I am assuming you are at least a little familiar with how affiliate programs work for bloggers.  One task that can be very time-consuming for bloggers is finding out which affiliate program different companies and brands are using.  I spent a lot of time researching different companies and brands that I knew I would promote in my DIY and craft posts.  I wanted to share my findings and SAVE YOU SOME TIME!  :)  Why reinvent the wheel, right!!  Here are some of the best affiliate programs for craft bloggers! The Best Affiliate Programs for Craft Bloggers ShareASale ShareASale is an affiliate program that includes some great companies for DIY and Craft bloggers!  Some of the merchants I use regularly are through ShareASale are: Cricut:  even if you don't personally use a Cricut this is still a great brand to align with.  They have some really wonderful sales and monthly mystery boxes that you can tell your readers about.  If … [Read more...]

I have looked at my blog as a business from day one even though I wasn't making any money.  I know that it can be very hard to have that perspective though.  If you start off with a business mindset you will be more likely to have a successful blogging business!  Here are some simple tips on how to run your blog like a business.  Implementing these easy steps will really help you stay focused and organized on your end goals! Tips on How to Run Your Blog Like a Business Make a Schedule Most jobs require a work schedule of some kind.  Blogging really shouldn't be any different.  It helps to set up some "office hours" and know when you plan on working on your blog.  This is very versatile and can be updated as you go, but having something down on paper will help you stay focused. Set Goals Setting goals is normal in business settings.  Becoming a goal setter has been a challenge for me, but I am working hard at this.  I have set quarterly … [Read more...]

I LOVE using Tailwind as a blogger to schedule out my pins and other great pins.  It can be time-consuming if you don't know these 3 quick ways to fill your tailwind queue with quality pins!  I want to save you some time and am sharing how I save time getting my queue all filled up each week. 3 Quick Ways to Fill Your Tailwind Queue with Quality Pins Utilize Tailwind Tribes I hope this is not the first time you have heard the term...Tailwind Tribes.  The recent addition of Tailwind Tribes has been a true time-changer for me in my scheduling.  I try to schedule around 40 pins per day to go out through Tailwind.  Eight of those pins are typically my own...that leaves me trying to find 32 more pins EVERY day.  I know many other bloggers who schedule 100 or more pins every day.   Tailwind tribes allow you to find pins from other bloggers in a quick and easy way.  PLUS....you can add your pins to the tribes and get shares from fellow tribe … [Read more...]

I have read a lot of posts from bloggers that don't really recommend using Promoted Pins on Pinterest.  Nevertheless I decided to try it out for myself and see how it worked out!  I can honestly say that my first experience with Promoted Pins on Pinterest has been pretty positive! I will walk you through what I did and I hope it will give you some information to help you decided if this is a route you want to take for your blog. My First Experience with Promoted Pins on Pinterest I have an Easter Cake Round Up post that I felt could gain some steam on Pinterest this time of year.  I decided to try it out as a promoted pin with a small budget and just see how it did.  I went into Promoted Pins.  The options are for Engagement Campaigns or Traffic Campaigns.  I felt like traffic was more important for me at this stage so I chose to do a Traffic Campaign. How I Set Up My Traffic Campaign in Pinterest's Promoted Pins I can honestly say that I just felt my … [Read more...]

I have been blogging for over a year now and can honestly say...I learn something new every day!  Blogging is an ever-changing game and I am not sure who makes up the rules, LOL!  One thing I loved as a brand new blogger was finding simple easy to follow instructions on how to do certain tasks!  So I am going to help you out with something that I had a hard time finding out how to do...here is a step by step guide on how to share your blog post on another blogger's Facebook page! Sharing on Facebook pages is not a complicated task, but there are some do's and don'ts and some basic steps that you don't know about if you have never done it before!! How to Share Your Blog Post on Another Blogger's Facebook Page  Make Sure You Have an Image Optimized for Facebook You need to have an image to go along with your blog post.  I am guessing that you do....but if you are a true newbie you may not know that!  Facebook likes images in certain sizes and you will … [Read more...]

One thing that every blogger wants is to have better traffic and to have traffic that stays longer!  One of the best ways to get your readers to stick around your blog is to optimize your blog posts!   Did you know that the definition of optimize is:  to make as effective, perfect or useful as possible.  WOW...isn't that what we all want our blogs to be for our readers....effective and useful!   How Do You Optimize Your Blog Posts? In case you are a brand new blogger and aren't even sure what it means to optimize your blog posts....it is not as scary as it sounds!  Basically you just want to make sure you have done all you can to make your reader want to stay on your site and look around...you want your blog posts to translate into loyal readers!  There are some easy ways you can optimize your blog posts!  The good news is that these ideas don't take a long time to put into place! Easy Ways to Optimize Your Blog Posts Interlink to Other … [Read more...]

I have been blogging for over 2 years...and I wonder if I will ever feel experienced, LOL.  The blogging world is always changing and evolving and being willing to learn new techniques is a must.  There are so many resources available to bloggers it is hard to know which ones are worth it.   I have found some blogging resources that actually help bloggers increase their traffic and income.  There is an abundance of information out there for bloggers....maybe too much information!  It can be confusing and if you are looking at spending money on education...you will want to spend your dollars WISELY!   Blogging Resources That Actually Help Bloggers I am going to share my favorite blogging resources...that I PAID for myself and really feel were worth my investment!  I am so much happier when I hear real life experiences before I buy almost anything...but especially in the blogging world! The even better news is that by using the advice from … [Read more...]

Link Party etiquette is something that needs a little more attention in my opinion.  I think that there are some unspoken rules surrounding areas of blogging...but sometimes things just need to be spoken and made clear! I like to know what is expected of me and I try to follow the rules and be a team player if possible! When I first started participating in link parties I wanted to learn what I could about link party etiquette and did some research.  I didn't find a lot of information and decided that I would share some of my experiences and what I have found to be important as a party-goer and a party-hoster! Basic Link Party Etiquette Read the party rules   Every party is a little bit different.  I visit a lot of parties and even if it's a party I have attended before...I still scan the party rules so I can be a good team player!   Follow the hosts on social media   I always try to follow the hosts on at least one social media … [Read more...]

I have found that Izea is great for small blogs.  If you are reading this post you are probably a blogger who is just starting out or your blog is still small.  I am still a small blogger compared to many!   As I began to monetize my blog I was very intimidated by the large blog networks.  I knew it would be very hard to get sponsored posts and other paid opportunities with my numbers hovering between 6,000 to 10,000 pageviews per month or less at times.   In the beginning of blog monetization...every little bit helps!  I didn't expect to make much if any money blogging my first year.  As I am nearing my 1 year blogging anniversary...I am excited to say that I have made a little bit of money. Remember...little is the keyword here, LOL!   :-)    I have joined quite a few blog networks and I can honestly say that Izea was the first to offer me some paying jobs as a small blogger!  Many of the networks have … [Read more...]