Showing posts with label sponsored. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sponsored. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sponsored. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sponsored. Show all posts

What is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer Marketing is a form of Word of Mouth Advertising


Did you ever have a homepage with Microsoft or are you even old enough to remember those? There's been a steady progression in the world of blogging and I've been along for the entire ride. Now, I'm considered a social media influencer. Influencer marketing is the latest trend on the world wide web, remember that term? Ha. It's been a wild ride. What is Influencer Marketing? 


This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.


What's influencer marketing and a sponsored post?

Influencer marketing is online word of mouth advertising. It goes like this. I went to a new ice cream shop, I loved the pineapple flavor, I took a picture and shared it all over my social media pages. It's true. I do love pineapple ice cream. If I tell you how much I love it, maybe you'll try it and love it too. Generally, influencers are trusted or are recognized as a celebrity or specialist in their area of influence.


Me? The influencer progression went like this: 


  • Microsoft Homepage - I shared my page with my family members to update them on the status of my new baby. (He's 17.)
  • MySpace page for my family - like a scrapbook.
  • Blog - Here's what we've been doing, doesn't it look fun?
  • Facebook page - So, you want how to instructions for the kids activities we've been doing?
  • Twitter profile - Because someone told me I had to have at least 5k followers to be of any value. (Twitter doesn't really fit my niche.)
  • Pinterest profile - Picture this and save it to make later! My stats skyrocketed quickly, so I wrote a how to book which ended up on Amazon's Best Seller's list and that boosted my influencer status.
  • Instagram profile - Everyone's doing it, it's the place to be. So, I did it too.

In between all of those social media platforms, I tried Snap Chat, Periscope, Blog Frog, Google+, and a host of other platforms that you've never heard about. My influencer status grew by leaps and bounds on Blog Frog. Once I caught on to how they got paid when I wrote an article or allowed ads on the page, it was a game changer.


Suddenly,  I realized that I could do that on my own website. I solicited brands, got free product, and a small payment for my articles. This method later became known as the sponsored post. The more sponsored posts I did, the more I was hooked. Next thing you know, I'm a huge (one of the first) Pinterest influencer. It happened while I was looking the other way. 


Over the last several years, my influencer status has grown to include Instagram. People like to see what other people do behind the scenes. That's why these unboxing YouTube videos are all the rage. While I do love to receive free product, as an influencer, it is important that I am compensated for my time. It's how I make my living. Never heard of me? Just Google it.


These days, I like to focus on educational kids' activities and budget friendly family travel. However, my blog is considered a lifestyle/parenting website so I get offered all sorts of influencer marketing proposals. I can afford to be choosy. 


Back in the day, Paris Hilton was one of the first social media influencers. Now, anyone can be an influencer, celebrity not required. You just have to be patient and persistent. There are many bloggers who became influencers by accident. I particularly like this story about the Barefoot Marathoner in the Influencer Spotlight. Like me, she was just doing her own thing, minding her own business when people began to take notice. Surprise, you're an influencer! 


Some Influencers make their money with YouTube advertising. I haven't found the time to focus on YouTube. Notice, I forgot to even mention it my progression list, it fits in somewhere after Facebook. I've helped other websites market themselves with YouTube, but my own profile falls flat. Maybe someday.


We don't have to all love the same things! There are some platforms I just don't love, and they obviously don't love me back. If you want to start building your own influencer marketing business, pick a social media platform that you love. Build it, love it, and they will come. Don't be fake. Just be yourself.


So, how do I use Influencer Marketing?


I get offered products to try. I do a lot of kids' recipes and snacks. So, influencer marketing platforms pair me up with food brands and retail stores who send the product and offer a small payment - they call it a fee. That can be confusing to newbies. It's a fee that I require to publish the article on my website. It's a payment to me.


I also get free tickets to events in exchange to promote the event on my social media pages and write about my experience on my blog.


I get pitched various things to post on my Instagram. I try to curate these to include only things that my followers (largely teachers and homeschoolers) will appreciate learning more about. I charge a fee per post or story.


When I do a sponsored post on my blog, I almost always share it to Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. I charge an additional fee to share it to Instagram because it seems to be a premium service. If sponsors just want me to pin something on my Pinterest profile, I'm happy to do it for a fee. Time is money. Even adding a link to an existing blog post takes time, so I charge a fee for that too. 


What should you know? There are regulations on sponsored posts. Sponsored posts should be noted as such. On my social media pages, I am required to add #ad or #sponsored. Amazon affiliate links require a disclaimer at the top of the blog post. I always say, "This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience." For other sponsored posts, I use different language, 'This is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own." or "Post sponsored by INSERT BRAND." 


What's the biggest rage in influencer marketing these days? I'd say it's tiktok. Notice I don't have that listed above? I'm still thinking about it. Still. I've never been an early adopter, but I do okay. Juggling all of those different social media platforms is very time consuming. Many times, by the time I get around to thinking about signing up for a platform, it's already obsolete. 


Now, how do I find these influencer marketing gigs? Well, these days most of them find me. However,  if you're just starting out, just do a search for 'influencer marketing,' 'sponsored posts,' or 'become an influencer.' There are a ton of sites that help pair influencers with sponsors.


Good Luck! If you have any questions on your journey, feel free to reach out to me.



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More on Social Media Marketing from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos





Need Cat Food Portion Control?

How do you Control Cat Food Portions?


This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MeowMixatMeijer #CollectiveBias

If you have a cat (or several like we do) you probably have a  time controlling portions. We have one fat cat who likes to hog all of the cat food. What is the right serving per cat? Do you base it on age, weight, or both? How do you control the mess? Meow Mix® Simple Servings™ at Meijer has solved your problem! It comes in a simple portion control package, so that part is easy.

How do you keep your fat cat from nudging the other cats out and stealing their portion? Keep reading to find out how we keep every cat eating their own cat food portion. Turns out, the bully isn't who we thought it was.


Tigger chilling after his meal of Simple Servings.



 
Tigger and Buddi love Meow Mix® Simple Servings™ cat food. Their favorite cat food flavor is chicken and turkey. When you shop at Meijer you can use their mPerks offer  and get 30% off from 10/08/17 - 11/04/17. Awesome!




First things first, when we walk into the kitchen fat cat follows. He's always looking for an opportunity to eat. There's always dry food in the dish in case he gets hungry between meals, but he's too finicky for that. If the food has been out for more than an hour, he starts slapping the bowl to to get our attention. When we ignore him, he tips the bowl over and spills the 'stale' food out onto the floor. Grr. We sweep the cat food off the floor several times every day. So, of course, he is first to arrive for Simple Servings. The plastic cups are ideal for portion control.




Now, Buddi smells the cat food, hears the the purring, and comes running. Next comes a paw duel and some growling. Then, one of the cats bows down to the other. To our surprise, the bigger cat stood back. She's that blur running in for the food.




With Simple Servings we can fix this mess! Each cat gets their own serving. You can serve it on a plate or leave it in the cup. So no bullying, right? Wrong.




Aww... What a gentleman. He steps back and lets the lady eat. How sweet. We tried to give him his own plate of Simple Servings, but she kept running back and forth to each plate and crowding him out of the way.




So, what's a poor gentleman kitty to do? With the mess-free, new Meow Mix Simple Servings cat food from your local Meijer store, you can serve him on the counter or at the table... Well, if you're a cat person. If you don't like the idea of your cat on the counter just stick a cup on a chair.


Tigger enjoying Simple Servings on the kitchen counter- no mess!

Meow Mix® Simple Servings™ is a new, single serving of delicious wet cat food in a convenient, mess-free cup. It comes in single-serve portions so there are no leftovers, you can serve right from the cup and pop it in the trash when your cats are finished eating. The cup is easy-to-open and easy-to-serve without forks or spoons.

Tigger loves the pieces of real seafood or poultry in a savory sauce or gravy. His favorite flavor is Chicken And Turkey, but there are plenty of flavors for your picky eaters.

Tuna and Salmon
Seafood Variety
Seafood Variety
Whitefish
Chicken and Turkey
Tuna and Whitefish

Each Simple Servings cup is a single serving so you can feed your cat the wet food they crave, without the hassle of worrying about portioning or what to do with the leftovers. All you have to do is open and serve—it’s that simple.



Yum! Licking his lips and yawning after filling his belly with his fair share.

Join the fun and follow Meow Mix on FacebookInstagramPinterest, and Twitter. #MeowMixatMeijer #CollectiveBias


Problem solved, bellies full, a peaceful ending to the cat food bully situation.







You can find these in the Wet Cat Food aisle at Meijer.





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Cat Toys DIY Ideas for Homemade Fun

DIY Homemade Cat Toy Ideas

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyPetMyStar #CollectiveBias

Cats! No matter their age, cats like to play. Even lazy, fat cats and old cats like to play. You just need to find their comfort level. We've been making our own homemade cat toys for awhile. We particularly like to use objects found in nature or the home environment. These cat toys are DIY and so easy to make at home. When your Kitties play with them, they'll know how much you love them. Enjoy!




Cat Toys DIY Ideas for homemade fun
Make diy, fun cat toys from natural objects.

We currently have three furry cat friends living in the house. Our cats range in age from about three-years-old to about sixteen-years-old. Each one has their own set of limitations. So, we adapt the way we interact with each one. For the cats, everyday is star treatment day. After all, they are cats. Cats are divas. If you treat them like anything less, they'll demand more from you.

Be sure to avoid cat stank face at all costs. Tidy Cats®  now features guaranteed TidyLock™ Protection that locks away the odors that can lead to Stank Face. What is stank face? Take a look at Tigger! How can he enjoy playing with his new homemade cat toys when the litter box smells?


Tigger's Stank Face Cat
Tigger's Stank Face.

Tidy Cats® litter solutions offers the antidote to poor Tigger's Stank Face. Tidy Cats’ wide range of products means never having to see another cat's Stank Face again. When the odor is gone everyone is happier!

Our youngest cat, Buddi, has Epilepsy and now has some hind leg paralysis. This doesn't stop her from loving to play! She likes any kind of cat toys, but cat toys that look like tiny creatures are her favorite to pounce. For a week, we gave her the star treatment by carrying her to the food dish and even to the litter box which is filled with Tidy Cats® Lightweight Cat Litter.

This is the best cat litter for a tiny princess kitty because it protects her from Stank Face. That's right, stank face isn't just a human affliction. Poor little Buddi shares the litter box with two male cats. You should see her stank face! And, Tidy Cats® Lightweight offers the same strength Tidy Cats® strength customers love, without all the hassle of hauling around a heavy container of litter up a flight of stairs.


Buddi is happy because the litter doesn't smell anymore.



RePete, our oldest cat, recently lost his twin brother (Pete). He's been lying around feeling depressed lately, but this doesn't stop him from playing when prompted! He especially likes the homemade cat toys made from natural items found outdoors. As an outdoor cat, he didn't use to get much indoor time, but since his brother passed, we've let him share the spotlight indoors. He can't smell so stank face isn't a problem for him. Good thing, because he is the stankiest of all!


RePete playing with homemade diy cat toys.
RePete playing with homemade, diy cat toys.


Tigger, our middle cat, is like Garfield. He plays differently. So, we adapted the cat toy diy to his lazy ways. He loves to play as long as we are willing to do most of the work. Head diva always demands the most star treatment. Talk about stank face. Oh my. If the food is a day old, if the water is an hour old, if RePete has forgotten to bury his poo, Tigger makes certain we see his best stank face! #StopStankFace


Tigger "playing" with our homemade cat toys... okay, looking at our homemade cat toys.

Twig and Feathers Homemade Cat Toy DIY


Nothing could be easier than these twig and feather homemade cat toys, well, assuming you have access to twigs and feathers! We do. As much as we love cats, we love birds more. That's right, birds and cats! Everyone lives peacefully together. We have lots of spare feathers!


DIY Twig and Feather Cat Toy Tutorial.
DIY Twig and Feather Cat Toy Tutorial.


You will need:
1 long, skinny, twig approximately 12" in length.
Bird Feathers
Paperclips or Safety Pins
Bottle Cork

Step One: Attach one end of the paperclip to the bottle cork and the other end to the stick.

Step Two: Attach the feathers to the bottle cork with hot glue.

Step Three: Enjoy!


Homemade Pinecone Mice Cat Toy


We've got a variety of Pinecones from a large yard full of trees. For this homemade cat toy, you will need: tiny Pinecones, a leaf, and tiny bird feathers (the softer, the better).




Step One: Cover the Pinecone with glue, (hot glue works best).

Step Two: Cover the glue with feathers.

Step Three: Attach a long feather to the widest end of the Pinecone to form a tail.

Step Four: Cut out two tiny ears from the leaf and glue to the Pinecone's skinniest end.

Step Five: Let dry and then toss the homemade mouse cat toy across the floor!






Catnip Leaf Pouches DIY Cat Toy


Cats love Catnip. We have our very own patch of fresh Catnip growing amid our herb garden. If you don't grow your own Catnip (you should) you can purchase dried Catnip or even Catnip plants in most grocery stores. We picked up some dried Catnip when we were shopping for Tidy Cats® Lightweight at our local Kroger store.




You will need:
Catnip (fresh or dry)
A Large Leaf or Two
Kite String or Yarn
Hot Glue

Step One: Pour or place Catnip in the center of the leaf.

Step Two: If using one leaf, fold it up like an envelope and glue the ends down. If using two leaves, place one over the top and glue at edges.

Step Three: Tie the string to the stem of the leaf pouch.

Step Four: Sit the leaf in the middle of a wide open space and wait patiently.






Look at that stank face! We had to make a run for Tidy Cats® litter.

TidyLock™ is the latest innovation in litter featured in all Tidy Cats® litter varieties. TidyLock ™ is the new and improved formula that now better locks away odors that can lead to Stank Face. Don't let it happen to you. Stop the Stank.

For more fun, follow TidyCats on Facebook, Twitter: @TidyCats, and YouTube.


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ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products. *We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Tips for Busy Families on the Go

Is your busy family always on the go? You need tips to make life easier!

We keep busy with lots of academic activities, but we also love to hike, swim, and play outdoors. As homeschoolers, we are involved in a special playgroup that enjoys playtime in local parks, roller skating, jump centers, and educational field trips. It seems, like many other busy families, we are always on the go and looking for tips to make life easier and less hectic.


Visiting an Aquarium
Enjoying learning about different species of fish.


Also, as busy homeschoolers, we search for special activities for physical education and fitness that can be a valuable educational experience. We are always coming up with new ways to learn while having fun. We especially love outdoor activities, but that can lead to cuts, scrapes, and allergies.


Tips for Busy Families on the Go
Dolphin and Manatee hunting in a kayak with Grandpa on the Manatee River.

When you head out for a hike or to go exploring the Manatee River in a kayak, it is important to always have a first aid kit, extra clothes, water bottles, bug spray, and we take allergy meds and Epipens too! Active families need to function like a team and be ready for just about anything. Now, we can take Puracyn® Plus along too. Puracyn® Plus is the first step in first aid. It helps clean wounds and is less irritating than peroxide or alcohol and more effective than soap and water. I find it amazing that it is safe for the eyes, ears, and mouth too! 

Puracyn® Plus is a convenient alternative to the otherwise messy job of cleansing the wound area, can be applied on the spot and on-the-go, and it won’t cause cell damage the way hydrogen peroxide can. It is the perfect addition to your first aid kits saving you the need for several different products.

We needed our Puracyn® Plus during Spring Break. Mayhem was excited about kayaking with Grandpa on the Manatee River. When she ran to the kayak, her clothes got stuck and toppled over a giant, concrete pelican! Then, when she hopped into the kayak, the tear from the pelican incident caught onto something in the kayak and scraped her leg. The pants are beyond repair, but her leg recovered nicely with a little help from Puracyn® Plus.


Getting some swimming in after a long road trip.

Now through March 27th, enter the Play to Win with #TeamPuracynPlus Giveaway on the Puracyn® Plus Facebook page for the chance to be one of three randomly selected winners to receive a Puracyn® Plus Sports Emergency Kit, including a $50 gift card to a sporting goods store of your choice and Puracyn® Plus product. Join us on Pinterest too.


#TeamPuracynPlus Giveaway
Enter to win a Puracyn® Plus Sports Emergency Kit.

New Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ Wound and Skin Cleanser is the next generation first step in first aid for cleansing, debriding and hydrating wounds, and is formulated with a pH balanced, hypochlorous solution, designed to improve the most essential part of the wound treatment process – preparation of the wound bed. If you have diabetes, Puracyn® Plus Foot Wash and Skin Cleanser is essential in helping to make foot care part of your daily self-care routine. To learn more about the brand visit www.puracynplus.com
This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. All opinions, text, and experiences are my own.”
To learn more about the Puracyn® Plus, LIKE the brand on Facebook and follow the brand on Pinterest. This is a product-sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Puracyn® Plus Duo-Care™ Wound and Skin Cleanser. The opinions and text are all mine.


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Most Likely to Become a Racecar Driver

Most Likely to Become a Racecar Driver


Tracey is guest posting today for Meijer's most likely to... you still have time to enter the contest ends Sept. 8. 2013.

We all have big dreams for our children. We imagine them growing up to be actors and musicians and, if we are lucky, taking care of Mom and Dad after they become rich and famous! I try not to disillusion myself with these types of thoughts, but lately I’ve started to entertain the idea that maybe, just maybe, I have a future racecar driver on my hands.

Garrett has always loved sports! When he was just a year old, he would play, for easily an hour at a time, just shooting basket after basket after basket into his mini basketball goal in the kitchen. When he was 4, he started t-ball. He is now 12 and has played in Little League every season since then (even 2 seasons one year!). When he was 5 he played his first year of Flag Football and over the course of about 5 years, Garrett was able to put a few seasons of basketball under his belt, as well. In the winter, he plans to play again and is also considering his first season of Track & Field. But even with his wide array of sports interests, there is one sport that stands above the rest. It’s more than just a sport, it is a passion and it is his life. And that is racing.






Garrett’s obsession with racing began at an early age. At just 2 years old, he could easily identify and name many well known Nascar drivers, their numbers, and their sponsors. Of course, over time, his knowledge of drivers grew, as did his drive to become one of them. At 6 years old, it was evident that, if he were to realistically pursue this consuming desire to speed around turns at an alarming rate, and maneuver through tight packs of cars and thrill-seeking drivers at speeds nearing 200mph, that he would have to begin perfecting his craft at a young age (what were we thinking!??).




It just so happened that his father and I both had ties to a local race track that starts children (as young as 7 years old) as drivers of Junior Faskarts, an entry level racecar designed to allow beginning drivers an opportunity to gain racing experience at a young age. And so began his journey into racing, with a real car, real gear, and real sponsors.

It isn’t the cheapest endeavor, and at this level of racing no prize money is awarded, so he hasn’t been able to race in every season. But he definitely seems to have a natural ability behind the wheel and has placed well in the heats and features that he has participated in. Some even ended with the honor of driving the track with the coveted checkered flag in his proud, determined hand.





Garrett doesn’t just work hard on the track. He also works hard in the garage, helping his dad tweak and repair his car between races. And most importantly, he works hard in school. In order to race, he has to keep his grades up and do well in class, which he has done an excellent job at maintaining. Meijer has also been there to help us in keeping him successful in school. We always know that we will be able to find the supplies he needs for the coming school year, his after school sports, and even those Nascar shirts he loves!
As Garrett climbs the ladder of racing divisions, he will gain knowledge and experience that will help him succeed on the track. He has even begun dreams of going to college to learn the science behind the sport and we will have Meijer beside us every step of the way to help with whatever he needs to become successful on his journey.





Do you have a child that is “Most Likely to…..”? Then enter them in Meijer’s “Most Likely To” Photo Sweepstakes for your chance to win 1 of 25 $100 Meijer Gift Cards! Simply visit http://bit.ly/MeijerMostLikelyTo and submit a photo showing what your child is most likely to be when he/she grows up.

Meijer most likely to photo sweepstakes
Meijer most likely to photo sweepstakes.




This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

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Great Read for eReaders: Alicewinks eBook is a modern update to Alice in Wonderland. apps

Did you know it is the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland, the legendary Lewis Carroll children's novel? 

Looking for ebook recommendations for kids? In celebration, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is now a multimedia iBook. Alicewinks brings the timeless illustrations of Alice’s Adventures to life for a new generation. Take a look and check out this interactive media book in iBooks.

Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit Read Alicewinks on tablet
Alice Winks is a great ebook recommendation for kids.

The beautiful, early 20th-century pictures include one-hundred and ninety-three original, animated illustrations from twelve different artists, and the images are brought to life by nineteen voice actors. It is more like watching a movie than reading an ebook.

What we love about the book:
  • Cultural Immersion. My kids associate Johnny Depp with Alice and Wonderland. While, they love the Cheshire Cat, they thought he was the "Thresher Cat".  With Alicewinks, they learn about classical literature in it's purist form.
  • The voice of Alice brings the story to life. Hearing the inflection as she speaks makes some of the subtle humor easier for kids to understand.
  • The story is long, but reading the iBook version allows you to pause whenever you like.
  •  In May of 2013, Alicewinks received the Kirkus Star for exceptional merit.
  • The book is interactive. Kids can easily skip forwarded and back among the pages.
  • When I asked the kids if they wanted to skip ahead, they both shouted "no".  Translation = 1-hour of peace and quiet.
"Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it." 
- The Duchess.  

So, what is the moral to this post?  "One story is good until another is told."  The re-telling of Alice in Wonderland in digital format is a great way to share a good, classical story with your kids.

In celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland, Alicewinks brings the story’s classic illustrations to life for digital audiences through animated video and rich narration. To download this one of a kind app iBook, click here.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Alicewinks. The opinions and text are all mine.


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ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)