Laina Turner's Blog, page 30
October 20, 2016
Weekend Traffic Jam Link up!
Show us your old posts and more on Traffic Jam Weekend!
Come on in to link up, share, and learn something with us.
WELCOME TO TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND LINKY PARTY #67!
#trafficjamweekend
For any newcomers to Traffic Jam Weekend, this weekly linky party is all about linking up your old posts so you can get some new comments and traffic.
To the frequent TJW visitors, thanks for always linking up.
The lovely ladies bringing this fabulous party to you:
Kimberly from Being A Wordsmith | Facebook (site) | Facebook (book series) | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Laina from LainaTurner.com | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Gail from Frugal and Coupon Crazy | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Evelyn from Eclectic Evelyn | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+ | YouTube | Tumblr
Mari from Living in Mommywood | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+ | Bloglovin’
These are the featured posts from Traffic Jam Weekend #66…
Evelyn chose Think You Don’t Have Time for Yoga? Think a Little Deeper by Stay at Home Yogi. “I choose this one because it gives great advice on working yoga poses into every day life.”
Laina chose Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe by The Seaman Mom. “Because I’m one of those people who can’t get enough pumpkin.”
Gail chose 10 Disaster Apps That Could Save Your Life by Urban Naturale. “Very interesting apps a person could have and could be useful.”
Mari chose Stop Feeling Guilty About Self-Care by RebelPlum.
“I don’t believe in feeling guilty about anything we do to take care of ourselves so her share caught my attention. If we aren’t good nothing else around us works well so Self Care is a must!!!”
Kimberly chose Advice for the Younger Me–An Open Letter by Carolina Twin Mom. “Loved this post! I would echo a lot of her advice for my younger self. Hindsight is definitely 20/20.”
The post with the most views was Overwhelmed by Sunshine and Elephants.
Thank you guys for sharing! Your posts have been pinned to the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party Pinterest board. Please grab a special Traffic Jam Weekend featured button below to display on your blog.
Just a few rules for the party…
Grab a Traffic Jam Weekend button below for your site
Link up as many of your old posts as you like below
Take some time and visit the other posts
Create some traffic jam for the hosts of this party
Share this party on social media with the hashtag #trafficjamweekend
Follow Being A Wordsmith’s board Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party on Pinterest.*Disclaimer: Adding your link to this linky party gives permission to Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts to share your posts and pictures via social media with a link back to the original source. It also gives Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts permission to contact you via e-mail or social media for networking purposes.
An InLinkz Link-up
The post Weekend Traffic Jam Link up! appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 19, 2016
Get Ready for 30 Days of Gratitude
Hard to believe we are almost in the home stretch of the year. A fun, and sometimes stressful, time of year with the holidays. As we get to November in the next few days and start thinking about Thanksgiving many of us also think about the things we are grateful for. There are many different gratitude challenges and the like on social media and this year because I’ve had an extremely stressful and an extremely blessed year I wanted to host my own gratitude challenge and really focus on the act of being grateful every day for the month of November and I want you to join me.
Life isn’t always easy, but I know when I take a minute to remember all the awesome things and see all the awesome tings others are experiencing it can totally change my mindset if I’m having a bad day. I think we all have the power to impact each other by reflecting and sharing.
It’s simple to participate. Each day I will be posting daily on social media a quote that is meaningful to me and what I am grateful for using the hashtag #gratitude30. Then you just join in with the thing you are most grateful for that day. I will also send out a daily email with a reminder and the links to where you can participate. I want to make it as easy as possible.
Sign up here to get the daily reminder.
Follow me on Facebook.
Join the In Pursuit of Fabulous Facebook group.
Follow me on Instagram.
The post Get Ready for 30 Days of Gratitude appeared first on Laina Turner.
5 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic
There is one thing all of us bloggers have in common, and that’s the desire to grow our traffic. Increased traffic helps grow our business in countless ways. Therefore it’s one of the many aspects of blogging we lose sleep over. At least I do anyway.
The challenging part of growing traffic is balancing it with content creation. You can’t have one without the other, and it can be a hard act to pull off because both take a lot of time.
I wanted to share with you some best practices that have helped me in growing my traffic.
Be consistent. Nothing is more frustrating to your audience than inconsistency. It’s also frustrating to me as a blogger as I can see my traffic ebb and flow in direct correlation of my activity and even knowing this I still struggle with consistency. Let’s face it. Life happens. It’s better to post once a week, every week, than post 5 times this week and not post at all the following. Set up an editorial calendar, create your routine, and stick with it.
Pick one or two platforms at a time to master. Social media gives us the potential for great exposure for our content. However, there are so many social media channels out there that it can be overwhelming to know where to put in your time and effort.
Don’t try to master all the platforms. Look at your Google analytics and see where your traffic is coming from. Set goals and focus on growing those channels first. Then once you’ve got your routine down you can work on adding to your platforms. It’s better to be good at a few things than mediocre at many.
Outsource. Do what you do best and outsource the rest. That’s been my motto for years. I read the book Good to Great years ago and it talked about not spending so much on working to improve what you were bad at, but instead you should focus on getting better at what you were already good at. It’s easier to improve a natural talent than one you’re not talented at.
Interact in peer groups. Interaction takes a lot of time, but it is so worth it in the long run. I belong to several different groups, mostly on Facebook, that are targeted to growing different areas of my business. Growing my Facebook Page, getting likes on various platforms which helps your visibility, connecting with peers it’s time very well spent.
Accountability partners. Blogging is hard. It’s not some get rich quick scheme. I sure wish it was but no making a living as a blogger is a labor of love. As with anything, there are good times and hard times. It is so easy to just give up when things get hard and having someone who understands your world, who’s got your back, and will be your personal cheerleader is invaluable. Find that person. An accountability partner isn’t directly going to increase your traffic, but that person will keep you committed to doing what needs to be done every day to get where you want to go.
Have realistic goals. If you currently have 100 page views a day don’t set a goal to hit 1000 pages views by the next week. You will get frustrated and be more inclined to give up. You want to strive for consistent growth even if it’s slow.
Just keep in mind being successful at blogging isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. Keep at it and you will accomplish everything you wish to!
The post 5 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 18, 2016
TOTALLY TERRIFIC TUESDAY LINK PARTY #105
Happy Tuesday! October 18th and it’s supposed to be in the 70’s today! Yeah!!! I hope you’re all having an amazing week so far!
Stop by and see what your hosts have been doing and give these ladies a warm welcome!
Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter
Facebook // Pinterest // Twitter // Instagram // Google+
Instagram // Pinterest // Facebook // Twitter
Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest
Pinterest // Instagram // Facebook // Google+
__________________________
This party has been growing and growing and it is getting harder and harder to pick features! I am so grateful for all of you talented folks for hanging out and linking up!! Have fun! Don’t forget to stop by the pinterest boards and take a moment to pin a few and help spread the holiday joy by supporting your fellow blogging buddies!
_____________________________
Party Rules
NOTICE: Please try not to link the same content two weeks in a row. If you didn’t do anything new last week, try linking up some older content. This helps you in the long run..if you linked up the same thing 2-3 weeks in a row people won’t click on it a second time, so increase your chances of being picked for most clicked by linking up new content every week 
October 17, 2016
Help Me Promote and Get a Free Tee!
One thing that never goes out of style is the t-shirt. They come in so many different options. Fancy silk, basic soft cotton (I love the tee’s at Banana Republic they are ultra-soft) and of course the super fun graphic tee. When I was a kid this was one of my favorites. I even ironed it on myself!
DUKES OF HAZZARD
I was kind of in love with Bo Duke. And the car.
I got away from the graphic tee for a while and then realized it was a great way to jazz up my basic uniform of athleisure (isn’t it great we have such a cool term for wearing yoga pants all day)?
I like the wearing a fun shirt because it shows more of my personality. I can dress up the women’s fitted tee a little with a statement necklace paired with black trousers or be more casual with the unisex tee and my yoga pants.
A little over a year ago I got the idea for my line of LifeStyle tees and mugs (and soon journals) which you can read about here and after a soft launch this summer, I am ready to make a big splash in time for the holidays.
That’s where YOU come in. I am looking for 10 people who share the same excitement over fun tee’s to become LifeStyle Ambassadors and help me promote over November and December in exchange for a free t-shirt.
It’s not difficult just snap pics and post to social media on your scheduled week using the promo hashtag.
Sign up now, and 10 random people will be announced Sunday, October 23rd and given a coupon code to order your free shirt.
The post Help Me Promote and Get a Free Tee! appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 14, 2016
Fashion Friday. Boots, boots, and more boots.
BOOTS16 and it will take 30% OFF the lowest marked price, with FREE SHIPPING
I don’t know about you, but I love boots. It’s one of my favorite things about fall/winter fashion. The last few weeks I’ve been shopping like crazy to find a couple of different pairs that will be versatile enough to go with everything. Which right now since I purged my closet isn’t that hard to do.
Obviously black is my first need. My big debate? Do I want ankle boots or full boots? I know #firstworldproblems and all that.
The Code is BOOTS16 and it will take 30% OFF the lowest marked price, with FREE SHIPPING
I might add that when I purged a few weeks ago, I gave away all my boots because they were a couple of years old and in rough shape. I thought I would spend money on a quality pair or two that would get me through the season.
In hindsight, I probably should have waited until I found the perfect pair because it’s getting chilly here in the midwest and I don’t have anything but open toed shoes to wear. Because you know when you WANT to buy something you can never find the right thing.
The Code is BOOTS16 and it will take 30% OFF the lowest marked price, with FREE SHIPPING
The Code is BOOTS16 and it will take 30% OFF the lowest marked price, with FREE SHIPPING
I’m not a huge fan of fringe, but these do appeal to me. Maybe because they are different from styles I’ve had in the past.
I also like the different looks of these.
My post was about the deals on these boots but if there aren’t any you fancy on this page check out my store where I have a bigger selection from other companies.
The post Fashion Friday. Boots, boots, and more boots. appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 13, 2016
Weekend Traffic Jam Link up!
Show us your old posts and more on Traffic Jam Weekend!
Come on in to link up, share, and learn something with us.
WELCOME TO TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND LINKY PARTY #66!
#trafficjamweekend
For any newcomers to Traffic Jam Weekend, this weekly linky party is all about linking up your old posts so you can get some new comments and traffic.
To the frequent TJW visitors, thanks for always linking up.
The lovely ladies bringing this fabulous party to you:
Kimberly from Being A Wordsmith | Facebook (site) | Facebook (book series) | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Laina from LainaTurner.com | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Gail from Frugal and Coupon Crazy | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Evelyn from Eclectic Evelyn | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+ | YouTube | Tumblr
Mari from Living in Mommywood | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+ | Bloglovin’
These are the featured posts from Traffic Jam Weekend #65…
Laina chose In Need of a Friend by MSnubutterflies. “Everyone needs great people in their life to support them.”
Evelyn chose by Notes Tied on the Sagebrush. “It was interesting to learn other names for Grandma.”
This was also the post with the most views.
Kimberly chose Tag! You’re It!-Halloween Edition by Storybook Apothecary. “An inspiration for me to do a Halloween post. Great tag idea, Tianna!”
Thank you guys for sharing! Your posts have been pinned to the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party Pinterest board. Please grab a special Traffic Jam Weekend featured button below to display on your blog.
Just a few rules for the party…
Grab a Traffic Jam Weekend button below for your site
Link up as many of your old posts as you like below
Take some time and visit the other posts
Create some traffic jam for the hosts of this party
Share this party on social media with the hashtag #trafficjamweekend
Follow Being A Wordsmith’s board Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party on Pinterest.*Disclaimer: Adding your link to this linky party gives permission to Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts to share your posts and pictures via social media with a link back to the original source. It also gives Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts permission to contact you via e-mail or social media for networking purposes.
An InLinkz Link-up
The post Weekend Traffic Jam Link up! appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 11, 2016
TOTALLY TERRIFIC TUESDAY LINK PARTY #104
Happy Tuesday! It’s another beautiful fall day here in the midwest! Thanks for stopping by the link up today!
Stop by and see what your hosts have been doing and give these ladies a warm welcome!
Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter
Facebook // Pinterest // Twitter // Instagram // Google+
Instagram // Pinterest // Facebook // Twitter
Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest
Pinterest // Instagram // Facebook // Google+
__________________________
This party has been growing and growing and it is getting harder and harder to pick features! I am so grateful for all of you talented folks for hanging out and linking up!! Have fun! Don’t forget to stop by the pinterest boards and take a moment to pin a few and help spread the holiday joy by supporting your fellow blogging buddies!
_____________________________
Party Rules
NOTICE: Please try not to link the same content two weeks in a row. If you didn’t do anything new last week, try linking up some older content. This helps you in the long run..if you linked up the same thing 2-3 weeks in a row people won’t click on it a second time, so increase your chances of being picked for most clicked by linking up new content every week
October 6, 2016
Weekend Traffic Jam Link Up #65
Show us your old posts and more on Traffic Jam Weekend!
Come on in to link up, share, and learn something with us.
WELCOME TO TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND LINKY PARTY #65!
#trafficjamweekend
For any newcomers to Traffic Jam Weekend, this weekly linky party is all about linking up your old posts so you can get some new comments and traffic.
To the frequent TJW visitors, thanks for always linking up.
The lovely ladies bringing this fabulous party to you:
Kimberly from Being A Wordsmith | Facebook (site) | Facebook (book series) | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Laina from LainaTurner.com | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Gail from Frugal and Coupon Crazy | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+
Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Evelyn from Eclectic Evelyn | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google+ | YouTube | Tumblr
These are the featured posts from Traffic Jam Weekend #64…
Laina chose How To Survive Your Tween Daughter by Barbie Bieber and Beyond. “I need all the help I can get to survive my tween.”
Evelyn also chose this post. “This offers great advice for anyone raising tween daughters.”
Gail chose Natural Sources for Pain Relief by Urban Naturale. “Great ideas to be frugal.”
Kimberly chose Preparing Kids for a PCS by Royal Little Lambs. “I gained so much info from this post on preparing your kids for a big move. I am in the middle of my umpteenth move due to Hubby’s job. The difference this time: The Deuce is old enough to understand what’s going on. Great tips on prepping him!”
The post with the most views was Say What? by Daily Dump, Life is a Shit Show.
Thank you guys for sharing! Your posts have been pinned to the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party Pinterest board. Please grab a special Traffic Jam Weekend featured button below to display on your blog.
Just a few rules for the party…
Grab a Traffic Jam Weekend button below for your site
Link up as many of your old posts as you like below
Take some time and visit the other posts
Create some traffic jam for the hosts of this party
Share this party on social media with the hashtag #trafficjamweekend
Follow Being A Wordsmith’s board Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party on Pinterest.*Disclaimer: Adding your link to this linky party gives permission to Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts to share your posts and pictures via social media with a link back to the original source. It also gives Being A Wordsmith and co-hosts permission to contact you via e-mail or social media for networking purposes.
An InLinkz Link-up
The post Weekend Traffic Jam Link Up #65 appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 5, 2016
4 ways to sell more books
If you’re an author you know, that writing is the easy part. Marketing and selling your books is much, much harder. Since the gravy days of 2009-2013 (at least for me) the process of getting people to buy my books has gotten increasingly difficult. Self-publishing is a low barrier industry and so, of course, that makes for a lot of competition.
However, don’t despair. When I get frustrated, I remind myself there’s an average of a million Ebooks a day sold on Amazon alone so the book industry is a very large pie that has plenty of pieces for everyone to share and make a living.
Think about it this way. If 1 million books per day are sold let’s say one of those books is one of mine, and I have a $2 royalty. I only need to sell one of my books on one day to 25% of those people, and I’ll make a half million dollars. Invested wisely and I’ll never have to work another day in my life.
See……plenty for everyone.
The catch is I need to promote and get myself out there so those 250,000 people will see my book and want to buy it. That’s the part that is a struggle (at least for me), so I thought I’d share with you some of the ways I’ve been successful in marketing my fiction.
Say what you want about Facebook but in my demographic (female 29 to 45) Facebook is THE place to be. The audience I’m trying to attract is on Facebook, and so that’s where I focus many of my marketing efforts. I participate in many authors and reader groups. I promote on my author page and my personal FB page though I try to keep the blatant promotion to a minimum and try for more interactive posts. Some things you can post on FB is to ask questions of your audience, answer questions, share things you like such as other authors or things relevant to what you write. The goal is to get people to interact and get to know you.
Fan club/street team
This is a big one that I did very well for years and then when I took a step back in 2014-2015 kind of dwindled. Totally my own fault. But I’m working to build it back up again because there are so many awesome things that a team of people who like your books and you and are more than willing to help you reach your success.
A fan club/street team can be beta readers, can give you feedback on promotions, help you execute promotions and be your cheerleaders when the author life gets rough.
If you want to join mine click here:)
Paid ads
Paid ads are kind of a slippery slope. Sometimes you can make a killing off a small ad investment and sometimes you can lose your shirt. Book Bub is probably the most successful, and one of the most expensive, ad services out there but from my own experience and what I’ve seen the best ROI. Free Booksy is one I use often. It’s much less expensive and while also not as successful as Book Bub it has so far always given me my money back and any new reader is worth it. Even if I just break even. There are several services out there just make sure to do your research and have realistic expectations.
I’d encourage you to look at it from an exposure aspect. To gain readers not cash.
Contests
This is a great way to build up you FB author page, your street team, your email list and create a fun atmosphere for your fans that will get them excited and talking about it to their friends. I just finished a cover voting contest where I promoted two different covers for my upcoming book and let my social media audience choose which they like better with hashtags. It created a buzz, and I picked up several new email subscribers. It was a no cost contest with a huge return. People like to have fun, and a contest gets them engaged.
Talking about your books
This one might seem simple and almost a duh thing but you’d be surprised (or maybe not) at how many authors don’t talk about their books out in everyday life. Be proud that you’re an author and tell people. When you’re sitting at a coffee shop working on your manuscript, and someone asks what you’re doing use it as an opportunity to tell them about your books, what they’re about, and how they can buy them. It might be hard at first, but you should be proud of what you’re working on. Even if it’s your first book, it’s never too early to start building a fan base.
I would love to hear from you how you’re promoting your books.
The post 4 ways to sell more books appeared first on Laina Turner.
