There’s no mistaking it. Moms have an impact in the blogosphere. And a lucky few, like Dooce, are turning it into the main source of income for their family.
But are these “Mommy Bloggers” who you think they are? You might be surprised to find out there’s more to being a Mommy Blogger than one might think.
Here are the top ten misconceptions about Mommy Bloggers and the truth behind them revealed.
10. Mommy Bloggers just write to get free stuff
This is probably one of the most common misconceptions and unfortunately some of the biggest culprits of this are the PR people pitching the free stuff in question. However, I think as both mommy bloggers and PR professionals start finding a common ground with one another, we’ll see smarter pitches to Moms. The result? Better return on investment for the companies that offer the free product.
9. Blogging is considered a hobby by most Mommy Bloggers
For some, sure, this could be the case. But there are many more reasons why Moms blog, including: offering support and creating support networks for those dealing with illnesses, tragedy, and strife; to build a brand around a business they are launching; to offer product reviews to other parents looking for information; to educate others based on their own experience about adoption, autism, living simply, being more green, and a myriad of other topics. The majority of Mommy Bloggers aren’t simply dabbling for fits and giggles.
8. Mommy Bloggers only write about baby-related topics of conversation
If this was the case we’d see a turnover every year with lots of Moms dropping out of the blogosphere once their babies become kids. Once a mom, you’re always a mom. Some of my favorite Mommy blogs are written by Moms of teenagers. Even though I have a three-year old I can still relate.
7. Mommy Bloggers make tons of cash
Yes, there are a few Mommy bloggers that are raking in the dough as a result of their hard work on their blogs. However, this is not the case for the vast majority. Which brings me to the next common misconception about Mommy Bloggers…
6. Mommy Bloggers don’t make any money at all
While it is true that a lot of mommy bloggers aren’t profitable. There are a significant number of Moms that blog that are turning it into a source of income. My prediction is that more Moms will translate the skills honed and refined through their blogging into lucrative writing, marketing, and product spokesperson gigs.
5. Mommy Bloggers are uneducated, lack creativity, and don’t take writing seriously
This misconception couldn’t be further from the truth. A lot of Mommy Bloggers are former professionals who have decided to spend more time with their kids and blog to keep those business, marketing, and writing skills sharp. And those who don’t have a college degree or a professional background? The creativity and writing chops some of them bring to the table would put some Ivy Leaguers to shame.
4. Mommy Bloggers only make headlines when they stir up drama
This is one of my favorites. Let’s face it…when you put a bunch of passionate, opinionated women in one room, drama is almost unavoidable. Even moreso when that “room” is the internet. A lot of people think of the whole “Motrin Moms” debacle when they think about Mommy Bloggers making headlines.
However, Mommy Bloggers are also making headlines for their best-selling books (Alexis Martin Neely’s Wear Clean Underwear is one example), their charitable contributions (Blog Action Day), and their accomplishments (@SoCalMom was featured in People magazine for the weight she lost using the Wii). So yes, Mommy Bloggers can make waves but it’s not only when they’re witchin’ and moanin’ about an issue.
3. Every Mom that blogs loves being referred to as a Mommy Blogger
Actually, because of the misconceptions we talk about here, a lot of Moms that blog cringe when they are referred to as a Mommy Blogger. There are quite a few moms that blog but really don’t touch on motherhood in their blogs at all. Many blog about fitness, business, advertising, travel and while they are Moms…it’s not the focus. Moms are women before they embark on motherhood and being a mom and having other interests aren’t mutually exclusive.
2. Mommy Bloggers will do anything for free as long you promise traffic in return
This is one misconception that continues to plague the blogosphere. A lot of large companies sign on Mommy Bloggers to take on the role of publicist, evangelist, marketer, and video spokesperson with the huge promise of “tons of traffic and exposure” in return. Sadly, in most cases, the Mommy Bloggers are actually sending more traffic the company’s way when it’s all said and done.
As Mommy Bloggers (and bloggers in general) become more savvy about the return on investment they offer I expect we’ll see more push back on this. And we’ll also see those that offer a high level of influence equity vs. traffic equity being able to illustrate that return on investment that would make Nielsen ratings swoon.
1. Mommy Bloggers are frumpy women that hang out in their sweats all day
One of the best things about the web and social media is how much great information is written and produced every single day. If you’re a regular reader of blogs, you probably come across great articles that you just want everyone to know about. But what’s the best way to share these posts?
Luckily, there’s no shortage of ways to spread the word. Blogs, social networks, instant messenger, and mobile phones are some of the many ways to let others know about the best content on the web. Here are our 20 favorite ways to share a great blog post:
Sharing Via Social Media:
1. Using Twitter to Tweet and Share: Perhaps the fastest and most effective way to share a great blog post is through Twitter (
). Sharing or retweeting a link in Twitter can spread like wildfire. Use a URL shortener such as tinyurl or bit.ly (
) to shorten links to fit within 140 characters.
2. Posting to Facebook: Sharing a blog post on the world’s largest social network is as simple as going to the Facebook () homepage and posting a link.
3. Digg it: Not only will you help bring that blog post one step closer to reaching the front page of the news site Digg () (which will spread it even further), but all of your Digg friends will see it as well.
4. Post on MySpace Profile: Don’t forget about the world’s second largest social network when sharing your favorite articles. Post the link to your MySpace (
) profile so your friends can enjoy it too.
5. Posting to LinkedIn: Some blog posts are worthy of being shared by your business network on LinkedIn (). Post a link to the Network Updates area in the homepage.
6. Stumbling on StumbleUpon Stumble the post! StumbleUpon () is a favorite network for discovering fun websites and useful information, so make sure that you give the post a thumbs up. The StumbleUpon Toolbar is the easiest way to Stumble.
7. Bookmarking to Delicious: Delicious () is great for not only sharing posts, but for helping categorize blog posts for others to find. In addition, you can import your delicious bookmarks to Facebook, FriendFeed (), and other social media websites.
8. Sharing on FriendFeed: The social media aggregator FriendFeed has a vibrant community who love to share videos, links, and pictures. Use the FriendFeed bookmarklet to quickly share a good blog post to FriendFeed.
9. Adding to Reddit: Reddit () is another great social media site for sharing and voting on articles. It’s quick and easy to submit a link
Sharing Via Blogs:
10. Reblogging Great Posts: Blogging about a great article is one of the best ways to engage with the topics being discussed. Post a link, write some commentary, and share it with all of your readers. And don’t forget to share your own blog post as well!
11. Sharing via Google Reader: Google Reader () has a great feature for sharing blog posts. If you use Google Reader as your news reader of choice, all you have to do is click the “share” button at the bottom of blog posts to share it with all of your Google () friends. You can also add notes and comment as well.
12. Posting on Tumblr or Posterous: If you want to share something via a blog, but don’t want to write a full blog post about it, there are great options for that as well, primarily Tumblr () and Posterous (). They are the quick and easy versions of full-fledged blogs, ideal for posting about pictures and blog posts.
Useful Tools for Sharing
13. TwitThat: TwitThat is one of the quickest and easiest tools for sharing blog posts. It will post to your Twitter quickly and easily. Just add the bookmarklet to your browser toolbar and click it whenever you come across a great post.
14. Shareaholic Firefox Extension: There are a lot of great social networks where you can share a great post, but who wants to visit Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn to share a post? If you are a Firefox () user, then install Shareaholic, an extension that goes on your toolbar. It provides quick links for sharing to all of the major social networks.
15. Ping.fm: If you’re a busy person, you might not have time to share on all of these social media websites. Isn’t there an easy way to share a blog post everywhere, all at once? Ping.fm () links to all of your social networks and sends your updates to LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, to any other website you wish to link to it. You can even update from your instant messenger. It’s the perfect solution for those who like to share content all over the web.
Other Ways to Share:
16. Emailing: Email has always been a good way to share articles, especially with close friends and family. Although it may not reach as many people as Twitter, it will definitely reach anyone who isn’t as deep into social media as you are.
17. Texting: Did you know you that many blogs, including Mashable (), support sharing an article via text message? Look out for the ShareThis button (three green dots connected by lines) under blog posts and select the “text” option. iPhones and mobile browsers have made it easy to read links sent by texts.
18. Changing IM Statuses: You probably have dozens, if not hundreds of IM contacts. Share great posts with all of them by changing your IM status to a great post you just read or wrote.
19. IMing a friend: If changing an IM status seems too impersonal, then just IM your friends the link. You can then have a fun chat about the blog post.
20. Talking to Friends: If you don’t have a computer handy, then don’t forget about the analog approach – call a friend or tell him or her over coffee about a great blog post you read. You can always send the link later if necessary.