The Busy Life of a Single Mom

The members of this blog (http://chattywomen.com) also belong to a forum. All of us are new to blogging so we spend a lot of time researching and sharing our findings on that forum. However I find that as we discover new things, I sometimes forget the old ones (or just put them on a backburner). So today I’m going to try to start combining all those thoughts in a useful “To Do” type list for blogging. I’ve found many blogs the last few months that recommend one service or another, but then you have to remember each one. My goal is to combine these into one. Please feel free to comment and give me suggestions to add to this list so that we can all use it and benefit. At this time I’m thinking maybe I’ll update it and bump it back to the top every month or so. At this point, we’ll assume that all readers do in fact already have a blog.

Sites that Pay You to Blog (This list only includes sites that I’ve been approved for and have experience with blogging for them)

• PayPerPost - After you have an established blog (at press time 30 days old with 10 posts), you can apply at PayPerPost. Companies want their names out on the Internet so they hire PayPerPost to have their members blog about them. There are new opportunties posted daily. If your blog is approved, you can become one of the members that PayPerPost pays to do their blogging. You simply look at the opportunties and the price they are willing to pay and decide if you are willing to accept. If so, you do and your off. If you post is approved, you’re paid via Paypal 30 days after it is posted.
• Sponsored Reviews - Very similiar to PayPerPost, but for Sponsored Reviews, they list many jobs, and you tell them how much you are willing to do it for (you bid on the job). I have just started with Sponsored Reviews so I can’t tell you too much about it yet, but I’ll be sure to keep you updated. Currently I have 5 bids in and I’ve written one. After I understand the process better, I’ll come back and update this one.

Active Promotion - Through these sites you add your posts or blog to their network and through different methods, they promote your site. Each one works slightly different so I’ve summarized them below. The main purpose of this is to get your posts read and find some readers who come back for more.

• Digg - Digg is basically a directory of posts, but you submit your posts to them.  If members think they are good posts, they vote by “digging” your posts.  The posts with the most diggs are shown on the front page. I’ve not had enough luck to get anything to their front pages, but I can tell you ahead of time one of the keys in the beginning to this I think is making friends who will digg your posts for you. If you sign up with Digg and need a friend, let me know. I’m always happy to have more friends.
• ClickThru - After signing up with ClickThru you have a few options. You can pay for advertising through them or you can use their remote to view other people’s sites. First you must register your blog through them. When using the remote (this is what I do) You earn at least $.01 credit for every site you check out for a minimum of 30 seconds. (I’ve found some interesting blogs this way too that I now check out from time to time.) You can then trade in the credits you earn for views (which means they will put your blog into the cycle for others who are using the remote).  Each view costs you $.01 credit. They actually  offer several other services, but this is how I’ve used ClickThru and found it to be the most useful so far.  (When surfing with the remote, be sure to look for ClickThru HotSpots for even more earnings.)
• BlogMad - Blogmad is very similar to ClickThru. You register your blog with BlogMad and then you view other sites that have registered with them for 30 second periods. You earn credits and then you can redeem your credits for them to promote your site. One thing I like about this site is that when you’re surfing they show you a countdown timer so you know for sure when enough time has passed to get credit (when you come across that you know instantly or of no interest to you).
• BuzzFuse - BuzzFuse is easier in the concept that you do not have to earn any credits with them to promote your site. However, it still does require some work. Instead of promoting your entire blog, you are promoting individual posts by putting a image for others to vote on your blog at the bottom of each post. Buzzfuse also has a paid membership where you can also earn money. I have not tried that yet so I can’t give you any details, but I wanted to make everyone know that’s an option.
• MomBlogNetwork - MomBlogNetwork is a combination of Buzzfuse and Digg. You promote your individual posts like Buzzfuse. You can simply list them and they are voted on in a manner very similiar to Digg. However, they also have the code like Buzzfuse to put on each posts if you like (not required).

Directories - these are kind of like blog phonebooks. You register with these companies and those who are out searching for blogs use these sites. I’m not totally convinced of how much traffic they send your way, but this early in the game, I’m still registering with several as I’d like to get some regular readers. Here are the ones I’ve registered with so far.

• Technorati
• Blog Catalog
• Blogarama
• The Mom Blogs

Well I hope this post helps you out some if you are trying to get started like I am. I do consider it to be a work in progress and will be coming back to make additions. Please feel free to make comments of things I should add or stuff that doesn’t make sense.  Happy Blogging!