IBA Board Member Audrey Humaciu of That Recipe uses just a few simple ingredients to whip up this easy Sausage and Mushroom Pasta Sauce for a hearty flavorful meal for your family in less than 30 minutes. This pasta sauce was one of the best I have ever had if I do say so myself. And it was just thrown together without a recipe with what I had in the kitchen. I resisted the urge to add any spices to it, relying solely on those in the … [Read more...]
Bloggers Can Make Money Working with Local Businesses
Some bloggers specialize in promoting local businesses (like IBA Member Felicia from Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley). But most of us think of larger national or regional businesses when we think of sponsors, promotional products and other business relationships for our blogs. Last year I realized that local small businesses are a vast untapped resource for bloggers. Why didn't I think of that? I posted a photo of my Community … [Read more...]
5 Tips for Coping with Nicotine Withdrawal
Coping with the physical and psychological effects of nicotine withdrawal is arguably the biggest challenge to quitting smoking. IBA Member Debbie D. from The Dog Lady's Den, a former carton a week smoker, offers some great tips and encouragement for those that are ready to break the habit. I started smoking at the age of 12. This was back in 1967 when it was considered grown up and sophisticated. We were vacationing in Travemünde, on … [Read more...]
Easy Photo Backdrops to Make Your Blog Photos Pop
To make your food and craft items stand out in your photos, you need a good backdrop. IBA Member, Audrey Humaciu of That Recipe and Munofore gives you plenty of ideas for photo back drops that you probably already have in your house. You do not need to spend a fortune to have photo backdrops that make your creations stand out in your blog photos. Before you spend any money, look around your house for some of these items to make your recipes … [Read more...]
Dinner in 20 minutes: Garlic Butter Shrimp
IBA Member Audrey Humaciu of That Recipe shares this flavorful Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe, a quick and easy dish that can be served as a weeknight meal or an appetizer at a party. Mom used to make this in the electric skillet right at the table for a special meal. There is something innately unifying about cooking a meal at the table. We would pile our plates with shrimp, then peel and eat them while we talked. You could serve it with … [Read more...]
How to Use Seasonal Blog Posts and Get Killer Traffic
How soon should bloggers start publishing seasonal blog posts to gain maximum traction for their posts? Well, the answer may surprise you. Many people complain when they start seeing Christmas items available in craft stores in July.... Except for the crafters. It takes months to create all of those items sold at Christmas boutique sales that start in November. Those sellers know they need to plan and create early to meet demand. Those … [Read more...]
How to Get the Most Out of Education Bundles
More Resources on Blog and Self Improvement: SEO for Bloggers: A 30-Day Plan for Growth Monkey See – Monkey Do: 8 Easy Steps to Improve Your Blog 4 Great Ways to Balance Blogging and a Full-Time Job How to Power Up and Perfect the Most Important Project—YOU! #IBAchat Must-Have Blog and Self-Improvement Resources: Get a FREE Discovery Call with Sarah of ND Consulting - get your blog on track with some expert guidance Your … [Read more...]
How to Dominate Social Media with CoSchedule’s ReQueue Groups
CoSchedule offers many features to help bloggers succeed, but my personal favorite is it's ReQueue Groups feature. CoSchedule's ReQueue makes sure my social media calendar is always filled with perfectly timed posts to increase visibility and interaction and ultimately drive traffic to my blog and increase my income. Have you ever downloaded a productivity tool and been so excited about it for the first few weeks and then slowly forgotten you … [Read more...]
What Bloggers Can Learn about Expanding Your Reach from YouTube Gamers
Every Blogger wants to go about expanding your reach and their audience, but knowing how to achieve that can be elusive. I recently found inspiration from a rather unlikely source: YouTube Gamers. Yes, I mean those people that create videos of themselves playing video games on YouTube. Some have over 3 million subscribers, others have a few thousand people watching and interacting with them as they live stream on a Monday night, and some have … [Read more...]
Are You Making the One Mistake that Keeps People from Staying on Your Blog?
Is your bounce rate high and your session duration low? I am going to tell you a little secret that may be hard to for you to hear. It's you. Well, maybe not you. But, your blog could be too painful to navigate that people simply aren't staying on your blog. Look at your blog from a reader's perspective: Can I find what I am looking for? Is there too much clutter in the sidebars? Am I bombarded with ads and opt-ins the second I hit … [Read more...]