1. What originally attracted you to the IZEA community, and how did you find out about it? I first found out about the IZEA community through my blog buddy’s site. I was intrigued with the idea of SocialSpark. I thought being a part of this community could allow me to work with companies and products that I would like to share with my readers as well as make money at the same time.  Win win.

2. Why Lil’ Luna? I chose Lil’ Luna because my mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty ”Lil’ Lunas” in the fam {plus, I liked the way it sounded.}

3. What’s been your favorite SocialSpark Campaign? I’ve had several SocialSpark campaigns I have enjoyed, but I’d have to say the one about the movie, Monte Carlo was my fav. I planned a night out with my niece, and we had such a great time watching the movie. I loved promoting it on the blog because it was so adorable.

4. What inspires you to blog? So many things inspire me to blog but the biggest one would be the fact that I love sharing with people {my readers} all the amazing things out there in the world. From crafts to deals and recipes to tips, it is so fun for me to share these things with my readers and inspire them. I have also “met” so many amazing people and have loved getting to know so many bloggers that inspire me on a daily basis.

5. What’s one word of advice you’d give to bloggers who are looking to increase the quality of their content? If I had to offer someone advice about quality blogging, I would say to CHALLENGE yourself. Challenge yourself to do things no one ever has. Be original. Be fun. Be YOU!

6. Complete this thought: If I could I would____. If I could I would…. Like to meet all my “virtual friends”. We are scattered all over the world, but I would LOVE to meet every one of them and be friends with them IN REAL LIFE!

Kristyn’s blog can be found here

1. What originally attracted you to Sponsored Tweets? I have been a publisher with IZEA for about three years, and got in on Sponsored Tweets pretty much the day it started. I was already an active Twitter user and I wanted the opportunity to promote and connect with products and businesses. The extra cash doesn’t hurt, either!

2. What has been one of your favorite campaigns to participate in? Boudreaux’s Butt Paste! There’s a personal story behind it; when I was starting out as a writer in New Orleans about ten years ago, I interviewed and wrote a profile on the inventor of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, George Boudreaux, when a one of the country’s largest retailers decided to pick up his locally-sold product and distribute it in stores. A few years after our interview, his product started selling like crazy, and he sold his formula to Blairex Laboratories. He’s one of the most genuine people I’ve ever interviewed, he makes a great product I use and recommend, and his story really is a great one about what small entrepreneurs can become. I’ve participated in quite a few Sponsored Tweets and IZEA campaigns about Butt Paste on Twitter and other social media outlets, and I love to share Mr. Boudreaux’s story and my memories of talking with him “way back when.”

3. What do you love most about Twitter? It has almost eliminated my need for text messaging! Sometimes your friends don’t want to hear about everything you’re up to, but chances are, someone on Twitter wants to know what you had for lunch, what’s good on TV or the funny thing that happened to you while you were at the grocery store. And they share it with other people. Who share it with other people! It’s a great way to connect with like minds, as well as the organizations and brands you love.

4. Finish this: Without Twitter I would______. Probably lose friends over their their text overage charges! (see above.)

5. What do you do to market yourself, and get new followers? I do so much to market myself! I have business cards that I send with just about every piece of mail that ever leaves my home – from items I’ve sold on auction sites, to care packages I send to friends, to anything else I can think of. The cards have my Twitter page and a link to my blog – http://bellesouth.blogspot.com – which also links back to my Twitter page. I have links on all my social networking sites. But the most important thing I do is be myself! I respond to people, I retweet things I find interesting, I don’t hide who I am. I’ve built up a decent following in the past few years without compromising myself.

6. Any advice to other Tweeters on how to get more Sponsored Tweets Opportunities? First of all, I don’t think it’s important to get more Sponsored Tweets Opportunities, but rather quality opportunities. You can log in to find tons of opportunities that don’t necessarily fit you or your followers, and consequently, your followers won’t click with the product or on the links. Play around with your topics and see what suits you and your followers the best; what would they want to look at? There are opportunities available on just about every topic.

• Do NOT be a robot! Be a real person! Nobody wants someone who just tweets ads all day on their feed, and you might be unfollowed or worse yet, reported for spam. Spend most of your time tweeting about other things – yourself, your hobbies and interests – and engage with your followers. You will be amazed at what relationships you can develop just through 140-character messages.

• Keep your integrity. This is paramount! If you absolutely cannot stand a certain brand, product or business practice, don’t promote it! You will lose the respect of your followers if you are not genuine. Promote products and services you really believe in. You will get a lot more appreciation in return and a lot more followers if people come to trust you and want to know what your thoughts are.

• Participate in the IZEA and Sponsored Tweets help forum on GetSatisfaction. I’ve found that IZEA has a great staff that really does listen to my concerns and wants me to succeed. If I have an issue, I’ll head over to the forum, post my thoughts and usually hear back from someone within 48 hours.

• Do NOT get discouraged. IZEA is the real deal, but like anything, it takes time, patience and work. If you want to make money, meet good people and build a real following, IZEA is a top-notch and trustworthy company to work with. You may not be swimming in piles of gold after two weeks, but you can make some extra income to help you pay the bills.

Follow Eleanor’s Tweets at @bellesouth

1. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear WeReward?15 minutes. Haha every second counts when I’m waiting to take a picture at my current location. Always being on the move, that allots for a ton of cash.

2. What device do you claim rewards from? An iPhone 4 with IOS 4.3.5.

3. Where have you checked-in the most? Truthfully, it’s hard to say–I’ve exceeded the limit for multiple businesses. Even so, I continually check into said locations to up my total reward count. Those “Izea Love” bonuses really add up

4. What’s been your favorite WeReward reward claim so far? I’m a big dog lover, so I’d say the Milk-Bone products reward. I mean, you win on multiple levels by making your dog happy, having a cute photo, and earning some money.

5. What company would you love to see using WeReward? While I’d love to see more Products/Tasks available in WeReward, I think it’s more important for businesses to officially hop on board with the service. While their rewards would increase for us users (10 cents to 50 cents!), their potential monetary gains would as well. With more people turning away from television and turning towards the internet, social media/social advertising is the way to go.

6. Most importantly, what’s your favorite way to eat bacon? A couple of weeks ago, a friend turned me onto Bacon Salt. With a seasoning like that, bacon can be included on everything!

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

IZEA Holdings, Inc. (IZEA:OTCBB), the world leader in social media sponsorships, today announced the release of WeReward Insights, a new survey feature for its WeReward mobile rewards application that allows consumers to earn money from brands by performing real-world actions with their mobile device.

Through WeReward Insights, advertisers can offer surveys to segments of the WeReward app user base. WeReward holds a wide range of opt-in demographic data, such as purchasing habits at stores and restaurants, which can be analyzed and aggregated. The secure, anonymous data is then available to brands as a detailed, real-time snapshot of their targeted users.

“Brands and consumers directly benefit through the use of WeReward Insights,” said Ted Murphy, Chief Executive Officer. “Advertisers gain unprecedented visibility into the demographics of the respondents because the platform provides them with aggregated information about purchasing, opinions, location, and mobile task behaviors. Consumers that complete surveys are given another way to earn cash rewards for only a few minutes of their time. Our WeReward ecosystem offers the biggest variety of rewards for people to earn money for checking into places, using products, downloading mobile apps, and now completing surveys.”

Brands can set their own WeReward point amounts for each survey, which are placed into the user’s account upon completion. Each point is worth one penny, and users can transfer their points to real cash at set intervals to PayPal accounts.

“Ever time a user contributes information, it makes WeReward Insights smarter and more valuable to our client-partners,” said Ryan Schram, Chief Marketing Officer. “We can tell you if Democrats prefer Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts or if iPhone owners are more eco-conscious than their Android counterparts. The entirety of this data enables businesses to better understand their customer, and in turns, helps them to make more powerful marketing decisions.”

The WeReward mobileapp is currently available to iPhone and Android device users. Businesses and consumers can also signup at www.wereward.com.

About IZEA
IZEA Holdings, Inc., (“IZEA”) is a world leader in social media sponsorship, operating multiple marketplaces including WeReward, SponsoredTweets, and SocialSpark. IZEA connects advertisers with social media publishers, helping them monetize their social media presence. The company has completed over 2,000,000 social media sponsorships for customers ranging from small local businesses to Fortune 50 organizations. For more information about IZEA, visit www.izea.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Please read the full statement and disclosures here: http://izea.com/safe-harbor-statement

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

1. What originally attracted you to the IZEA community, and how did you find out about it? I found out about IZEA when I was first contacted about doing something for a Pier One campaign.  I didn’t do that one, but kept hearing about Social Spark from some of my blog friends.  I decided to officially sign up and I’ve been a part of IZEA for about 4 months now.  I have enjoyed the program a lot and the fact that there are such varied topics that are offered.

2. Why Southern Hospitably? If you mean, why did I name my blog Southern Hospitality?  Well, it’s because I’m a Southern girl, born and raised in the South and enjoy all that my Southern heritage brings me.  I enjoy sharing about the South on my blog, along with my family, food, shopping, thrifty decorating, and anytime I travel, I share all of those trips too.  I’m proud to be Southern

3. What’s been your favorite SocialSpark Campaign? The Hill’s Science Diet dog campaign was a lot of fun.  I featured my sister’s 2 doggies in the video and they got to benefit from the toys and action shots.  We had fun doing that one and putting it all together.  I loved getting the Sony video camera too, that was a nice bonus!

4. What inspires you to blog? I love sharing ideas and inspiration with others out there who enjoy the same things I do.  I’ve been online for over 10 years in many arenas of decorating forums, so blogging was a natural outreach with that.  When blogs began, I jumped on board in 2007 and haven’t slowed down since. It has now turned into my full-time business and I still love it so much. The community and friendships have been so rewarding too.

5. What’s one word of advice you’d give to bloggers who are looking to increase the quality of their content? Write from your passion.  If you write about things that you love and are passionate about, then readers will appreciate that and come back for more.  I think that is the key to successful blogging.  Writing about things that you love and enjoy, sharing with the blog community will come natural.

6. Complete this thought: If I could I would____. travel around to all the blog conferences all the time, blogging and meeting new friends.  Blogging has been so much fun for me!

Rhoda’s blog can be found here

1. What originally attracted you to Sponsored Tweets? I believe in honest and transparent sponsored posts. Sponsored Tweets attracted me with its full disclosure with each tweet.

2. What has been one of your favorite campaigns to participate in? InColdStorage Vintage campaign donated 20% of its sales to saving shelter pets. I enjoy campaigns that donate portions of proceeds to good causes.

3. What do you love most about Twitter? I love Twitter’s ability to connect with so many individuals and receiving the latest news within seconds of something happening in the world.

4. Finish this: Without Twitter I would______. have less entertainment online.

5. What do you do to market yourself, and get new followers? I participate in several freelance writer communities. We are very good at supporting each other, re-tweeting each other’s links and helping promote our work. Joining Twitter-based communities, posting frequently on Twitter and taking the time to socialize are the best ways to make your account noticed on Twitter. Also, check each sponsored opportunity link before you post it to your account. Twitter followers appreciate honest links with quality information.

6. Any advice to other Tweeters on how to get more Sponsored Tweets Opportunities? Turn in your sponsored opportunities in a timely manner. Respect the advertiser’s time. Advertisers will in turn favorite your account and offer you more paid opportunities.

Follow Nina’s Tweets at @writingdivas

1. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear WeReward? Cold, hard cash (well, the electronic kind, which works even better for me)

2. What device do you claim rewards from? iPhone 4

3. Where have you checked-in the most? I’m guessing Dancing Goats Coffee Bar or Stone Soup Kitchen, since the app no longer wants me to take photos at either place.

4. What’s been your favorite WeReward reward claim so far? Nielsen Mobile Rewards, since joining was worth 1000 points (and I keep earning rewards each month)

5. What company would you love to see using WeReward? There’s already a great selection of national retailers, but Lowe’s would be a good addition to that roster.

6. Most importantly, what’s your favorite way to eat bacon? That would be the tempeh bacon (known as BC) from local vegan meatery Gutenfleischers

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

You guys rock!

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

1. How did you discover IZEA, and how did you know sponsored content would be right for you? I received an email asking if I’d like to sign up with Social Spark. So many PR emails and requests flood my email inbox daily, but I was intrigued with the nature of this one. I love to work with brands… the right brands- brands that are a natural fit with my cooking and my website, as well as brands that I know my readers are interested in. Letting the brands approach me with requests via an outside source saves some of the headache of having to weed through those emails that come directly to me. With Social Spark, I can easily pick and choose who I want to work with.

2. What led you to leave teaching to become a full-time food blogger? I loved being in the classroom, but I loved being a Mom more. Initially I stayed home and became actively involved in my young son’s life. But I’m a high-energy kind of girl and I needed more. My passion for cooking led me to start RecipeGirl.com and it allowed me to work from home too. Mommy + Cooking + Blogger = One Happy Girl.

3. It seems recipes would provide an endless supply of content. Do you ever get stumped for what to write about? No, not really. There are so many different things to cook and bake, and I have piles among piles of recipes and ideas that I’ll never get through in this lifetime. Having family around provides for endless stories and humor to work into my writing too.

4. Do you have a favorite genre of dish or meal to write about (e.g., desserts, beef, etc)? Dessert! Unfortunately, I have quite the affinity for sweets… which leads to many hours a week on the treadmill.

5. You recently participated in our campaign for Tabasco, and because of the great post were featured in our “Blogs We <3” series. What was your favorite part of being involved in that campaign? When I work with a brand, I really try and go all out for that client. That being said, coming up with a creative idea that I know will fetch a lot of page views for that client is my ultimate goal. Tabasco can be used in just about everything, so it was fairly easy to come up with a recipe for that one. My favorite part: lots of website traffic and my readers loved the recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots with Tabasco.

6. We all know maintaining a quality blog can be quite time consuming. How do you balance keeping up your blog and being a wife and mother? Uh, still working on that one! If you asked my husband, he’d say that I haven’t found the key to balancing yet. If you asked my son, he’d probably tell you that I love my computer more than him (but he’s a little dramatic that way!) I’m so passionate about what I do that I simply want to do it all the time. The good news is that when we are together as a family or when we are off on vacation, I can plan ahead and let the website take care of itself for a while with minimal attention.

7. You have fairly decent followings on both Twitter and Facebook. Do you find one platform has a more engaging audience over the other? Or is there really a difference? I’ve had a RecipeGirl presence on Twitter longer than I have on Facebook. With Twitter, I’m an active user… talking all day to my followers and friends and clicking around to links that people provide so that I can actively participate in the food blog community. I’ve met lifelong friends on Twitter and I absolutely love that aspect of it. Sharing recipes and food finds happens on both social networks for me, and I find value in both.

8. Complete this thought: If I could I would ____. If I could, I would travel all year long. Stay a month here and a month there, and experience foods from different parts of the world.

9. My favorite word right now is ____. My favorite word right now is drizzle. The word “drizzle” probably appears on my blog more than any other word. I guess I like to drizzle things on top of my food! The best part is capturing a photo of the drizzle in action… which is kind of sexy.

10. Food blogging is a fairly popular niche. What tips can you give other food bloggers than can help set them apart and stand out? Don’t do the same old, same old. I visit blogs that have vibrant, beautiful photos, easy navigation and delicious-looking recipes. And I won’t visit a blog at all if there are misspellings and/or grammar mistakes- huge turn-off. Find a designer who will make your blog stand out, grab a DSLR and learn how to take some great photos, and choose recipes that you think will be more of a “draw” to the general public. Don’t just make chocolate chip cookies… make Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!

11. What’s one word of advice you’d give to bloggers who are looking to increase the quality of their content? Don’t publish blurry, unappetizing photos! If you didn’t capture at least one good photo of the recipe you want to feature… either make it again or move on. No one will linger on your site very long if what they’re viewing does not appeal to them.

You can find Lori blogging at RecipeGirl.com.

1. What originally attracted you to Sponsored Tweets? I saw that a few of my friends were participating; people whom I knew were smart and trustworthy. If they were doing it, it must be the real deal. I used one of them as a referral and BOOM, here I am.

2. What has been one of your favorite campaigns to participate in? Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. It’s nice to participate in a campaign that A) I know my followers are interested in and B) I totally endorse in real life. My stream is mostly parents so it’s a great fit.

3. What do you love most about Twitter? I’ve made some awesome friendships. It’s amazing how much one @ can bring people together. I talk to these people every day and really cherish them.

4. Finish this: Without Twitter I would____. “have nothing to do in the bathroom.”

5. How do you get creative with your Tweets? Hashtags. Hashtags are the key to all that is twitter humor. Even the driest tweet can shine with an off-key hashtag. #LikeYourMomsFace

6. What do you do to market yourself, and get new Followers? I get most of my followers through my parenting blog. I also meet people through friends, great conversations, and #FollowFriday.

7. Any advice to other Tweeters on how to get more Sponsored Tweets Opportunities? Be choosy. Select opportunities that your followers will care about. It may mean you take fewer opportunities but you’ll get better results if the product is a good fit for your audience. It’s better for you and for the advertiser.

8. A Tweet a Day___. “is good for the soul. But only if your soul cares about twitter.”

9. What’s your favorite bird (tweet, tweet!)? Artic puffin. Follow Jamie’s Tweets at @thegrumbles.

1. Why do you WeReward? To earn money for my every day activity.

2. What device do you claim rewards from? Started with an iPhone 3G, Now on a HTC Evo 4G.

3. Do you remember what your first Reward claim was? A 5 point check-in at a Mexican restaurant in my area.

4. What the first thing that comes to mind when you hear WeReward? Being Rewarded!

5. You were our 1,000th check-in winner. Congrats! How does that make you feel? Awesome! When I first signed up I was determined to win.

6. What other mobile social applications do you actively use? Shopkick, Twitter, and Foursquare.

7. Sky’s the limit – what company would you love to see using WeReward? AMC Theaters, I love going to the movies.

8. Tell one thing about yourself nobody knows. Some people know, but not many, I’m only 6 years old! (born on leap year).

9. If Chops were to have a girlfriend, what would you name her? Franny.

10. Most importantly, what’s your favorite way to eat bacon? Wrapped around a hotdog.

11. Have you purchased anything interesting with the money you’ve earned from WeReward? Used it as a down payment on a new truck!!!

12. Finish this: WeReward makes me ____. Want to go out and shop. You can stay connected with Benjamin here.

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

We’d like to introduce you to another set of Publishers we feel exemplify quality content, and a passion for Social Media. Enjoy getting to know these Community Members!
1. What originally attracted you to the IZEA Community, and how did you find out about it? Several months ago, I became “PR friendly.” But to me, that doesn’t mean, “Let companies walk all over me,” or, “offer free advertising to anyone who offers me a sample worth $5.” Let’s face it. My time is valuable, and my readers trust me to also value their time. So I write about things I’m actually interested in and think they might be interested in. I write honest reviews of products that may (or may not, as the case may be) fit into my Joyful Abode, and host giveaways so they may also directly benefit. And I expect worthwhile compensation for my time, thoughtful opinions, engaging writing, and for my readers’ attention. IZEA gives me all of that, the flexibility to say no or to negotiate payment, and respects me as a writer and as a person.

I’m so thankful to my Twitter friend who told me about Social Spark, and told me, “I’ve seen the building and they’re legit.” I may not have seen the building, but my email correspondence with Anthony, Crystal, Veronique, Rhia, Ashley, and the rest of the IZEA staff tells me that not only are they legit, they’re also genuine.

2. Why “Joyful Abode”? I started my blog as a place to document my “trials and errors into the domestic domain.” When I began to think of a URL and blog title, I knew I wanted something that would grow with me as I learned new skills, dabbled in different crafts, got married, and established a family. It also needed to express my attitude that no matter where you are (since moving frequently is such a huge aspect of my life as a Navy wife), you can create a happy household with a positive outlook. “Joyful Abode” was perfect, and it is where I talk about all the tiny components that make up my happy home.

3. What inspires you to blog? I think this is definitely covered in the answer above!

4. What’s been your favorite SocialSpark campaign? I have to tell you, I LOVED the Pier One Holiday Décor Review. I’m a huge fan of Pier One, and it was so much fun to make the hike (an hour away) to the store with my family, look at all the awesome holiday décor, tweet some photos of too-cute stuff (elephant measuring cups, sparkly octopus ornaments), then come home and write about the goodies I bought.

5. What do you most enjoy about SocialSpark v2? I really can’t speak to the differences between Social Spark v1 and Social Spark v2 because I became a member during the transition. I really like the organized dashboard, how easy it is to accept or decline leads (or negotiate), and the fact that it only takes a second to make a withdrawal from my “points.” But the thing I love the most is those personal emails I find in my inbox from the folks at IZEA.

6. Being a somewhat new wife and mother, you must not have much free time. How do you manage to balance that along with blogging? I used to try to be far more regimented about posting frequently, making sure no category was TOO neglected, editing photos so that they were perfect, and weighing each word carefully before clicking “publish.” During pregnancy, I was often exhausted and nauseated, and published a lot of posts from my phone, full of grainy photos and iPhone-induced typos. My readers didn’t care; they still followed along, commenting and sharing their stories. It was a period of time that taught me flexibility is key, and to toss perfectionism out the window.

I take photos throughout the day and often think of ideas for blog posts or recipes that I’d like to share. Sometimes I jot them down, and other times I forget. Of the ones I make note of, some never make it to my blog. I tend to keep it organic and after a while, if I haven’t finished a draft, I delete it without much guilt.

Lately it seems as though a lot of my blogging time is in the evening after my baby goes to bed. She generally falls asleep several hours before my “bedtime,” which leaves time for my husband to study or prepare for a flight, for me to blog, both of us to iron, fold laundry, or whatever, often while watching an episode of Bones, House, or 30 Rock. Some serious multi-tasking goes on in the evenings when she is asleep, but we keep it laid-back.

7. You have over 8,000 Followers on Twitter. How do you make it easy to stay connected with that many people? Twitter got a lot more fun when I started having conversations (note: if you never type an @, or if you never RT, you’re doing it wrong), but for a little while it overwhelmed me. I would open the Echofon app on my phone and try to catch up on EVERYthing I had missed. After I started following a few hundred people, I realized that was ridiculous.

Now I use TweetDeck, and it only shows me the last 20 minutes or so, which makes Twitter so much more manageable (I think it will show you more time if you have fewer people you follow). I have columns for certain hashtags I follow, a list of people who are great conversationalists, and a very small list of my twitterBFFs. Those are the ones I skim and reply to (besides replying to mentions and DMs), and if I get bored or have more time – like if Anneliese is having a marathon nursing session – I’ll glance through the “All Friends” column and see if anything interesting or worthwhile is going on, and start more conversations there.

8. Complete this thought: If I could I would ____. Live abroad. And with a husband in the Navy, it’s very possible that we might someday! I have a lot of girlfriends who have lived in Japan, and every one of them has loved it. I’ve only done a little bit of international travel, but my favorite parts weren’t the tourist attractions; I loved meeting the local people, shopping in dumpy convenience stores and open-air markets, and getting to know the culture and customs. If I lived in another country, it would be like that, multiplied by 1000.

9. My favorite word right now is ____. Ridiculous. I probably tweet “ridiculous” about 20 times a day.

10. What advice do you have on helping other bloggers market and brand themselves? Be yourself. If you try to be anyone else, you might keep up the façade for a while, but eventually you’ll burn out. Write about what you know, and be up front about what you don’t know. Ask questions. Share your opinions, experiences, lessons learned, and mistakes. Once people get to know you, you’ll find they recognize your “brand.” If you’re witty, let your quick tongue shine. If you’re more thoughtful, write pensive posts. If you’re sarcastic, your readers will love your facetiousness. You’ll attract the audience that is perfect for YOUR blog, if you’re genuine. If you fake it, you’ll end up hating blogging because you’ll be trying to cater to a readership that doesn’t mesh with you.

An example of branding:

11. What’s one word of advice you’d give to bloggers who are looking to increase the quality of their content? Write. Have you heard of the 10,000 hour rule? Psychologist Anders Ericsson found that the most successful and talented violinists were the ones who spent the most time practicing and playing. The idea is that you don’t have to be born a prodigy, guru, or expert, but that if you put in the time, you’ll get there.

So to become one of the most excellent writers in 10 years, you’ll need to put in a thousand hours a year. That’s roughly 4 hours per weekday, if you take a couple days off. I definitely don’t spend 4 hours each day writing, so I know it will take me much longer than 10 years to earn my 10,000 hour badge. But I’ve got almost 4 years under my belt at Joyful Abode (and longer if you add in my previous website), so I’m surely on my way.

And even if you’ve only been writing for a week, you’re on your way too.

Just keep writing.

Emily’s blog can be found here.

1. What originally attracted you to Sponsored Tweets? I saw a popular mom blogger mention it on Twitter.

2. What has been one of your favorite campaigns to participate in? ZenniOptical. Having a place to buy affordable RX glasses is a must for frugal families

3. What do you love most about Twitter? Being able to connect with others quickly, meaningfully. Its easy to grow followers and reach a wider audience. I’ve been able to connect with “brands” who want to work with me!

4. Finish this: Without Twitter I would____. “not be where I am today.”

5. How do you get creative with your Tweets? Being limited to 140 characters means I have to abbreviate, use #s and omit spaces

6. What do you do to market yourself, and get new Followers? Network, offer following me on Twitter as a giveaway entry or Tweeting about my giveaway as an entry, utilizing #FF (Follow Friday!).

7. Any advice to other Tweeters on how to get more Sponsored Tweets Opportunities? Grow your following and take advantage of the pay per click opportunities. You don’t make as much money but at least you’re active.

8. A Tweet a Day___. “keeps me in the play!”

9. What’s your favorite bird (tweet, tweet!)? Don’t have a favorite. But I think the Grey Titmouse is beautiful! Looks kind of like a young Cardinal, but grey instead of red.

Follow Tracy’s Tweets at @tzdelar.

1. Why do you WeReward? I WeReward because it PAYS me to do what do—go to/eat at/buy from places!

2. What device do you claim rewards from? The iPhone 4, iOS 4.2.1.

3. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear WeReward? Get paid!

4. Where have you checked-in the most? Probably a tie between Target and Starbucks.

5. What’s been your favorite WeReward reward claim so far? All the promotional check-ins have been my favorite (i.e. Chili’s 1,000-point check-in, Reese’s Halloween Costume promotion, etc.)

6. What other mobile social applications do you actively use? Foursquare!

7. Sky’s the limit – what company would you love to see using WeReward? Banana Republic/Gap/Old Navy, H&M, Express, Century Theatres.

8. Tell one thing about yourself nobody knows. I keep extra sets of clothes slightly larger than what I normally wear in case my weight fluctuates UP! Haha!

9. If Chops were to have a girlfriend, what would you name her? Chop-sui!

10. Most importantly, what’s your favorite way to eat bacon? Cooked and crispy! With ranch dressing and onion rings =)

11. Have you purchased anything interesting with the money you’ve earned from WeReward? Nah–just more groceries!

12. Finish this: …SMILE! (We like that answer!)

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

As 2010 closes and 2011 begins, it is time once again to talk about taxes.  IZEA will be sending any US resident who has earned $600 or more across all of the IZEA properties a 1099 to include with your tax documents.

To ensure that your earnings are allocated and your forms arrive to you correctly and quickly, please take a moment to visit your IZEA accounts and check that your name, mailing address and Social Security number or Tax ID number are all properly recorded.

So, you may be wondering:

Will I get a 1099?

If you earned $600 or more with any IZEA property in 2010, you will receive a 1099.

Will I get a 1099 for each system if I have accounts in more than one IZEA property?

No.  If you participate in more than one IZEA program, you will not recieve individual 1099s.  You will recieve one form which encompasses all earnings

When can I expect to receive my 1099?

1099′s will be mailed by January 31st, 2011.

What do I need to do to ensure I get a 1099?

Make sure that you log in to each IZEA platform in which you have an account and check that your name, address and Social Security or Tax ID number are correct and current.

How do I check my account information?

From Sponsored Tweets, WeReward & PayPerPost : The information is collected when you make your first cash out.

From SocialSpark: Social is collected at cash out.  Address information can be added or updated by choosing the ‘overview’ link from the ‘account’ dropdown.

Can I report my IZEA earnings if I do not get a 1099?

Of course!  Although we will not provide a form, if you have been keeping track of your own earnings from 2010, you are welcome to report them on your taxes.

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing

2. Why “C’est La Vie”? Originally, I decided to name my blog after one of my favorite songs, “C’est La Vie” by B*Witched. It wasn’t so much the meaning of the song title (“that’s life”) as it was the catchy nature of the song, but as I began to blog more about my own personal life, I found the meaning behind the song name become that much more fitting.

3. What inspires you to blog? The majority of my blog is centered around the daily goings on of my life – what I do at school, what classes I’m taking, how close I am to getting my first undergraduate degree and how my two sons fit into all of that. If I come across something that strikes me as particularly interesting one day, I write about that. If something rubs me the wrong way and I need a place to vent about whatever happened, I write about that too.

4. What’s been your favorite SocialSpark campaign? Without a doubt, it would have to be the Parents’ Choice formula campaign. I actually supplement my youngest son with Sensitivity, and to this day it’s the only formula that his stomach tolerates well. He also wears Parents’ Choice diapers as well, so needless to say, I loved being chosen to write for them!

5. What do you most enjoy about SocialSpark v2? I really like how advertisers can hand-pick the bloggers that they’d like to write for them. Because of that, I get a lot of Opportunities that actually have to do with things I already use in my daily life.

6. You are not only incredibly busy, but you have children and go to school. How do you balance everything? If I can schedule in a set time for something, by all means, I do. From scheduling my classes around my sons’ needs to setting aside time to do homework and study, I make it a point to schedule everything that can possibly be scheduled so I’m not thrown for a loop when the unexpected occurs. I don’t let spare time go to waste, and I try to dovetail as many things together as I can – I’ve actually written posts with my youngest son in my lap! And if I have to leave the computer as I’m writing to tend to either one of them, I compose more of the post in my head and think about what I’m going to write so I can finish it once I sit back down.

7. How do you actively stay engaged with your audience? As I compose posts for my blog, I wonder to myself, “How interesting is this?” I also strive, first and foremost, to keep my blogs personal – to write about things that other people can relate to, or at the very least, keep them coming back for more.

8. Complete this thought: If I could I would ____. Go to Hawaii. I’m never going to turn down the chance to go on a nice vacation!

9. My favorite word right now is ____. Pi. I’m a self-proclaimed geek, and it’s become a bit of a thing amongst some of my friends to see who can recite the most numbers in pi from memory. (I’m at 3.14152, by the way.)

10. What are some great tips on how bloggers can build a brand for themselves? Be yourself. If you’re trying to fit into a niche that you’re not, it’s going to come out in your writing. And be interesting! If you have something that sets you apart from the crowd, write about that. Channel your interests and passions so they come out in your blog, and soon enough, you’ll be known as the blogger who __________.

11. What’s one word of advice you’d give to bloggers who are looking to increase the quality of their content? Write, write and write. Watch how you write, making sure that you’re using proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. If you need inspiration, look to your favorite bloggers to see how they’ve gotten as far as they have, but remember not to turn into them – always be yourself. Incorporate as much of yourself as you can in what you write.

Dani’s blog can be found here.

1. What originally attracted you to Sponsored Tweets? How easy it is to monetize my twitter stream without having to identify and solicit clients. Sponsored Tweets take away one of the hardest part of business for most people; gaining clients. It’s a win-win scenario for everyone involved in the transaction. This allows me to focus on my small business while creating an additional stream of income.

2. What has been one of your favorite campaigns to participate in? Zenni Optical – I research each of my advertisers before tweeting a link to them. All of the research I have found on Zenni Optical is positive including some from my best friend. I will be using them myself depending on my upcoming eye exam. This campaign allows me to combine a great brand with helping people “Do more with less”. I am sure there is probably at least some negative press on the world wide web about this company, but the overwhelming majority is happy with the service and product provided by Zenni Optical. Not to sound like a commercial, this is the result of personal investigation of the company’s online reputation.

3. What do you love most about Twitter? Instant communication, relationships, and camaraderie. I have used Twitter several times to reach out to major corporations and successfully resolved issues using only Twitter as the platform. This was after utilizing the ‘normal’ methods of resolving customer issues. Then five minutes later I used Twitter to catch up with friends who live throughout the world. Some I have met in person, but the majority I have only met via online communication tools.

4. Finish this: Without Twitter I would ____. “not have met some incredible cyber friends, attended Blog World, or expanded my knowledge exponentially.”

5. How do you get creative with your Tweets? Variety in topics and approach using actionable words. Think about the attention getting headlines in newspapers? It’s those who elicit a reaction from the reader.

6. What do you do to market yourself, and get new Followers? Honestly, I don’t do any marketing. I am an active participant on Twitter. I answer questions from those I follow (general questions not just those who specifically mention me), and I participate in several Twitter chats. My followers come from active engagement and having a conversation with both my followers and those I follow.

7. Any advice to other Tweeters on how to get more Sponsored Tweets Opportunities? Keep your Sponsored Tweets profile updated, chose keywords carefully, and do not accept Opportunities which have no relevancy to your twitter stream.

8. A Tweet a Day ____. “keeps the followers coming”.

9. What’s your favorite bird (tweet, tweet!) Penguin. My 4 year old son has a chronic illness which requires regular medication and blood draws he doesn’t let it get him down. No matter what I ask of him, he faces the task with bravery and tries to understand.

Follow Nicole’s Tweets at @nickelnm.

1. Why do you WeReward? Because it’s fun! I love the social aspect of the application and the way I see it, if I am going to engage others through social media by checking in places and reviewing products anyway, why not earn a little coin for it?!

2. What device do you claim rewards from? iPhone 4 covered by the toughest case on the planet, The OtterBox.

3. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear WeReward? YOU Reward? Where?! CHA-CHING!

4. Where have you checked-in the most? Probably Starbucks, I am a sucker for a Café Cubano. I am a caffeine fiend when I am brainstorming.

5. What’s been your favorite WeReward reward claim so far? Easy. The Reese’s Halloween Promotion! Reese’s had WeReward takeover where they awarded 50 points as a task and 300 points for a Reese’s check in. If the user got selected as the overall winner, they won the grand prize of I think $100 bucks! It was a great promotion and a lot of fun. I went all out and made a day project, invited some friends over to carve out a Reese’s Jack-o-lantern! We all had a blast interacting with the brand and taking the photos with eerie mood lighting!

6. What other mobile social applications do you actively use?

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Gowalla
• FourSquare
• Tweetdeck
• Facebook
• Hurricane Party

7. Sky’s the limit – what company would you love to see using WeReward? I would really like to see Sports teams using WeReward. A fan’s relationship with their favorite professional team is a very intimate one. What better way to strengthen and capitalize on that relationship than to reward that person for staying with the brand through thick and thin.

It would also be cool to see integration with Gowalla, another Austin based geo-targeted application.

8. Tell one thing about yourself nobody knows. Music Moves Me. There is nothing like kicking back to some live blues, jazz, or rock. Especially blues.

9. If Chops were to have a girlfriend, what would you name her? Porquette.

10. Most importantly, what’s your favorite way to eat bacon? BACON FLAVORED SUNFLOWER SEEDS! Bomb!

11. Have you purchased anything interesting with the money you’ve earned from WeReward? My guilty pleasure, Cigars. I have already purchased a desktop humidor and a box of cigars to kick back and relax with. Thank you WeReward!

12. Finish this: WeReward makes me excited about mobile marketing. Since I am into marketing and advertising, it gets me to think outside the box on ways a brand can engage and interact with the consumer.

This is a post from: IZEA : Social Media Marketing