Choosing Your Blog Topic - and Making Money

Choosing your blog topic is easy.

Choosing a blog topic that will make you money..... not so easy.

Here are some tips.

#1) Write about something that you enjoy. I put this first, because... well, it's 4:58 am right now, it's important to me to be excited and WANT to write in my blog. I have several blogs and each morning I pick which topic I feel motivated to write about. Why did I pick this topic... Well, I enjoy looking for new ways to make money from home.. and I enjoy sharing that information. My friends are a little tired of me constantly trying to tell them about these great opportunities... so, that's where you come in... my extended circle of friends! :)

#2) Write about something you know. Let's face it... I may enjoy airplane rides... but I don't really know ANYTHING about airplanes. This also ties back into writing about what you enjoy, you are going to have to do a certain amount of research. Perhaps googling your topic in the morning to get ideas... or checking other industry specific resources... Unless your topic is your family... or (in my sister's case) her backyard garden... then you may have to do some research

#3) Third party content. I never thought about this when I first started blogging, but my readers are happy that I eventually did... Sometimes I access third party content that is related to my topic... it gives that particular entry the different voice that is required to keep people interested. Of course, you have to have permission to reprint someone else's materials, but if your topic is popular there will be other means for putting together the daily entries that are required to keep your blog popular

#4) Popularity. Many blogs are found by chance... if your topic is too popular, you will be buried pages and pages down from the initial search, if your topic is too obscure, very few people will be searching for it... It's a fine line, start with doing some searches of your topic. Go to Blogcatalog.com and see what the most popular blogs are being written about...

#5) Affiliates. As I've pointed out before, a great way to make money with blogging is by attaching affiliate advertising to your blog. These are links that will pay you a percentage if someone clicks through and purchases the product. There are a couple of different ways to locate affiliates in your topics... and I will go over them in a later article, but for a sneak peak at some popular affiliates you can go to www.sharpstarters.com a page devoted to "Money Making affiliates"

...yawn... only 3 more blogs to go! I love this job.

Have a great day!

Does that make me a bad mom?

How many times a day have you taken a little short cut in parenting... perhaps left the jelly off the peanut butter and jelly sandwich... Turned on the TV at night instead of a night light... and allowed them to pour a bowl of cereal instead of the usual eggs, toast and orange juice for breakfast...

Here's my problem, I feel like I'm trying my best, but I wonder if I really am.

Recently my older daughters teacher seemed to imply that I wasn't doing enough in several basic areas of my daughter education and upbringing. She wanted me to be more organized, less messy and to spend more time with my oldest doing flash cards.

I'm going to focus on the messy for now, because the whole spend more time with flash cards after 6.5 hours of school, then another 40 minutes of homework, is making my eye twitch.... So, about me being unorganized. Unorganized is a nice word for Messy...AND..... I AM MESSY.

When I say I am messy.... I mean, I am a reality show's dream. I am so messy, I am in denial... I watched "The Messiest House in America" and actually compared my house... with comments like, "Oh, My livingroom doesn't look like that" or "Atleast my bathroom isn't gross"... Yes... yes, I hear myself. I understand that most people were just thinking "Eeeewwwwwwww" or "Yyyyyuuuuuccccckkkkkkk"... while I am convincing myself that my house is nothing like that.

Actually, I'm just being funny, although I did think those things... the problem with the Messiest house in America is that is was also the dirtiest... and my house isn't dirty. I can see the whole floor in any given room atleast once a week. It's just keeping things put away that is our struggle. No one, including myself, puts anything away.... until it's cleanup time.

That's why I implemented "chore day" . The kids pick chores out of the hat... then do that chore. I have found that as long as each chore involves water somehow... they are all happy!

Now... while I'm writing I have had an epiphany... I am the perfect person for a new show called "The DIY, Self Help, Reality TV Bonanza" and it goes a little like this:

I could use the "Dog Whisperer" to help with my dog, "What not to Wear" to help with my nonexistant wardrobe (you must have read the Saga of the Wrangler Jeans post), "Clean Sweep", or "Clean House" with Neicy... and perhaps.... dare I declare.... I could use a little "Super Nanny", to help keep it all together when it's done. AND while I'm at it... it probably wouldn't hurt to win a million bucks.... hhhmmm.... not quite smart enough for "Who wants to be a Millionaire" maybe I could be a survivor someplace for the week that they are organizing my house, training my dog, and instructing my children on how to behave... AND... here's the bonus... I'll return from the week away much thinner, having only eaten bugs and worms... so I'll be in great shape to go to the city with "What not to Wear".

and...... and..... and..... after all this... I'll be a celebrity, so I can go on "Celebrity Rehab" to try to kick my blogging habit! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Not buying it?

OK.

So, my house is messy, my kids a tad unruly, my clothes 20 years outdated... or should I say, undated... and my dog nearly pulls my arm out when walking and another dog comes into view... but all in all.... it's not bad.

I have three fantastic kids that periodically shock me with their kindness and thoughtfulness (this morning I received a hand written poem from my 7 year old, a handmade fork windchime from my 5 year old (real forks.. ha ha ha) and a big hug from my 4 year old)

Life is good!