Parent Blogger News

Britmums Live announces new speakers

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Britmums live speakersJanuary saw the Britmums team announce some more great speakers for BML16.

  • Nienke Krook, The Travel Tester, will be talking about how she developed her Pinterest account to gain more than half a million followers and sharing her secrets to make the most of pinning.
  • Sophie Bush, from mywarehousehome.com, will be speaking at the Creation Inspiration session which is devoted to hearing from innovators who have had a dream and turned it into a reality. She’ll talk about how she transformed an idea for a blog into a gorgeous print magazine and collaboration projects with British designers.
  • Julie Creffield, from The Fat Girls Guide to Running, is a blogger, author, entrepreneur and plus-size athlete. Through her blog she inspires thousands of women from all over the world. Her Too Fat to Run campaign challenges perceptions about health for larger ladies, moving the conversation away from its focus on weight loss and instead towards activity and wellbeing.

You can read all about what the BML team have lined up on the Britmums website and tickets are still available for £79.99 each. Don’t forget to check out our round up of the best blogging conferences for 2016.

Download our ‘Before & After’ Post Checklist

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The Before & After Blog Post Checklist - 13 Jobs you should be doing when you publish a new post.Blog Post ChecklistEvery blogger knows that writing a post is only half the job. It’s often all those little tasks that come next that determine how successful that post will be.

We’ve all kicked ourselves days after publishing a post when we realise we’ve forgotten to do something or we’ve missed an opportunity to make the most of that piece.

A checklist is a great way to remind yourself of all those little jobs and make sure you don’t miss any. We’ve put together our own checklist of pre- and post-publication essentials as a little thank you to our newsletter subscribers. If you’d like to download a copy then you can subscribe via the box on the right and you’ll get the link to the PDF (including a low colour, printer friendly version) in your confirmation.

We’d love to hear what your publication routine includes. Leave us a comment below or tweet us @pbloggernews to share what you do and we’ll tweet out our favourites under #BlogChecklist.

The Before & After Blog Post Checklist - 13 Jobs you should be doing when you publish a new post. The Before & After Blog Post Checklist - 13 Jobs you should be doing when you publish a new post. The Before & After Blog Post Checklist - 13 Jobs you should be doing when you publish a new post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Britmums giving away a Caribbean family holiday

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caribbean holiday competitionBritmums have a great holiday competition at the moment. In partnership with Elite Island Resorts they are giving away a Caribbean holiday for a family of four, tempting hey? All you need to do to enter is comment on the competition post (find it here) sharing which resort you like to go to and tweet to  @BritMums and @EliteIsland using the #EliteIslandFamiles hashtag. Entries need to be in by midnight on 31st January 2016 so be quick so you don’t miss out.

Blogging Conferences 2016

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Blogging conference 2016

For those of us who work from home, a blogging conference can be the highlight of the year. A chance to meet up with other bloggers we normally only chat to virtually, learn something new, make more contacts with brands and PRs, even get the inside scoop on ‘the next big thing’ and most importantly, leave with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and dozens of ideas for where to take your blog next.

Even with all that in common each conference has its own unique character so it’s always worth giving some thought to what you want to get out of an event when deciding which one to attend. Do you want one that’s specifically for parent bloggers? Are you looking to learn, socialise or network with brands? Here’s a round up of what 2016’s conferences should hold to help you choose.

Blognix Retreat – 27/28th February, Northamptonshire – from £195 (including accommodation, dinner and breakfast)

Blognix took a break in 2015 but is now back for 2016 with a focus on intermediate and advanced blogging skills combining business with creativity and wellness. You’ll have a chance to enjoy the spa or some yoga as well as attending sessions. Taking a holistic approach to blogging, talks range from ‘Accounting for Creatives’ to ‘Self-care for Success’.

Blog On – 1st May, Manchester – £40

Blog On is one of the newer conferences, medium sized and a fairly informal affair with a low ticket price, aimed at parent or family lifestyle blogs. The sessions tend to have a more interactive ’round table’ format with lots of opportunity to ask questions. The brands involved are all actively looking to engage with bloggers and you’ll have plenty of time to meet them and talk about how you might work together. Blog On is also known for their massive goodie bags. You’ll find loads in there to share and write about after the event.

Blogcamp – 21st May, Birmingham – Free

The Tots100 team usually put on a couple of Blogcamp events each year. The first in 2016 will be a return to Birmingham. Always a comparatively small event, tickets tend to go quickly, but you can add yourself to the waiting list if you miss out. Usually only one or two sponsoring brands are involved with the focus being on the teaching sessions which tend to cover a wide variety of topics, both technical and creative. Don’t expect freebies and goodie bags but then the tickets are free. The agenda is not normally available before the day so you won’t know exactly what you’re getting but that’s quite in keeping with the relaxed fun atmosphere that keeps even old hands coming back year after year.

Blogtacular – 18th June, London – £160

Another new kid on the block, Blogtacular is all about creativity, design and inspiration more than the technical and business aspects of blogging and is aimed at a variety of blog niches, particularly lifestyle, interiors, beauty and photography. As well as the day itself it also includes a ‘photo walk’ the day before.

Britmums Live – 25th June, London – £79.99

The size and breadth of BML which includes the Brilliance in Blogging (BiBs) Award ceremony really makes it the daddy of them all. You’re guaranteed big name brands and a great range of different conference sessions. This year’s change to a long day format still leaves plenty of time for socialising. The sheer size of the event could make it a bit overwhelming for newer bloggers attending on their own but the ‘Britmums Butterflies’ are on hand to give everyone a warm welcome.

Funfest – 10th September, Northamptonshire – £39.99

Specifically aimed at parent blogs and reviewers, Funfest combines conference sessions in the morning with more of a brand exhibition in the afternoon with a strong focus on toys and preschool products. It is a particularly ‘family friendly’ event with up to 3 kids welcome to come along for free with each adult ticket.

Blogstock – Sept? London – £TBC

Spread over a weekend, it’s outdoor location with sessions in tipis and marquees makes Blogstock more festival than conference while still covering everything you’d expect in terms of content for bloggers of all types. A 2016 event hasn’t yet been confirmed but it would be a welcome bit of variety for the blogging calendar.

Mumsnet Blogfest – November? London – £TBC

Blogfest is known particularly for it’s interesting and occasionally controversial panel discussions. One of the larger events with a good range of different sessions, many of which look at the wider social context in which we blog as well as the practicalities. This is the blogging conference for you if you’re looking for some top class speakers from the worlds of media or politics and a thought provoking day.

A Cuppa With Becky Goddard-Hill

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Today – A cuppa with Becky Goddard-Hill

cuppa with Becky Goddard-HillIf there’s one thing bloggers are great at it’s a good old natter over a cup of tea and a hobnob. Everyone has a different story of how they got started and what they have planned and we all love to share so we thought we’d make it a regular feature. Pull up a chair for a cuppa with…

Becky Goddard-Hill

Hi Becky Goddard-Hill, thanks for joining us. Why don’t you start by telling us a bit about your blogs?

I have 5 main blogs. Baby Budgeting and Family Budgeting cover budgeting, parenting and family life, Thrifty Home and A Beautiful Space cover interiors and Emotionally Healthy kids is a new venture for me getting back to my social work/psychotherapy roots supporting children with their emotional well being.

How to afford time off with your kidsWhat first inspired you to start blogging?

In 2009 I had a book published by Random House  How to afford time off with your baby, part of the publishing deal was that I would begin a blog in order to raise my profile and support the book. I soon realised how much I loved blogging and that actually this could be an alternative career for me that fitted beautifully around maximising my time with my children. I have never looked back.

What have been the high points of your blogging journey so far?

I had my eyesight permanently fixed thanks to a blogging opportunity and we have had some amazing holidays including a lovely holiday in Portugal last year.

I won an award for best thrifty blog at the MADS in 2013 after 5 years of being a finalist and my best blogging buddy Chris Mosler presented it. That was a pretty fabulous moment.

I think the work I have done as an ambassador for SightSavers is what I am most proud of though. Supporting their campaigns through my blog makes me so happy.

My bloggy pals rock and have been an important highlight of my blogging journey.

What do you find hard about being a blogger?

Sometimes I find sitting in my kitchen writing on my own all day quite lonely, thank goodness for facebook groups! I also find it quite tricky not knowing what I am going to be earning form month to month which can make me a little anxious.

What are you excited about doing with your blog right now?

I have just opened an online shop on my A Beautiful Space blog selling stationery, books and homeware. I am so excited about it!

beckys shop

I have also just put on a new theme on all my blogs as they were looking a bit dated and it has helped me fall back in love with them. My plan over the next few months is to really focus on all those old posts that I never SEO-d properly (there are 100’s!) and they need sorting out. I finally feel I know what I am doing (well..most of the time).

I am also wondering about embracing youtube and making more vlogs. I feel I should but it all rather terrifies me. I am not very technical!

What is your top tip for a new blogger?

Ooh, can I give 3?

1)      Find a group of lovely supportive bloggers, whether through Tots100 or Britmums, facebook groups or via twitter. It can hugely help to have a virtual community to give you advice, feedback, listen and share opportunities with you. As well as making useful workmates blogging friendships are a wonderful thing. Some of my best friends are other bloggers – not many people in the ‘real world’ quite get what I do.

2)      Be the kind of blogger YOU want to be – If you want to make money or bare your soul, be informative or share your latest outfit, it really is okay. Your blog is your business don’t feel you have to fit in or follow the crowd or bow to popular opinion. Be you. This is your space.

3)      Be proactive –  Opportunities come to those who seek them. Ask questions, make connections, join linkies, make enquiries. You’ve got this and I wish you the best of luck with your blogging journey!

Becky Goddard-HillThanks for taking part Becky, grab yourself a custard cream.

If you’d like to follow Becky Goddard-Hill, as well as her blogs you can also find her on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.

Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers we’ve had over for a quick cuppa.

How To: Publish your blog on Kindle

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Publish your blog on Kindle


Many of us have had a Kindle for a while now but you might not have realised that you could get blogs on it, let alone that you can publish your blog for free and potentially make money from people subscribing to it. There’s a few Kindle Parenting Blogs already if you want to check them out.

People can have all your posts including pictures and links sent automatically to their Kindle to browse at their leisure on a train or while bungee jumping or whatever floats their boat. It will cost the princely sum of 99p a month of which you will get 30%. Don’t get me wrong, this will not make you a fortune. In fact I doubt it will keep an average blogger in biscuits. However it costs nothing to do it other than half an hour of your time and with the first two weeks subscription being free you’d be surprised how many kindle readers will give it a go.

If you’d like to give it a go you’ll need to:

  1. Set up a Kindle Publishing Account
  2. Add you blog by filling in the online form
  3. Publish it allowing Amazon a couple of days to verify the blog
  4. Confirm the details for payment

Even if you’re not remotely techy, it really couldn’t be easier so do head over and have a go. My top tips would be:

  • Pick a decent image for your listing rather than a screen shot as the form suggests. It looks much better and people are more likely to click on it.
  • You can pick up to three categories for your blog to be featured in so don’t confine yourself to the mummy blogger’s natural home of Lifestyle & Culture but think about also selecting some of the others like Humour & Satire or News, Politics & Opinion.
  • Once published, add some relevant tags to help people find your listing.
  • Let the people who already read your blog know they can get it on their Kindle and you’d love it if they’d consider adding a review on Amazon.

Don’t forget to check out the Parent Blogger News Pinterest Boards for a collection of advice and tutorials to help with all aspects of your blog and you can subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any posts in the future.

BlogCamp Birmingham sells out in record time

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blogcamp news cropIt looks like BlogCamp Birmingham will be just as popular as it’s predecessors with all tickets selling out in record time when they were released last week. With plenty of disappointed bloggers the Tots100 team have set up a waiting list (which you can find on Eventbrite) and have already released an extra 20 tickets. As usual the team haven’t released an agenda for the day but I’m sure it will live up to expectations.

Competition Time – February

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Blog competitions
Blog competitions have become an unexpected perk of blogging for many of us. Everyday there’s a new opportunity to win anything from a sample of a new soft drink to a family holiday and often they take nothing more than a mouse click to enter. Of course, they can also be a big driver of traffic, talk about win-win!

Parent Blogger News will be taking over the Yellow Days Competition Time Linky from February so if you run blog competitions then do come and share at the beginning of each month. There’s no need to link back to PBN (although if you want to point people in this direction then the more the merrier!), show a badge or anything like that. The only rules are that the comp must close during that month and you enter the details in the format ‘dd/mm – prize’ (for example ’12/02 – £25 John Lewis Voucher’) so that people can immediately see what the end date is and what they can win.

So without further ado, here’s the linky for comps closing in February. Good Luck!


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