The Mom Salon Blog

Wett Giggles Soap: A Great Stocking Stuffer

2008-10-26T20:42:00.001-04:00

Wett Giggles soap is the perfect stocking stuffer this year because it's not a cheap toy and it's not more candy! Instead Wett Giggles is all-natural, handmade glycerin soap for kids that also helps them learn the importance of cleanliness and hygiene.

Wett Giggles is one of our favorite gifts for kids of the year.

Mobile post sent by JenniferJames using Utterli. Replies. mp3

Kids Photos in Posts

2008-08-25T11:04:00.006-04:00

At varied points throughout the year there have been dustups among mom bloggers about whether we should share pictures of our children in our blog posts. I sincerely believe there are different strokes for different folks. While some moms may cringe at posting photos of their children, others are perfectly content with it. I have posted only a few photos of my children throughout the years. The very last time I posted a photo of one of my children was last year. Why did I stop?

I noticed one day that someone had linked to my oldest daughter's photo and people were streaming in in droves to look at her. I don't know what for, all I could see was my stat counter all pointing to that one photograph and countless people clicking to see it. It scared me silly and caused me to cease putting my children on the Net. But that's just my experience.

What do you think about posting your children's photographs on the Net?
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Bad Behavior

2008-08-20T12:43:00.002-04:00

The coComment parenting challenge continues and today if you comment, you can still win cash prizes (we'll be announcing winners by the end of the month) so get ready to read Role Mommy's latest post and comment if you can relate!

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Funny how when you're not with your kids, you become completely attune to the way other parents interact with their own children. And then you start to wonder...do I do that too? While we spent a few days away from our daughter and son, we've managed to eat in restaurants with screaming kids, we had pancakes next to a quartet of the rudest girls I've ever seen, and we noticed one woman in a book store who seemed to have a permanent frown on her face as she hissed at her daughter for being nasty to her.

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Click here to read the rest of this post and comment. You could win a cash prize!

It's a Beautiful Day, It's Just Raining

2008-08-19T10:47:00.003-04:00

Today's post is a part of the coComment Parenting Challenge and was written by Rebecca Barry. Leave a comment on Rebecca's blog and you could win a prize. Learn more.

This morning was dark and gray and rainy for the first day in weeks. Normally it rains so much here that I can't stand the gray, but this summer has been gorgeous--sunny and lush and full of wildflowers. So this morning I almost welcomed the dark clouds. It felt cozy to wake up to a denser sky, with a jumble of sleeping bodies all over our bedrooms. Dawson was asleep in the narrow trough between his and Liam's bed, where he's tumbled so often in the middle of the night that we've lined it with cushions and blankets, and he nestles into it as if it were his own private burrow. Liam was entangled in blankets out at the foot of our bed, and Tommy was hanging on to the small sliver of space Liam and I had left him.

Dawson got up first and came in and grabbed my cheeks. "Mommy!" he whispered loudly. "Get up!"

"Oh, look at how gray it is outside," I said.

"It's a very beautiful day," Dawson said rather sternly. "It's just raining."

Click here to read the full post and comment. You could win a prize.

What is Your Comment Policy?

2008-08-18T06:59:00.010-04:00

Today's post is a part of the coComment Parenting Challenge. Leave a comment and you may win a prize. Learn more.

So many of us who are mom bloggers have had to make a comment policy for our blogs at one point or another, one that hinges on either maintaining free speech or creating a negative-free zone on our blogs. Many bloggers (and I am guilty of this as well) can be rather opinionated about matters of great importance whether it is a parenting style or breaking news, and when we veer into the realm of controversy and debate all types of comments are left as a result.

In all my years of blogging (I've been blogging since 2004) I have never erased a comment save those that are clearly spam. Comments that disagree with anything I have written always remain on my blog because I do not believe in silencing those with dissenting opinions, even if I'm called every name in the book. I believe in open debate on blogs even if it gets ugly.

What is your comment policy? Do you delete or not approve comments that clearly disagree with you, or are all comments fair game?

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Foolish Predictions

2008-08-15T13:06:00.003-04:00

This post is a part of the coComment Parenting Challenge and is written by Amy Keroes of MommyTrack'd.com.
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When I was collecting essays for Mommy Wars, one of the questions I asked each contributor was the following question I ask you to ponder now:

Did you know, before you had kids, whether you wanted to work or stay home once you became a mother?

Everyone reported that they had known exactly what they were going to do once they had kids.

Everyone was wrong.

Ambitious moms called their bosses the day before maternity leave ended and admitted they couldn’t leave their babies for a minute, much less an entire day. Women who’d dreamed of staying home and singing lullabies fled back to work after six months home, shocked at how they hated the at-home routine and isolation. There is no predicting what kind of mom you will be, or how much you will like or hate parts of the job.

"I wanted these kids so badly," my friend said this morning. "What I never could have known was how hard it was going to be." She is 31. Her four kids are under age seven. Her husband travels almost every week for business, as does mine. So she knows about hard. "And I never would have predicted how terribly I miss working," she continued.

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The Guilt Complex

2008-08-13T14:51:00.005-04:00

This post is a part of the coComment Parenting Challenge and was written by Role Mommy.

It's 10:48 pm. Do you know where your children are? Well, mine are snug in their beds after their dad tucked them in so I could sit in the den and type away like a mad woman before I get ready to pass out and start another marathon day. I don't know about you, but after leaving my big corporate job I have been working non-stop. Rather than focus on growing one company, the Type A woman that I am went into overdrive and started building two. Simple, make money from PR but still do what I love (that would be the writing and networking with other fabulous moms). But something happened on the way to building my businesses - guilt from my kids, guilt from my DH and my owner inner guilt that makes me take a step back and say hold on a second - it's time to put the work away and make more time for my family.

I guess the straw the broke the camel's back came over the weekend when we returned home from a crabbing trip and I instantly raced to my computer so that I could blog about it. I know I got a bit carried away - since I was away from my trusty MacBook for more than 24 hours. And so, I spent a few hours surfing the web, returning emails, blogging, surfing, reading some of my favorite blogs and by the time I turned around, it was time for the kids to go to sleep. I had actually spent 3 hours online while my kids watched their favorite Nick and Disney shows and when my husband came home from meeting an old friend, he informed me that earlier that day my daughter confided she's not too happy with my addiction to the Internet. In fact, everyone in my household (including my cat) is fed up with my BlackBerry and computer fixation. So much so that they are now putting limits on when I use my technological devices so that when I'm with them, I don't get distracted and focus my attention on them and not a client, or a random Facebook message.

As we near the end of the summer, I've realized that I do need to do things in moderation or else one day, my daughter will tell me to my face that all that time spent in front of the computer could have been spent with her. She's already nine and the time literally feels like it's slipping away from me. My babies are no longer babies and while having a successful career is fulfilling, I don't want to wake up one day and realize I missed out on the best time of my kids' lives because my head was buried in my laptop. I guess it's time to give myself permission to take a vacation. I mean, I am the boss. I've earned some time off for good behavior and maybe if I do take a short break, this overwhelming feeling of guilt will melt away - or at least subside for a week or two.
Now time for the comments - are you feeling guilty that you're not spending enough time with your kids or your husband?

Has technology taken over your life? Speak now and you can win a prize! Leave a comment.
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coComment Parenting Challenge

2008-08-12T06:37:00.008-04:00

Courageous parents,

Have you dealt with temper tantrums, sulky teenagers, and dirty diapers? coComment would love to hear your trials and tribulations about raising children. We invite you to take the time to daringly muse about these situation and how you overcame them.

The goal of this coComment Parenting Challenge is to promote discussion among parents using their popular vehicle of commenting on websites and blogs. This challenge will allow you to share your views about cranky teenagers, terrible two's or getting your kids to be adventurous eaters. In our 30-day challenge you have the opportunity to win cash or prizes equivalent to $150.

Visit the following blogs as they will post daily topics and by posting comments have a chance to win within our 30-day Challenge: 

www.rolemommy.com
www.mainstreetdiaries.blogspot.com
www.themomsalon.blogspot.com
www.mommytrackd.com
www.therojopelo.blogspot.com

Winners will be chosen in each of the following categories:

(1) Best Advice
(2) Most Popular Discussion
(3) Most frequent commenter
(4) Commenter that spurs most discussions
(5) First to comment

To enter today's challenge hop over to Rebecca Barry's blog to discuss parents who undermine each other. Leave a comment, you may win a great prize!

This Email Scared the Daylights Out of Me

2008-08-11T11:04:00.005-04:00

This morning I received an email from Hallmark that scared the living daylights out of me! I don't know for sure what it was all about; I clicked out too fast, but I think it was about entering a holiday card contest of some sort.

But it was too much!

There were pictures of a snowman and Santa and red, red, red...everywhere. It sent my level of anxiety to heights it shouldn't reach on a Monday morning in summer. The last thing I want to think about on August 11th when it's hot outside is Christmas. Is it just me? I can't think about the holidays. Not yet! So companies, just give me until September before you start flooding my head with holiday imagery and sales. Please give me until September! I'm on my knees.

Enough about that; back to mom blogging. If you are anything like me, you're probably inundated with product reviews, giveaways, and announcements of all sorts to blog about. What I have found to help me immeasurably is getting organized! One of the best reviews I've done of late was for the Busy Body Book. It has helped me stay organized in ways my memory never can.

Plus, I just learned about Jott.com over the weekend. It's an awesome tool that allows you to leave yourself voicemail reminders and then emails them to you. Very handy!
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One of These Days

2008-08-08T05:28:00.005-04:00

One of these days I am going to heed the advice I give to newbie bloggers and post on a consistent basis. Until then, though, you can always catch me microblogging on Twitter or saying "hi" to new members on the Mom Bloggers Club.

There are so many awesome things going on right now with the Mom Bloggers Club. I have re-partnered with Amuso (great social networking site based in London and Madrid) for the Cutest Baby Contest. Make sure to enter photos of your little one. A mom won $150 cash from my last contest , so enter! You may earn some money. All you have to do is get everyone you know to vote and you could win. The contest just launched yesterday and the prize is already at $63.00.

Plus, I've partnered with coComment for a really interesting commenting competition across mom blogs. More on that next week when it launches.

So! I don't have anything earth shattering to talk about today about mom blogging, except this short piece of advice: If you agree to do a giveaway for a company or PR firm, have them ship the prize to the winner, because there is no use promoting a product and then having to spend your own money to ship it. Crazy!
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Well, I Did It...

2008-07-24T14:13:00.003-04:00

Today I turned down the third ad network to approach me this year. Typically doing this wouldn't be a big deal, but now that I have a site that could actually earn some real money it wasn't as easy as it was before to say, "No, thank you". But I did it anyway based on principle because if you've been reading my writing long enough you know how I feel about ad networks.

This latest ad network is one of the big boys in the market and I was sincerely flattered to have been approached, but there is something about signing contracts and constricting the rights I have as a publisher that simply and undeniably turn me off. I know there are a lot of bloggers who earn a living through ad networks, but maverick that I am, I prefer setting my own rates and accepting my own advertisers even though the volume may not be as high as an ad network can potentially provide. I personally don't want a company to control my ad inventory, serve up house ads on a whim at lower CPM rates, rotate ads that have absolutely nothing to do with my site, and then wonder why my revenue check is late.

But that's just me.
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Reading: The Rudimentary Trick to Good Blogging

2008-07-17T23:45:00.005-04:00

There is no doubt that running across the minds of most blogging novices is this simple question: How do I become a popular blogger? Although there are indeed formulaic tricks that any blogger can use to become widely read like beefing up on social networking and posting often, nothing can compare to good writing. And good writing comes from a lot of quality reading.

Reading and stellar writing are undeniably inseparable. If you are going to embark on a blogging career or considerate it a serious pastime you have to take reading seriously. Perusing CNN's headlines and skimming the first paragraphs of breaking news stories, however, doesn't count. Hold a magazine or pick up a book, smell its pages, and let your eyes soak up the nuances of speech. Then allow your mind to discover new ways to express yourself through your posts.

I enjoy reading an exceptional history book or an intelligent magazine. Reading has always helped me immeasurably with my writing. That, and listening to the BBC. There's something about listening to British accents that makes me write better.

Speaking of smart reading, the Atlantic's Special Fiction Issue is on newsstands now. You'll find essays from Ann Patchett, Wendell Berry, and Mark Fabiano. For a sampling, click here.
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PR No-Nos

2008-07-16T02:47:00.006-04:00

Far be it from me to lash out in a blog post dedicated to PR and mom bloggers. I readily admit that some of my very best gigs and some of my greatest blog perks have come by way of a PR person. However, there is one practice I've seen used a few times lately that literally bugs the living daylights out of me.

I cannot stand when PR folks start a pitch off with:

Dear Jennifer,

Love your blog/site!

Here's the funny thing: A lot of PR people don't realize that I and other bloggers own several Web sites and blogs so when they try to personalize a pitch with fluff I totally know it right off the bat because all of my inboxes get the SAME pitch. I trash these insincere pitches so quickly it would make their head spin.

I decided to write this post after receiving a particularly well-researched and well-phrased pitch from a publicist representing one of the best PR agencies in the world the other day. Now I know why they are on the top of their field. The publicist took the time to research my sites, blogs, past writing, and affiliations. It was refreshing to get a personalized pitch that made sense. Not PR BS.
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Advertising Rates for Mom Blogs

2008-07-12T17:56:00.004-04:00

As promised here is my post about standard advertising rates. I just got it in before the beginning of a new week.

For those of you who may be looking for exact rates to simply plug into your media kit, this post won’t help you only because there are so many factors to weigh first before coming up with precise ad rates such as your monthly page views, unique visitors, reader loyalty, your popularity in your niche, and ultimately how much you want to earn. I do give some hypothetical examples for blog rates later for reference. The first thing I will say about numbers, though, is your rates should always be two digits. Promise me you won't set your ad rates under $10 unless you are talking about CPM rates. Deal? Some mom bloggers set their rates too low thereby underselling themselves. Read more.
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From Weary to Rejuvenated -- Finally!

2008-07-09T12:01:00.006-04:00

There is something about moving to another city that knocks the wind right out of ya. I learned a valuable lesson when we moved a week and a half ago: I'm no spring chicken! At 33, I don't have one foot in the grave yet, not even a pinkie toe (knock on wood!), but my body doesn't bounce back the way it used to. I've been duly warned!

So now, after a week and a half I am finally back to normal and have acclimated to my new surroundings as much as can be expected. And, I haven't forgotten about those ad rates I promised. Those are coming this week. I just had to get my brain back in working order lest I write down rates that warrant my sanity be questioned.

By the way, if you haven't been to the Mom Bloggers Club in a while make sure to visit soon. There are now over 1000 mom bloggers who are members. I had a great conversation with a mom blogger from Australia yesterday. She was just waking up and checking in to see what was going on and I was winding down for the evening and welcoming new members. You can really meet spectacular mom bloggers there!
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Standard Advertising Rates

2008-06-27T21:53:00.003-04:00

In response to yesterday's post: A Quick Word About Advertising, Stephanie from Metropolitan Mama asked if I would publish my ideas about what I think the standard advertising rates would be for different traffic categories. That will be challenging to be sure, but since I'm moving this weekend and will spend a lifetime on the highway I'll have a moment to come up with some concrete numbers. Be sure to look for that next week.

By the way, yours truly was mentioned in a Cision press release about mom blogs this week. I was pleasantly surprised to be mentioned. I've been with Cision for years, back when they were Bacon's Media. Glad they know who I am!

Have a great weekend. See you on Monday.
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A Quick Word About Advertising

2008-06-26T18:04:00.004-04:00

I want to address ad rates on mom blogs. A lot of mom bloggers, I've noticed, are well adept at putting up media kits and rate sheets, and are tech-savvy enough to fire up PayPal buttons for easy online payments. But one thing I've noticed is a lot of mom bloggers charge too little for advertising. $5 a month for any size banner is too low! Did you hear me? It's too low. I don't care if you have 25 readers a week...it's too low!

If you want to earn money through your blogs or sites, then you have to value what you write and understand that people will value you once you value yourself. That's coming from years of experience, ladies and it's definitely true! Value your blog and then set your ad rates accordingly.

Get Your Sleep

2008-06-25T11:49:00.002-04:00

I have been creating web sites and blogs for nearly six years and throughout what seems like a lifetime there has been one thing I have perpetually neglected and that is my sleep!

I don't sleep. And it's not good.

In this crazy world of 24/7 information and technology, it is very easy (too easy, in fact) to get sucked into a cycle of unending blogging, writing, reading Web sites, commenting, designing sites, and joining social networks.

So, my simple advice to you today is this: sleep; even though I rarely do and probably most other hard-core Net enthusiasts don't, either.

I had a revelation last week after getting about eight hours of blissful rest. The next day was the most productive day I have had in ages. Now, if I would only convince myself to do that every night.
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Picture Perfect

2008-06-24T15:32:00.004-04:00

One of the things I have learned during my many years of blogging is adding a little visual interest to any post is a lot better than not having anything at all. In fact, I can't remember the last time I wrote a blog post and didn't include some type of visual, even if it was a company logo. It is unthinkable for me to have a bare naked post.

So, for those of you like me who do not a) own a digital camera and b) even if we did own a digital camera would take horrible pictures there is some hope.

For the photography in my blog posts, I leave the work up to the professionals and buy credits from companies that offer low-cost photo purchasing options. Here are the ones I like the most.

iStockPhoto
Dreamstime
Big Stock Photo
Fotolia (By the way, I just found Fotolia last weekend and I am really enjoying their selections of photos).

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Am I (Gasp) Getting Old?

2008-06-20T17:52:00.006-04:00

So today I got an email from Deirdre at The Frisky about a blog post they ran called Five Things About Pregnancy That Will Eff You Up.

First of all, who knew about The Frisky and didn't tell me? Usually I'm all over new sites that launch, but this one slipped right past me. I think I'm losing my bearings as Barack would say....

Oh, well. I like. Go check it out.

Now, onto the reason for the email: Five Things About Pregnancy That Will Eff You Up. It's definitely well-written (don't you just love clever writing?), written from a man's perspective, and is oh-so-true.

Do you read The Frisky? What do you think?
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Now You Can Be Your Own Cartoonist on Toonlet

2008-06-18T12:55:00.004-04:00

Ever since I was a little girl the only thing I've ever wanted to do was create. I don't care what it is, either. It can be a new blog, a new web site, an ad campaign, or any web design element...I just always want to be in the midst of creating something NEW!

So, this weekend when I ran across Toonlet I was in creative heaven. On Toonlet you can create your own comic strips and them embed them anywhere you'd like and share them with your friends.

I cannot believe how imaginative Toonlet is. I'll leave it up to you to go and check it out. In the meantime be sure to check out my new comic strip: Madeline, Mom Blogger and Dave, the husband.
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New Anthology for Mom Bloggers

2008-06-12T15:49:00.003-04:00

Melanie Mayo-Laakso, the editor of MotherVerse, is seeking submissions for Mothering Out Loud: Moms Tell the Truth About Blogging it All. I was asked to write an essay for the book and am so excited about it! Click here for more info and to submit your essay.

Also, one of my favorite blogs, Momocrats, has been invited to cover the Democratic National Convention -- a very huge deal and now they need a little cash to help get them there. Click here to make a donation to their cause. They're a group of intelligent mom bloggers who caught the attention of the media and the DNC. Let's help them out.

Calling Guest Bloggers

2008-06-12T14:45:00.004-04:00

Now that I've added a feed of this blog to TheMomSalon.com's homepage, it might be a good idea to update it every day instead of every other WEEK.

I'm pathetic, I know. Don't rub it in.

Sometimes other stuff gets in the way of perpetual blogging, like a job and web site(s) -- plural -- that I must update every day.

So, I am going to try something I've never done before -- guest bloggers!

If you would like to impart your blogging knowledge on the world, email me at jjames (at) themomsalon (dot) com and let me know!

Must-Join Social Networks: Plurk, FriendFeed, and Twitter

2008-06-05T09:35:00.004-04:00

As if there aren't enough social networks to join there is another one that is getting a lot of buzz lately, and I have to say, is quite fun to play around with. It's called Plurk. Plurk allows you to create your lifestream just like on Twitter, but with visuals! Here's an invitation to join. Friend me!

Also if you're not on FriendFeed, it's also another network where you can publish your lifestream and even join topic-specific rooms. I've started a room for mom bloggers. Hope to see you there!

And if you haven't joined Twitter yet, what are you waiting for? Seriously. Don't let the movement pass you by. Follow me and I'll follow you.

The News Never Fails

2008-06-04T21:37:00.004-04:00

Whenever you are at a loss for words or are totally stumped about post ideas, there are two wells you can always dip your pen into -- your life and the news. Sometimes, though, your life may be either painfully complex or pitifully mundane and you'd rather keep your life off your blog, which I completely agree with, unless, of course, you are an extremely creative writer or are abundantly skilled at drilling down to the details of events and your emotions.

The news, on the other hand, is totally and unequivocally reliable. Invariably something, somewhere is going on that reeks of plain ridiculousness, even on major religious holidays. As a blogger, remember this: the news is your friend. Use it when necessary and weave news stories into the overall theme of your blog. For example, if you blog about being an attachment parent, then when the latest news erupts about chemicals in baby bottles, pounce all over that baby. It will make for an easy post topic and will also elicit a slew of comments.

Some of my most discussed posts have been about a news story I totally went ballistic about. In short, readers like opinions and they enjoy sinking their teeth into well-articulated arguments. Knowing this will take you far.

Now, I'm off to figure out how to use Facebook. I think I'm the only person on the planet who just doesn't "get it.
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Putting Together the Marketing Puzzle: Advertising

2008-05-31T14:40:00.004-04:00

Have you ever advertised your blog or business? Fun, isn't it?

I have advertised a few online businesses from time to time and it is always interesting to see what works and what doesn't; what resonates and what falls on deaf ears.

This weekend I launched three ad campaigns for the Mom Bloggers Club on Kirtsy, Rocks in My Dryer, and Laura Williams' Musings. I hope they bring more moms into the club. It's going to be fun to watch the outcomes in terms of how many clicks the club receives.

One of the things I have always realized about online advertising, though, is that even more important than clicks and immediate results is name recognition. I'm happy to get Mom Bloggers Club in front of more eyeballs.

Question: Have you done any online advertising? How did your campaigns fare?
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Fill a Journal With New Ideas

2008-05-30T03:09:00.006-04:00

One of the reasons I have long admired Prince (who incidentally I am listening to right now) is that he has a notorious vault of thousands of unheard songs that can fill countless albums long after he passes. Prince is so talented and intelligent that he can crank out songs on a whim. But the amazing thing is he has the forethought to store his extra songs in a vault just in case he needs one for inspiration or to finally share with the world.

Oftentimes as bloggers -- like any other writers -- we experience episodes (sometimes severe) of writer's block. After all, our genre of writing requires us to compose a compelling, witty, comment-inducing post nearly every day. Not an easy task!

We should learn a valuable lesson from Prince. When you have free time, use a portion of it to write extra blog posts and then save them as drafts in the back-end of your blog. Or, simply scribble potential ideas for blog posts in a journal and keep it handy precisely for those inevitable days when the only two sentences you can eek out is: "I CANNOT write anything today. I think I won't write anything at all."
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A Valuable Lesson Bloggers Can Learn From Oprah: Stick to Your Guns

2008-05-29T10:51:00.004-04:00

In recent days reports have surfaced that Oprah has lost about 7% of her viewership, her magazine sales are down, and her reality TV show won't be renewed next season. Now everyone is wondering if coming out politically for Barack Obama has caused a backlash in her overall numbers.

We can take Oprah's current numbers scenario and apply it to our lives. Every time we write a blog post, we have to understand that everyone is not going to fully agree with what we've written, particularly if something we've posted is rather controversial or highly opinionated. We may even lose readers and our blog stats may begin looking a little unfruitful.

The lesson we can all glean from Oprah is to always stay true to ourselves and stick to our guns as bloggers. Without question, it is a blogger's authenticity and confidence that fuels readership, even if that means some readers will defect along the way.
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Creating More Dynamic Blog Posts With Audio

2008-05-27T10:58:00.004-04:00

There is a very easy way to create dynamic content for your blog and that is by using Utterz.com. I like to make audio posts with Utterz.com because it's free and easy and I can send my audio posts to my blog or a host of social networking sites that I am a member of.

Check out my audio post to learn more.

Mobile post sent by MomBloggersClub using Utterz. Replies. mp3

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Want a Beautiful Blog? Hire a Professional

2008-05-26T11:08:00.007-04:00

I'm sure that throughout your stint reading blogs you have run across some that are so aesthetically gorgeous you can't help but stick around and read a few posts, and even bookmark the blog to eventually return to. While content is always going to be the biggest draw to any good blog, wrapping it up with consistent graphical elements and an appealing banner never hurts either.

If you don't know how to fire up Adobe Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro to crank out your own blog banner or create your own customized blog then you really should consider hiring a professional.

Any good blog designer will work intimately with you to create a look for your blog that captures your personality and sets a tone for your writing style and overall theme. There are a lot of mom bloggers, who along with being a blogger themselves, also design blogs for others. One that comes to mind is Rachael Cahours Acklin who I read about on This Mommy Gig. She owns Caffeinated Design and Hosting.

Do you know of any other mom bloggers who are also designers? Maybe you're a designer. If so, click here (if reading via a feed) to leave a comment with their/your information or comment below (if on my blog).
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Join the Mom Bloggers room on FriendFeed. See you there!

It's Amazing the Things You Learn Through a Social Networking Forum

2008-05-25T21:51:00.002-04:00

Like I mentioned yesterday, I started a Mom Bloggers room on FriendFeed. To give credit where credit is due, though, I found out about FriendFeed through the ProBlogger and subsequently joined his room.

Today, through the ProBlogger room, I discovered ScribeFire, which is a Firefox Add-On that allows you to post to your blog without having to leave Firefox!

I am authoring my very first ScribeFire post right now. Very, very cool, ladies! Simple. A must-download.

As moms we are always trying to cut down time in little ways. ScribeFire allows you to skip going into the back-end of your blog to write posts and instead you click the ScribeFire icon and start posting away. Love it!

On the Net: ScribeFire.com

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Blog Bumper Stickers

2008-05-25T16:15:00.008-04:00

I almost didn't blog today. Since it IS a holiday weekend, I know I should be doing something other than sit in front of my computer, but alas, not even a holiday weekend can keep me away from my mom blog!

I was reading Dannie's blog today and saw these hilarious bumper stickers you can grab and add to your sidebar. Now, I know just last week I warned about the perils of cluttering up your sidebar with badges, banners and buttons. But these bumper stickers are so clever they deserve a special spot on any blog. Check out my blog to see which one I chose. And if you stick one on your sidebar, leave me a link so I can go check it out.

By the way, make sure to join the Mom Bloggers room on FriendFeed. See you there!
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One Is a Lonely Number: Set Your Sights on Socializing

2008-05-24T11:39:00.004-04:00

If one of your blogging ambitions is to become a go-to mom blogger, you must socialize; there are no two ways around it. The great thing is there are a ton of avenues in which to get to know other mom bloggers and scatter your name around the blogosphere. One is, of course, Twitter (you must become a member!) and the Mom Bloggers Club, which is growing every time I log on, it seems. I've also created a mom bloggers room on FriendFeed after reading about the site on ProBlogger. I'd love to see you on FriendFeed.

Once you've joined these social networking sites, here are a few tips to stand out in the crowd.
1) Be consistent. Use either your real name or your online handle everywhere. Don't switch up.
2) Pick a great avatar, picture, or logo and stick with it. Your avatar, photo, or logo is going to be your online identity and people will recognize that before they remember your name.
3) Create a great product (your blog). Nothing -- including a great handle or amazing logo -- can compete with a compelling blog, so work tirelessly to write content that people will enjoy returning to over and over again.
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When the Internet Eats Your Brain

2008-05-23T10:29:00.007-04:00

So! Who else had no clue that today is Friday? Oh, just me?

Here's my mom blogging tip for the day, and it comes from personal experience.

When you can no longer keep up with the date or major US holidays, it's time to gingerly step away from the computer and reacquaint yourself with the rest of the world.

Hi, world.
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Clutter Control: When Too Many Sidebar Elements Ruin Your Blog

2008-05-22T03:41:00.013-04:00

These days it seems as if a brand-new social networking site bursts on the scene faster than we blink. Sites are getting better and better every day and developers are stretching creativity to all-new levels. In a nutshell, it's an exciting time to be a blogger and a member of these sites!

Here's the thing, though. Every social networking site that lures us into becoming a member has a badge or button they'd like for us to grab and display on our site, right? And typically we put that badge or button on our sidebars to show our allegiance and appreciation to said social networking site; after all it's only fair. And, by the way, we hope you grab ours if you're a member of the Mom Bloggers Club!

But sooner or later our sidebars become bogged down with way too many buttons and badges. Too many buttons and badges equals sidebar clutter, which in turn creates chaos and disorder. Chaos and disorder are never good for you as a writer or for your readers. In fact, some of the most successful blogs are clean-looking and free of a lot of sidebar chaos like Pioneer Woman, Dooce and Amalah. They use their real estate for ads, which is how it should be.

To cut down on your sidebar clutter, try these tips:

1) Limit the number of social networking sites you join, 2) Create a separate page where all of your social networking information is housed, or 3) use Lijit, which creates a nice, neat, tidy widget displaying of all of your social networking affiliations.
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Group Bliss: The Advantages of Blogging for Group Blogs

2008-05-21T14:25:00.007-04:00

Many moms who are new to mom blogging try to figure how to really get "out there" -- to somehow get their name and blog on the radar of others.

Besides proving yourself by being a dedicated blogger in your own right, there is another way to spread yourself around the "momosphere" and that is by blogging for a group blog.

Group blogs, especially those that boast great bloggers, are well-designed and become market leaders based on a central topic tend to do quite well with traffic and readership. If a group blog hasn't saturated its writer roster, approach them and inquire about becoming their newest blogger.

Typically, being a writer for a group blog comes with few perks other than receiving a link back to your blog, but the exposure can be unrivaled. The other great perks of group blogging: Making new friends; honing your blogging skills, receiving opportunities to review products and books (in most cases) and learning new blogging tips from your peers.
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Commitment and Consistency: Formula for Blogging Success

2008-05-20T09:38:00.006-04:00

Since I first started blogging four years ago I have learned valuable lessons about what definitely works on blogs and what clearly doesn't. Want to hear the number one killer of blogs? You ready?

Inactivity. Not posting. Becoming a no-show.

Blogging -- as I'm sure you know -- is a fast-paced enterprise and readers are fickle. If you miss posting for a day or two, or maybe even a week, readers are forgiving. Any more than that and they may not come back for a week or even a month. Don't believe me? Try it and watch your stats plummet. I've been there and it's not pretty.

So! What's the moral of the story? Blog often and blog regularly. The commitment you show to your readers and to the success of your blog will easily translate into reader loyalty and increased visitors.

Get Your Blog Featured On Major Media Sites

2008-05-19T07:07:00.007-04:00

If you have always longed to see your name bylined on major media outlets there is a Web site that will help you do it: BlogBurst.

BlogBurst is a syndication service that places blogs on top-tier online destinations like the San Fransisco Chronicle, Reuters, and USAToday.com.

Your blog has to be accepted into the BlogBurst program, but if you have an active blog with great content, then it's easy to get in. I've had several blogs accepted into the program and I've had my posts syndicated on Reuters.com, iVillage, and FoxNews.com.

BETA INVITATIONS: I have five beta invitations to Wix. It's a web site that allows you to create flash sites and widgets easily. I love it! Email me at editors (at) themomsalon (dot) com if interested.

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Look for MBC on the Back Cover of Brain Child Magazine

2008-05-16T06:31:00.005-04:00

When the summer issue of Brain, Child magazine comes out at the end of the month, guess who you'll see on the entire back cover? Yep. Mom Bloggers Club!

We will have a full-page ad (click the cover to enlarge) on the back of Brain, Child's Summer issue and we cannot wait to see it! And, we cannot wait to see how many new mom bloggers join the MBC from the exposure. You can find Brain, Child in B&N stores as well as in Whole Foods.

If you don't know much about Brain, Child, it is unlike most traditional parenting magazines. Brain, Child isn’t about advice or experts. Instead, it’s about the experience of being a mother—the glory and challenges alike. In other words: It's a great, great magazine for moms!

By the way, you can get your very own free Summer issue of Brain, Child by sending them your address and blog URL. If you like it, all they ask is that you tell your readers about it.

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Let the Net Network for You

2008-05-15T09:24:00.000-04:00

I happened to run across an article (source) today about a new social networking start-up that does all of the social networking for you. It's called Scoutle and it uses spiders and web crawlers (called Scouts) to identify people in their network that share your interests.

Scoutle is based in the Netherlands, so the English is a little "off" and the set-up is slightly difficult to navigate. But, since I am like most people who belong to way too many social networks, I welcome one that will essentially do all the work for me.

Although I haven't quite figured out how Scoutle works, apparently I have already had 140 meetings with other members of the network. Cool!

If you join Scoutle, here's my profile page. It looks like fun and there aren't very many people on it yet -- at least not mothers.
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Mom Bloggers Club Has an All-New Look

2008-04-10T09:21:00.009-04:00

The Mom Bloggers Club has an entirely new look and we're excited!

We now offer mom bloggers more opportunity to stay connected through enhanced forums, greater member visibility and member spotlights. We also will run our giveaways exclusively for Mom Bloggers Club members. So, those who would like to win our great prize packs or giveaway items can do so only if they sign up and become a part of our community.

Let us know what you think. We're always open to suggestions on how we can make the Mom Bloggers Club one of the best online destinations for moms who blog.

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Looking for Political Bloggers

2008-03-06T11:29:00.000-05:00

Hybrid Mom is looking for two mom bloggers who may be interested in doing a little political blogging.They're looking for a mom who is a McCain supporter and also a mom who is a Ralph Nader supporter who would like to blog for the Hybrid Mom .

This is a great opportunity to voice your political perspectives and also write for an up-and-coming web site for moms and gain national recognition for your writing.

If interested, please email Jennifer James at jenniferj (at) hybridmom (dot) com.

The Pitfalls of Ad Networks

2008-02-20T07:04:00.002-05:00

The age of online advertising is constantly changing and in the past year we've seen a real shake-up in the way advertisers and publishers work together to get ad messages to readers and online users.

National companies are demanding more bang for their buck, so to speak, and are looking for greater visibility of their ad campaigns. Large publishing web sites, however, have not been able to fulfill these demands, so they came up with a model to spread ad messages across their web site and also share ad revenues with smaller publishers. The small publishers earn a percentage of the ad network's revenues in exchange for running ads on their site. While this may look like a win-win situation for all, I submit that as a small publisher there may be more pitfalls to ad networks than benefits.

Many of my sites and blogs have been approached to join ad networks, and at first, I was extremely flattered to be asked by huge brand-name companies to join them. But then I took a look at the contracts and I started to see things a little differently. Read more.

Win $15,000: Check Out This New Contest

2008-01-29T15:37:00.000-05:00

Swiffer and Warner Music have teamed up and created a contest called the “Swiffer Break-up Music Video Contest.”

Here's the best part : The Grand Prize for the contest is $15,000!

Here’s how it works:

Swiffer-lovers can submit a short video to YouTube that demonstrates how they “broke up” with their old cleaning products and now use Swiffer for all their cleaning needs. If you enter, you receive 10 downloads of “break-up” songs to use in the video (that’s one of the requirements). The top 10 videos will be posted to YouTube for the general public to cast a vote for their favorite and the video with the most votes wins $15,000.

You can find a complete list of rules, prizes and approved “break-up” songs at the Swiffer brand channel at http://youtube.com/SwifferBreakup

You Can Do It: Make Money With Your Mom Blog

2008-01-28T07:33:00.001-05:00

Leveraging your blog space to earn advertising dollars is a real possibility for mom bloggers, especially those who have cultivated a loyal audience and have a considerable amount of readers each day. As great as the prospect of advertising is, there are some basic rules to follow in order to properly attract ads and display them on your blog.

Step 1
Tell readers you accept advertising. This sounds so basic, but letting people know you accept advertising is the first step to earning ad dollars. No one will advertise on your blog if they think you do not accept advertising. As weird as it sounds, there are bloggers out there (although very few) who are fundamentally opposed to running ads on their personal blog. They believe advertisements detract from their overall message and can become an eyesore.

So, right now, put a notice on your blog directing potential advertisers to contact you for your ad rates. On your blog’s sidebar you want to entice advertisers to contact you, so you’ll want to say something like:

Put your ad in front of thousands of my readers every month. Click here to request my ad rates.

Don’t let your business go unnoticed. Advertise here. Contact me for rates.

Step 2
Keep Your Rates Secret. Never put your ad rates on your site for all to see because you don’t want casual visitors knowing how much you charge or how much you earn from advertising. Always send potential advertisers a direct link to your media kit or send your media kit to them as an attachment.

Win a Lands' End Diaper Bag + Baby Outfit Review

2008-01-07T12:05:00.000-05:00

You know quality when you see it and Lands' End's products simply exude excellence as soon as you open the bag. This baby girl's outfit: woven jumper, body suit, Mary Janes, and baby tights create the perfect assemble for any newborn or active toddler.

I was most impressed with the details, such as the adorable flower on the front of the Mary Janes and the innovative body suit that has two rows of snaps created to adjust as your baby grows.

We have four Lands' End diaper bags with springtime designs to give away and believe me when I say, "They're Nice!"

The diaper bags are made of heavy canvas for daily use and have one outside pocket, six inside mesh, elastic pockets, and a comfy changing pad inside with two deep pockets of its own where you can store extra diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream. And to be perfectly honest, once your baby is well past the age of diaper wearing, this tote can easily transform into a grocery bag or you can even carry library books home in it.

If you want to win one of the diaper bags simply leave a comment below or if you're reading this post via a feed, click here.

Giveaway ends January 20, 2008. Winners will be announced on the morning of January 21. Please be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you should you be one of our winners. Good luck!

Back to Square One

2007-12-28T17:11:00.000-05:00

Oh my gosh! It's been an entire month since I last posted and honestly, it's a real shame. But, I do have a few good excuses for my absence.

I have been tying up loose ends with three professional blogging gigs I have with huge sites.
I've been working on a book proposal that has absolutely nothing to do with blogging.
I've been revamping and relaunching another niche site I own for moms.
I finally got syndicated on Reuters.com! It took forever, but oh was it rewarding!
I've been writing a chapter to an anology that's due sooner than I'd like.
...and I've been simply being a mom.

One of these days I am going to get myself together and write a book about mom blogging because I know so much and such great opportunities seemingly fall in my lap just because I jot words down on a daily basis and post them online for the whole world to see.

If there is any advice I could offer to a mom blogger it's this: diversify! If you have a lot of different interests I recommend devoting a single blog to one topic because that way if you like boating, for example, and an editor for a boating magazine is looking for a great blogger then she will find you a lot easier than if you have one mom blog with a whole lot of your interests all jumbled together. It's worked for me thus far and it will work for you.

I won't be blogging so irregularly any more because I think I have all of my web projects squared away. In the meantime if you would like to start your very own mom blog, I suggest Mommy Diaries. Mommy Diaries uses a Wordpress platform and is so, so easy to set up and use.

Organization Rules When It Comes to Blogging

2007-11-20T16:36:00.000-05:00

I have heard and read from A-List bloggers that they religiously plan their posts a week in advance. Certainly this doesn't fare well for people who rely on a constant stream of timely news stories to fuel their blogs, but for bloggers, like me, who rarely report on the news, this is a great tool to utilize. Too bad I don't use it as much as I should!

It is not unusual for bloggers to brainstorm potential blog posts based on their area of expertise or genre. In truth, planning posts simply makes blogging easier. Sure, there is something to say about spontaneity, but there is also a lot to say about having a week's worth of blog topics at the ready.

Have you ever found yourself trying to figure out what to blog about on any given day only to give up and not blog at all? We've all been there and it's a sad moment of utter failure. But, if you approach your blog like a job -- especially with all of the perks that come with great blogging like ad dollars, media interviews, and free products for review -- and not like a hobby you will find planning your daily posts is an asset to your writing instead of a self-imposed hindrance.

Sit down on the weekend and jot down potential blog topics for the coming week. You may even want to buy a special journal and pen dedicated specifically to your blog. That way you make your post planning eventful and fun.

Here's to organized blogging!

Staying Above the Fray: How to Avoid a Blog War

2007-11-19T11:15:00.001-05:00

If you have never been in a "blog war" with another blogger, count your blessings because they can be UGLY! I am an opinionated blogger at times (not here, but elsewhere) and while having opinions is quite effective for drawing in readers, it can also attract trolls. If you ever find yourself about to descend into the abyss of having a heated exchange with someone who clearly does not like you or appreciate your right to free speech, back slowly away from your computer and go take a walk.

Earlier this year I found myself in a useless debate when a blogger (troll) harassed me on my blog and then proceeded to call me horrible names because she fundamentally disagreed with my stance on a particular issue. I could certainly deal with the name calling because I'm a big girl and, thanks to blogging, have grown think skin. I could not, however, deal with how topsy turvy my emotions became because I wanted to justify my opinion and tell her how wrong she was. After two days of nonstop bickering, I learned the hard way not to get into an argument with another blogger because neither of you will change each other's opinion. It's really that simple. It will only become a masochistic exercise in futility. In other words: Don't even go there.

Don't Be Afraid of Your Blog

2007-11-16T00:29:00.000-05:00

Although I am an experienced blogger now I was very green for quite a while. When I first began blogging in 2004 I had great difficulty figuring out how I wanted to communicate with my readers. For the longest time I found myself teetering relentlessly between writing in a professional, authoritative manner and blogging in a laid-back, casual style. Needless to say, my hodgepodge writing style didn't work very well and my readership numbers suffered as a result. If you are going to be a great blogger you need to find your own individual writing voice and stick with it.

I often recommend to new bloggers that they should blog like they speak to their friends, that way their writing remains genuine, authentic, and honest. Blog readers really appreciate honesty and like to see "the person" behind the blog. If you enjoy debating about timely items in the news or relish a strong political debate, for example, then you should opt for a casual, snarky, yet informative and knowledgeable writing style. If you are an expert in your field, you need to adopt a very professional tone to not only establish your credibility, but also to put your clients, customers and readers at ease. You don't want to sound juvenile or immature especially when people are paying you for your services. Above all, you know yourself better than anyone. Let people get to know you and learn more about you via your writing.

Blogs that are the most successful established their voice early on and continue to stay close to the script. If you are a relatively new blogger, take a moment to decide your blog voice and determine if it is consistent with how you honestly want to represent yourself on the Net.

Home Depot Helps You Go Green AND Save Money

2007-11-12T14:51:00.000-05:00

If you have been reading my blog for some time you know how much I love a great online tool that quickly and easily puts information at my fingertips. Home Depot, a company that believes in resource conservation and promoting environmental awareness, has put together an extremely useful site, Eco Options, for families who are concerned about their energy use as well as the amount of money they can save by using energy efficient appliances.

At Eco Options you can tour a virtual home, watch informative online videos about going green and reducing your family's energy usage, as well as delve into thorough online guides about home projects you can tackle, like fertilizing and roof repair, while still staying green in the process.

One of the site's primary features, the Personal Energy Audit (be sure to click on the Personal Energy Audit tab), is sure to captivate users as it calculates a family's energy usage and determines how that family can ultimately save money by opting to use energy efficient appliances.

As a mom who is taking small steps every day to help save the environment and put more money into our children's educational futures I am impressed with Home Depot's commitment to the earth as well as their commitment to helping families save money and be ecologically minded simultaneously.

Spiritual Mom Blogging

2007-11-09T11:52:00.000-05:00

Reading mom blogs gives mothers an entire slew of brand-new, original material they can read and comment on each and every day. And, mom blogs also allow mothers who are miles or even states away to connect as if they are next door neighbors. While there are tons of blogs out there that talk about general motherhood there are very few that speak about a mother's spirituality.

Preciousmoms.com, the brainchild of Precious Moments and BlueSuitMom.com, is a brand new site with ten mom bloggers who make spirituality central in their life. At Preciousmoms.com moms seeking spiritual e-friends and inspiration will find bloggers writing about topics such as party-planning tips, recipes, and uplifting, meaningful messages for moms.

If you enjoy the Precious Moms site, be sure to sign up for their e-newsletter. Subscribers to the e-newsletter within the first 90 days will be eligible to win a one-year membership to either the Collectors’ Club or the Fun Club for kids! These coveted memberships come with many benefits including access to exclusive figurines, publications and events.

Tips for New Bloggers

2007-11-05T17:17:00.000-05:00

We decided to put together a quick article, Success Tips for Blogging Novices, that you can go to over and over again to discover some of the keys to becoming a great blogger. We hope you enjoy it and use some of the advice we give after a little trial and error on our part.

Plus, the Washington Post as well as a small sampling of DC bloggers have given their advice about how to attract and retain readers.

Good reading!

Edited to add: Here's the link to the Success Tips Article:
http://www.themomsalon.com/november2007_sucesstips.htm

You Heard it Here First

2007-11-02T14:51:00.000-04:00

There's a brand new web site for moms called Mom Logic on the Net. The mom-focused site, created by Warner Bros., is targeting mom bloggers to become a part of their ad network.

I signed TheMomSalon.com up to give it a whirl. So, go check out Mom Logic and become a part of a brand new site created just for mom bloggers like you and me.

Syndication Secrets

2007-10-31T08:08:00.000-04:00

Recently, I have been giving tips to a mom about some of the syndication secrets I use for brand awareness of my blog. There are several syndication services on the Web that will get your blog syndicated on huge media outlets. Here are a few I have successfully used and that bring traffic to my site. But better than traffic, these services allow me to see my name and blog on sites like CNN and iVillage and allow me to sit alongside the big boys and girls of blogging.

Blogburst

I was fortunate enough to join Blogburst last year when they first came on the Web scene. Blogburst has partnered with major media outlets like Reuters, USA Today and Gannett and packages content from individual bloggers for editors of media sites to publish on a daily basis.

Media sites love blog content because it provides fresh news and opinions every day and it gives their readers new perspectives to read from a variety of bloggers around the world.

Here's how it works for you: Your blog content, if it is picked up by Blogburst and the editors of the media sites, will be seen on some of the biggest publishers on the Net in its entirety. Plus, there is a direct link back to your blog should any readers want to learn more about you and your writing.

Sphere

A few of my blog posts have been picked up by Sphere and syndicated on CNN recently. Sphere's technology detects blog posts that discuss a specific article and then links them to their partnered media outlets like CNN, Time.com and the WashingtonPost.com based on the semantics of the blogger's post. If you do this, make sure you link to the article and talk about the content of the article because simply linking to the article like Technorati required on the WashingtonPost.com a year ago won't suffice. Sphere's technology searches for content, not links alone.

Here's how it works for you: Getting syndicated by Sphere and Blogburst typically will not garner you a whole lot of traffic. But, it will get your blog out there where new people can read your writing besides your regulars.

Contribute to Our Mom Blogging Wiki

2007-10-29T11:24:00.000-04:00

Oh me, oh my! We've done it again! What? Started another web site. This time it's a wiki all about mom blogging.

There are so many great sites out there that you can join for little to no cost that we thought it would be rather fruitless to let all of those techie, IT people's work go to waste. So, we figured, why not join in on all the online fun, and we have. Now we've created a mom blogging wiki to hash out all the details about the beginnings of the mom blogging craze and also to track its current developments. We can't do it alone, though. In fact, that's the pure beauty of a wiki -- everyone can contribute their own two cents on the topic and it's all good.

We'd love for you to contribute to our mom blogging wiki. Come check it out. Hope to see you there!

Dodge is Looking for Mom Bloggers!

2007-10-27T12:23:00.000-04:00

We're pleased to be working with matchstick, Canada's work-of-mouth marketing company, to help Dodge find 300 moms across the country to test drive a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan.

Dodge is looking for mom bloggers and moms who are active on social networking sites to drive and blog, so to speak. So, if you would like to test drive a Dodge Grand Caravan for a week and then tell all your readers and friends about it, then visit us at TheMomSalon.com and click on the Dodge ad to see if you qualify.

Please post widely.

Playing With Six-Year-Olds

2007-10-26T07:55:00.000-04:00

Let me tell you, I just spent an entire hour of pure, unadulterated, childish fun at GoLive2.com Kraze™. Playhut just released a free social networking, magical e-playground for children ages six and up and, in my opinion, it's a pretty cool place for little ones to spend time online.

Although I am pretty efficient on the Net, it took me (a 32-year-old) a little while to work my way around the site because I am not familiar with sites where you can actually walk characters through different scenes and environments. But when I let me nine-year-old tool around, she got a hang of it pretty quickly and put me to shame quite honestly.

One of the things I like about GoLive2.com Kraze is Playhut created gender specific worlds, one specifically for girls, called Mystikats Kutties, and a world for boys called Wowbotz. Here, children can customize their own character, design their home, pick their clothes, earn coins, go shopping, play games, and meet online with friends who are also playing online.

The only thing I did not like about GoLive2.com Kraze was kids cannot customize the ethnicity of their characters and they only have a handful of pre-made characters to choose from. There could be a little more selection and diversity in the character choices.

Other than that, parents can feel safe with their children being online and creating their own virtual world on GoLive2.com Kraze.

A Printing Workhorse

2007-10-24T16:22:00.000-04:00

We are super impressed with the Epson RX595 Photo All-In-One Printer In fact, it's so great, we really don't have enough space to tell you about all the many fabulous features of the Epson RX595, so we'll mentioned what we like the most.

First, you can easily print, scan and copy from this one unit, and if that's not enough, you can also print directly from your cell phone (with the Bluetooth adapter), digital camera, as well as from your USB flash drive. The photo quality is top notch and the Claria(TM) Hi-Definition Ink does not smudge. We know how important this is to moms, especially when our little ones like to pull our prints out of the printer with wet, grimy hands.

Here's a feature that we really like: the RX595 requires the use of individual six-color ink cartridges, so over time you only need to replace the colors that need changing, not the whole cartridge. Very smart! Read more about the Epson RX595.

Mom Blogging Makes News, Again

2007-10-24T09:12:00.000-04:00

I've noticed over the years that mom blogging news usually goes in cycles. Right now, we're in one of those cycles.

ABCNews.com ran a story about mom blogging last week called, Mom Blogger: 'It's Like We're 'The Brady Bunch,' Without Alice'.

Here are a few of the story highlights:

Dawn Meehan has stumbled her way into becoming one of the most notable and highest paid mom bloggers on the Net. She makes -- ahem -- about $4000 (*blink*blink*) a month authoring Because I Said So.
Parents magazine says there are about 15,000 mom blogs on the Net. Hmmm. I'm willing to bet it's a whole lot more than that.

Plus, mom blogging was in the Denver Post yesterday. The story is a tidy wrap-up of all that's going on in the mom blogging e-community while also mentioning that marketers absolutely love us.

There's a new mom blogging site on the Net -- the Mom Blog Network. It is officially launched as of yesterday. From what I can tell, it's pretty much like Sk*rt, except it's a syndication service especially targeted to mom bloggers.

Two New Social Networks + Brand New Mom Blogs

2007-10-22T18:29:00.000-04:00

I happened upon two new social networks that I had no idea about before today. One, called education.com is all about -- yes, you guessed it -- education, parenting and parents themselves. They accept article submissions, so if you're looking to get published somewhere, be sure to shoot them a query. They're also looking for columnists as well.

And then, there's a social networking site, Town Connect, that puts another spin on social networking. They make it easier for local groups to join, post news and exchange information on a social space.

If you have a mom blog that you would like added to our database, visit us here. Here is a small sampling of brand new blogs that have been added to TheMomSalon.com

Mama's Got a Fake ID!
Crazy Adventures in Parenting
PB&Junk
3 O's and Cheerios
Bad Momma
Military life...and Raising a two year old
Storked!

By the way, be sure to stop by Storked!, Glamour magazine's blog about single motherhood written by New Jersey single mom, Christine Coppa.

Wanna Go to Vegas?

2007-10-20T10:46:00.001-04:00

Some of the most renown bloggers and online media companies will be converging in Las Vegas on November 8-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the Blog World Expo. Billed as a convention for blogging novices and experts alike, there will be two packed days full of blogging jargon and high profile hobnobbing going on, so you won't want to miss it if you can swing by Nevada at the beginning of the month.

Visit Blog World Expo for all pertinent details and registration information.

Join Us on Utterz.com!

2007-10-16T09:59:00.001-04:00

As always I stayed up late last night bleary-eyed looking for new social networking sites to join. Sure, I could read Mashable every day, but I love the thrill of discovering something new myself.

So, today there is a new site that I really, really, REALLY think you should join. It's called Utterz and you can easily use their free features to add an audio component to your site or blog. I will be audio posting probably three times per week where I will talk about TheMomSalon.com news, featured mom blogs, as well as new social networking sites you should check out.

Below you will find my very first Utterz post. Also, be sure to send me a friend request if you sign up. I will so approve you! Let's get an audio community of mom bloggers going.

www.utterz.com

Frolicking in Environmental Awareness for Blog Action Day

2007-10-15T10:29:00.001-04:00

I'm not much of an eco-mom, tree hugger, or environmentalist for that matter. I readily admit that I am unapologetically wasteful and find myself throwing recyclables out with the regular trash. I know. I should be ashamed of myself, and in a way, I am. I have, however, gotten a lot better at trying to preserve the earth in my own little way.

There are a few subtle changes in my lifestyle as a mom that I have made of late that will help, if only minutely, to save our precious earth. Now, I only buy eco-friendly household products like dish and clothes detergent and paper products like toilet paper and paper towels from Seventh Generation.

I feel good when I go into the natural foods store with my canvas bag to buy products that will lessen the damage done to our lakes and streams. Although I can buy conventional products cheaper, I relish the idea that although I am paying more, I am ceasing to contribute to the earth's demise. That's my small way of doing my part to save the earth.

Here are some of the green products I buy on a regular basis and absolutely love. If you buy any products from these links I will donate my earnings to a charity highlighted on BlogActionDay.com.

Just a few of the environmental products I cannot do without.
Seventh Generation Dish Liquid - Lavender Floral & Mint
Laundry Liquid - Delicate Care

2-Ply Bathroom Tissue

All Purpose Cleaner - Green Mandarin & Leaf

Success Tips for Blogging Novices

2007-10-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

Congratulations on your brand new blog! As veteran bloggers we know how exciting this time is for you. Jumping headlong into the blogosphere makes you one of the hippest people on the planet right now. Welcome to our world.

Undoubtedly you have decided to blog well and to some extent become quite successful at it. Although we know success can be measured in a variety of ways, there is an easy recipe for gaining readers and becoming an influential mom blogger. Here are a few tips that we know really work.

1. Be Enthusiastic
Stop blogging right now if you only started a blog to become a part of the “in crowd”. If you do not have a real desire to be a blogger then you will burn out and fade away real fast; we promise.

Blogging takes a lot of work, creativity and dedication. Be sure to consider these factors before you write another post. Over the years, we have found that with a great attitude and an open mind you can accomplish pretty much anything you want on your blog. If you want to blog for a big time media site, then set that goal and work towards it. If you want a throng of people reading your blog each day, then make sure you work towards that end. Remember to approach your blog with a great attitude and a willingness to be open to endless possibilities because there are a ton out there. Overall, have fun with your blog, but don’t let it rule your life.

2. Stat Counters Be Damned
Some new bloggers – and we’re speaking from experience here --- tend to get caught up in the never-ending nightmare of “blog stat purgatory”. Believe us when we say – It’s not a fun place to be!

We believe every blogger needs statistics-grabbers on their blogs, but we absolutely believe that you should not obsess over the numbers, otherwise you will go batty if you think your numbers are not high enough, or if you notice a sudden drop in your readership. We are not saying don’t keep up with your stats, we’re simply saying don’t obsess over them. And, do not allow your stats to dictate your mood. Again, have fun with blogging, don’t let it toy with your emotions.

That said, we do recommend that you put stat technology on your blog. StatCounter and SiteMeter are great because they are efficient and free.

3. Comment Like a Mad Woman
If there is a blog, or blogs, out there that you really enjoy reading, be sure to comment profusely. Blogs are not stand-alone entities. They do not properly function with writers and readers with little to no discourse. Bloggers love comments, so do not be afraid to jump in on conversations or offer your opinions, advice or suggestions about certain blog posts or topics. If you do not converse with other bloggers, they will have no idea you even exist. So, go read a few blogs and comment. Go on. Yeah, right now. We’ll be here when you get back.

4. Consistency Counts
Have you ever happened upon a blog where the most recent post is about six months old? Not cool! You don’t want to be that person. Make sure you set a schedule for your blogging and stick to it. People like to read bloggers who they know aren’t going to disappear without a trace or vanish like a puff a smoke. Even if you blog only a few days per week, make sure you keep it up and make sure your posts are excellent so casual readers or your regulars will continue to come back.

There are a lot of differing opinions out there about how often you should blog. We recommend you post a new blog entry at least three times per week, otherwise you probably will not retain your readers’ loyalty. If you can blog more than three times per week – great! By all means, do so.

5. Pick an Angle, Stick With It
The best blogs out there are dedicated to a certain niche and tightly stick to the script. Political blogs will never venture out to give a review about a gourmet restaurant. And education blogs won’t delve into blogging about new car models.

Mom blogs are unique because most moms throw in a hodgepodge of information such as daily happenings, personal thoughts and feelings about certain subjects, shopping, tech stuff, their children, politics and social awareness and the list could go on. By all means, you can definitely blog under the wide genre of "mommy blogging". Simply make sure that your voice and tactic are consistent and that your own personality shines through your writing.

6. Get Involved
It is important to get your name out in the blog community as much as possible. You can do this through commenting on others’ blogs, but you can also do this by getting involved on social networks (HINT: the Mom Bloggers Club), posting on message boards, and joining blog carnivals.

All of these tips will, over time, make you a better blogger. The more you blog, the better you will become at implementing these tips into your every day routine. Be sure to let us know if these tips help you.

Mom Blogging in the News

2007-10-14T08:55:00.000-04:00

There's a great article about mom blogging in the news today. Check it out!

And "mom blogs" in general were mentioned today in a New York Times article about nanny-spying.

Christine Louise Hohlbaum's blog, Diary of a Mother, was mentioned in an AP article about traveling with the kids.

And finally, there is an excellent recap of a blogging session with some of the top bloggers in the biz. Be sure to read and learn. I did.

mom bloggers

Brand New Site Features

2007-10-12T13:54:00.000-04:00

Starting this month we will be including featured content on our homepage. This month we are running three articles that will be of interest to moms.

Important Travel Advice by Beth Holloway, author of Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testamant of Love and Faith.

Are Online Profiles Safe? by Omar Wasow, Internet guru.

Social Networking Insanity by TheMomSalon.com

If you would like to send us articles for publication or would like to query us, send us an email at editors (at) themomsalon (dot) com.

OMG, We're on MySpace and Facebook!

2007-10-11T10:09:00.000-04:00

I have been quoted as saying that I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever become a member of MySpace! There's something about all that flashing tackiness that has always turned me off. But according to the wide world of blogging professionals, if you really want to make something of yourself in the big, bad blogosphere, then having a MySpace and Facebook account is an absolute must.

So, putting my prudishness aside, I signed up and put The Mom Salon on MySpace and on Facebook. If you're there already, reach out and send me a friend request. I have to admit, these sites are a little intimidating, but as always, I am up for a social networking challenge.

TheMomSalon.com on MySpace: Visit us at http://www.myspace.com/themomsalon. I set up a blog and group for mom bloggers as well.

TheMomSalon.com on Facebook.
Here's my profile and the Mom Bloggers group on Facebook.

How to Effectively Use YouTube on your Mom Blog

2007-10-10T09:19:00.001-04:00

If there is one thing I know about myself it's this: I am a stickler for aesthetics. I love when a web site or blog is beautiful. It makes me want to read and then come back and read some more.

As a blog reader, if there is one thing I hate, it's this: lone video posts telling me to "watch this because it's so funny". Eh, no, I'll pass. I read blogs for a blogger's writing, not for viral video they want me to watch. I do, however, enjoy watching personal videos or videos like this one that are created in conjunction with a mom blog.

For me, if I see a video posted on a blog on a given day, I'm outta there pretty quickly because unless I am actively searching for online video, it bores me. But even if you want to incorporate video from YouTube, for example, on your mom blog, there is a way to do it without turning off readers -- minimize the screen.

When you embed video into a post you can manipulate the dimensions. All you have to do is change the numbers. For example the above video was originally 425 width x 350 height. I changed it to 225 x150. And then I aligned the video to the right. To do this simply type in align="right" into the code after the word "object".

In my opinion, I think this looks a lot better than a huge video screen taking up the entire width of a post. And if your readers really want to see the video closer they can always do so at the YouTube URL by double clicking the player.

Going Newsy: Add a News Component to Your Mom Blog

2007-10-09T07:54:00.000-04:00

One of the preeminent features of most blogs is news. Increasingly, bloggers jump into the arena of commenting on current events and news primarily because news, which is forever changing and always fresh, helps to fuel bloggers' writing and keep their content dynamic. When you implement a news component into your blog you benefit from posting national and global stories for your readers as well as allow your perspective and opinions to permeate your blog.

There are two revolutionary sites -- Mochila and Voxant -- that allow individuals to run content from major media outlets on their Web site or blog. The kicker: the content comes with ads. While the ads can be annoying, the benefits of publishing the content far outweighs the presence of rotating ads.

I like Voxant much, much better than Mochila because their ads are well placed. While Mocila-placed ads can be an eyesore, Voxant's articles and ads are well designed and executed.

On occasion, I will include news stories on The Mom Salon Daily. Here's an example from Voxant about a new blog authored by Beverly Hills plastic surgeons.

On the Web: Hollywood's Hottest Looks

Where Will You Be on Blog Action Day: October 15, 2007

2007-10-08T16:24:00.000-04:00

I know all too well that there are all manner of "blog days" circulating on the Net these days. They are rife, to be sure. But there is one event you should seriously consider becoming a part of: Blog Action Day on October 15, 2007.

Next Monday, thousands of bloggers will be writing about the environment and sharing their stories and thoughts about the earth with their readers. I'll be taking part here on The Mom Salon Daily. I haven't quite decided what I will talk about yet, but one thing is for sure: I will be collectively blogging with 7,000 other bloggers around the Net.

Go to Blog Action Day for more information and to register your blog.

Get Your Mom Blog Noticed on Cre8Buzz.com

2007-10-06T15:52:00.000-04:00

A week or so ago I followed a link from a mom blog to Cre8Buzz, a new social networking site that allows you to connect with people with your same interests and get noticed at the same time.

I am enjoying myself so far on Cre8Buzz and meeting wonderful, talented mom and dad bloggers who I had no idea existed. That's the beauty of social networking -- you mingle, meet, and make new friends. And to top it off, on Cre8Buzz, you have the unique opportunity to garner new traffic and potentially gain more loyal readers, thus the "Cre8Buzz" name and mission.

Cre8Buzz is finally going public tomorrow and they are looking for more people to help bolster their online community. If you join Cre8Buzz be sure to check out my profile and add me as a friend.

See ya there.

That's Why It Pays to Link to CNN

2007-10-05T09:28:00.000-04:00

I must admit, my cable news channel of choice is CNN. Whatever their market demographics are, I apparently fit them perfectly because I barely watch any other cable news channel. Occasionally I will watch MSNBC because I really like Hardball. Anyway, enough of the pointless blabbering!

I discovered yesterday that when you link to a CNN article your blog shows up in the article's blog section. When I blogged about the new MOMocrats blog I linked to a CNN article and my blog wound up linked on the article.

Check it out. But first, here's how because I don't want this post linked to the article as well. Go to my MOMocrats post. Near the end of the post, click on "catching up" to go to the CNN article. Then travel to the bottom of the CNN article and click on "From the blogs" and voila, you'll see The Mom Salon Daily linked. Cool, huh? Make sure to give it a whirl.

If you get picked up by CNN, be sure to let me know.

I'm a Sure Sucker for a Great Widget

2007-10-04T14:06:00.000-04:00

If you are a serious blogger you can literally go insane with the tremendous amount of widgets you can add to your blog. That's why you have to be selective about the ones you do use, otherwise your blog will end up looking like one huge widget disaster.

I have to say, I don't use very many widgets but when I do run into one that is quite simply da bomb, I'm all over it.

Check out the comments widget from PostReach. Love. It.

Must-Read Mom Blog: Teacher Smackdown

2007-10-04T10:19:00.001-04:00

What the heck is going on, moms? Why are so many teachers all over the country preying on our little ones who we trustingly send to school to get an education, not a lesson on how to have clandestine sex with an adult?

Anne-Marie Nichols, mom blogger extraordinaire, authors an impressive blog, Teacher Smackdown, that keeps watch over the countless teachers who have quite literally been caught with their pants down and have either been accused, indicted, or sentenced for having sex with a minor(s) or sexual abuse.

I don't know, ladies. Are more teachers preying on kids or are more kids and their parents going to authorities these days? What do you think?

Be sure to visit Teacher Smackdown. The sheer number of teachers who are having sex in school with children is downright contemptible.

New Blog: MOMocrats

2007-10-03T19:36:00.000-04:00

There's a new mom blog on the block and these bloggers are raving about John Edwards, singing his praises, and blogging to get him elected. The group blog, cleverly named MOMocrats, is authored by five notable mom bloggers like Stefania Pomponi Butler from CityMama and Beth Blecherman, the Chief Technology Mom of the Silicon Valley Moms Blog, Chicago Moms Blog and DC Metro Moms Blog.

Only a few weeks old, the MOMocrats have already made some waves landing on the official John Edwards blog. Impressive. While that's certainly great news, the moms have a lot of networking, blogging, and e-campaigning ahead of them because it goes without saying: Edwards has a lot of catching up to do.

If you're an Edwards supporter or not, hop on over to the MOMocrats and show them some love.

Photo courtesy of the Silicon Valley Moms Blog

Baker's Heaven: Delicious Tips for Having Fun with Your Family

2007-10-02T17:34:00.000-04:00

New Pillsbury® Funfetti® Premium Brownie Mix and Chocolate Fudge Frosting

The makers of Pillsbury® baking products introduces two new baking treats: Funfetti® Premium Brownie Mix with candy coated chocolate chips and Funfetti® Chocolate Fudge Frosting with candy bits. These new baking products make brownies and cakes more colorful and fun to serve!

PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES:

Extra Rich & Fudgy Flavor
Funfetti Premium Brownie Mix Comes with Candy Coated Chocolate Chips
Funfetti Chocolate Fudge Frosting Comes with Candy Bits

OTHER FUNFETTI VARIETIES:

Whipped Supreme® Vanilla Funfetti, Confetti Funfetti, Pink Funfetti and Vanilla Funfetti Frosting
Vanilla Funfetti Cake Mix
Five seasonal Frostings to make holiday baking fun and easy: Valentine, Spring, Stars & Stripes^®, Halloween, Holiday.
Five seasonal Cake Mixes to make holiday baking fun and easy: Valentine, Spring, Stars & Stripes, Halloween, Holiday.

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE:

19.4-ounce Funfetti Premium Brownie Mix: $2.19
15.6-ounce Funfetti Chocolate Fudge Frosting: $1.69

AVAILABILITY: Available nationwide in the baking section of local retailers, or use the product locator at www.pillsburybaking.com

Check out this mom blog: Made With Luv's interview with Natalie, the Cupcake Master. Made With Luv is a mom blog with stories about crafts, lifetime movies, kids and crafts and moms doing cool crafty things

Join the Superwomen Booby Brigade

2007-10-01T08:22:00.000-04:00

WHAT: The Great Virtual Breast Fest
WHEN: October 10 at 10 A.M.

If you are a mom who has any remote interest in breastfeeding, is breastfeeding, or you keep up with mom blogging news, undoubtedly you have heard about FaceBook's irrational ban on breastfeeding pictures. Innocent breastfeeding pics have been stripped down and mothers' accounts have even been permanently closed. Tsk-Tsk.

Here's the thing, though. Lactating moms don't take too kindly to people -- no matter how big they are, or how much they're worth, or whether or not they are in talks with Google and Microsoft to sell 5% of their company -- pushing them around. They push back! Hard!

An online booby brigade of superhero mothers, the League of Maternal Justice, has emerged full throttle and en masse to rally women coast to coast and around the world to participate in one of the largest online protests in support of nursing mothers' rights. They have planned The Great Virtual Breast Fest for October 10th at 10 A.M.

So, enough blabbering from me. Go join the revolution!

On the Net: http://www.leagueofmaternaljustice.com/

The Dad Saloon! What do you think?

2007-09-28T11:40:00.000-04:00

I was struck with a brilliant idea. Well, at least, I think it's brilliant. Since The Mom Salon, is a web site for mom bloggers, what do you think about The Dad Saloon for dad bloggers? I think it's brilliant! brilliant! brilliant!

But do you think it may be a bit, oh I don't know, wrong to imply that dads should be in a saloon and moms in a salon?

We want to include dads on The Mom Salon, but we don't want them to seem like an afterthought relegated to a single page deep, deep, deep in our web site somewhere. Know what I mean?

I don't know. I'm just amazed at my ability to think that up. So, in order for me to see clearly, I need feedback.

Spread this around to dad bloggers should you know any, or leave a comment and let us know what you think. We would love to know.

New Foodie Blog for Vegans: A Definite Must-Read and Must-Bookmark

2007-09-27T09:44:00.000-04:00

On a personal note, I must say that VeganYumYum is one of the best food blogs I've seen in a long time. It's been really difficult to clean up my diet because I love, eh, hamburgers, but the pictures and recipes on VeganYumYum are really giving me hope that one day I can go all veggie.

On the Net: www.veganyumyum.com

Michele Lewis Tells Us Why She Blogs

2007-09-23T16:00:00.001-04:00

Why do you blog? That's what we're asking mom bloggers.

Michele Lewis, of MamaNoggin.com, says, "I blog to become a better mother, wife, writer, consumer, cook, dresser and friend. Writing is an easy passion that flows through my blood to my fingers and onto the keyboard like waves to the shore. "

Read more of what she says and tell us why you blog.

New Collective Mom Blog: MotherVerse

2007-08-27T11:23:00.000-04:00

Over at MotherVerse, a literary magazine for mothers, they have created a brand new collective blog that talks about all things motherhood.

While you're there, be sure to buy a subscription to MotherVerse. You can buy a print or electronic yearly subscription. The editors also actively seek submissions, so if you're a writing mama looking to get published in a new publication, start typing!

Join the Mom Bloggers Club!

2007-08-17T13:35:00.000-04:00

We hope you join us over at the Mom Bloggers Club. We created it just for mom bloggers to promote their blogs and to also connect with other moms around the country and around the world. There's no better way to do it than with a social network, so we jumped at the opportunity to create one. You can create a profile, start discussions, create groups, add photos and videos. Good stuff! Plus, there are blog badges, which we happen to love and put on the side over there.

The doors won't officially open until September 1, but we would love for you to join us and offer feedback about what you'd like to see in the club and what improvements can be made.

We hope to see you there!

On the Net: www.mombloggersclub.com

P.S. Please tell all the moms you know about the Mom Bloggers Club. Thanks!! ((Cyber hugs all around!))

Take Mom Blogging Survery

2007-08-17T12:28:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite online moms, Judith Stadtman Tucker, editor of The Mothers Movement Online, is conducting a survery for blogging moms for an upcoming anthology.

She needs 1000 responses, so I hope you hop over and tell her about your view of mom blogging.

Mom Blogs About Going Wireless -- Oy Vey!

2007-08-15T14:39:00.000-04:00

I will tell you this now: I cannot go a full week without my wireless devices! Nope. I would kill over dead -- really. I admit it, I need my electronic fixes! But, seven courageous Sprint employees have agreed to go wireless for a full seven days and are chronicling their journeys online on Sprint's Speed Blog, which technically isn't a blog because we can't post comments, but whatever. Where's the conversation?

Dana, a working mom who admits to checking her Blackberry 75-100 times a day, has already blogged about the inconvenience of living without her cell phone.

(8/14) 4AM – “Pop, pop!” Huh? I awake to darkness? What time IS it? And why is my youngest shouting POP POP??? Shouldn’t she be asleep? I reach over to take a look at my phone to see what time it is and realize that my week of no phone started this morning. Ugh! Where is my clock? 4AM? Oh, no! I’m going back to sleep.

Although Dana misses her phone, she has become reacquainted with books, albeit it on CD. But my motto is: Books on tape or CD are better than no books at all, right?

Follow Dana all week to see how she's faring. It's just too bad we can't post comments to cheer her on.

The Mom Salon Magazine Coming in September

2007-08-13T12:46:00.000-04:00

With all great intentions this blog was supposed to be daily, and darn it, it will be, but only once we get everything rolling and smooth-going.

I wanted to let you know that we will be launching the very first online magazine for mom bloggers in September, and I AM EXCITED!

The Mom Salon magazine will be the essential online publication where mom bloggers can learn about other mom bloggers, learn neat blogging tricks, read great articles and essays and most of all -- get inspired.

Calls for submissions and writer's guidelines will be going up on August 15, so check back if you'd like to contribute. We can't wait to hear from you.

Wednesday's Rambling: Can I cuss on my mom blog?

2007-07-18T07:51:00.000-04:00

Cussing: Most people do it in real life, but how many are incorporating it into their blogs?

If you are a mom blogger who cusses on your blog, you must be a confident writer and understand your audience. Habitual cussing on a mom blog may limit your audience, but if done expertly it can actually heighten your blog and bring in repeat visitors. One mom blogger who is a phenomenal writer and frequently peppers her posts with profanity is Amalah. As a regular reader of Amalah.com I have come to expect profane language on her mom blog, but it accentuates her writing and lets us see more of her personality. For her, bad language is an asset, not a liability.

So I say if you can use profanity with ease and can fuse it with great writing, then go for it. Otherwise, it will probably just sound trashy.

Related blogs:

Amalah.com
Dooce.com

The proliferation of mom blogging continues

2007-07-17T15:01:00.000-04:00

A single day does not go by without someone landing on this blog or TheMomSalon.com as a result of searching for "mom blogs". That rings the bell loud and clear that mom blogs are getting more popular than ever before and, believe me when I say this: We have just started to scrape the tip of the iceberg of mommy blogging fare.

Indiana's Post Tribune featured three mom blogs on Monday. As is customary of all articles of this type, we hear about mothers increasingly talking on the Net instead of across the backyard fence. Essentially, that is what blogging has done for moms-- opened the parenting universe wider than any of us could have imagined just five years ago and allowed us to share our mothering angst and fear with total strangers and receive instant usually nonjudgmental feedback in the process. Not only is expert information right at our fingertips these days, there is personal parenting advice on most mom blogs and a plethora of unedited, raw motherhood tales only a few clicks away. Moms, it can't get much better than that.

Related mom blogs:

Adventures in Babywearing
www.adventuresinbabywearing.blogspot.com

Mama's Nest
www.mamasnest.com

Mama Speaks
www.mamaspeaks.com

Blogging about girls

2007-07-16T12:37:00.000-04:00

I am the mother of two wonderful girls, 9 and 6. They still believe they can become ocean explorers who search for giant squid or undiscovered sea life, or even become one of the best doctors or researchers in the entire world. Every time they watch a program on Discovery about ancient Egypt they believe they can break the secret of the pyramids. And when they see Venus Williams win Wimbledon, they instantly believe they too can be one of the best athletes the world has ever known. The possibilities for them are endless. Women have pushed so far in society that there are really no barriers that have yet to be eclipsed for women in America. And that's the great news.

The bad news is our girls are still faced with a plethora of challenges that are simply unnecessary. I worry about my girls growing up too fast in a society that exalts skimpy clothes and makeup for tweens. I worry about them falling into a trap of intellectual decline opting to play dumb instead of being brilliant. I worry about my daughters losing their dreams of becoming whatever they want to be in life. But above all, I mostly worry about the growing sexual messages that are targeted to little girls. Our girls deserve better!

Want to learn more about what others are doing for girls? Visit We Believe in Girls. I'll be there.

Mom blogs fuel mommy wars

2007-07-12T12:01:00.000-04:00

If there is one thing we all know it's this: When mom bloggers talk, people listen.

In today's USA Today, Sharon Jayson reports the latest study to examine the rift between working and stay-at-home mothers. According to the study, the rift is indeed widening, despite a recent article in the Washington Post dispelling the notion that the mommy wars were started by mothers as well as mom bloggers' call to end the mommy wars. Regardless of these latest efforts, the battle continues.

The interesting thing about the study is the researchers cite mom blogs as one of the social elements that keeps the flames blazing and the guns drawn on this issue. I agree, especially since I am blogging about the mommy wars right now.

Mom blogs have easily allowed thousands of mothers to weigh in on issues that otherwise would have been discussed solely at playdates or relegated to the neighborhood cul-de-sac. Because of blogging, moms are more vocal, easily heard, and are much more brazen and unapologetic about their opinions, not to mention unedited. This explosive combination is potent, thus influencing society on a much grander scale. Simply put, the mommy wars are a clear indicator of how mom blogs can and will continue to transform mothering trends and set new directions for parenting issues.

Wednesday's Rambling: Can there ever be too many mom blogs?

2007-07-11T17:36:00.000-04:00

No. At least not yet.

Sure, the blogosphere will eventually reach its saturation point with mom blogs. But, that's a given with everything, really. In time we will begin hearing heavy rumblings against overly commercialized and product-laden mom blogs. In fact, we're hearing that already. And some bloggers will scoff at marketers' attempts to use mom blogs to capture coveted disposable income dollars. We'll even get to the point when mom blogs go out of style. That is a long time away, but remember: Everything does have its season.

But until then...carry on.

* Every Wednesday I will be bringing a brief analysis about some aspect of mom blogging.

Getting to the heart of mom blogging

2007-07-10T10:01:00.001-04:00

Why do you blog? Seems like a simple question, doesn't it? Well, we know there are a myriad of reasons why moms start bloggging, fall in love with it, hone their craft and stick with it for years. What's your inspiration? Why are you a mom blogger?

Send your response to us at admin (at) themomsalon (dot) com. Please limit your answer to one to four sentences. Include your blog title, URL, and your name or blog handle, whichever you prefer. Oh, and send us a picture as well. We accept attachments.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and sharing them with mom bloggers all over the world. Here's to mom blogging. Cheers!

Mom blogging standards and rules for achieving blogging stardom

2007-07-09T17:58:00.000-04:00

Arianna Huffington, mom, entrepreneur, former political candidate, and author of 11 books, knows the fine art of taking risks in order to accomplish her goals. She also knows a thing or two about blogging and the unprecedented effect it has on news media and our current tech generation. Adweek Magazine recently sat down with Huffington to get her sage perspective on blogging and new-media.

While mom blogging is nowhere in the same stratosphere as journalistic blogging for media outlets such as the Huffington Post, as moms we still need to hold ourselves to standards that will render the mom blogging genre not only legit, but credible as well.

Without question, it is true that mom blogging gets its primary authenticity from real mom voices, and that doesn't necessarily require journalistic perfection. In fact, mom blogging thrives on moms' personal approaches to their lives as women and mothers. In that regard, brazen personalities cannot be easily tamed under an umbrella of mom blogging standards. That is not to say, however, that there isn't a defined formula to creating success as a notable mom blogger. There is certainly some rhyme and reason to the craft and for achieving mom blogging success. What elements to do you think contribute to mom blogging super stardom?

Mom Blogs Making the Mainstream

2007-07-08T15:30:00.000-04:00

There is nothing better than knowing you are a part of a growing online trend and understanding that you help influence the movement. In this case it's mom blogging, of course. Although many new-media trend watchers perpetually hear about mom blogs and even more moms of all stripes wake up every morning looking forward to chronicling their lives online, mom blogging is still quite mysterious.

One thing everyone knows for sure, however, is that blogging moms are increasingly becoming trend influencers themselves. Mom bloggers across the country are now regular product reviewers and happily accommodate giddy marketers eager to advertise to online moms.

In today's Boston Globe, Alexandra Hall decries nouveau mothering in her article, How Did Mothering Get Hip? by saying:

Just one generation ago, moms were identifiable by their unflattering clothes, nagging, and tendency to kiss boo-boos. Now they flaunt their $800 strollers, dress to flatter their milk-swollen breasts, and then jump onto their mama blogs to tell the world all about it

I agree with Hall. Some mothers are getting out of hand in the parenting arena, but that happens in every generation. There will always be mothers with plenty of disposable income to throw around on $200 infant jeans. What is new, though, is mom blogging and we are just starting to define the genre. Watch out blogosphere!

The Latest Mom Blog Network: Local Moms' Sites

2007-07-06T08:31:00.000-04:00

An entire new group of mothers' sites targeted to local mom audiences are popping up on the Net en masse. These mom sites offer a caboodle of mom-friendly features such as forums, blogs, local calendar of events, kid photo contests, and daily articles that keep moms in the know about the latest parenting news and information.

One of these new sites, RedRiverMoms.com for Louisiana mothers, offers three mom blogs with writers who blog from a regional perspective while also taking their readers on a trip through their lives as moms. Mimi Webb, the mother of four including three triplets, recently wrote about haggling over the state about insurance in order to get her son into new ADHD counseling. And Michelle Mahfoufi wrote last week about finally quitting her job as a journalist to become a stay-at-home mother.

Many of these sites are reminiscent of the popular free parenting newspapers that continue to be mainstays of communities across the country. The main difference, however, is moms have daily news at their fingertips and these sites are more conducive to generating online friendships that easily spill into face-to-face play dates and much-needed motherhood chats over coffee.

Related Sites:

Tallymoms.com
Delawaremoms.com
IthacaMoms.com

Celebrity Mom Blogs

2007-07-05T11:35:00.000-04:00

After reveling in the delights of super-bright and flaming Fourth of July festivities, I am officially back in full force to talk about the latest news and happenings in the mom blogging world.

There are a few celebrity mom blogs to talk about today. Well, I take that back. One is a celeb. The other is simply a really well-known journalist who charms millions of us each weekday morning on The Early Show. I do not think journalists like to consider themselves celebrities, so I will extend that courtesy.

Elizabeth Hasselbeck of The View will begin blogging about her pregnancy at Proctor & Gamble's Dreft.com.

"Pregnancy and motherhood are the most beautiful and significantly life- altering events that I've ever experienced," said Hasselbeck. "I find it's a thread that ties moms together. It's my privilege to share my own
thoughts and emotions with Dreft moms, and I hope that women can find support and camaraderie through the blog."

Also, Hannah Storm, anchor at The Early Show, launched her blog on June 20, 2007. Her blog will serve essentially as an extension of the interviews and video she does for the show, but she says she will also mix in her thoughts about motherhood and families.

“The blog really reflects my passion for interviewing and getting to the heart of who people are," said Storm. "That’s why I’m looking forward to writing about the fascinating people I get to interview, all the behind-the-scenes action and everyday stuff that other mom’s can relate to, like what happens at home.”

Lastly, one of the more prolific mom bloggers, Melinda Roberts, was interviewed on the UK's DollyMix.com. Mom bloggers, be sure to read her interview to learn the finer points of mom blogging.

Journalist Mom Bloggers

2007-07-02T16:55:00.000-04:00

Increasingly we are starting to see reputable media outlets create mom blogs to tap into their local or target parenting market. Great news. These mom blogs are fantastic for dispensing parenting advice and news, providing a cyber touch to what would have been daily grocery aisle conversations ten years ago, and generally giving moms something to do between changing diapers and carpool. But, these blogs will always fall short of the real mom-speak we have all come to love and read on everyday mom blogs.

Moms who blog about motherhood for their employer have to stay within strict parameters of what is acceptable online behavior and what is not. That means, we likely will not find profanity, politics, blog gossip, or any real dissension at all on these blogs, and that makes for a boring mom blog. Or, maybe that's just me.

While these media mom blogs do have their place on the Net, they are a far cry from the moms, like Dooce and Amalah, who have dominated the genre before it was even a genre at all.

Recently launched media mom and parenting blogs: Welcome to Motherhood at Pennlive.com, The Mother Load from the Lawrence Journal-World in Kansas, and (parent . thesis) at CNet.com.

Working the heck out of mom blogging

2007-07-01T14:51:00.000-04:00

Having children in this society qualifies most women for three important realities: experiencing inequality in the workforce, having to choose between working or staying at home and thriving by or terribly succumbing to a hectic schedule that would make any man cower sheepishly in a corner.

The main question, then, is do these three life factors make motherhood an asset or a liability? There are several arguments either way. For me, however, motherhood, though sometimes perceived as a severe liability in American society, can be used as a distinct advantage for many like myself.

Instead of cowering from motherhood I have openly embraced my status as a mom and have made a career of it. Nataly Kogan recently wrote in the Huffington Post about her latest entrepreneurial endeavor: creating a site for working mothers called Work It, Mom!. After asking two prominent women business bloggers to blog for her site, they both refused saying:

they feel being associated with a mommy site will hurt their careers.

While completely understandable, these moms' perspective is a little naive. The world of mom blogging is wide open and waiting for qualified voices to give it more shape beyond play dates and poopie diapers. It's too bad they were not able to recognize the tremendous opportunity.

Windy City mom bloggers

2007-06-30T13:49:00.000-04:00

Jill Asher, creator of Silicon Valley Mom Blogs, is onto something quite big: creating mom blog collectives all across the country. So far she has two under her belt, including Chicago Mom Blogs, and many more cities are in the works.

According to Asher:

"Female blogs and mommy bloggers haven't been noticed yet [as to] how powerful their voices are on the Internet," says Asher, the mother of 7- and 5-year-old girls and a human resources consultant by day. "People are starting to just pay attention and advertisers are sort of starting to catch on that these blogs get a lot of meaningful traffic for their socioeconomic group."

Source: Chicago Tribune

McMamas: McDonald's taps into mom blogging

2007-06-29T09:44:00.001-04:00

We all know mom blogging is the "in" thing in the blogosphere these days. Marketers love us. Advertisers court our dollars. And, now huge, multi-national corporations adore us.

McDonald's has recently allowed six moms from across the country into their secret kitchen to help dispel some of the negativity surrounding their food and its impact on an increasingly obese nation.
Dubbed the Mom's Quality Correspondents, these six mothers were chosen to chronicle their thoughts, concerns, and discoveries about McDonald's food in regularly updated online journals from June until September. Although these journals do not have commenting capabilities, parents can join the community and weigh in on the moms' findings.

This approach is rather unprecedented and may very well backfire. We'll all have to wait and see the outcome. As mothers, can we really rely on these mothers' unbiased assessments? After all, how can a mom say anything probing about McDonald's after being allowed into their top secret kitchen? I don't think they can or will. Thing is, I do not believe this is McDonald's main concern. I think they simply want consumers to connect their food with moms who went behind the scenes and came out happy. It is that simple.

Related Blogs:
Balanced Health and Nutrition
Chicagoist