opt-in + get moms to JUMP. ON. YOUR. LIST.

You can pin your posts manually or you can schedule pins using a tool like Tailwind. If you use my link, you get your first month for free. I use Tailwind + love it.

Not only should you be pinning to your own boards, but you should be pinning to group boards, too.

Find + join group boards that cater to the moms you’re trying to attract. When you’re a member of a group board, you can pin your pins to the board—getting it in front of an audience that you might not have an opportunity to get in front of otherwise.

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs

In 2008, I left the corporate world to start my freelance writing business full time.

The main reason I did this is because I knew that one day I wanted to have a family + writing from home would afford me the opportunity to do what I love (to write) + stay home with my kids.

It wouldn’t be until 2013 that I had my first daughter. So for 7 years, freelance writing from home was my full-time gig. It paid the bills. It made me happy.

I’ve written countless blog posts for other people’s blogs + blog posts for companies + businesses (all for money, of course). I’ve had different blogs of my own over the years, too.

Right now, I have three blogs:

• Wedding Planner Copy
• Girl Mom Chaos
• Here Comes the Wedding

I’ve been running my Wedding Planner Copy blog for a couple years now. I am happy with my pageviews per month but I am always testing out strategies to improve the quality of the wedding pros that land on my blog.

In December 2018, I started this blog (Girl Mom Chaos) + interestingly enough, one of the strategies I use has produced more pageviews than the Wedding Planner Copy blog does after two years of being up + running.  

(Although, I started using the same strategy for the Wedding Planner Copy blog + am now seeing similar results.)

Here’s what I did:

1. I focused on one social media platform

Social media is where it’s at, right?

Well, I picked one platform + I gave it my all. That platform is PINTEREST.

What you might not know is that Pinterest works more like a search engine than a social media platform so it is second only to Google for searches! Nobody is going to Pinterest to be social. They are going to Pinterest to do research or to find something they are looking for –they are searching!

In one month, I had 39k views. As of June 2019 (so 6 months later), I have 130k views.

Are there other Pinterest accounts that have more?

Of course.

BUT…39k views in one month is HUGE. + to get to a 130k in just 6 months is ah-mazing.

My Wedding Planner Copy Pinterest account had 19k views per month in December. As of June 2019, it has 55k.

Let that sink in for a second. Pinterest is HUGE in gaining quality attention + then driving those quality visitors to your blog/website. Pinterest is one of my top traffic sources for both my wedding copy blog + my mom blog.

Over 90% of my traffic comes from my pins on Pinterest. If you haven’t tapped into the potential that Pinterest has for growing your mom blog, check out my article How to Use Pinterest for Your Mom Blog. 

If you want to automate your Pinterest efforts so you have more time to focus on other platforms, run your mom blog + well, be a mom, check out Tailwind.

It is the only scheduler that is Pinterest approved. Tailwind is what I’ve been using + I believe it has allowed me to take my mom blog to the next level in just one short month + up my game even more over the last 6 months. 

2. I focused on my content

Take a step back for one second.

The only way I was able to figure out that Pinterest is the biggest source of traffic for both of my blogs is because I created stellar content for both that I was then able to pin on Pinterest.

After I hit the publish button on any of my blog posts, the first thing I do is schedule that content to be pinned to my Pinterest boards.

If you’re interested in learning how to create stellar content to share on Pinterest, check out my Mommy Business Blogging ebook.

It takes you step-by-step through the process of writing stellar blog posts + then how to promote those posts to attract the right visitors to your mommy business.

3. I am engaging more with my dream readers 

When I started engaging with my readers on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter + Instagram, it also made a HUGE difference in my blog traffic, blog comments + more.

I take the time to respond to people’s questions + comments on my blog posts or social media posts. I start conversations on Twitter. I am active in the RIGHT Facebook groups.

All of this is helping me to attract quality traffic to both of my blogs.

Want to tap into my complete blog traffic growth strategy?
These are just a few of the tips + tricks that I’ve learned in my attempt to boost the traffic to my blogs. 

I perfected a step-by-step blueprint to help mommy bloggers that want to create stellar content + then use that content to drive traffic to their blog + website.

If you don’t know where to begin with blogging for your mommy biz or you’re struggling to increase your numbers, build a loyal following for your blog + convert those followers into business The Mommy Business Blogging Ebook is the perfect resource to help you understand what you’re missing + give you the tips, tricks + tools to make a difference!

Start your blogging journey with me!

Haven’t started a mommy business blog yet (or you’re still operating on a free platform) but you’re ready to become a pro? Find out how to start a profitable blog:

Download my guide on Setting Up A Mommy Business Blog

Enroll in my free course Learn to Blog Your Mommy Blog to More Business

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs

Do you ever sit down at your computer searching for an answer to one of your latest problems + feel instantly OVERWHELMED with all of the info that pops up in your search engine?

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Other moms feel the same way as you. (Confession: It happens to me ALL. THE. TIME.)

So how do you make your blog post stand out from the crowd so that it doesn’t overwhelm your audience? How do you cut through all of the noise to write about topics your fellow mamas care about reading?

The First Step in Finding Blog Ideas

Be YOU when you write. By this, I mean being you when you write is one of the BEST + FIRST ways to cut through the noise that all of the other “mom bloggers” are making on a topic + finding blog ideas your audience cares about reading.

Better yet, that answers their question or gives them a solution to the problem they are having.

I cover (at length) how to be you – how to write like you — in the Mommy Business Blogging eBook, but let’s take a few minutes to get an overview of what this looks like.

Bloggers ask my advice on writing all the time. My #1 tip that I love to share is to be you when you write.

It sounds so simple, right?

You are one of a million bloggers milling around in the blogosphere. What makes you so different from all the other bloggers sharing information online?

YOU!

That’s what makes you different. Your voice, your tone, your personality + your point of view are what makes you different, what makes you stand out from the crowd + what attracts your peeps to you.

Now, If you are a poor speller or your grammar sucks, then you have some adjusting to make before you launch a best seller, but…other than that, when you write, write using your own words, your own voice + voice your own opinion with your words (+ the facts that support what you think).

Take a moment to figure out your style.

1. Do you write like you would talk if you were having a conversation with someone sitting in front of you (or on the phone)?
2. Are you sarcastic?
3. Do you like to make jokes or use puns when you’re writing?
4. Are you serious and conservative?
5. Are you formal + stiff?

Remember, there are no wrong answers. You can’t BE you in the wrong way, unless you’re acting like someone else + not like you at all!

Remember, too, that you are writing for other people to read + understand, so write like a human being talking to another human being. Write like a mama talking to another mama.

The main point is that you give your content a voice, an opinion, a viewpoint that makes the content unique to you + isn’t just a regurgitation of what all the other mamas are saying — even if it is the same topic.

So that’s that. If you have a topic to write about in the first place, then put it in your own words, use your own opinions + your own experiences to write about it.

Now let’s talk about finding blog ideas when you don’t really know what to write about.

If you’re struggling for topics, here’s some secret sauce on how to come up with topics that moms actually want to know about, read + find the answers to their burning questions.

Buzzsumo for Blog Ideas

Head on over to Buzzsumo (www.buzzsumo.com).

I should mention here that there is a free + a paid version. You can decide for yourself which version is best for you. I use the free version + find that it suits my purposes. Again, only you can decide which one works for you.

I think you get about 10 searches per day with the free version. You may find this suits your writing needs just fine. The free version also limits the number of blog ideas you can see (I think it’s 5 blog ideas). If you want to see the whole kit + kaboodle then you have to go with the paid version.

Anywho, once you are at Buzzsumo, a search box appears at the top.

Type in a topic, keyword, or even a URL (of a site that is yours or covers similar topics to your site).

Buzzsumo then pulls up articles, blog posts + content that matches what you typed into the search box.

Alongside the content, it lists out each social networking site + how many times the content was shared. Buzzsumo covers the primary social media sites, so FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

These numbers are big clues on what moms find interesting enough to share. If they find it interesting enough to share, then they find it interesting enough to read.

Take a look at some of the articles. Read them. Pull out bits of info. Think on it.

Do you have an opinion on the article content?

Do you have a different viewpoint or experience from the author about this particular topic?

Can you expand on, condense down, or embellish the info that is in this article?

If you can do all of these, then you can even come up with more than one blog idea. BAM! A whole bunch of blog ideas from ONE. LITTLE. SEARCH.

OK, so that is Buzzsumo. Let’s move on to a second way to can conjure up some topics.

Google Trends for Blog Ideas

Trends are trends…well, because they are popular + hot at the moment. You saw a little of this just from our search on Buzzsumo. Google Trends lists out the hottest topics of the moment + the day – the trends come from how many times people are Googling the listed topic, talking about it, sharing it, etc.

Lots of parenting topics are evergreen but parenting trends pop up all the time.

So, peruse the topics that show on Google trends + see if there is any way to tie your knowledge + info in with something that is H-O-T. It can be far-fetched, but it can work.

I’ll give you an example. One of the most popular blog posts I wrote was something I tied in with a documentary I watched on Showtime called, My Date with Drew.

I wrote an entire article on what this documentary reminded me about marketing. I tied everything the guy did in the documentary with marketing tactics.

People loved it!

Plus, it was fun to write. I notice when I really love what I’m writing about it shows in my writing + it shows in the enthusiasm people show in reading + commenting on the blog post.

While I am not an SEO expert, I do know this, tying your content to hot topics + applying SEO rules to it can help couples find your articles + find you. (More about this later).

So that is Google Trends. Pretty simple in getting your creative juices flowing. Now, for a third way you can generate blog ideas – a Swipe File.

Ahhhh……the good ole swipe file. A swipe file essentially is a document or list that you put together or that someone else put together that you can just pull up + “swipe” or grab a blog idea from it.

(HINT: There’s a swipe file at the end of this post full of blog ideas + you can download it too!)

By the way, there are two different kinds of swipe files that I use.

1. My own: When I come across info that I think I can use at some point, I “swipe” the link + the title into a spreadsheet or folder on my computer. Later when I’m looking for something to write about, I scan my swipe file for ideas or inspiration. This might be blog posts I read, social media updates, emails that land in my inbox, or content from a Google alert that I set up about a particular topic.
2. Other people’s swipe file (OPSF): Bloggers, writers, marketers + people (in general) share swipe files all the time. Some are free. Some try to sell them to you. When I receive these, I keep them in a folder on my computer or I keep the link. Generally, these are not SPECIFIC topics, but contain a list, such as, “___ Ways _______ Taught Me How to _________.

Recently, I came across a pin on Pinterest offering 8,209 blog post ideas. This, my friend, is a SWIPE file.

Even if the swipe file is specific. Say it is about personal finance topics, which might seem hard to tie to a mom blog (except if you are talking household budgets + spending or family financing). You can still use these as idea generators.

Obviously, it is much easier if it is a swipe file that covers the industry you blog about.

Swipe files are blog idea generators. In a way, though, you can pretty much copy + paste with some revisions + additions on your part.

Again, you want to give it your own voice, tone, opinion, etc. You want to avoid simply regurgitating what someone else is already saying.

So a swipe file title of 7 Ways to Green Your Home might morph into The Top 7 Ways to Serve Up an Eco-Conscious Family Meals (or something like that).

I think you probably get the idea.

OK. Moving on to Competitive Shopping (OK, Browsing).

Take a tour of your competitors’ websites + blogs. Check out what other mom bloggers + other industry bloggers are talking about.

Once you find the bloggers you want to stalk, I mean, follow, Google their names to see what guest blog posts are published on sites other than their own – although you can also just look at what they publish on their own sites.

Again, go back to the questions that we talked about when using Buzzsumo. Figure out what they are saying + what you have to say about it too. You can even copy + paste their article link into Buzzsumo to see just how popular that article is in the world of social sharing.

You don’t want to say the same exact thing they are. You want to put your own twist on the same old, same old.

Sometimes, reading these articles generates an idea of a totally different topic. You might read a blog post about the 7 alternatives to using pesticides in your garden + decide to write about the 7 natural/organic cleaning products you can use for “safe” + healthy home.

Again, it is simply a jumping off point that might spur up a totally different blog idea in your head. Then, it’s a matter of hitting the publish button.

OK. Another way to find great topics is Inspired Reading.

I read articles + blogs all the time. I’m often inspired while reading. I voice an opinion or put my own take on the same or similar topic.

Am I saying copy someone else’s idea or work? NO WAY!

All I’m saying is that it can get your creative juices flowing by doing some research, looking around + reading what you normally read. Whether you jump on the Wall Street Journal site or People Magazine or Scary Mommy site every morning while you’re sipping your morning cup of Joe, it doesn’t matter.

It might not even be an industry blog that inspires you. Like I said before, a simple documentary about landing a date with Drew Barrymore inspired a very popular post about marketing. At the time, all I was doing was my morning ritual of walking on the treadmill + watching a little TV while I did it.

Reading a financial blog post about financial planning for the future can inspire you to write an article about ways you can save for your child’s college education or creative ways to pay off all your debt.

The possibilities are literally endless.

Just Ask for Blog Ideas

Ask other mamas or mamas that read your blog what kind of info they are looking for. Trust me, they are more than willing to share this info with, to pick your brain + to hear what you have to say.

Also, listen to what they are saying to you during your conversations. Listening more + talking less can really fill the pool with blog ideas. (My 5-year-old reminded me of this saying just yesterday when she told me her teacher told her it’s why we have two ears + one mouth. It made me chuckle.)

Mamas are usually willing to tell you what their problems are, what their issues are + what kind of information they’re seeking answers + solutions about – essentially what they are looking for from you + other bloggers like you.

Yes, these are opps to insert your services (or products) BUT they are also HUGE opportunities to position yourself as the expert that you are by creating content pieces that speak to their burning needs or desires.

Because if these are hot topics for the people you’re talking to that read your blog, then don’t you think other mamas like them probably have the same or similar issues that they’re searching for solutions or answers?

Answer yes to that question.

Talk to other bloggers that blog about similar topics to you. They are often a wealth of info on what readers are asking them. While you can set up a formal face-to-face coffee meeting or a virtual Skype meeting, you can also just listen to what they are saying when you do happen upon each other and have a convo.

Better yet, what they’re talking about on social media, in FB groups + on Twitter + Instagram.

When I was a wedding planner, I took courses, learned from hands-on work, but I learned THE most from talking to fellow wedding planners. When I first started out blogging, I learned the most from other bloggers. I still learn a crap ton of things (Yes, that is a technical term) from other mamas just like me who are bloggers in their own world of the blogosphere.

Trust me, it’s a fabulous way get the in on topics that are hot so you can bank on it.

SEO (The Easy Way) to Blog Ideas

I recently took on email course on SEO by Mike Pearson. While I have some general + basic knowledge (+ maybe even a little more advanced than general + basic), Mike truly simplified the process of keyword research.

Most SEO experts tell you to brainstorm the keywords you think your audience is searching for + then find out how competitive these keywords are. Blah, blah, blah.

Mike comes at it from a different (+ mind-blowing) angle. BTW: This is a free email course that Mike offers so what I am about to say is not leaking any of his course information (except that the email course does include some of what he covers in his paid course — Stupid Simple SEO).

Anyway, I digress.

Mike suggests you use a tool like SEMRush or Buzzsumo to research your top competitors to see which keywords they are ranking for + then…wait for it…create EPIC content so you can rank for the keywords that your competitors are.

One of the caveats is that you have to look for other bloggers, not huge publications like the New York Times, Parenting, or Good Housekeeping, for example.

Instead of plugging in a blog idea or a keyword, plug in the domain of the competitor + see which keywords they’re ranking for. Check out the content they wrote that is ranking + then find your own way to write a blog post that is EPIC + soooooooo much better than theirs so that you rank higher than them (theoretically).

Finally, Think of Your FAQs for Blog Ideas.

Think about the questions that readers ask you or that you hear being asked all the time. They are asking these questions because they want the answers. You can easily turn one question/answer topic into a piece of content.

It is easy peasy.

If they are always asking you about how to create a household budget, write a piece that details out exactly (step-by-step) how to create a household budget.

Get detailed.

Go line item by line item if you wish.

Add a household budget worksheet download or printable as a BONUS!

Again, this is but one of an infinity of examples…

OK, so now you have all of these blog ideas. Now what. Well, you actually have to write the blog post.

Once you find a topic, it’s time to write it with your own twist. Don’t write about the same old crap, in the same old way that everyone else is!

Be you when you write it! It really and truly is what cuts through the noise – setting you apart from all of those other bloggers in your area – all of your competitors.

Your readers relate to you in a way that they might not relate to another blogger. When your words, your story, your background, your credentials, resonate with them they want to read what you have to say because of your tone, personality, or character, or viewpoint on a common blog topic.

Whatever it is, it is something that connects your words to their hearts + BAM! They realize you are the pro they have been searching for all this time.

I cannot count how many times my client convos start with, “I’ve been following you for a while…” + this is all about sharing content that my people care about.

The same applies to you + your blog or mommy business.

So here is my challenge for you…

Come up with five fab pieces/topics/headlines of content you want to create for your blog.

Bang out the headline or topic (make it yummy, please) for each blog idea.

Then, of course, you have to write the content.

It’s OK. It happens to all of us.

Blog Ideas for Moms

Pregnancy Post Ideas

• Pregnancy announcement ideas
• Creating a birth plan
• How to deal with the birth not going as planned
• C-section recovery
• Birth recovery
• What to pack in a hospital bag (for mom + for baby)
• Foods to eat
• Foods to avoid
• Exercising while pregnant
• Best parenting/baby books to read
• Dealing with morning (or all day) sickness
• Maternity clothes
• Postpartum body
• Postpartum expectations
• Dealing with postpartum blues/depression
• What to expect each trimester
• Reviews of best car seats
• Reviews of best strollers
• Reviews of best [insert baby product here]
• Financial prep for baby
• Surviving a miscarriage
• Gender reveal ideas
• Baby shower ideas
• Babymoon ideas
• Meal prep for after coming home from the hospital
• Midwife
• Doula
• Home birth

Baby Blog Ideas

• Nursery decor
• Must-have baby products
• Surviving the first few weeks with baby
• Breastfeeding
• Sleeping (baby)
• Learning how to function on no/little sleep (adult)
• How to choose a diaper bag
• Top items to keep in a diaper bag
• Diapers (options/brands/which ones to use)
• How to care for a newborn
• Food for baby
• Sign language for babies
• Best books for babies
• Baby registry
• How to care for a newborn
• Formula feeding
• Baby’s first foods
• Baby food recipes
• Baby clothes
• Baby wearing
• Baby names/naming a baby
• Girl names
• Boy names
• Favorite apps for tracking feeding, diaper changes, etc.
• Traveling with a newborn
• Introducing baby to siblings
• Co-sleeping

Parenting Post Ideas

• Anger management (how not to lose your $#@! as a mom)
• Sibling rivalry
• Teaching kids to learn
• Teaching kids to read
• Discipline for toddler
• Discipline for adolescent/teen
• Single parenting
• Top mommy bloggers to follow
• Top parenting books
• Best parents books for caring for babies
• Best parenting books for caring for toddlers
• Best parenting books for caring for teenagers
• How to be a calmer mom
• Vacationing with kids
• Parenting multiples (twins/triplets)
• Marriage after kids
• Mommy self-care
• Home schooling
• Raising girls
• Raising boys
• Chores for kids
• Positive (instead of negative) parenting
• Discipline differences between parents

Toddler Post Ideas

• Rainy day activities for young kids
• Craft projects for kids
• Sleeping (toddlers)
• Girls’ hair
• Learning activities for kids
• Sensory activities for kids
• Books for kids
• Books for girls
• Books for boys
• Food for toddlers
• Food for picky eaters
• Toddler clothes
• Yoga for toddlers
• Raising low-screen/screen-free kids
• Potty training
• Temper tantrums
• Transitioning from crib to toddler bed
• Toy rotation/toy libraries
• Indoor activities
• Outdoor activities

Teen Post Ideas

• Dealing with defiant behavior
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Peer pressure
• Teen clothes
• Best books for teenagers
• Prepping teens for high school
• Prepping teens for junior high
• Prepping teens for college
• College application process
• Choosing a college
• Yoga for kids
• Exercise for teens
• Self-esteem/self-confidence in teens
• Dealing with bullying
• Digital age

Money + Finance

• Starting a blog
• Working from home
• Side hustles for moms
• Budgeting
• Budget-friendly family activities
• Paying down/paying off debt
• Teaching kids about money
• Allowances for kids
• Working mom
• Frugal living
• Couponing
• Organic on a budget

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs

Confession time.

I rarely publish new blog posts on one of my blogs anymore. Between writing blog posts for my other blogs, writing copy + content for clients, raising three girls + just life in general, there just aren’t always enough hours in the day to get it all done.

The fact that I don’t publish new blog posts there all the time has NOT decreased the amount of traffic I get to this blog, though. In fact, it’s increased traffic.

Whaaaaaaat??????

That’s right + I’m going to share with you how I do it so you can increase the traffic that flocks to your blog/website, too.

#1 Increase Blog Traffic for Free by Focusing

There’s Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SEO, oh my! The biggest mistake mommy bloggers make is that they try to be on all of these platforms + manage all of these platforms.

All this does is leave you exhausted + wondering why none or a very small amount of traffic are trickling to your site.

Instead, pick two things to focus on + give it your all. My advice is to focus on:

• Pinterest
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

These are the two areas that are going to give you the biggest results. BONUS: Both are FREE ways to increase traffic to your blog/site. These are the two areas that I give my all + it pays off.

If you haven’t heard of her before, Ana from The She Approach is a wealth of information on increasing blog traffic + Pinterest.

#2 Try Something New to Increase Traffic to A Mommy Blog

It might sound counterproductive since I just told you to choose SEO + Pinterest + give it your all but you do have to test the waters for other avenues to attract new traffic, too.

You’ve probably heard the saying that goes something like you keep doing the same things over + over again but expect different results. This applies here.

If all you’ve been doing is writing blog posts, slapping a link on social media to it + then you hear crickets, it’s probably time for a change. Again, I would set your sights on Pinterest + SEO.

Ana from The She Approach offers you highly actionable tips on increasing blog traffic + how to use Pinterest to do this for a highly affordable price without having to spend $197 for each course on the topic.

Even if you decide not to focus on Pinterest + SEO then try something new. Try one new thing at a time so that you can run a true test to see what is working for you.

Maybe you guest post on a popular site that reaches your niche. Maybe you get quoted in a magazine article that reaches your audience. Maybe you simply add sharing buttons to your website + blog posts.

#3 Make it Easy to Go Viral

Get other mommies to do the work for you. Make sure that your website + ALL of your individual blog posts have share buttons. Mommies can share your information with other mommies.

After all, who is better at sharing than MOMS?

Moms can pin your pins to their Pinterest boards to reference later + to get other moms to pin it to their Pinterest boards. You can add these buttons for free to your website + blog so make sure they are there!

#4 Update Old Content

Once you have a lot of content on your blog or your blog has been around for a while, like one of my other blogs, you don’t always need to produce brand new content all the time. You can actually breathe new life into old content, instead, which is almost the same as creating new blog content.

Check out 10 Ways to Update Blog Posts to Increase Traffic to find out exactly what you need to do.

What can you do today to start making some changes that can attract more traffic your blog + to your business?

BONUS: If you decide to buy one of Ana’s ebooks with with my link, I’ll throw in my Mommy Business Blogging eBook FREE.

Go ahead. Grab your blog traffic ebook or your Pinterest ebook today. You know you want + NEED to increase traffic.

#5 How to Use SEO to Increase Blog Traffic Free

Use SEO to drive more traffic, they say.

You say, how in the heck do I do that? Then you freeze + do nothing, which is the worst possible marketing strategy for your blog.

As a blogger, the way you market your blog can make or break the traffic you drive to your blog. When you use the right online marketing techniques, you can drive a tremendous amount of traffic to your business.

When you use the wrong techniques, you can miss out on the traffic + then you can forget about turning the traffic into any kind of money. 

SEO is the bridge between traffic that is milling around out there on the Internet + the traffic you drive to your blog. 

Do Your SEO Homework

Before you start batch writing blog posts + before you start going through old posts to SEO ’em up, take a step back to make sure that you truly understand the types of people you are trying to attract.

The bottom line is that you have to understand these folks better than any other blogger that is offering the same type of information, products or services that you are. 

Use the free version of tools like SEMRush to help you find the keywords  your people are using to search for the information you offer (or are going to offer).

You can also consider paid search tools like Ahrefs. 

This is the foundation for creating content people want to read + that they can find because you’re using keywords that helps the content rank higher in the search engines. 

Talk about a win-win.

I am no SEO expert but I did take Mike Pearson’s Stupid Simple SEO course. He has a free version you can check out + I highly recommend it. Mike only offers his paid course a couple times a year but starting out with his free course is useful.

Place Keywords Carefully

Once upon a time, keywords were the easiest part of SEO. All you had to do was scatter it throughout your content to attract the right traffic to your blog.

In the SEO industry, this is known as keyword “stuffing.”

Google got smart a few years back + now if they catch you keyword stuffing, it can remove you from the search engines altogether.

And…nobody wants that.

Instead, use the keyword you want to rank for up to 3 times in the body of your content + then in some strategic places that I go into detail about in in the last section of this post.

External Sites Can Help You Use SEO to Drive More Traffic to a Mom Blog

Onsite SEO is when you use keywords + SEO strategies on your website + blog to attract traffic.

Offsite SEO is when you leverage external websites to rank in the search engines.

When other websites or blogs link back to your website or content these are backlinks. Backlinks from quality sources can help you climb the search engine ranks.

Guest blog posts are one of the best ways to gain backlinks to your content + rank higher in the search engines. 

Add SEO to Headlines + Sub-Headers

Creating fab content is #1 in importance. Creating that fab content also has to do with how you format it.

Formatting + SEO go hand in hand. When you’re formatting website copy or a blog post, make sure you use your keyword in the headline (H1) and in a sub-headline (H2).

For example if you’re trying to rank for “best doula in New York City,” then include this keyword phrase + variations of it in your h1 (Headline) and h2 (sub-headline) tags.

This way, you spread out the SEO juice across the page in all the right places. 

Leverage SEO to make it easier to find your blog. It’s not always about how much traffic your drive to your blog with SEO but it is all about driving high quality traffic to your blog. SEO is what helps you achieve this.

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs

Once you’ve had your mommy blog for a while, you’re going to have a lot of old blog posts. Sure, some of the information on these posts is evergreen (so it doesn’t really change much) + it remains sage advice.

Other blog posts age, however, so the information becomes outdated. You can breathe new life into your old blog posts, which can mean that you attract the search engines + your peeps by running through your old content + doing one or more of these 10 things to update blog posts.

How to Increase Blog Traffic Fast

So the #1 way on how to increase blog traffic fast is to update old blog posts.

#1 SEO the Title

Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a huge role in your audience finding your content, your blog post, your website/business + you. Focus a lot on optimizing your blog posts so your audience finds the information you’re sharing.

Start at the beginning with the title of the blog post. Revise the title to include the keyword you are focusing on for this particular post.

#2 SEO the Link

Then move on to optimizing the URL or permalink for the blog post. Generally, this link is your domain name followed by the title of the post. When you revise the title to include the targeted keyword make sure that you change the link/URL/permalink to also include the keyword.

It’s one more positive step toward optimizing your blog post to help it rank better in the search engines + be found by your audience.

#3 Re-write + Revamp Copy

If your blog post is a few years old, you’ve probably gotten a lot better at writing. Show it off by going through the copy of the post + re-writing + re-vamping it to show off your refined writing skills. You can finesse sentences, switch out words + do whatever else you need to do to make the copy + content pop.

#4 Fix Spelling + Grammar Errors

We all have typos + errors (even me!). We are, after all, human. Proofread your content to make sure that it is free of spelling + grammar errors, which can be a big turnoff to some. Use a spell check + grammar check program, if you need help in this area.

#5 Update Old Facts + Figures

Update any old stats, facts or figures that you include in the blog post. Again, if the post is 1 year or older, these stats, facts + figures can easily be outdated. This is especially true if you list out dates or years in your posts.

For example, a post on the top 10 strong girl names for 2018 became outdated as soon as 2019 began. You can create an entirely new post by going through to update everything in the article that has changed.

#6 Add Links

Go through the post + add links, where appropriate. Add internal links, so links to other blog posts or pages on your site that provide additional information on the topic you’re covering in the post.

Also, add external links, so links to blog posts, articles + other websites that provide additional information. It should be said that you should link appropriately + don’t get too crazy with the links. One internal + one external link per post can be sufficient.

Although, Neil Patel from QuickSprout suggests adding a link about every 200 words but only when appropriate.

#7 Fix Broken Links

Links in your post can be outdated + broken. Check existing links in the post to make sure that it still works + goes to the right page, post or article. Fix + update any broken links so they work again or remove links that cannot be updated or fixed.

#8 Optimize Photos

All of your blog posts should have at least one photo. If it doesn’t, then get on it–adding at least one photo, pronto! You can optimize your photos, too.

Simply name the photo as you save it + upload to your post so that the name of the photo contains the keyword you’re focusing on for the post. If it is an existing photo on the post, you can either rename it + re-upload it or edit the photo name in the post so it contains the keyword.

You can also change the alt text + title of the photo so it contains the keywords.

#9 Create a Pinnable Image

Pinterest is huge so it should be a huge focus for mom bloggers. Make sure that all of your posts contain at least one pinnable image. You might notice that I have an image in my posts that is on brand for my business + then I have a pinnable image also. You can do it the same way or you can have one image that is optimized, on brand + pinnable.

#10 Update the Keyword + Meta Description

Update the keyword (if necessary) to match the keyword you’ve been using throughout your updates. Re-write or revise your meta description. While the meta description doesn’t have anything to do with the search engine ranking, it is what your audience tends to read when your blog post pops up in their search. Make sure it contains the keyword + a description that is going to grab their attention.

Updating old blog posts is easy + can go a long way in helping to increase blog traffic by gettting your blog posts in front of the mommies that you’re trying to attract.

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs

Content marketing is one of the MAJOR players in the marketing world. It is the #1 way to attract new readers to your blog + then convert these visitors into money for your blog.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is sharing information with the audience of people that you are trying to attract. When you share information, think of it like talking with your best gal or guy pal over a cup of coffee. When you give readers the info they seek, they start to build a relationship with you + your  blog.

As you build trust + credibility with them, you increase your chances that they end up hiring you instead of Susie Q, who didn’t share her expertise — didn’t build a relationship — with them…at all.

If you’re not providing a product or service through your blog, but instead are using ads or affiliate marketing, this still holds true. Content marketing, sharing information with readers through content is the #1 way to get them to click on your links + ads.

8 Reasons to Use Content Marketing

I love how WebProfits lays out many of these reasons you should be using content marketing in this infographic.

Here are at least 8 reasons you should be using content marketing for your mom blog.

#1 Content Marketing Has a Conversion Rate 6x Higher

Blogs, businesses + websites using content marketing convert six times more visitors than businesses that do not use content.

#2 Content Marketing Has a Higher Closing Rate

Organic search leads (those that come from conducting online searches) that bring people a blog post have a higher closing rate than other types of marketing.

Think back to the mom frantically searching for everything she needs to know about returning to work as a pumping mom. Your blog — content marketing — provided her with all the answers to her burning questions.

Content marketing closing rates are 14.6%, while outbound leads (like sales calls or cold emails) only close in the neighborhood of 1.7%.

Moral of the Story: When you use content marketing, search engines, like Google, pick it up. The people searching for the information you’re providing find it in their searches. When they read your content, they hire you, buy from you, click on your affiliate links + ads. The best part is that content marketing doesn’t cost you a dime but it does mean that you have to have your SEO on point.

#3 Content Marketing Delivers More Leads

Content marketing bring 54% more leads than outbound marketing efforts. That’s more than double the leads, my Mama friend. That’s more than double the chance to convert visitors to your blog into money!

#4 Your Peeps Love Content

Ninety percent (that’s almost 100%) of consumers say that they find custom content USEFUL. If your peeps find that you are providing useful content, information, tips + advice, it is reasonable to conclude that they are going to see you an expert, as a source of information + maybe even hire you, buy from you or start clicking on affiliate links + ads that make you money.

#5 It Shows Peeps You Care

Seventy-eight percent of online searchers say that bloggers sharing custom content (content that is USEFUL + relevant to them) want to build good relationships with them.

#6 Your Peeps are Looking for Content

Online searchers admit to spending half of their time online (53%) searching for content—searching for information. When you give them the content they seek, you’re putting your company in a position to do blog/business with them. Think about that!

#7 Content Marketing Drives Sales

More than half, 60%, of consumers that read content about a specific product or service make a purchase or hire the service provider. This is HUGE.

More than half of the people that are reading content use this as a jumping off point for hiring a service provider or for buying a product that relates to the content topic.

#8 Desire Info over Advertising

People crave information. Content that you write + share with them provides people with information. The stats prove this because 70% say they would rather get to know a blogger/business/professional by reading their content than by reading their advertisements. People are not dumb. They know when they are being marketed to with an ad.

Content that contains links to useful + relevant products or services is viewed as helpful + useful rather than sleezy sales tactics. (Of course, it is the law to tell readers that it is an affiliate link they are about to click on but since you’ve built a relationship with them by providing them information, they don’t mind making that click.)

These facts + figures can quickly reveal why content should be part of your marketing plan. Use marketing content to attract more visitors + make more money.

Here is Content Marketing at Work

Let’s say you have a blog about pumping. You share information on everything a mom needs to know about pumping.

A mom who is getting ready to go back to work after maternity leave is frantically searching online about everything she needs to know about returning to work as a pumping mom.

She’s looking for the best pump bags, how to store her pumped milk, a pumping schedule, ways to convince her baby to take a bottle (+ the list just goes on + on).

She comes across your site + starts to browse your blog posts — your content. During the browsing process, she comes across your blog that shares a sample pumping schedule for working moms + tips + advice about pumping while working.

She devours this article, subscribes to + downloads the printable pumping schedule + then clicks on your article about the 10 Best Pump Bags for Working Mothers. She falls in love with one of these bags, adds it to her cart + places the order. It’s going to arrive just before she heads back to her job.

As an affiliate for the pump bag company, you’ve just made a commission.

Next up, your article on the easiest ways to convince a nursing baby to drink breast milk from a bottle. She weeps with joy.

You’ve just become this mom’s SHE-ro! She bookmarks your blog + subscribes to get blog updates. She is never going to forget your name or the name of your blog + the next time she needs an information, tips or advice, guess whose blog she’s going to hit up first?

Yup, yours.

This is all content marketing at work. In this particular example, it is one type of content marketing at work — blog posts. I’ll talk more later about other types of content marketing + how to do content marketing for a mom blog.

Types of Content Marketing

As a mommy blogger, you’re probably already using at least one form of content marketing on your blog — blog posts. Content isn’t just text. Content goes beyond blog posts.

Content you can share online these days is all about:

• Blog posts
• Infographics
• Teaser graphics/text (for Pinterest, Instagram, FB, etc.)
• Videos
• eBooks
• Case studies
• Audio files
• Webinars
• PDFs
• Printables
• Checklists
• Templates
• Email marketing

(To name but a few.)

Today, I’m going to share with you some resources to create all types of content marketing for your blog.

Here are five ways that you can use content marketing like a pro to BOOK MORE WEDDINGS.

#1 Make Memorable Videos

Video marketing is supposed to be ALL. THE. RAGE. Using videos as part of your content marketing strategy is not just about producing videos, though.

No.

It’s about producing memorable videos—videos that are going to attract, engage + entertain.

Check out this example form the Dollar Shave Club.

#2 Pin it to Win it to Use Content Marketing

Pinterest is all the rage. Essentially, it’s an electronic bulletin board (or a series of boards) but, hey, it’s addictive (+ moms are addicted to it). In reality, though, Pinterest is a BIG ‘OLE search engine so you should use it as such.

ModCloth tapped into the addiction + SO CAN YOU!

The nitty gritty of the contest doesn’t matter because you can run any kind of contest that requires brides + grooms to pin their ideas from Pinterest.

Brides + grooms planning their weddings are soooooooo using Pinterest already. ModCloth’s campaign is genius because they are using the content on Pinterest to attract BRIDES + GROOMS that are already using the site anyway.

But…that’s not all.

ModCloth is an evil genius because contestants also had to “tag” their pins with the hashtags #weddings and #modcloth. This makes them evil geniuses because these hashtags help the entries to get in front of other BRIDES + GROOMS who are planning their wedding.

#3 How You Use Our Wedding Product/Service Submissions

Invite the users of your product/service, just like Sharpie did, to submit blog posts (with pics) on how they use your product or service.

Sharpie took submissions (+ FILLED THEIR BLOG) with all of the different ways people use Sharpie pens.

Everything from wall art to clothing, decorated coolers + more popped up on the blog.

This is genius because they filled their blog with content they did NOT even have to create.

You can accomplish the same thing with a service-based biz. Have brides + grooms submit ways they used your service.

#4 Instagram It to Use Content Marketing

Take a pic. Post it. Caption it. That’s what Instagram is all about.

You’re a mommy blogger. You’re writing a sponsored post for a brand  toddler snacks. You snap a shot of your toddler sitting in her booster seat munching on the snacks.

You post it on Instagram with a caption that reads, “It’s not just another toddler snack — even though it’s her 100th snack today :).” Check out my thoughts on some of the best toddler snacks up on the blog today. Link in profile.”

Link to the blog post in your profile.

A plug for the sponsor + a way to drive traffic to the content on your blog. That’s CONTENT MARKETING, my Mama friend.

You can do the same with a page from your notebook or a page from your calendar. Blur it out a bit so people cannot read the EXACT details. Caption it with “All of the things on my grocery so that my toddler has healthy snack options. Find out what I think about the healthy snacks that XYZ Company offers up on the blog today. Link in profile.”

#5 Irresistible Free Offer

If you’re looking to build your mailing list, IFOs (irresistible free offers) are the WAY. TO. GO. You can promote it in soooooooo many ways to drive traffic to your blog + get them to sign up for your list.

A free offer can be as simple as a checklist or a bit more complex, such as “7 Ways to Pump at Work.”

The point of content marketing is to share your knowledge with those most likely to buy your services or products or click on the affiliate links + ads that make you money from your blog.

While your own blog is an ideal spot for your content, you also have to spread the word that your useful + relevant content exists.

Social Media for Content Marketing

One of the biggest ways to get the word out that your blog post exists is to share it on social media. While Pinterest is not really social media (remember, it works like a search engine), one of the best ways to pin on Pinterest is to use the scheduler Tailwind.

I use it + love it. If you use my link, you get your first month of Tailwind for FREE. As a blogger, if you’re not using Pinterest, start using it now. Moms are all over Pinterest + Pinterest is the second largest search engine (second only to Google).

For other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter + Instagram, I am in L-O-V-E with Recurpost. It is a social media management tool like no other.

Not only can you schedule your social media updates, but it puts your social media updates on autopilot (autopilot on steroids). You see, Recurpost stores your content in categories that create.

You can create a schedule of your categories. Recurpost chooses content from your content library to share from the appropriate category (So you upload content one time + Recurpost re-posts it over + over again).

You can also schedule updates for one-time use. Recurpost is my crush.

Hootsuite is another option for automating your social media posts. When you want to send out an update, you can type it one time + it updates all of the social media accounts you have connected to Hootsuite.

Buffer is another social media scheduling tool. You can add your social media accounts, create an update one time + send it out into the social media universe.

The main difference between Buffer + Hootsuite is that Buffer does not allow you to monitor other people’s updates from your social media accounts (Hootsuite does).

(HINT: If you’re solely looking for a tool to push updates out, then I like Buffer better. If you’re looking for something to schedule updates + monitor your social media accounts simultaneously, then Hootsuite is the better option.)

Loomly is a social media scheduler that helps you put your posting on autopilot. It also provides advanced analytics so you can measure how your posts are performing. You can try Loomly for 15 days FREE, no credit card, no obligation.

Email Content Marketing

The very first thing I do with new content (after posting it to my blog) is to turn it into an email campaign to the appropriate list. I don’t always email it out right away. Instead, I schedule it to go out.

(HINT: This often allows me to have my email content marketing done + my email campaigns scheduled well into the future, so I’m not creating these things by the seat of my pants.)

Email campaigns get your content in front of the people you know want to hear what you have to say. Include share options (forward to a friend + social media icons in your email campaigns) to make it easy for them to share the content, so you can grow your list.

Share the love (the content) with your list. These are your raving fans so make sure they have an insider’s view of the content. At the very least, be courteous enough to let them know when you have something new to say. When you write a new blog post, send out a notice to your email list or include the post in the next edition of your e-news.

I use + highly recommend Mailerlite. It’s a free (or low-cost option) + easy service that allows you to manage your email list AND build + send e-newsletters + email blasts that look like a pro did it.

It’s a free way to send out marketing emails that look like a pro designed it. It has all sorts of templates so if you can cut + paste copy into a template + you’re good to go. It has ALL of the features you need — including autoresponders!

You have to start paying once you reach 1,001 subscribers, but plans start at $10 per month, so it’s a great program for bloggers with lists of less than 5,000 names (although Mailer Lite does offer programs for lists that exceed 50,000 subscribers too)!

Another free + low-cost option is MailChimp.

I’ve been using Sumo as part of my list building for quite some time now. Some big names that you probably recognize use it, too (AirBNB, theChive, Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss).

Sumo is a suite of tools that help automate your business’s growth. What I love about this tool is it is something that is used by some of the biggest sites on the Internet but is also easy to use + affordable for people like me + you.

Content Marketing with Reddit

This is hands down one of the biggest sources of traffic when I promote wedding content. From one blog post that I shared on Reddit, it generated 143 visits to ONE post in ONE DAY.

It is totally free to set up a Reddit account + you can make it easy to share by adding a Reddit button to your blog post pages. After I post to my blog, I click on the Reddit button on my post + it allows me to add it to my Reddit account to share with the universe. (It’s soooooo simple I’m convinced my one-year-old can do it.)

Snip.ly

Snip.ly is another content marketing option that allows you to piggyback on the content marketing that big businesses/websites/companies/publications are already distributing. I was able to piggyback on an Entrepreneur article with a similar topic that brought the most comments to date to my blog posts.

1. Head on over to your fave search engine.
2. Conduct a search on the topic of your article.
3. Copy the link to the article you choose. (HINT: If it’s at the top of Google, for example, then it probably is there because it has a lot of views, shares + comments.)
4. Once you’re in your snip.ly account, paste the link to the article you found + click the snip button.
5. Fill in the popup box info + hit create.

Does Size Matter in Blog Content Marketing

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs

Moms like me + like you LOVE to start a lifestyle blog so you can work from home, take care of your kiddos + make some money.

Am I right?

If you’re thinking about becoming a blogger, I’m going to walk you step-by-step through the process of starting a lifestyle blog.

What is a Lifestyle Blog?

Plain + simple, a lifestyle blog is a blog about daily life. While I blog a lot about blogging, I also blog a lot about daily life raising my three girls. I have a lifestyle blog.

You can have a lifestyle blog, too. You might want to carve out your niche in the world of lifestyle blogs. Maybe you’re a boy mom. Maybe you’re an organization expert so you want to blog about that. Maybe you have a child with autism or a learning disability so your blogging journey is a glimpse into what life is like for you + your child.

I can go on + on (but I won’t). I think you get the idea.

Benefits of Starting a Lifestyle Blog

Maybe, just maybe, you are scratching your head, wondering why in the free world you would want to start a lifestyle blog.

Here’s why:

• To make money (Yup, you can actually make 6+ figures with a lifestyle blog)
• You get to stay home with your kiddos
• You can travel with your family + still make income

Don’t get me wrong. Blogging is hard work. You’re not going to make money overnight. Some bloggers do start making a livable income within a few months of starting a lifestyle blog.

Some take years. Some never make any money.

The key to starting a successful lifestyle blog that allows you to do what you want to do + make money while doing it is to start out on the right foot.

Investing in your blog at the beginning can really set the right tone for your success. Investing in SEO courses like Mike Pearson’s Stupid Simple SEO, Suzi Whitford’s Blog by Number, Meghan Johnson’s Pinterest Ninja + Michelle Schroeder ‘s Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing was the turning point for me + my blogs.

After investing in + applying what I learned in these courses everything changed for the better for me, my blogs + my income.

Niche It to Rich It

Some people laugh when I say this but I wholeheartedly believe that choosing a niche — narrowing down the focus of a lifestyle blog to be as specific as possible — can end up making you a lot more money than being a generalist.

People say, “Oh but isn’t it better to reach more people with my blog than to alienate someone that might not fall in my niche?”

My answer is a resounding NO!

The more niche you can be, the more your focus is, the more of an expert you are + the more money you can make because everyone wants to work with the expert.

So the first thing you want to do when you decide to start a lifestyle blog is to choose a niche or a focus for your blog.

Pick a Domain Name

After you know what your lifestyle blog is going to be about, pick + buy a domain name. Try to pick a name that associates with your topic or brand. Mine is Girl Mom Chaos because I am blogging about parenting + raising girls. I also talk a lot about blogging + writing content since this is what I do for a living.

If you need to buy a domain name, I suggest NameCheap. I buy all of my domain names from NameCheap. As their name suggests, the domain names tend to be less expensive than other places + I tend to keep my hosting (more about this later) + domain names at separate companies.

This means that I buy my domain names from NameCheap but that I host my WordPress site with Siteground.

Pick a Host

The next step in setting up a lifestyle blog is to pick a hosting company.  NameCheap has an option for hosting, so you are certainly welcome to check out what they have to offer.

I use + highly recommend SiteGround. I find them to be affordable (plans start at $3.95 per month) + to offer all the services I need to run my businesses online.

You can host a WordPress site without a problem + they offer superior customer service when (+ if) you need it. I highly recommend them whether you are just starting a lifestyle blog or need to switch hosts.

In case you didn’t catch it already, I use + recommend you use WordPress to build your website + blog. WPEngine is another hosting option. You can get 3 months of hosting for free + you also get Genesis Framework + StudioPress themes for free.

Create a Logo

Next, you want to create a logo for your lifestyle blog. You can certainly do this yourself with a program like Canva. You can also hire a designer to create a logo for you.

I used a pre-made logo from Autumn Lane Paperie, which cost me $17.

This is my logo.

Pick a Premium WordPress Theme

Next, you want to pick a premium WordPress theme for your WordPress blog.

Generally speaking, you want to choose a theme that represents your blog topic + brand. You can hire a designer to create a custom design for you but this is the more expensive route.

You can also buy a premium theme + use it as is. You can also customize it as necessary with the designer you buy it from or by hiring a designer to do it for you.

If you’re interested in buying a theme, these are the companies I highly recommend you check out:

A Prettier Web: If you’re building a WordPress blog or you’re looking to change the theme, but can’t afford to hire a designer to customize it quite yet, check out the WordPress themes from A Prettier Web.

You can find premium themes but not pay a premium price.

Restored 316: Restored 316 offers a variety of premium + feminine WordPress themes, which is perfect for a lifestyle blog. All of the themes are pretty affordable. If you’re looking for a custom design, Restored 316 offers custom site-building too.

BluChic: This is one of my fave places to buy feminine website templates. BluChic offers WordPress templates that are perfect for any business + this includes a lifestyle blog. I also find their templates to be super affordable, easy to install + simple to personalize + customize to fit your lifestyle blog. BluChic also offers other types of templates (Canva social media templates + landing page templates) so check them out to help you create your online brand + presence.

How to Set Up a Lifestyle Blog

Now, that you have a domain, host, theme + logo, you’re ready to set up your lifestyle blog + start blogging.

Step #1 Login to WordPress

Step #2 Set up Your Blog Page

Once you log in to your account, your Dashboard opens.

From your dashboard, click on the Settings Link on the left + then Reading option in the dropdown menu.

You have the option of having a static home page or having your blog posts as the “home” page. If you want to keep your home page static, then choose the dial button that says “a static home page.”

Then, choose the home page from the drop down menu next to Front page. From the posts page drop down menu, choose your blog as where to publish new blog posts.

If you want your blog posts to be your home page then make sure the dial button is checked for “your latest posts” to be the front page displays.

(This is the default option so you should not have to change it unless you are changing a previous setting.)

Congrats! Your lifestyle blog is now set up on your website.

Woot! Woot!

Now, you’re ready to start blogging.

How to Blog

Once you have your lifestyle blog up + running, its time to write blog posts + promote blog posts to attract the readers you want.

Suzi Whitford goes through the entire process of lifestyle blogging in her thorough course Blog By Number. She provides step-by-step instructions on how to blog, what to blog about, how to monetize your lifestyle blog, etc.

You can also check out these blog posts for more information on blogging.

• How to Find Blog Ideas
• How to Use Content Marketing as a Mom Blogger
• 5 Ways to Grow a Blog in 2019
• How to Increase Blog Traffic Fast
• How to Increase Blog Traffic for Free
• How to Boost Traffic to Your Mom Blog Today
• How to Use Pinterest for Your Mom Blog
• Mommy Business Blogging eBook

How to Make Money with a Lifestyle Blog

Once you have a lifestyle blog you can stay home to take care of your kiddos but how do you make money with a lifestyle?

The truth is the a lifestyle blog typically makes money from several different streams of income. So as you go through this list of ways, realize that you do not have to rely on just one way to expect it to make all of your income.

Sell a service

Probably one of the quickest ways you can make a buck (hopefully, more than a buck) is to offer a service. I offer my content + copy writing service.

Some lifestyle bloggers offer:

• Virtual assistant services
• Pinterest account management
• Social media management
• Design consultations
• Photography
• Organization services
• Graphic design

The service you provide can (+ should) relate to a skill you have — something you can offer to people that need it 🙂 Keep in mind, you can offer a virtual service or in-person service (or sometimes both as an option).

Sell a product

While you can create + sell a physical product, you can also create + sell information products, such as ebooks. After selling a service, selling a product is probably the second biggest way a lifestyle blog makes money.

An interior designer might create an ebook on how to decorate a home for those who do not want to hire her for her design service but instead want to do it on their own with professional advice.

A mom blogger might have a course on how to start, write for + promote blog posts, as well as make money from blogging.

Ana from The She Approach offers a bootcamp on how to create an ebook that you can sell + make money. She’s opening up her ebook bestselling bootcamp at the end of this month (July) so you can check that out for help.

Ana recently vacationed overseas + made $1,500 in ebook sales while she was away 🙂

Affiliate marketing

Instead of selling your own product or service, you can also make money by referring other people’s products or services. This even includes products on Amazon.

Affiliate marketing is when you refer a product or service. When the person makes a purchase from clicking on your affiliate link, you earn a commission or portion of the sale price.

This is another great way to make money without having to do 1:1 work or create your own products or services.

The master of affiliate marketing is Michelle Schroeder. Her course is Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. Michelle is a financial blogger who makes 6 figures from her blog all while traveling year-round with her boyfriend.

Sponsored posts

Sponsored posts are another way to make money from a lifestyle blog. Companies pay bloggers to review or feature their product or service on their blog.

As a boy mom, a diaper company might approach you to give your honest opinion of their boy training pants. You can write an entire feature piece on your experience using their training pants.

Usually, you get the package of training pants (so the product) for free + they pay you to write + publish the blog post on your blog.

BONUS here is that you get fresh content for your blog without having to come up with a topic 🙂

This is just one of the multitude of examples of getting paid to write sponsored posts.

Ads

Those ads you see running along the sidebar of a blog or weaved into blog posts are another way to make money with a lifestyle blog. You can hand pick + feature ads. I do this on this blog, so that the appropriate ads show up + it’s ads for items that I use + recommend.

You can also go the route of Google Ads. It took me a few years (almost 2) to truly make money from Google Ads (I made almost $1,000 in less than 2 years).

You can also search out ad networks, such as Media Vine. You do have to have 25,000 sessions per month to get approval for an ad network like this but you can make more money than using Google Ads.

Start a Lifestyle Blog

So, are you ready to start a lifestyle blog?

Starting + running a lifestyle blog is a great way to do what you love while making money doing it.

So whether you have a desire to share your beauty tips, tips on decorating a home office or offering fashion advice, a lifestyle blog is right up your alley.

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs

I started writing blog posts for clients full-time way back in 2008. After this, I started my own blogs, along with writing for clients. 

I would LOVE to say that I did everything right + made a bunch of money right out of the gate, but that’s just not true.

While I did do a lot of things right, I also made a bunch of mistakes. The important thing is that I learned from those mistakes + used what I learned to make all of my blogs better as well.

So here are some of the biggest blogging mistakes I made at the beginning + the lessons I learned.

1. Not Having a Professionally Designed Site

It is so easy these days to put up a website. There are some free templates on WordPress + Square Space, even Wix. I use WordPress so I was using a free template for my website + blog.

The problem with this is that the template never truly represented my brand + my business (even though I could customize colors + fonts — to an extent). It didn’t function the way I needed it to, either, which was a big problem.

When I started using a Premium WordPress Template + then later had a designer custom design a site for me, it made a world of difference for me, my brand + my business. 

If I had to do it again, at a minimum, I would have bought a Premium WordPress Theme + then had the company customize it to fit my needs.

2. Not Investing in Education

I was the Queen of why would I pay $297 (or whatever the price was) to learn this stuff when I Google here + Google there + spend the rest of my life until I retire finding all of the info I need?

Yeah, not smart at all.

I learned that being cheap was really expensive.

I wasted a lot of time, which cost me a lot of money.

Once I realized what a HUGE mistake I was making, I took courses like:

• Blog by Number
• Stupid Simple SEO (Open for enrollment in August)
• Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing
• Pinterest Ninja

OMG…tons + tons of expert information, tips, tricks, advice…everything I needed to truly take my blog + business to the next level — all in one place.

Seriously. I don’t know what I was waiting for or why I wasted so much time. 

3. Choosing the Wrong Host

I started out with GoDaddy + had a good run with them. Then, the bottom fell out.

I switched to Bluehost + it was a disaster.

I switched to Siteground several years ago + I’ve never looked back. Pretty much 100% uptime, superior customer service, yeah, great. 

4. Trying To Do It All Myself

Another HUGE mistake I made was trying to do it all myself. Not only when it came time to learn but also just trying to keep up with the amount of things I had to do to keep the blog running. 

I started outsourcing + quick. OK…not so quick because I kept telling myself that I couldn’t afford to pay someone else to do “the things” for me (PLUS, I might be a teeny-tiny-weenie bit of a control freak.).

Similar to education, though, I realized that I was LOSING a ton of money by focusing on the tasks that weren’t actually making me money. 

I hired a VA to take care of these tasks + now I focus almost solely on writing content.

5. Choosing to Be a Generalist

For years + years + years, I wrote for any industry that would hire + pay me to write for them. 

The day I started writing for one niche, my business increased instead of decreased.

I made more money because I became a specialist instead of a generalist. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, learn from all of my blogging mistakes so you don’t make the same ones, too!

• 3 Resources For Personal + Business Life While You Stay At Home
• What New Working Moms Should Know
• Self-Care for Moms
• Writing Copy Stinks
• How to Write an eBook to Make Money
• Resources + Recommendations for Mommin’ + Bloggin’
• 5 Ways to Balance Life as a Work-From-Home Mom
• 7 Ways to Grow a Mom Blog in 2019
• How to Build an Amazing Mom Blog
• The Rise of the Work-at-Home Mom + How To Do It
• How I Grew My Facebook Group to Over 4k Members in 2 Years
• How to Start a Mom Blog
• Some of My Fave Marketing Blogs