In the last couple of months, in an effort to reach out and appeal to more people, I did a few new things:
- I joined Top Mommy Blogs
- I began offering Ever Growing Sponsor Ads on my sidebar and, in turn, been able to offer you all a few awesome giveaways
- I applied to be a Village Green Network featured publisher
I’d have to say that both moves have been pretty successful in helping me reach different audiences, I’ve been very happy with the wonderful people I’ve been able to meet (virtually) since incorporating both and Top Mommy Blogs has definitely sent me some new traffic.
One thing I didn’t expect to happen (maybe I’m a bit naive), was all of the solicitations I would be getting from businesses looking for people to do reviews, offer giveaways, etc. My inbox has been completely overrun with solicitations! Some of them are great, some…um…not so much! The thing is, I don’t think most companies even look at the content of a blog before sending them a solicitation, they’re just looking for a way to advertise. I guess that’s why they made a spam folder to shoot those things to, right?
Most downright ridiculous email? Well, that would have to be the one I got about liposuction. Liposuction? What?! Yep. Now, please tell me, how is that even an option? Oy…
Middle of the road? Hmmm…that would be all of the diaper offers I’ve gotten from Pampers and such. Yes, we are having a baby, but we didn’t need diapers months ago and I cannot review something we’re not even using yet! By the way – we will be using cloth diapers, so if there are any cloth diaper companies out there that want to contact me, please do! 😉
Fun/great/super exciting? Now, here we get into a range of positivity! Here are some examples of the more aligned emails I’ve gotten. (Just for the record, none of these links below are affiliate links, so feel free to click away! If you find something you like, awesome! If not, no worries!)
Jewelry – OK, so it might not be the most eco-friendly company in the world, they do have some good practices. They also have a great idea on their hands that will appeal to many moms and grandmas.
Coffee – I mean, really, who doesn’t like coffee? I was sent a pound of organic, fair trade coffee and it was delicious. And yes, I am posting about it here because that was part of the trade, but I promise my words are my own and the coffee was good.
littleBits – Very cool product! I was sent the set based on my Nature activities for kids. All they asked for in exchange was a button on my sidebar for one month and, given the cost of the “toy” and my excitement about it’s fun and learning potential for kids, I was happy to oblige. They have yet to send me their button to put on my sidebar, but I am hopeful they will soon.
Essential Oils – This is something I’ve been wanting to learn more about for quite some time and is something I will be talking more about very soon. We were graciously sent some essential oils in the mail after being asked about specific ailments. Now, we have yet to use any of them because we have been working pretty much non-stop for two weeks now…but we will use them and I am hopeful to be able to learn so much more about essential oils as soon as my life chills out a bit.
So, what’s the learning in all this?
Top Mommy Blogs (TMB) has definitely sent me some new traffic, though I’m not sure it has increased my SEO as promised. The verdict is still out on that one.
Offering Sponsor spots has been a great deal of fun! The giveaways have been great and I am excited about all of the shops (big and small) on my sidebar gaining exposure and offering you all some great products…I hope you’ll check them out!
The truth is, growing your blog can be a lot of work and throw you some twists and turns in the process (some good, some challenging). I spend a lot of time in this space and I want it to be enjoyable for both you and me. I love sharing our stories, twists and turns, DIYs, recipes, plans and failures and I plan to do it for years to come. I would also like to make a bit of an income from it in an effort to offset some of the time I am spending here (and away from my family). Does that make me a sell out? I sure hope not.
I am also hopeful that you all are enjoying the giveaways as well as my regular writing about chickens and veggies and DIYing and that you all will stick with me for years to come.
Now, do you have any experience with any of the above? Tips, tricks or tried & true methods for reaching out, growing or simply staying sane through the process? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
xoxo,
M
