Stylish Home $100 giveaway‏!!!

I am very excited to announce that The Etsy Blog Team has decided to work with Stylish Home to offer our team members the etsy-love-team-contest chance to win $100 The best part is that all you need to enter is a blog, which we all already have.

Stylish Home is a site that offers products from multiple vendors and catalogs online (including Etsy).

You can choose everything from bedding, to lighting, to home décor.
They have launched a new feature called Idea File It is a way for users to create a whole room idea all on one page.  You can select your color palate, style, room, items, and save them all to the idea file, then share it with friends.
Because it is new, Stylish home is looking for some feedback, and that is where we come in.
They are offering a $10 in the form of an Amazon gift card to the first 10 team members to sign up (its free) Then everyone who creates an idea file and uses the blog widget to attach it to their blog, will be eligible to win the grand prize $100 Amazon gift card, and you HAVE to be an Etsy Blog Team Member to enter. 

How cool is that?
The contest will officially start on Monday 20th so make sure you register after that time. 
Step one:
Create an account on http://www.stylishhome.com/


Step 2:
Browse the site for items that you love, and click the little green button to “add to idea file”



Step 3:
Create your idea file using the new idea file button, drag and drop the room, colors and items that you want to use. You can create color palates by clicking “Create a different Color Palette”


This opens the Color Editor.



Step 4:
Save and share your Idea file.
Step 5;
Use the html code provided to post your idea file widget in your blog or embed it in your sidebar (this is cool because if you plan ahead, you can actually choose colors and items that match your blog layout.)

Last Step:

Let them know you have created one by using the Feedback link at the bottom of any StylishHome page. In the Subject Line, enter “Etsy Love Contest”. In the “Message” area enter the URL to your specific blog page where the “Idea File” has been posted.

That’s it, you are in the running.  The contest will run for 2 weeks.  At the end of the contest Stylish Home will select one blogger from our team to issue the grand prize to.
This is a great way for new bloggers to get some outside exposure,  as well as experienced team members to ad something new.

Here is a quick video tutorial as well on setting up your Idea files.  Let me know if you have any questions, I am excited to see what everyone makes!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U04Dn72WEBM
And make sure you check out the official contest rules and FAQ’s  here
http://www.stylishhome.com/etsy-love-team-contest

Thank,
Mitch (J.Crabbit)

3 Blogging Mistakes by Sonya Kanelstrand

3 Blogging Mistakes by Sonya Kanelstrand 

Running a successful etsy business always means much more work than you originally bargained for. After creating your items and setting up an online store you soon face the next challenge - marketing your work, and what better way to promote it than by doing so on your own blog, where you set the rules, the tone and the whole experience depends on you!

Quite often though, the willingness to quickly achieve results is not enough and the mere signing up for Blogger or Wordpress is not a guarantee that you will make it in the big virtual world. It takes effort, perseverance and inspiration to make your tiny space on the Internet resemble your home and attract new friends.

In an attempt to save you some efforts and open up time for more creativity, I will tell you 3 of the main areas of blogging mistakes that tend to slow bloggers down in their quest for followers and popularity.

1. Design
2. Socializing
3. Consistency

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1. Design
The thing bloggers tend to overlook most often is design. In blogging it’s not only words that matter, it is the whole package. Take care to present your musings with style. Stretched photos, bllinking etsy minis and unmatching colors speak bad not only for your blog but they extend to your creations on etsy as well.

Make sure that your blog is enjoyable and visually pleasant without being over the top. If you want to insure yourself against the case of unattractive design try to look at your blog through the eyes of an unbiased reader. If you can’t detach yourself emotionally, ask your friends or family to take a look and tell you what they think.

As far as the actual posts are concerned, illustrate them! Everybody loves some eye candy and on blogs the bigger the better. According to research, a post with several photos keeps the reader longer on your page. Here is an extensive list with places to find free photos for your blog posts.

Organizing the information on your blog will help you make it user friendly and you will save time for your readers. Organize your most important information in the top section of your blog because that is the segment that gets the most views. Also, take off any widgets that slow the loading time of your blog.

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2. Socializing
Blogging is in the first place a way to socialize but many bloggers forget that and wonder why they can neither attract visitors nor keep them. Ask questions at the end of your posts - you will be surprised how quickly your comments will increase. Use the comment form - reply to the comments you receive. With time your readers will learn that you like discussions and will start coming back to read more.

Visit the blogs of the people who have left you comments and return the favor. BUT take the time to leave meaningful comments and write from your heart. You will not build a fruitful blogging relationship based on flattery and false praise. Be sincere and refrain from commenting if you have nothing positive to say.

Don’t ignore any emails you receive from blog readers. Treat them like your etsy customers - with care! Reply in time to earn respect and trust.

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3. Consistency
Many bloggers believe they need to post only when they really have to say something, leading to inconsistent posting schedule. Build a blogging schedule and follow it. There is no need to officially post it on your blog. It is enough that you know it and follow it. Following a schedule is good not only for building credibility, it is also good for you, because with time it will help you organize your creative writing and save time.

Following a writing schedule is a way to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself, which means only one - you are developing and growing wiser. At first you will feel strange but once you get used to it you will feel that scheduling is more of a help than a nuisance, your posting ideas will get channeled and you will be more inspired than when relying on sporadic outbursts.

It is vital that you post on a regular basis - at least three times a week for a start. Bloggers who seldom update their blogs loose their readership because in the Information age people easily find another source of inspiration. Strive to be interesting and versatile. Don't be afraid to experiment this is the only way to find your true style.

Consistency also has to do with your blog’s topic. Determine your field of expertise and dig on! Once you determine your main topic, go ahead and follow it, share more information from that field from different perspectives, not just yours. Follow blogs and websites that can widen your horizons and can give you ideas for more blog posts.

It doesn’t matter whether you started blogging out of curiosity, or because you read in the etsy forums that having a blog will help promote your brand. It is more important that you got the bug of social writing and you are now on your way to self discovery through words - yours and others.

The truth is that we learn as we go and there is nothing wrong with that. It takes hard work, research and consistency to become successful in any area of life. Take every life challenge one step at a time and you will be surprised when you turn back and see how far you have reached by simply following yourself!

You can find Sonya here:

Blog: http://blog.kanelstrand.com/ 

Etsy Shop: http://www.kanelstrand.etsy.com/ 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kanelstrand

Thanks,

Etsy Blog Team!

How to Make Money Blogging!

Now that you have learned how to beautify your blog, How to find your Niche, How to Link within & How to schedule your blog posts… And we have many many more useful articles to come!

Today we are taking about how to “Make Money Blogging”

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Have you thought about that yet? remember my last post about finding your Niche? Here is a tad bit again: 

Know the Purpose of your blog! Is this your personal blog? Or Business? Are you wanting to make money from your blog? Or do you plan on making money in the future?

1.Google AdSense is a free, simple way for website publishers of all sizes to earn money by displaying targeted Google ads on their websites. AdSense also lets you provide Google search to your site users, while earning money by displaying Google ads on the search results pages. This is a wonderful way to earn instant money online. All you require doing is to sign up AdSense. As soon as you do this, Google will help you. It will place ads in your blog. These advertisements are relevant to your blog. {Tutorial on this soon}

2. Sidebar Ads/ Sponsors: This is another simple way to earn money!! If your blog is brand new and just starting you should consider accepting sponsors for FREE. Then, When your views get higher and you get followers on your blog you can can start charging. Etsy Shop Owners, This is a great way to get your product out there!!!  Now, The price part is a bit tricky so I would tell you what you should charge but I will give you Examples:

• 100 Followers / 1000 Monthly views : FREE or $5.00
• 300 Followers / 2000 –3000 Monthly views: $10.00
• 400 Followers/ 4000 - 6000 Monthly vies: $15.00 – $25.00
• 500 + Followers / 7000-9000 $30.00  - $35.00

And so on… Remember that this is just an Example and you should decide on what you feel confortable with!

3. Sponsored Post/Product Reviews: Companies will contact you with promotions that they would like to share with you.They will also ask you if you are interested in reviewing their products. In this situation there are 2 things that you could do, Post it on your Blog for FREE {I will usually do that if I have received a product to review} or you could set a standard rate in your blog and charge the sponsors.

Examples:

• Sponsor Spotlight : http://www.karinaschallenge.com/2011/08/sponsor-spotlightdelta-labs.html
• Non Review Post: http://www.karinaschallenge.com/2011/02/fridaygiveaway-sponsor-spotlight.html

4.Affiliate Programs: This requires a bit of work and it can be a slow start.The run down is that’s companies will pay you a percentage of the sales they make based on how many readers click on the links and purchase their products! Here is a list of Affiliate accounts {I will soon post about each affiliate in a different post}:

• Escalate Network: Their offers are Coupon.com ads, Vista Print, JC Penney, and Many More! I would sign up for this one because you could start making money right away click HERE!
• Blogvertise: Make $10-$20 per sponsored post. Here is an example post: http://www.karinaschallenge.com/2011/08/doing-my-makeup-like-hannah-on-pretty.html
• More to come Soon!!!

5.VERY IMPORTANT: Stay true to who you are and what your blog is about! Don’t post about a Pet Product when all you write about is Recipes. Your readers will notice it! Never Undercharge yourself because a “Big Company” says that they don’t have a lot of money. NEGOTIATE! I think that this is the Main key when talking Money!

6. Create a Media Kit for your Blog! I will also create a post on this soon, as this is very important to have on your blog.

Please let me know if you have any questions about this post!

Thank you,

Karina & Etsy Blog Team!

How to find your Blogging “Niche”

What is your Blogging Niche? Do you have one yet?

Here is the explanation for the word niche :

Generally, a niche is a special place within the scheme of things. It sometimes denotes the function or position of a thing within a structure. Niche is an English word of French origin. A niche can also be a situation or an activity perfectly suited to a person. A niche can imply a working position or an area suited to a person who occupies it. Basically, a job where a person is able to succeed and thrive.

Finding your Niche:

Finding your blogging niche should be the first and foremost thing which a Blogger carefully considers before starting a blog. This is very important if you are blogging for financial profit.Ideally a Blogger should choose a topic or niche he is knowledgeable and passionate about. Also, a Blogger should consider the direct competition as well as the purpose of creating the blog before stating the blog. {Source}

For Example some of the bloggers categories out there are: Lifestyle,Crafts,Etsy,Geek,Mom Bloggers,Photography & Etc..

Here are 5 Steps to help you find your Niche:

1. Follow your Passion! Write down topics that you would like to talk about, grab a pen an paper and list 20 or so activities and Hobbies that you like {Crafts,Photography,Cooking}.
2. Narrow down your List! Would you be happy if working on this was your daily job? Do you have any particular skills or knowledge in that field? For Me, Love to write! It makes me happy! So I will write on my blogs for as long as I can.
3. Accessing the Competition! As a mom Blogger myself, I can assure you that there are a lot of other “Mom bloggers our there”. That doesn’t get me down, It just make me want to succeed more and more with my blog. It makes me want to be Unique! To Write my own content and in my own way. I advise you to do the same!
4. Know the Purpose of your blog! Is this your personal blog? Or Business? Are you wanting to make money from your blog? Or do you plan on making money in the future? {Coming soon a post about how to make money blogging}.
5. Still Don’t have a Niche? Not a problem! I know a lot of successful blogs that write about something different everyday! There is nothing wrong with that! Its your Blog so make it yours and write about what you are passionate about.

EX: Karina’s Challenge is about my Bucket list and Goals in Life, So in that case I don’t focus on one subject only. It always changes depending on what my bucket list or Challenge is about.

So in conclusion, What is your Blog Niche? We would love to know!

Thanks,

Karina & Etsy Blog Team!

How to Link Within – Step by Step

When I first started blogging I remember visiting a blog that I really liked and was wondering how they got the “You might also like” saying bellow every post with links to 3 different posts like  this picture :

I figured out how to do it and added it my blog. The other day someone asked me If I could do a tutorial on this, and here is is! Just follow the steps bellow and you will soon have this on your blog too!

1. Start by going to Link with in's website : http://www.linkwithin.com , it will look like the picture bellow:

2. To the bottom right of the screen Type all your blogs information like so:

When you are done click on Get Widget! And follow these simple steps:

1. Click Install Widget to open Blogger in a new window, and follow the steps below in that window. Login to your Blogger account if necessary.

2. Select a blog if you have more than one, then click on Add Widget.

3. (Optional) For better performance, Drag and Drop the LinkWithin box under the "Blog Posts" box.

4. Click on Save.

And you're done! The widget should now appear on your blog.

If there is a technical problem with the widget, visit our support page

NOTE: The quality of recommended stories will improve once we complete our crawl of your blog. This may take up to several hours, depending on the number of stories in your blog.

Try it out! Let us know if you have any questions!

Thanks,

Karina & Etsy Blog Team

Coming Soon!!

Hey There Etsy Blog Team Readers!! 


I wanted to write a quick note to let you all know that we are coming back soon! I have some great Posts in the works and will post them soon... We are going thru some changes right now!


So thank you for staying & Reading!


-Karina

Jany Claire – Blog of the Week!

The Etsy Blog Team is all about teaching our members how to improve their blogs...but we also love to promote and showcase the beautiful blogs of our talented members!  That is why we will be featuring a member every week!  During that week, you will find a link the featured member's blog in our sidebar.  We want your to be motivated and inspired by our featured bloggers!  One day, maybe you'll be featured!
So without further ado, we are pleased to announce this week's featured member.....

Jany Claire

Here's what the author has to say...

Tell us a little about yourself...

I'm just an ordinary girl who likes all the same stuff that most other gals do: fashion, decorating, reality tv, crafting, travel, etc. I don't have the patience to scrapbook but oddly enough I somehow have the patience to sit and blog, spending hours writing and tweaking it. I suppose it's because a blog is variable, because I don't have to glue something down to one spot forever. I guess that's just a perfect metaphor for my life.

Tell us about your blog...

I have always loved writing and have found a great outlet in blogging. I'd classify my blog as a lifestyle blog focusing on: fashion, entertainment, crafting, home renovation, travel and just anything that's going on in my life.
I guess the essence of it would be that it's a blog about an "ordinary girl having an ordinary day". The point being that I'm just like everyone else out there, that I'm not anymore talented, artistic or exciting than the next gal because ultimately when it comes down to it I think that everyone is interesting and talented and has something to share with the world. That's the beauty of blogging. Regardless of where we come from, no matter how we were raised or what religious or political beliefs we have, we all ironically have the same hopes, needs, fears and desires.

What gets you motivated to blog?

I am a freelance marketing and social media writer so I work from home and have the time to write and manage my blog but I still definitely go through periods where I have writers block and it's tough to work through those times. I usually don't try to push it and give myself a few days off to regenerate. I've realized though that just like writers block I also have periods of prolific writing, when ideas and words just come pouring out of me. Those are the times when you need to just go with the momentum. Write down every idea, write entire posts if it's coming that easy to you and build from there. When you come across another tough writing period you'll hopefully have a trove of ideas to fall back on.
What tips do you have for other bloggers?

As most bloggers will tell you- always be yourself. That's what makes your blog interesting to others. They want to hear your point of view, your take on the world. Sometimes I doubt myself and think that no one could possibly care about what I'm doing or thinking, that other people are much more interesting and exciting than I am. It's easy to fall into that thought pattern. That's when I realize that I've let it get to my head, that I've suddenly stopped writing for me and instead am trying to write for others. If you always come from a place that is authentically you, you'll have no doubt about yourself.
A few other points... spelling, syntax and great photos are very important factors too!

Do you have any favorite blogs or websites?
I'm always on the look out for new blogs. I generally read home decorating/renovation and style blogs but I also love reality TV and photography so I search those out as well. A few of my favorites are:
Renovation/design:
younghouselove.com
Style:
adoredaustin.com
Photography/lifestyle:
kellehampton.com

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?
Most all successful bloggers say that they never, ever thought their blog would be anything other than just a venue to log their thoughts and share photos and stories with family and friends. I think this is testimony to the fact that successful blogs are those that speak honestly and from the heart without any sort of profit in mind. People recognize this, relate to it and will ultimately respond to it by becoming a follower/reader.

Why We Love it:

Beautiful Design with a Lovely Header! She talks a little bit about everything, shares great tips.Very consistent with her post and always something new. Besides,she tells you about the TV and gossips around {Who doesn’t like that?} We hope you've enjoyed this week's featured blog.  You may be next!

EtsyBlogTeam