The eMoms at Home Blog
 

Contest Update :: More Content, More Prizes, More Goodness

 

eMoms Birthday Party ContestI’ve been surprised and extremely grateful that several new people have stepped up to offer some more really great prizes for the eMoms Birthday Party Contest!

Plus, to put this all into context, next week is Search Engine Marketing and Optimization Week.

The week of April 9th, look forward to:

Prize giveaways will include

This week, get your links posted by Saturday to be eligible for winning:

eMoms Birthday Party Contest Prizes

Lastly I also want to give a shout out to Eric Giguere, who has donated a copy of his eBook, Uncommon AdSense: Tips, Techniques and Strategies for Maximizing Your AdSense Earnings, which we’ll be giving away the week of April 16th. Thanks Eric!

~~~

Remember, in order to be eligible to win the grand prize, you must be subscribed to the eMoms at Home feed. In the feed there will be a link to a secret page with the details on how to enter - don’t worry, it’s easy!

 
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Link Strategy :: Quantity vs. Quality

 

For those of you who aren’t already subscribed to Darren’s ProBlogger feed (ok, that’s probably none of you…) my most recent guest post is up today called The Ultimate Guide to Getting Lots of Link Love (and why you should care!).

 
 

The World’s Largest Blog Niche and Topic Idea List

 

Starting to Blog, but don’t know where to begin? Start here!

Below is the most comprehensive list of blog topic ideas on the planet. But the best blogs don’t focus on just one of these. They elegantly combine two or three of these topics to create a blog with an identity as unique as the writer him/herself.

If you need some help figuring out which one is right for you, read How to Choose the Perfect Blogging Topic.

Use these topics as a starting point - then put some of YOU into the idea.

Stir, pour, enjoy. Your future readers will, too. :D

Like this post? Digg it!

Academics
  • Adult Education
  • Brain & Learning
  • Campus Life
  • Colleges & Universities
  • Curriculum
  • Education Reform
  • Elementary Education
  • History
  • Home Schooling
  • Homework Help
  • Librarians
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Multicultural
  • Reference
  • Research
  • Scholarships/Loans
  • Special Education
  • Vocational

Animals

  • Animal Rights
  • Breeding
  • Pets
  • Species
  • Research

Arts & Entertainment

  • Acting
  • Anime
  • Architecture
  • Artists
  • Books
  • Comics
  • Creative Writing
  • Dance
  • Games
  • Movies
  • Photography
  • Performance Art
  • Poetry
  • Radio
  • Television
  • Trends
  • Visual Arts

Blog Resources

  • Advertising/Monetization
  • Development/Coding
  • Plugins
  • Templates
  • Tutorials
  • Writing

Business

  • Career & Jobs
  • CEOs
  • Copywriting
  • Design
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Home Business
  • Human Resources
  • Marketing
  • Outsourcing
  • Project Management
  • Public Relations
  • Reference
  • Research
  • Sales
  • Small Business
  • Training
  • Unemployment

Communications/Personality

  • Advice
  • Debate
  • Humor
  • Multimedia
  • Photo Blog
  • Podcasting
  • Video Blogging

Computers

  • Hardware & Software
  • Privacy
  • Security
  • Tutorials

Crafts

  • Crochet
  • Beading
  • Ethnic Crafts
  • Fabric Arts
  • Glass Arts
  • Home Decorating
  • Jewelry Making
  • Kids Crafts
  • Knitting
  • Leather Work
  • Mosaic
  • Needlework
  • Paper Crafts
  • Pottery
  • Scrapbooking
  • Sewing
  • Soap Making
  • Spinning
  • Stamping
  • Weaving
  • Woodworking

Environment

  • Activism
  • Ecosystems
  • Environmental Education
  • Global Warming
  • Green Living
  • Industry
  • Nature
  • Weather

Events

  • Business
  • Conferences
  • Event Planning
  • Local
  • Niche
  • Recreational Events
  • Seminars
  • Web Events
  • Weddings

Food & Drink

  • Baking
  • Cake Decorating
  • Dining
  • Entertaining
  • Healthy Eating
  • International
  • Organic Cooking
  • Recipes
  • Wine

Health/Well Being

  • Addictions & Recovery
  • Allergies
  • Alternative Health
  • Breastfeeding
  • Coaching
  • Dieting
  • Disabilities
  • Diseases
  • Fitness
  • Genetics
  • Healing
  • Infertility
  • Medicine
  • Meditation
  • Men’s Health
  • Mental Health
  • Personal Care
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Stress
  • Smoking
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Women’s Health

Home & Garden

  • Antiques
  • Construction
  • Interior Design
  • Gardening
  • Holidays
  • Home Repair
  • Homemaking
  • Landscaping
  • Kitchen & Bath
  • Organizing
Internet
  • Blogging
  • Internet Marketing
  • Programming
  • Social Networking & Media
  • SEO/SEM
  • Web Design
  • Web Development
  • Web 2.0

Industries

  • Advertising
  • Agricultural
  • Architecture
  • Automotive
  • Broadcasting/Media
  • Finance
  • Government
  • Health Care
  • Industrial
  • Insurance
  • Investing
  • Law & Legal
  • Lending
  • MLM
  • Packaging/Paper
  • Property Management
  • Publishing
  • Real Estate
  • Telecom
  • Textiles
  • Trucking

Music

  • Artists/Bands
  • Awards
  • Composition
  • Genres
  • History
  • Instruments
  • Lessons
  • Lyrics
  • Notation/Chords/Tabs
  • Regional
  • Reviews
  • News/Gossip

Personal

  • Children/Teens
  • Family
  • Journal
  • Parenting
  • Personal Development
  • Relationships

Politics/Government

  • Civil Rights
  • Commentary
  • International
  • Legislation
  • Lobbying
  • Military
  • Peace
  • Presidential Studies
  • Terrorism
  • War

Pop Culture

  • Beauty
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion
  • Gossip
  • Popular Brands & Products
  • Television Shows
  • Trends

Religion/Philosophy

  • Denominations
  • Ethics
  • History
  • Metaphysics
  • Schools of Thought
  • Spirituality

Science

  • Anatomy
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Astronomy
  • Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Genetics
  • Geology
  • Oceanography
  • Physics
  • Research
  • Zoology

Shopping

  • Books
  • Cameras
  • Clothing
  • Coupons
  • Children’s Products
  • Fashion
  • Fine Living
  • Gadgets/Tech
  • Gifts
  • Home Decor
  • Music
  • Office
  • Reviews

Society/Culture

  • Adoption
  • Charity
  • Civilization
  • Community Development
  • Controversy
  • Criminal Justice
  • Death
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Family Issues
  • Feminism
  • Genealogy
  • GLBT
  • Men
  • Mythology
  • Seniors
  • Social Security
  • Violence
  • Volunteering
  • Urban

Sports/Recreation

  • Competitions
  • Gaming
  • Outdoor Recreation
  • Hobbies
  • Individual Sports
  • Leisure
  • Martial Arts
  • Memorabilia
  • Motorcycles
  • Pro Sports
  • Pro Teams
  • Racing
  • Sporting Activities
  • Sporting Events
  • Sporting Goods
  • Sports Heroes
  • Team Sports

Technology

  • Cameras
  • Communication Devices
  • Companies
  • Electronics/Gadgets
  • Engineering
  • Innovations
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • News
  • Tools

Travel/Places/Local

  • Camping
  • City Guides
  • Destinations
  • International
  • Vacations
 
 

Two More Google Analytics Tutorial Videos

 

Ian Lurie from Conversation Marketing has posted two more Google Analytics tutorial videos. A lot of you mentioned to me that his first four videos were extremely helpful.

So, all in one place, for your viewing and stat crunching pleasure…
Google Analytics Tutorial 1: Setting Up
Google Analytics Tutorial 2: Essential Stats
Google Analytics Tutorial 3: Digging Deeper
Google Analytics Tutorial 4: Goals
Google Analytics Tutorial 5: Search Analytics
Google Analytics Tutorial 6: Visitor Segmentation

 
Learn Affiliate Marketing from Rosalind Gardner
She Raked in $436,797 Online in One Year!
 

To Business Plan or Not to Business Plan, That is the Question!

 

Julie Lenzer Kirk

Julie Lenzer Kirk and I met recently because we were both finalists in the 2006 Stevie Awards. Julie is super-savvy and smart, and writes for some seriously cool publications, including Working Mother. I was absolutely thrilled she submitted this post on a topic I get asked about once a month!

A Business Plan is intended to answer the question “how will I execute my business concept?” Many people ask “Do I really need to write a business plan?” My stock answer to this question is: you need a plan for your business, but whether you actually write it or not depends on a couple of factors: why you’re writing it and who it is for.

The top reasons people write a business plan are:

  1. To get money from outside investors, a business plan competition, or even savvy friends and family. This option usually requires the most formal approach to writing a business plan. The key here is to know who your audience is and what they will be most concerned about. For example, an outside investor wants to know when they’ll make their money back and how much they will get back. For competitions, it is important to follow their outlines and requirements.
  2. To attract employees or high-profile partners. When people go to work at a small company, they are most often doing so because they believe in the owner or the idea. A business plan can help communicate the owner’s vision of the company and show future stakeholders that you are serious and have thought through your idea fully.
  3. To convince yourself that this business is worth your time. If you are going to put your most precious, valuable and scarcest asset - your time - into a business opportunity, don’t you want to make sure it is the right one? And for those of us who have a significant other, we may also need to convince them we’re serious. Having a business plan shows that you have thought through how the business is going to work and that you are serious about making it successful.

The first two in the list are generally the most often cited reasons by business owners for needing a business plan, leaving #3 as a thought that has never occurred to many. Writing an informal business plan that is not shared with anyone and kept to yourself serves to convince you that you are spending your time (and likely your money) wisely. Even if you go through the process and the business plan never makes it off the white board (like one of mine did!), it is time well spent for the following reason:

The process of research and critical thinking that is required to write a business plan is a good exercise for any business. If you ask (and successfully answer!) the right set of questions, you’ll be better prepared for what lies ahead and more likely to be successful in your endeavor.

_________________________________________

Julie Lenzer Kirk is an award-winning entrepreneur and mother of two. She is the author of “The ParentPreneur Edge: What Parenting Teaches About Building a Successful Business” (Wiley, July 2007) and provides workshops, consulting and keynotes to empower women into entrepreneurship.

 
 

eMoms Birthday Party Contest - Grow Your Business with ShoeMoney & eMom!

 

On April 29th, this blog will be one year old. I’ve spent countless hours building this site into an inspiring resource for home based bloggers and internet marketers who want to take their business to the next level.

So what better way to throw a birthday bash than to create an opportunity for all of you to make more money, get more traffic, and have more fun with your online business?!

eMoms Birthday Party Contest You may see some familiar resources to the left. The presenters at the recent Elite Retreat are offering up their expertise to help eMoms at Home readers celebrate and profit for the entire month of April!

This is not an ordinary blog, and these are not ordinary prizes. Every single prize will help you grow your blog or business.

PRIZES INCLUDE:

- 5 copies of Joe Vitale’s book on Mastermind Group success Meet & Grow Rich

- A FREE copy of the #1 Ranked SEOBook donated by Aaron Wall

- A FREE Premium subscription EarnersForum donated by Lee Dodd

- A FREE ticket to SOBCon in May donated by Liz Strauss (I’m speaking there)

- A $500 Coupon off of an Elite Retreat ticket (Orlando in May, anyone?)

- The *Grand Prize* is a FREE phone consultation with Jeremy “ShoeMoney” Shoemaker and myself to talk specifically about how to grow your blog or business

- Special ‘SURPRISE’ prizes along the way - I have more up my sleeve!

Updated goodies from super-cool people ::

In other words :: Every few days, you can win something that will help you grow your business.

So what do you have to do to win an eMoms Birthday Party Prize?

  • Every person who links to this blog in the month of April automatically:
    • Gets the coupon code to get $500 off of an Elite Retreat ticket
    • Gets entered to receive a copy of Meet & Grow Rich
  • All other prizes except for the Grand Prize will be given away on an ongoing basis. So you had best subscribe to the eMoms feed or check in frequently so that you don’t miss these announcements.
  • In order to win the Grand Prize consultation with ShoeMoney and eMom, you will have to subscribe to the eMoms at Home RSS feed (via a feed reader or via email) - the details on how to win the Grand Prize will only be announced to subscribers.

And to ensure you enjoy your time reading the content from this blog, the entire month will be dedicated to my absolute BEST content on growing your business, with additional tips and tricks from the Elite Retreat presenters themselves.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you for contributing to the success of this site - and I’m honored to share this special anniversary with you - you mean so much to me!

*The fine print: I reserve the right to add to or change this contest as long as it is congruent with the original prize values stated. You needn’t stay subscribed any longer than you want to, but you do need to be subscribed in order to win the prizes as stated. Links from Splogs won’t count. You must have a way for me to contact you on your site so that I can deliver your prize if you win, too.

If you don’t own a blog, but do have a web site, you can still post a link to this site to enter - just PLEASE send me an email with the link to your page, because Technorati won’t track it automatically.

 
 

Monday Motivation :: GTD!

 

Monday MotivationWell, I must admit that for the last few weeks, I’ve been overcommitting on my own Monday Motivation Meme. But we’re still diving in today to get our things done!

Last week was NUTS with the kids on spring break - and I know several of you poor parents out there are NOT in sunny places and stuck at home trying to get stuff done this week as well. My heart goes out to you!

So here’s how Monday Motivation works (and you’ll need this if you need a little kick in the pants to be productive today):

  • Throw up a comment on this site or a post on your own site with your To-Do list for today. Everything you say you’re going to do you must do. Or you’ll have to pay…
  • …The consequences, leverage, etc. - post what will you HAVE to do if you don’t get your stuff done.

And here we go… for example:

  • I commit to clearing out my inbox (I say this *every* Monday and somehow I wish I could stay on top of this better!). This week it’s not so bad at only 112 emails. But I know that most of them require a rather lengthy response, so it will be a lot of work.
  • I commit to doing 4 loads of laundry in between it all.
  • I commit to getting my super-secret announcement up by 1:00pm CDT today. >:)

And if I don’t get this stuff done, I will (YEUGH!) spend 4 hours doing yardwork tomorrow, unless it rains, in which case I’ll do the same on the very next available day without rain. (Last week I threatened to cut my hair and I committed to too much. I was up until 2:30 am to save my long locks! ;) )

OK, everyone - what are YOU going to do today?

 
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Today is the Last Day to Get $50 Coupon for Yahoo Search

 

Since I’ve been diving into PPC (Pay Per Click) search a lot more lately, I found out a little late that Yahoo is discontinuing their $50 coupon for new advertisers as of the end of day today. Tomorrow it goes down to only $25. This is only good for self-serve (but they have lots of help tools) and you have to kick in $5 of your own money to get it started.

But $50 in FREE highly targeted search engine traffic is a killer way to learn PPC - I’ve grabbed mine and I hope you read your fave blogs on Saturdays so that you can get yours too! :D

*Here’s the link to the $25 Coupon now that the above link has stopped working.*

 
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Super-Secret Announcements Next Week - Get Ready!

 

You want to pay attention to this notice:

I have a BIG announcement to make next week. Two of them, in fact (at least I hope I can spill the beans about the second one, I’m waiting for a green light on that!).

What’s the special occasion?

Well, the eMoms at Home One Year Birthday is coming up in April.

And what better way to celebrate it than by offering up some amazing things to the people who have contributed to the success of this site?

Oooooooohhhh, there’s SO much going on behind the scenes around here! ;)

 
 

Why Blogging for Others Helps you Spread your Wings

 

Glen Allsopp

The response to the eMoms at Home guest blogger series has been incredible. But none of these talented and great authors can compete with Glen Allsopp in regards to how far he’s come at the young age of 18! I’m thrilled to offer him this opportunity to spread his his own wings here on this site!

Seeing people like Wendy Piersall offer you the opportunity to make a post on her blog should be enough for most people to open up their favourite text editor and get writing, however, there’s a large majority of people who think that people asking for guest bloggers is partly lazy on the behalf of the official blog author, but that’s not always the case. To keep things simple and flowing I’m going to look at two sides of the story, the benefits for the blog and the benefits for bloggers.

So, what does the blog get out of it?

  • Unique content that has not required them to do any work
  • A blog post on something the official author has not been able to write upon or may have little knowledge on the subject
  • The chance to ‘show-off’ new people in the industry and be respected for giving people a chance

Believe it or not, people don’t look for guest bloggers or ‘allow’ guest bloggers just because they have nothing to write or they have ran out of motivation. These people are likely to be experienced bloggers who are used to writing daily and on numerous topics so the above bullet points certainly apply.

Well, what does the blogger get out of it?

  • The chance to write to a new target audience
  • The ability to test their writing styles and post-types to a reader of different interests and often to more people
  • A form of ‘credibility’ that is given to them after being recognised by a new community reader base

I like to think of a blogger writing for other blogs as a chance to spread their wings, give them new people to aim their content and ideas at to see the response, something they may not get from their newly created or less active personal ventures. Get the attention of the blog reader-base and even the main author and you may even be invited back to do more posts. The exposure to a large reader base can build your networking connections and not only that but also build your recognition in the industry.

_____________________________________________

Glen Allsopp leads a team that offer Search Engine Marketing services, blogs about the latest news and tips on various blogs about Marketing your website for increased traffic and visibility.