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How to Keep Up With a Blog

Blogging, much like any other form of communication or writing, takes work. It is no wonder then that many bloggers get discouraged when their blogs seem to be less than updated on a regular basis. Here are a few ways you can make yours stand out among the rest. 

Create an Account

How to keep a blog up and running, then, begins by creating a blog account, like Julio Herrera Velutini, for example. The first step in the process is choosing a blogging platform. There are many different platforms available to bloggers, but the two that are among the most popular are WordPress and Blogger. If you choose a platform that has less flexibility, then it may be more difficult for you to update your blog. However, if you choose a blog host that offers a lot of options, then you will have greater flexibility in the way that your updates are delivered to your readers. In addition, when it comes to making your own blog posts, there are a number of tools available to make things easier on yourself.

Choose a Domain

The first thing you will need to do when you want to keep up with a blog is to choose a domain name for your blog. If you cannot decide upon a name, you may wish to take a look at some of the popular blog names to see what is being blogged about in the marketplace. You may also try using your favorite catchphrases to come up with a catchy name for your blog. Once you have chosen a name for your blog, the next step is to create your blog's theme. Since your blog will be hosted on your server, this is an important step to consider. 

Update Your Blog

Another important factor you need to consider when learning how to keep up with a blog is to update your blog frequently. Even if you post new material on a regular basis, there is still a chance that it will not be noticed by readers unless you specifically instruct them to do so. For example, if you were writing about the latest trends in real estate, you would want people to take notice of your blog entries. To make sure that your blog is noticed, set aside some time each day to post new material to your blog. This will allow you to know how many people are visiting your blog on a daily basis.

HTMLs, Trackers

As you learn how to keep up with a blog, you may also want to include some sort of tracker on your blog site. This is useful in that you can easily track how many blog entries you have made and how many new links you have posted. By using a tracker, you can easily track updates to your blog. If you do not want to use a tracker, you can include an HTML link at the bottom of every blog post or update in order to track updates yourself. The easiest way to include an HTML link is to include the text "click here to view more" in your post or update. Trackers can help you save time as well as provide you with a source of statistics regarding how often you are updating your blog.

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4 Smart Reasons to Utilize Video Marketing Within Your Business

Branded video content has never been more popular, with both businesses and consumers alike. Studies, year on year have shown that consumers are far more likely to engage with video material as it’s a simple yet efficient way to absorb information about a brand or product. So, while you may be wondering how video marketing can benefit your business – the real question is why aren’t you using it yet? 

With increased engagement and interactivity with your potential clients, it makes sense to produce high-quality video content and share it throughout your digital channels. Here we'll explore some amazing reasons to utilize video marketing within your business. 


It’s never been easier

One of the biggest problems facing business owners and video marketing is their lack of experience. If you've never created video products before, then you may be wondering where to begin. While it's tempting to bring in videographers and experts in the industry it's both time consuming and incredibly costly. This is why turning to branded video content software is your best solution. With this straightforward and in-depth video creation software, you no longer need to rely on creative experts to share your company message and products 
throughout your online platforms.

Regardless of your creative prowess, you can create, edit and upload these videos with ease. And you get the added benefit of in-depth data insights so you can see how well your videos are performing throughout your campaigns. 

It seamlessly complements your other marketing campaigns

Are you releasing a blog post every week? Or are you posting about your products a couple of times a day? Well, working with video marketing can help increase your engagement with its ability to seamlessly compliment your marketing strategy as a whole. You could turn your latest product post into a video showing the product and discussing its features. Or instead of posting about the daily happenings in your office, convert these facts into a video instead. It’s an easier way to convey your message and it’s far more interactive and engaging.


It helps create transparency and trust

Well produced videos can help build trust with your clients, as it allows you to create candid and honest product reviews, allows you to provide advice and makes you and your organization appear much more human. Something which many businesses struggle with. With video marketing, you're effectively building a relationship with your customers, getting them on board with your brand and educating them about your company. And guess what – customers who watch a video, are more likely to buy!

And finally, it promotes engagement 

Video is a simple but highly effective way to engage with your customers. Customers are more inclined to ask questions and want to find out more about the topic of your video. They may tag friends and family who may also be interested or share your video on their own accounts. Therefore, paving the way for you to capitalize within your industry and set yourself apart from your competitors. 
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A Quick Guide to Finding Endless Blog Post Ideas for Your Mom Blog

As a rule, starting your first blog is so exciting that you literally can't get away from hundreds of ideas that swarm in your head. Most people are feeling super inspired and passionate, making their first steps in the field. The flow of ideas doesn’t seem to stop. But what happens next?

After several months of writing, most people burn out and lose inspiration. It is not like they don’t want to do it anymore or don’t enjoy writing; it is just that they no longer have a clue what to post about.
Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

Running a mom blog is especially hard. At any time, your children may require most of your attention as they get involved in afterschool activities or just want more time with you.

To complicate matters, over time, blogging transforms into a full-scale chore rather than being just a hobby. That’s when you may face the real challenge. Overcoming this period of burnout is possible but not always simple. Some people decide to take a break, while others prefer to get professional help from https://essaypro.com/ while they recover and come up with new ideas.

Are there any other options? If you don’t want to stop and want to go all the way yourself, but it feels like you have no creative juices left, there still is a solution! In this article, we are going to give you clues on how to find endless ideas at any time. Let’s get to it!

Regardless of the chosen niche, most bloggers face the same issues, such as loss of creativity and inability to come up with fresh ideas.

However, don’t give up on the job you love just because you don’t feel those creative juices rushing through you anymore. This happens to many people, and in most cases, it is only a tough period that you need to overcome.

If you are currently facing such a problem, use the guide below to open an endless source of ideas for your mom blog:
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Follow the Influencers

Probably all of us have at least a couple of great blogs from our niche in mind. Do you read them? If no, this is just the right time to give them a quick look and, hopefully, get inspired! 

Even if you can’t recap any blogs you read, you can look up the most popular mom blogs on the Internet and find some inspiration there.

Looking at how the niche’s influencers work can give you enough ideas to get back to actively posting.

They have a vast audience, so every post they make is polished and unique, which makes them a perfect source of ideas. No copy pasting, though. We all need to respect the readers not to lose them because of similar posts.

Use Topic Generators

Can’t come up with a perfect headline for your next post? 

On the Internet, there is plenty of topic generating tools that can come in handy! Such tools help writers compose catchy and neat headlines related to their keywords in a matter of seconds. 

Social Media Platforms

Of course, writing an actual blog is much different from being an influencer in social media. However, don’t neglect using platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter for finding inspiration.

Here is the thing, millions of people around the globe use popular social media platforms. Every active user makes regular publications or reposts from others. 

This generates a broad base of content, including pictures, videos, written materials, memes, and much more. Why not use all of it to your benefit?

Have you found a hilarious story about motherhood or a helpful video guide? You can turn this into fresh ideas for a new post!

Pay Attention to Readers’ Comments

Even if you didn’t realize this before, readers’ comments could be a great source of inspiration at all times! Often, readers share their thoughts and stories under the posts they liked, and these stories could turn into some nice post ideas.

Therefore, be sure to pay attention to what your readers have to say. Also, you can check out comments on other websites on related topics.

Ask Your Audience for Advice

If it feels like you still can’t decide what you should write next, why not ask the audience who reads you? Do you have an email subscriber list? Great! Then drop them a short newsletter or create a survey to find out what your audience craves.

Google Analytics

Products created by Google always make our lives easier, and lack of inspiration for your mom blog isn’t an exception. 

Google Analytics allows one to look at the platform from an analytical perspective and find out which of previous pieces were the most popular and which don’t seem to come to the audience’s liking.

Having such stats should help you choose the right direction and maybe even refresh some of your old popular publications' ideas with a series of related materials.

Services That Gather Content Across the Web

Have you ever heard of platforms like Alltop or Buzzsumo? If not, you are missing out on a great deal of inspiration. Such websites gather stories on various topics from the most trending sites. 

Using such services, you can conduct quick research based on some relevant keywords (for example, early education, parenthood, children, etc.) and find out what content specialists like the most in your niche. This could be another source of ideas for you.
Photo by J. Kelly Brito on Unsplash
Final Words

For many moms, who are forced to stay at home, blogging becomes a real-life savior. It is an excellent way of expressing themselves, sharing experiences, socializing with like-minded people, and keeping themselves busy. 

Besides, running a mom blog can give you a stable and potentially high income. Doesn’t that sound like a dream job? It does, but it is still not that easy!

Being a blogger, you may experience various issues such as writer’s block, lack of inspiration, new ideas, etc. 

Therefore, it is crucial to have a backup plan that would let you generate excellent ideas even when you are at your least creative period.

Hopefully, this list will help you find the source of endless blog post ideas. Follow this simple guide, and your blog will prosper!

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Updates And Our 11-Year Blog Anniversary

Hi there! It has been a while since I have posted a personal update. Like most households, we had a bout of the plague run through here, so I have been taking care of sick family members for almost 2 weeks. Thankfully everyone is healthy again and back to work/school. The littlest one wasn't affected for which I am so grateful. We worry the most when the younger ones get sick.

I have been getting a lot done at home for the most part. We have quite a few small house projects we are working on, and hope to get them all done before the end of the year. The husband and I have been DIYing a lot of things. YouTube is a life-saver when you're not quite sure what you're doing. Unfortunately home-ownership means you are forever repairing or replacing things. As soon as you fix one thing, something else wants to fall apart. You can't win, but that's life!

With all of the crazy life-stuff going on in the past few weeks, I almost forgot a major milestone. Mom Files is officially 11 years old! *throws confetti*


I would not have imagined that I would keep it up for this many years. I won't lie, I've wanted to shut down shop time and time again. Somehow, this blog and my social media connections have kept me going for so many years. It's nice having my itty-bitty piece of the vast virtual-world where I have made so many friends. I want to thank you all for sticking around for so long. I guess we will see what happens next. Stay tuned...

xoxo
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Affect vs. Effect & 34 Other Common Confusions

I had to share this in the event that you are like me and sometimes make a mistake with some of these very commonly confused words. This is good and we can all use a refresher every now and again. Have a great week!
Affect vs. Effect & 34 Other Common Confusions (Infographic)
Source: www.grammarcheck.net
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10 Common Phrases & What You Can Use Instead

I thought I'd share this because I found it interesting. Enjoy!
  10 Common Phrases & What You Can Use Instead (Infographic)
Source: www.grammarcheck.net
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4 Other Ways You Can Earn Money Out of Your Blog Outside of Ads

While displaying ads is one way of monetizing your blog, it isn’t always the best option for profit. Ads don’t guarantee a stable income because they rely on your blog readers to click on them, which they don’t always do.  If you’re trying to make more money off your blog, there are other options you should definitely consider. In this article, we will show you the different paths you can take to do so.



  • Sell Merchandise

Selling your very own product is another method to increase revenue coming from your blog. Before anything else, you have to decide on your first product. When you have decided and know who your market is, it is recommended to test the product with a pre-sale strategy. This allows you to gauge the potential of the product without putting you in financial risk.

Make sure that your merchandise in line with what your blog is all about. For example, if it is based around sharing recipes and cooking, selling kitchenware would be a great fit.


  • Sell Digital Products

Thanks to the advances in technology, digital products are now more convenient to make. If you are considered an expert in a certain field, writing about it and compiling it in an e-book is another way to gain income. It is likely that your loyal readers would want to know what else you have to say.

If your blog is about a topic where it would be easier for your readers to listen or watch (music and make-up tutorial blogs, for example) rather than read, you can also create audio and video content for you to sell.


  • Add Affiliate Links in Your Content

Utilizing affiliate marketing is another way to increase your blog’s passive income. You can do this by making your readers aware of outside products that would be relevant to them. When using this method, you earn a commission whenever you readers make a purchase from your links. When marketed correctly, this can be very lucrative. Usually, these links are combined with ads, but you can add them to your content such as product reviews as well.


  • Do Product Reviews or Partnerships

Another way to generate extra income via your blog is to review products relevant to your target audience. This method works hand in hand with affiliate marketing. Since in affiliate marketing, you are informing readers about products that aren’t your own, you can do reviews to show them the products of companies you are affiliated or have partnerships with.

When making the review, it is important that you be honest – even mentioning the negative points that product has. This will make you seem more authentic to your readers, encouraging them to trust you. Taking pictures of the product is also important as it shows your readers that you are actually using it.


Your blog can be a great source of income when set up correctly. Remember to always strive to connect with your readers as this makes them keep coming back. As lucrative as reviews and affiliate linking can be, it shouldn’t be the only content in you blog – no one wants to read a blog that only has that.

Informative, compelling, and creative posts are what will keep your readers glued. That, combined with what was taught here, is a good way to make money out of your blog without ads.
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How to Choose Keywords for SEO (Guest Post)

We all know how important it is to use the right keywords for your website. Identifying the most relevant keywords and key phrases can be essential for the success of your website and therefore business, so it is something you should totally treat seriously. Before doing such a thing, it is advisable to know the SEO process well so that your results could be useful.

Step 1. Have a keyword list

Place yourself in the shoes of your target consumer. If you would like to reach your website, what kind of words would you choose to search on Google? Also keep in mind that many users do not use a proper sentence structure or grammar rules. The order of the words is not necessarily the right one, so be prepared for such exceptions too. Use brainstorming for finding the right keywords and write down anything that comes to your mind. For example, people are more likely to look up “seo Chicago in IL” than write “SEO companies offering service in IL”.

Step 2. Research other keywords

You can use special analytic programs or Google’s suggestions to find alternative keywords. Take the list you have in Excel and start looking up each keyword there. But don’t press enter! Let Google suggest you other words there and write down those too. For example, wordstream.com offers a free keyword research tool which you can use. Also keep an eye for the most popular search terms out there.

Step 3. Careful with the pitfalls

Pay attention to possible pitfalls! These are vanity keywords, most of them formed by one word, which are really generic and descriptive. If you have a political campaign, probably you shouldn’t invest in generic keywords such as “senator”, “politics” or “election”, since they are too broad to bring you useful visitors.

Step 4. Test the SEO keywords

Take the list you made with the useful keywords for your website and test them. Check out the terms that belong to your analytics and which have good test results on WordStream.com. Rank them and see which ones make it to the top of the list. The next step is to buy pay-per-click ads only on the search engines that bring most traffic to the website. Then all you have to do is to sit back and see how do these keywords perform.

Step 5. Do weekly reports

Every week you should do a report and see how your website is going. In this way you can track any changes, whether for good or bad, and you can prevent other future lows. Compare the results to the baseline you had in the beginning in order to see if the SEO tactics are successful.

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Mom Files Is 10 Years Old

I seriously can't believe that 10 years ago, my husband bought the domain, momfiles.com. He is actually the one who believed that it was going to become something very special. He pushed encouraged me to start this blog although I really didn't want to. No lie, I did not believe him. Who would bother to read my blog? Where would I even find readers? I decided to humor him and figured I'd try this whole blog thing and see what happens. This came with very little expectation of any kind. I was simply doing it as a online journal and a place to connect with like-minded people.


Fast forward ten years... I had no idea that blogging would bring so much added value to my life, and I'm not talking about income. It has connected me with so many great people all over the country. Crafters, home cooks, interior designers, tech specialists, artists, writers, and regular every day folks. I have bonded and become really good friends with some truly amazing people. Some communicate with me regularly via text, phone, and social media. If I'm going through something and need someone to talk to, I'm covered. I really needed that. I think being a stay-at-home mom for so long makes me feel lonely sometimes. My blog friends seem to fill that void and I don't even have to leave home (score!).

I have really enjoyed engaging with my readers and it brings me joy when I get the occasional comment from those I started out with. I hear a lot of other bloggers ask the question, "Does anyone actually read blogs anymore?" I say, yes! It makes me so happy when someone tells me that they searched my blog for a particular recipe or they bought something based off of a past review I did. I appreciate the trust that is shown.

One of the greatest things about this blog is the fact that I have 10 years of family memories. I've shared so many milestones, experiences, funny videos (remember Vent Day?), heartfelt thoughts, reviews, birthdays, disappointments, and even some very random things. I have always felt like you all celebrated with us, cheered for us, cried for us, or just simply listened.

I truly appreciate all of my readers and social media connections. You are the reason I'm still here. I go through my times of wanting to scrap everything and shut down shop. Then someone will message me and tell me they loved something I posted recently that really helped them at the time they needed it most. I'm always very happy to help anyone that I can.

I want to say, thank you! Thank you all for connecting with me. I genuinely feel like some of the best people I've ever known are those I've never even met in real life.


Thanks for reading!
xoxo
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