We’ve all heard that most bloggers don’t make money with their blogs, and that’s definitely true.  The majority of the money comes from ambassadorships, freelance writing, consulting, and other opportunities that come from the blog.  But, savvy bloggers can certainly make some money from their blog.  Here are a few options for making money from your blog:

Traditional Advertising

Traditional advertising is available as both CPC (cost per click) and CPM (cost per thousand impressions).  You can make more money with cost per click, because the advertiser is paying for a visitor, but you have more control over the money you make through impressions.  If you are getting paid on impressions, most advertisers want ads “above the fold” which means the area of your site that shows when you first look at the site (without having to scroll down).  Having a smaller header on your site means you’ll have more room for above the fold ads.

Most ad networks have requirements you’ll need to comply with, and you generally have to be accepted into the network.  Many networks sell ads on all of their “inventory”, not specifically for your site.

Suggested Networks:

MTVN Tribes
Six Apart Media
Google Adsense
Juice Box Jungle
Federated Media (incredibly difficult to get accepted to)

Pay Per Post/Advertorials

With pay per post, you get paid to write about a specific topic.  You’ll generally need to follow some requirements, such as the number of links, the number of words in the post.  Keep in mind that Google has rules against text links, which these links could be considered.

Suggested Networks:

Izea

In-Text Ads:

Unlike text links, in-line ads are not delivered as hyperlinks.  When users mouse over the link, an ad pops up.  If the user clicks on it, you receive revenue.  Some complain that they are obtrusive, but, the good thing is that don’t take up any additional space on your site.

Suggested Networks:

Kontera

Text Links

Text links are an actual hyperlink placed on your site.  Google frowns on these, but they pay really well, so it’s up to you to make your own decision.

Suggested networks:

Text Link Ads

Affiliate Networks:

When you have an affiliate relationship with a company, you’ll receive a percentage of the revenue generated when a customer clicks on a link or ad on your site, and then makes a purchase.  These relationships can pay well when you have the perfect content on your site, but it can be difficult to make money.

Suggested Networks:

Share A Sale
Amazon

Next week, I’ll drive into how to specific make more money with these different types of ads.

Making Money With Your Review Blog is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

I’ve been thinking a lot about my blogging niche lately.  It started a few months ago, when a friend of mine asked what I was doing with a personal blog, a review blog, a finance blog, and a Boston blog.  And, I couldn’t answer her.  I love writing on these multiple topics and constantly struggle with how to combine them into one cohesive “niche”.  So, I just keep starting new blogs.

Then, I read Jennifer James’ great article about how to flip your blog into a business, and I’m back to thinking about it.  I love personal finance, and love writing about it, but can’t find a good place for those articles without The Full Piggy.  But as I think more and more about my writing passion?  It’s truly travel blogging, which I do here, on Mom’s Favorite Stuff, and on Traveling Mom and Uptake.com.

I have a LOT of flight time in the next few weeks as I head to Silicon Valley for the Yahoo! Mother Board Summit and to Hawaii for the Aulani preview, so I’ll be thinking about these topics – any opinions?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Finding My Niche is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to co-host the Boston Hebrew National Better than a Picnic Picnic with Christy from Quirky Fusion, Audrey from Mom Generations, and Christine from Boston Mamas (along with Emily from The Motherhood).

We had an absolutely beautiful day, with an amazing turnout.  Honestly, we couldn’t have asked for anything more.

We had a mechanical bull…

We had hot dogs…

We had two amazing service projects for the Women’s Lunch Place and Operation Gratitude….

Watching the children make cards for soldiers almost made me weep.  So cute and sweet!

Most importantly, it was a great gathering of friends!

Photo courtesy of Emily McKhann

A huge thanks to Hebrew National and The Motherhood!

Disclosure: I was given a stipend to co-host the picnic, but all opinions are mine.

What a Wonderful Weekend!! is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

We’ve been reviewing products on MFS for years, from when we had a baby page rank 0 site to now, when our page rank is 5.  Back in the beginning, no one asked for specific anchor text, and we didn’t offer it.  We just generally wrote “click here” and linked to the site.

As I started learning more and more about anchor text and SEO, I started to understand the value of it.  But, as much as I wanted to help those businesses (especially small businesses) that were coming to us for reviews, I didn’t want to hurt our site.  Since we have tons of reviews on our site, all with outgoing links, it was recommended to me via the Google Webmaster forums that I should make sure Google knows these aren’t paid links, by no following and by avoiding anchor text.

That was a few years ago.  Since then, we’ve no followed only the links on the home page (the ones on the individual post pages are followed), and have not offered anchor text.  Even though it’s clearly written in our editorial policy, I get loads of requests for anchor text weekly.  And every time I refuse.  Sometimes the companies decide not to send us review products, but most of the time, they still want a review.

Now, with the FCC rules, I feel it’s even more important.  If a company tells you which words to use (even just for a link), isn’t that an ad?  It’s certainly not fully editorial, right?

I would love to know what others think?  If I’m wrong, I’d love to know it!  And, if others are granting text ads with reviews, do I have to?

Text Links with Reviews is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

Wow, it’s been a banner week for pitches!

I got a great pitch this week – it was personalized, it was targeted, and it was brief, and to the point.  If I wanted to review the product, I just had to click a link and fill out a “quick form” to have the product sent to me.  Assuming it was a simple form asking for my address, I clicked over.

The “quick form” was 20 questions.  Some of them were reasonable, like name, address, town, phone number.

The rest?  Wow.  An agreement to sign the blog with integrity pledge.  An agreement to disclose that the product was free.  An agreement to let the company know if there’s any problem with the product before posting anything negative.  An agreement that the disclosure is on the front page of the blog and will be listed on the post.  An agreement that I’ll change the post if I post anything considered “untrue”.  An agreement to complete a review within 30 days and to email the company the link.  An agreement to post about the company’s Facebook page, Twitter URL, Facebook quiz, and newsletter.  An agreement to be added to the company’s newsletter.

Seriously?

More Fun With Pitches is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

A few months ago, I wrote about working for free, and since then I’ve had a lot more thoughts about it. For me, it seems that there are several areas where this becomes an issue.

Writing

Many, many, many Web sites and blogs do not pay for blog posts, but instead offer back other incentives, such as promotion, links back, and access to review products.  I’ve written loads of articles with no compensation, and to be honest, it doesn’t usually work out in my favor.  The key thing is knowing when to stop – how long do you continue before you give up?  I’m not sure.

In my experience, it’s easier to write for free when I can choose the content and publish on my own schedule.  The more restrictions, the harder it is to fit into my busy schedule.

“Ambassadorships”

In my last blog post on this topic, I said that a badge and a hashtag do NOT EQUAL VALUE…

I still very much agree with that.

When you agree to be an ambassador, you really have to think about what you are doing.  You are putting your good name out there as an advocate of the product.  Lots of bloggers love to collect these badges, but I’d rather keep my name undiluted.

Reviews

I require samples to write a review.  In most cases, I write a review but sometimes, I just don’t like the product and won’t review it.  Simple as that.  Sometimes, I love the product so much I use it in one of my TV segments.

Last week, I got an email asking for my blog stats.  While I generally don’t mind sharing, I do think that PR and marketing pros should do their homework before contacting a blogger, as tools like Compete.com and Alexa do give some public stats that can at least give you an idea of traffic.

I responded with my traffic (about 10,000-12,000 unique visitors per month) and got the following response back “Thanks Jodi – We prefer to only do give-aways with folks who over 30K monthly visitors. One possibility is to do a post before the giveaway, and if it is successful in driving traffic, we can then send over some products for further reviews…

How does that sound?”

Wwwwwhat???

Really?

So what do I get out of this exactly?

Sigh.

More on Working for Free is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

So, I know the topic of bad pitches has been done to death, and honestly, you’d think this wouldn’t even really be an issue.  At the Mom 2.0 Summit, my friend Ciaran compared bad pitches to bad pick-up lines, which is an accurate comparison.  But, if you are teaching dating tips, you wouldn’t even really talk about bad pick-up lines.  Because that should be a given, right?

But with bad pitches, it isn’t.  Because I receive SO many bad pitches that it’s really shameful.

….but before I get to them, take a look at our about page.  It’s not so hard to see the name of the person who queries should be sent to, right?

Let’s start with the way the emails are addressed:

• To: Ms. Chris,  Blogger Mom’s Favorite Stuff (huh?)
  
• Hi Ms., (wow, how personal!)
• Mom’s Favorite Stuff Ms. Chris Blogger (mail merge FAIL)

Is it THAT hard??

Then, there’s the ubiquitous “I love your blog!”.  Wow, really?  Thanks!  Have you read it?  Because you called me Ms. (Note, I’m not referring to those who say – “I love your blog” and then provide a reason or at least know my name.  I mean those who obviously include that in every pitch).

Here’s a fun one:

We’d love to invite  you and your editorial team to an upcoming screening of our film – would you please let me know who I can touch base with?  Below is info. on our upcoming LA screening however we have screenings is various cities should your staff be based elsewhere.

The LA bureau would love to attend.  But they are a tough group with lots of demands – they’ll want still Perrier and Christmas M&Ms in their green room…

This author totally forgot who she was writing about…

At any rate, I really hope you will consider this for momsfavoritestuff.com.  It’s a great resource for parents (I can say so first hand) and I think it would be great for mommieswithstyle.com readers.  It is truly a great find.

Oopsie!

This sounds intriguing, if not entirely editorially appropriate…

I hope this email finds you well. I was just checking up on an email I sent a few weeks back, about one of the most fun and interesting shows to sneak out of Australia, called Puppetry of the Penis – you may have seen them on HBO’s Real Sex or on Leno a few years back. Puppetry of the Penis celebrates the ancient Australian art of genital origami, which has resurfaced thanks to the Morley Brothers – Simon and Justin, who will launch the national tour in NY beginning Aug 4 for the next four weeks.

And….one last one…

Please follow and become a fan of the {redacted}. If you could also tweet or facebook about it we would really appreciate it.

Is that it?  Anything else I can do for you?

Bad Pitches: Shouldn’t This Be in PR 101? is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

I’ve been busy, busy, busy writing for a brand-new blog, and today it launched!

Jodi Grundig’s Boston with Kids Blog

It’s with TripVine, an AOL Travel sister site, and my blog will be updated every weekday with activities for travelers to Boston to do with their children!

Oh, and I’m headed to Florida in a few short weeks to participate in the weekend portion of Walt Disney World Moms Panel training!  I’ll be at Old Key West rooming with Margaret and Anna on Friday night, and at the Contemporary on Saturday night!

Introducing TripVine is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

I came back from a run today (a really tough run, by the way), to one of those good/bad emails.  I’d been hoping to join an exclusive ad network and I got a wonderful email stating they were interested in my websites.  There was a small note at the end of the email – stating that my site seemed to be down?  I went to it right away, and this is what I saw.

Ugh!  After a quick call to my host, BlueHost, I found out that my site had been hacked.

Some of you may know this isn’t my first experience with being hacked.  Back in 2006, Mom’s Favorite Stuff was hacked, and “invisible” links were added to the bottom of each of my posts, pointing to pharmaceutical websites.  But since then, I’ve been lucky.

I guess this is a reminder to me – and any other blogger who reads this:

• Keep your password secure, and make it really hard to guess
• Make sure your web host keeps backups
• Ensure your software script (WordPress in my case) is up to date

I was lucky this time – I caught it quickly and my host had a very recent backup.  But, it could have been a very big problem.

I’m Back!! is a post from: Multitasking Mommy

This was my first experience at BlogHer, so my expectations were probably a little different than those who’d been multiple years.  Rather than focus on the negative, I’d like to focus on what I was surprised with, as well as what I really enjoyed:

The Surprises:

• The size – yes, I knew how many people were attending, I just didn’t know how intimidating a large group like that would be.  I’m disappointed that I barely or never saw some people I would have loved to spend more time with (Elizabeth, Heather, and Cecily to name just a few).
• The lack of internet access – I wish I’d been able to tweet and post more
• The location – this was a pleasant surprise.  I’ve never been to Chicago and I have to say this hotel was totally convenient, and the location for BowlHer was right across the street!
• The food situation – there never seemed to be enough good food, and plain water was at a premium.  In addition, coffee was only available at official breaks, not between sessions.  But, the expo hall included some great snacks and drinks – some from Pepsi, and those kiwis!  (more on the kiwis later).

What I Enjoyed:

• Having a roommate – when I roomed with Ciaran for the Mom 2.0 Summit, I felt that it actually enhanced the experience, because I had someone to hang around with, eat meals with, and chat with.  For BlogHer, I roomed with Jill, and we really had a blast!
• Seeing people I’d only known online previously – it was so much fun to recognize people and actually talk in person.  I can’t even begin to mention everyone I met, but I especially enjoyed meeting Whitney from Mommies with Style, Amy from Resourceful Mommy, Erika from Chic Shopper Chick, John, Rob, Amy, & Ethan from Collective Bias, Danielle from Extraordinary Mommy, Kim from Traveling Mom…. I know I’m missing some people, so I reserve the right to update this!  And Katja Presnal from Skimbaco Lifestyle, who after I remarked that I loved her bag, actually offered it to me, literally right off her shoulder!
• Chicago!  I love Chicago!  It was my first visit, and  I got a chance to check out Michigan Avenue the day I arrived.  In fact, I saw a Calvin Klein dress I loved at Nordstrom, and when I tried it on, it was hard to zip.  The sales associate helped me, and I liked it so much I bought it and walked out of the store wearing it (it was the dress I wore to Social Luxe).  On our last day, Jill and I visited Navy Pier and had a great lunch outside.
• Hanging out with Margaret (aka mefries) from the Walt Disney World Moms Panel.  It’s hard to believe I only met Margaret in December – I feel like I’ve known her forever.
• Meeting so many PR and company reps that I’ve emailed with for years.
• And, how could I forget??  It was great to hang out with the women of Mabel’s Labels (Mumby, Julie, and Caitlin) when Jill was turned away from the MamaPop party!

I didn’t take any pictures at BlogHer (at all!) but there are some up on various sites, including Facebook.

BlogHer 2009 – Part Two is a post from: Multitasking Mommy