threelilprincesses.com

Tag: Aussie Mummy Bloggers

  • #MumBlog: Join the free Mum Blogging MasterClass

    Join us as Three Li’l Princesses, the University of Tasmania Cradle Coast Campus and ConnectPink host the Mum Blogging Masterclass on Monday from 2-4.30pm. It’s a chance for those of you who want to learn about how to start a blog and connect on social media to gain some tools to get you started. In the second session, there’ll also be service providers on hand to discuss how, once you’re online, you can connect with relevant services.

    Simply click on the link below at 2pm on Monday and join the conversation (we welcome any questions you have from home). Feel free to come and go as you please. We’re all mums, so we understand that children come first.

    If you have an iPhone you can also download a free app to use with the blog at the iPhone app store or on www.coveritlive.com

    If you would like to learn more about blogging after the session, be sure to follow the blogging series happening on Mum PR at the moment.

  • What Dolly Parton taught me about blogging

    What Dolly Parton taught me about blogging

    At 7.20am I’m speaking about the Mum Blogging Masterclass on ABC Radio, so I thought it fitting I have a post on blogging today. I wanted it to be of mammoth proportions and, really, how could you go past blogging lessons from the Queen of Country, busty blonde Dolly Parton.

    Not that Dolly is a blogger. I know. I Googled. She does have a community blog, but I didn’t learn anything other than what it takes to create a good Dolly Parton collection. Frightening stuff.

    Dolly Parton

    What Miss Parton has taught me is this lesson:

    “Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, scare the hell out of ‘em and then go home’’.   Click to tweet

    Basically, what I’m saying is: “be entertaining”. I’ve tried to adopt this mantra into the blog. I’m not sure I’ve always succeeded though. Especially during those horrid sleep-deprived months when I couldn’t differentiate between what I posted on the blog and what happened in my dreams. There was a scary moment once when I thought I’d posted a 1000-word spiel on my love for Australian cricketer Mark Waugh. Seriously, I don’t want to be admitting that sort of thing in public.

    I do hope that over the past few years I have occasionally:

    Made you laugh: When life goes bottoms up
    Made you cry: A father’s tears
    And scared the hell out of you: Read this and you will never speed again

    I often wonder if we’re moving mountains on this li’l blog with educating, entertaining and informing you about some elements of parenting – or at least how to make pretty birthday cakes. If we’re not, then I’ll just leave the mountain moving to Dolly, who’s doing a darn fine job of it on a daily basis – and I’m sure her back is paying for it too (I know, you saw that one coming, right?).

    Do you have a blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that’s made you laugh, cry or scared the hell out of you? Feel free to share.

  • Come join the Mum Blogging Masterclass

    Come join the Mum Blogging Masterclass

    I can finally let the cat out of the bag…

    This li’l ol’ blog is playing a part in hosting the Mum Blogging Masterclass next Monday from 2pm to 4.30pm.

    Mum Blogging Masterclass

    It doesn’t matter whether you can get to the University of Tasmania’s Cradle Coast Campus in Burnie on Monday or not, because we’ll be live blogging from the event right here on Three Li’l Princesses and UTas will be tweeting from its account @UTASCradleCoast.

    Here’s how the afternoon will pan out:

    2.15‐3.00pm: A session from myself and and ConectPink Editor Angela Carey on how blogging, Twitter and ConnectPink can act as a catalyst for social inclusion through the creation of social networks.

    It’s an opportunity for those who struggle with BookFace and Tweeter to experience firsthand the benefits of blogging and social media. It’s about assisting those mums who find themselves staying at home most days on how to better communicate with the outside world. As mums, we all have a limit on how many times a toddler can ask you the groundbreaking question: “but why?”.

    As I have said before, it takes a village to raise a child. Problem is, nowadays we barely know our own neighbours and our parents are working later into life. Those networks we once relied on aren’t there. This is where blogging, Facebook and Twitter have enabled mums to feel reconnected and supported. They no longer feel a sense of isolation and loneliness. Especially when bub is crying at 2am and you don’t know what the heck to do – there is nearly always someone in the same situation online eager to help. The neighbours are generally not quite as nice at 2am!

    It can also be an avenue to professional support, educational opportunities, stepping back into the workforce or even starting your own business (and yes, I am proof of that).

    3 – 3.30pm: Afternoon tea break ‐ mingle, chat and relax. Well, I probably won’t be!

    3.30 – 4.30pm: A “chat room” on education and training opportunities, child and maternal health and access to government services. This will be a roundtable style discussion on the need for people to get professional advice and not just `‘rely on the internet’’. Do NOT Google what that small lump on your toe is. Trust me! Eight community service providers and the all-female Tasmanian ALP Senate team are confirmed to attend to provide insights into these three areas.

    That’s right, you have direct access to all these people to ask questions and put forward ideas on things that matter to you as a mum.

    If you can’t be there, follow and contribute to the sessions on  www.threelilprincesses.com and on Twitter via @UTASCradleCoast and the #mumblog Twitter hashtag.

    You’re more than welcome to leave comments here, email me on kellie (at) threelilprincesses (dot) com to ask a question anonymously or head to the blog on the day and post your comments as part of the live blog discussion.

    Learn more about starting a blog.

  • 6. #BloggingPrompts: Make the most of guest posts on your site

    6. #BloggingPrompts: Make the most of guest posts on your site

    Blogging Prompt Guest posts

    After last week’s blogging prompt on opening yourself up to guest posts, a few questions came in, including from Cie and Rhonda, about how to go about pitching to potential guest bloggers and then how to make it work.

    Here are my tips:

    • Pitch to bloggers where the opportunity is mutually beneficial. If you’re a business, for example, maybe look to another mum in business whose blog style is in a similar vein to you and has a similar sized social media following. It’s a great way to help each other out and build each other’s followings.
    • Some bloggers provide guidelines for guest posts, which can make it easier to manage. This can include things like ideal post length, ideal number of images, how many links you’re willing to offer them in the post and what format you like to receive the post in. This prevents any niggling problems down the track.
    • Let the blogger know when their post is going live in advance. Send them a link if you’re able. I would suggest once you’ve scheduled the post, to put the link into bit.ly and share that link with the guest blogger. That way you can both track how much traffic came to it and from where.
    • Once it’s live, make sure to share it on all your social media platforms. It’s good etiquette for the guest blogger to do the same, but many come into blogging unaware of this, so a gentle reminder in your blogger guidelines, and maybe within the context of an email, can help. As mentioned, this is about helping grow each other’s blogs or sites.
    • Likewise, with comments left on the post, it’s generally accepted that the guest blogger will respond – after all, it’s their story they’re sharing. However, you may need to give them a gentle prompt on this. You are welcome to add to the conversation as well, of course.

    You never know, but it may be the start of a relationship where you’re able to continually support each other’s endeavours with future social media shout outs, blog posts and business or blog support. It’s certainly opened up some wonderful relationships for me.

    Do you have any other suggestions to add to the above to make accepting guest posts run smoothly?

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  • 4. #BloggingPrompts: Share what you’re good at – you may be surprised where it leads

    4. #BloggingPrompts: Share what you’re good at – you may be surprised where it leads

    #BloggingPrompts

    When I first started blogging, I undertook Problogger’s 31 Days to Build A Better Blog. As part of that, Darren asked readers to start a series. I decided I’d do mine on how bloggers could gain media exposure. Being a journalist, I thought that was an easy one for me to do.

    Little did I know it would springboard into my own business (Mum PR) where I now work with a team to do PR, social media, blogger outreach, writing, marketing and media management for various clients. You just don’t know who’s reading!

    What could you explore on your blog? What are you good at that has business potential? Go on, we’d love to hear it!

    This mini post is part of a regular microblogging series, #BloggingPrompts

  • 3. #BloggingPrompts: Write a PR or brand pitch letter

    3. #BloggingPrompts: Write a PR or brand pitch letter

    rejection

    I was asked if I would be willing to show an example of a blogger to brand pitch letter. I thought about writing up a blank one to give you a bit of a guide.

    However, to be honest, I nearly pulled my hair out 18 months ago trying to find something a little more concrete to help me. So, I’m giving you a REAL pitch letter that I send to brands – just taking out some names. I also modify this for PRs too, especially if there’s a particular brand they work with that I like. I’ve also found this pitch changes slightly every time I use it and is now so far removed from the original.

    Basically, before I share the pitch,

    The format is:

    1. Introduce yourself and give them just a little background on who you are and what your blog is about. Don’t go overboard, but do “sell’’ yourself.
    2. Tell them why you want to work with them – do you use their product, have you experienced their service before, did you hear about them via a friend, can you see how their product would help you or your readers?
    3. Tell the brand what you want and what you’ll do for them in return. Give them an example of what you’ve done for other brands if you want to.

    Blogger-brand collaborations need to be mutually beneficial – and don’t forget your readers! – Tweet this!

    So, onto

    My pitch letter:

    Hi (insert the person’s name),

    I’m a former Tasmanian journalist who started the mum blog Three Li’l Princesses. It’s a follow on from a successful long-running Mum’s the Word column in The Advocate newspaper, which reached 90,000 readers. The columns were last month launched into an eBook and promoted through The Advocate and the blog. 

    Three Li’l has also received national exposure through an interview with Australian Associated Press (AAP).

    As part of the blog, we run the My Tasmanian Backyard series, which highlights family-friendly tourism experiences and services throughout the State (https://threelilprincesses.com/thepalace/my-tasmanian-backyard/). We have mentioned (your business) before, but not in great detail (include a link to that post). (Include a line about your history/connection with their business. Why you love them). 

    We’re putting together a My Tasmanian Backyard feature on (your area) and wondered if you were interested in being part of that? 

    We will write a post of 200-300 words with images and links to your site about our personal experience (with your business), all with our trademark humour. In return, we ask if you would be able to provide (whatever it is you want them to provide to help make the experience possible). 

    I have a strong and very engaged audience of brand savvy mums on the blog, as you’ll notice from the comments section – not to mention Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest. 

    Here’s an example of what we did for (insert an example that will show them what you’re going to do for them). We’d be happy to discuss a giveaway as well, if you’re interested. 

    Let us know if this is a possibility and how we can go about organising it.

    Take care
    Regards, Kellie

    That’s it!

    What do you think? Could you pitch a brand or PR for your blog? Or, if you have already, what sort of success have you had?

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    Click the image below to learn how to make money from blogging in this 7-day mini course

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