Friday, September 29, 2017
Thursday, September 28, 2017
SnackPals Giveaway
SackPals Giveaway
~ 1 Winner~
Open to US
9/28 12am ~ 10/12 11:59pm
~Prize~
SackPals Starter Kit
RV $39.95
Check out our review for the SackPals Starter Kit.
Check out our giveaway host and see what other events we have coming up.
Find Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews on
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and Twitter
Thank you to all of the bloggers promoting this giveaway! I appreciate all of you for your hard work and helping our readers get really awesome prizes!RV $39.95
Check out our giveaway host and see what other events we have coming up.
Find Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews on
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and Twitter
Now for the fun stuff. This giveaway is open to US. There are daily bonus entries so please check back tomorrow. Share it with your family and friends, they'll want to enter to win too!!
I can't ask you to "Like" our pages but, if you see something you like, let us know so we can bring you more of it.
We LOVE it when you "LIKE" our pages.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you have any questions about this giveaway, reviews, or any of our other giveaways, please feel free to email us directly at grovesamy81@gmail.com or amy@aarlreviews.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you have any questions about this giveaway, reviews, or any of our other giveaways, please feel free to email us directly at grovesamy81@gmail.com or amy@aarlreviews.com
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Cujo Smart Firewall At Best Buy
** The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. **
One of my most favorite back to school items for the 2017-2018 school year is Cujo Smart Firewall. Sure, it may not be a lunchbox item or a new pair of sneakers or lead pencils but, it is a definite must-have for any family who uses the internet. (Cujo is also great for businesses and anyone who is connected!)
This one device will secure all devices connected to your WiFi router. Cujo detects and blocks malicious sites, viruses, and hacks. Cujo and his cute, smiling face is like an antivirus for your entire network! But, there are so many other advantages to having Cujo around!
One of my most favorite back to school items for the 2017-2018 school year is Cujo Smart Firewall. Sure, it may not be a lunchbox item or a new pair of sneakers or lead pencils but, it is a definite must-have for any family who uses the internet. (Cujo is also great for businesses and anyone who is connected!)
This one device will secure all devices connected to your WiFi router. Cujo detects and blocks malicious sites, viruses, and hacks. Cujo and his cute, smiling face is like an antivirus for your entire network! But, there are so many other advantages to having Cujo around!
Cujo's Main Features
Cujo will guard every device that is connected to your network, bring you business level security, connect directly to your router, has a super handy and very easy app to control, has parental controls, and is built with 1GB ethernet so it is blazing fast!
My favorite main feature is how easy it is to set up. All you need to do is plug Cujo in, connect to your modem and your router if needed and install an app. This process takes just a few minutes and everything you need to know is right on your phone. After everything is plugged in, Cujo does all of the work for you! (I waited maybe 2 whole minutes for the app to sync with Cujo and he started learning immediately!
One cool thing to note is that Cujo comes all bundled up in a package that is easy to open, instructions that are easy to understand, has a website to visit to start the process and has a window sticker to let everybody know your house and every device in it is protected by Cujo.
You can also filter the different types of websites each profile can access! This is great for families with children of different ages!
If you offer screen time or game time as a reward or if you allow game time only after homework and chores are done, you could filter gaming specifically and then remove the block after chores are done.
Cujo will start keeping track of threats and alerting you every time anything happens. The above screenshot was taken shortly after connecting Cujo however, a few hours later and a few devices later, we did receive 1 threat. The alert will actually show you which device and what time the threat was detected.
I am really loving the parenting control features! I think it is important to set time limits for children (and adults!) and I can do this all remotely. I am also grateful for the filter options and the alerts I receive if my 14-year-old decides to get online to start playing games before finishing homework and chores. (Yes, this happens sometimes!)
If your children use any social media networks, Cujo will help you monitor that as well. You really don't have to be super duper tech savvy to use Cujo or the app. It is easy enough for everyone!
One cool thing to note is that Cujo comes all bundled up in a package that is easy to open, instructions that are easy to understand, has a website to visit to start the process and has a window sticker to let everybody know your house and every device in it is protected by Cujo.
Parental Controls
One of the most impressive benefits to having Cujo around is the fact that I can control and monitor what each device that is connected to my network, is doing. Each of our children uses tablets, 1 has a phone, we have laptops, game consoles, and a desktop. There are limits to screen time and depending on the circumstances, screen time must be earned. (Especially during the school year!) We do respect our children's privacy however, we do what we can to monitor what they can access online. Cujo makes this so much easier and I feel much safer knowing that I will get alerts on my phone if one of them clicked on something that is malicious.
You can create profiles for everybody in your home directly through the Cujo app. You can even choose your color and avatar! Once Cujo has been connected, he starts learning and finding devices. This could take a few hours up to 48 hours. Once Cujo notices the devices, you can assign them to a profile. From here, you can set restrictions if needed and you can monitor activity.
If you offer screen time or game time as a reward or if you allow game time only after homework and chores are done, you could filter gaming specifically and then remove the block after chores are done.
Cujo will start keeping track of threats and alerting you every time anything happens. The above screenshot was taken shortly after connecting Cujo however, a few hours later and a few devices later, we did receive 1 threat. The alert will actually show you which device and what time the threat was detected.
I am really loving the parenting control features! I think it is important to set time limits for children (and adults!) and I can do this all remotely. I am also grateful for the filter options and the alerts I receive if my 14-year-old decides to get online to start playing games before finishing homework and chores. (Yes, this happens sometimes!)
If your children use any social media networks, Cujo will help you monitor that as well. You really don't have to be super duper tech savvy to use Cujo or the app. It is easy enough for everyone!
Friday, September 15, 2017
Red Copper Pans Giveaway
Hosted By
Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews
Co-Hosted By
Deliciously Savvy
Easter Babe's Theory
I've Been Waiting On You
Candy Crush & Snowman Butts
Sponsored by:
Bulb Head
Co-Hosted By
Deliciously Savvy
Easter Babe's Theory
I've Been Waiting On You
Candy Crush & Snowman Butts
Sponsored by:
Bulb Head
~ 3 Winners~
Open to US
9/15 12am ~ 9/30 11:59pm
~Prize~
1st Place- 5 Minute Chef
2nd Place- Brownie Bonanza
3rd Place- Flipwich
Check out our review for the Red Copper Pans.
Find Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews on
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and Twitter
Thank you to all of the bloggers promoting this giveaway! I appreciate all of you for your hard work and helping our readers get really awesome prizes!2nd Place- Brownie Bonanza
3rd Place- Flipwich
Find Amy & Aron's Real Life Reviews on
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and Twitter
Now for the fun stuff. This giveaway is open to US. There are daily bonus entries so please check back tomorrow. Share it with your family and friends, they'll want to enter to win too!!
I can't ask you to "Like" our pages but, if you see something you like, let us know so we can bring you more of it.
We LOVE it when you "LIKE" our pages.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you have any questions about this giveaway, reviews, or any of our other giveaways, please feel free to email us directly at grovesamy81@gmail.com or amy@aarlreviews.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you have any questions about this giveaway, reviews, or any of our other giveaways, please feel free to email us directly at grovesamy81@gmail.com or amy@aarlreviews.com
Monday, September 11, 2017
Tips For Improving Your Blog's Content Marketing Strategy
I know there are a gazillion lists and pointers out there to help bloggers from all ends of the spectrum and some require you to download books or buy programs that you never seem to finish. If you're a blogger or are thinking of becoming a blogger, you're probably endlessly searching for tips and suggestions. I try to learn something new each day whether I'm actually researching or something ridiculous happens that ends up being a 10-hour learning experience!
I keep lots of notes and like to jot down pointers I come across while searching for help for digital marketing and how to earn a decent income with my blogs. So, I created this little list for you. Hopefully, some of my tips will resonate with you!
Quality or Quantity?
I may not be an expert but, I have seen so many bloggers and social media influencers and content creators with hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers! Of course, there are some exceptional content creators out there who have a good, solid audience who actually interact with them. These are the types of bloggers I try to follow and even take notes on what they are doing and how.
I've been blogging for a little over 7 years and while I haven't been 100% FT since the beginning, I have been the past couple of years since my disabilities progressed and I ended up having to switch to a stay at home/work at home mom. I have been watching the bigger bloggers even more closely now. Not so much to copy them, but to see how they interact with their readers and where they share their content.
Over the years I've noticed that bloggers with a smaller following tend to engage more with their readers. They engage conversation and reply to their reader's comments regularly. (I have also seen bloggers who are far bigger than I am who will take the time out of their day to have conversations with their readers!). Often you will find them thanking other bloggers or their readers for sharing, retweeting, or leaving comments. As time-consuming as that would be, this is a very effective way to keep your readers coming back and attracting new readers. A personal note will be remembered!
I've come to the conclusion that when you have 3 million followers but very rarely a Retweet or a share or even a "like", something is wrong. Whether it's a possibility that some of these followers were bought or they all came in through a group giveaway, it's likely that they aren't going to help your blog grow. Google is pretty slick and can start to notice if you purchased blog hits or even Google Adsense clicks. Not to mention, if this is the route you take, the possibility of being blacklisted gets closer each and every day.
So, how do we obtain quality readers? Again, this is time-consuming but will end up paying off in the long run. Focusing on learning and understanding your audience is a big step in growing your blog. You can write and write and write but if it isn't relevant to your readers, they will stop coming back. I'm all for writing about anything and everything you're interested in but, you have to throw a post out there sometimes too. Your readers are counting on you to share recipes, how to do lists, DIY projects, movie reviews, whatever it is they are into. They are trusting you to bring them quality content. Share some memes on social media, USE HASHTAGS, check the trending lists each day and even throughout the day to see what people are interested in, and you could always ask them for ideas!
At the end of the day, the fact remains that there are millions of bloggers out there and a vast amount of excellent influencers and it's getting harder to stand out in a crowd. You've probably heard, "You just gotta find your niche!" so many times by now but it's the truth. I like to also add that it's also very wise to be kind, considerate, thank your readers, thank fellow bloggers for sharing your posts and Tweets and figure out some way, somehow, somewhere where you stand out and use that!
Prioritize Your Precious Time
While there are a lot of fabulous bloggers out there with a huge fan base, there are also some very brilliant, very creative bloggers with a lower follower count. Sometimes, I find a content creator with just 400 Twitter followers but they might have over 60,000 Instagram followers and over 100,000 Pinterest followers. There are so many social networks and while it is crucial to claim your name on all of the most important and popular networks, it isn't as crucial to be a major success on each and every one. If you're a food blogger and you take professional looking photographs, you're probably going to excel on websites like Pinterest and Instagram. Twitter is still a must have so you can share your content. But, if your website is pulling more traffic in from your dinner photos on Pinterest, spend more time pinning your recipe posts!
I'm sure many of you know exactly what I mean by spreading yourself too thin! This is something I have a real hard time with and it's taken me a few years to find a schedule that works for me. Especially since I started homeschooling our youngest and have a chaotic schedule with doctor appointments, our older children's schedules, sports, housework, and everything else busy moms and dads do. I had to finally sit down and devise a list of every blogger group, review community, little reward websites I joined at the very beginning and started to keep track of what kind of income I was receiving from each one. I was shocked to see how many of these "daily check ins" I had in my planners! Some of these things don't pay at all and some pay only in gift cards and of course, I will always offer "pro bono" campaigns for charity and small business. But, some of this just had to go if I was going to keep my sanity! I was stealing from my own blogs and for what? A $25 gift card per year or even every 2 years? No thanks! Our time is too valuable for nonsense like this! Content is what matters and you owe it to yourself to spend that extra time on your own blog.
Make a list of some of the best affiliates out there so you can take advantage of affiliate marketing too! If you feel something isn't working out or you notice that you don't seem to have much engagement on those posts, the possibilities for affiliate marketing are endless!
If you find that you still don't have time, revise that list again. Keep what works and get rid of what doesn't.
Your blog is your business and you need to schedule yourself some time off. Set a daily schedule when your doors are open. You could also have a weekly Facebook Live event or a weekly Periscope event, whichever one you see fit! (Your followers will be notified when you pop up live, so that is an added bonus!)
Email Newsletters
I don't know how many times I have heard the experts say that your email list is where the money is. For the longest time, I thought my RSS feed would suffice. It turns out, that isn't true. You should actually have an email newsletter so you can share your content with your readers and grab new subscribers as often as you can! How do we do this?
I like to add an entry option for giveaways but I've also noticed that those subscribers don't necessarily always open and click those emails. That's fine. As long as they aren't unsubscribing, right? I guess if you just want the numbers. But, you'll need more subscribers, quality subscribers. (I must mention that I have found quite a few quality subscribers through group giveaways and my own giveaways!) Finding subscribers who really want to read what's on your mind may be a little tricky.
Are you a DIY blogger? Do you post a lot of recipes? Maybe you post a lot of tips for bloggers? Whatever it is that you do, you could offer a free eBook with a signup, create a checklist, offer daily planner pages, whatever it is that you do well! Readers love bonuses! Some of my personal favorites that I have received are menu pages, menu plans, cute shopping list pages, worksheets and coloring pages for kids, and most recently, I subscribed and received a PDF file of "The Top 100 Affiliates For Bloggers".
Do you have any tips for boosting your blog's content marketing strategy? Please share in the comments!
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Win A Nursery Makeover
This information is brought to you by EvgieNev Wall Decals. All opinions are my own.
Having a baby is an amazing and life changing event! There is so much to do to prepare for the arrival and so many things to buy! That's why EvgieNev Wall Decals wants to make it easier for you to get your nursery ready or to just redo your current nursery! Evgie Wall Decals are more than just decoration for nurseries; they are detailed themes with animated characters, live illustrations, and designs. The decals are very educational and help to develop your child's imagination and cultural knowledge of the world around them.
About EvgieNev Wall Decals:
- Decals are customize-able: they can changes sizes, colors, add or remove elements to facilitate any ideas and styles
- Incredibly great feedback from their customers, many re-ordered multiple times
-
Easy to remove and redecorate at a later time
- They have literally hundreds of themes, animals, landscapes, setups coming from books, historical facts, and well-recognized charters
- Vinyl decals they use feel like smoothly painted on the wall after application but easily removable should you choose to redesign
Charming King of the Jungle with Lion, Giraffe Elephants and Monkeys
Baby Nursery Wall Decals with Lion, Giraffe, Elephants, and Monkeys.Teddy Bears Wall Decals
This decal has 541 reviews and has a 5-star rating!Custom Flag Name Outer Space Wall Decals
Children Wall Decor that includes Astronauts and Aliens, Rocket, Planets, and UFO.Terrific Tropical Heaven
A Breath-Taking Rainforest Scene that includes Animals and birds in Tropical Landscape.Birches and Owl Wall Decal
This theme includes Three Large Birch Trees and Seven Cute Owls, Leaves and Two Birdhouses.TeePee Camp Wall Decals
TeePee camp Wall Decals with Canoe, Campfire, Eagle and Mountains, Indigenous People and First Nations.Amazing Ocean Friends
Cats Scuba Divers and Submarine Monkeys with Sunken Pirate Ship, Octopus, and Shark. It is a fun underwater scene.Giant Noah's Ark Wall Decals
Their NEW Noah's Ark Theme Decals is packed full of playful animal pairs, including Elephants, Lions, Pandas, Owls, Giraffes, Monkeys, Squirrels. As you can see, there are so many to pick from! You can visit EvgieNev to check out all their wall decals. Now for the giveaway! One lucky person is going to win a few items that will get you some essentials for your nursery!- $150 credit to EvgieNev Wall Decals
- Baby Crib (Appx Value: $110)
- Glider (Appx Value: $120 - may not be actual glider)
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
A Few Hurricane Tips (Just In Case You Need Them!)
1. Start running your ice makers now and bagging the ice in freezer bags. Fill as much space in between your freezer items as you can.
2. Freeze regular tap water for pets, cleaning or drinking in Tupperware-type containers. REMEMBER to leave a small bit of space between the top of the water & the lids so the ice expands but doesn't crack the container.
3. Start using up your perishables to make more room for ice in the freezer.
4. Fill up all vehicles & check tires & oil.
5. Cash from ATM, at least enough to get you through tolls and gas out of town. Call your bank if you plan on leaving the state so they don't freeze your card for out-of-area "suspicious" transactions.
6. All important docs screenshot & send to your email. Take originals in sealed bags or plastic bins.
7. Pet & livestock food & supplies. Vet records in case you need to shelter than at a storm-safe facility.
8. Evacuation plans and share with family members so they know where you're headed.
9. Consider putting heirlooms & photos in plastic bins in a high place, second floor, or safe room if you don't plan on taking them with you.
10. SECURE ALL FIREARMS & AMMUNITION PROPERLY.
11. Old rags & beach towels on your windowsills. Even with the best windows & shutters, water seeping from the wind pressure happens. A few damp towels are better than soaked drywall or floors!
12. Shutter windows and doors and bring everything outside into your garage or house NOW. Do not wait until the day before. Better to get done early and relax than wait until it's too late, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE MANDATORY PERSONNEL (hospital employee or first responder).
13. If you don't already have your hurricane supplies, you might want to get them now. Shelves are already empty in most places.
14. If you have special needs call 311 and register
15. Have a bucket in the bathroom & fill the tub. Use this water & bucket for flushing.
16. Charge your phone & keep it charged. A car charger is handy for when you lose electricity.
17. Do your laundry now. Everything gets dirty during the cleanup & aftermath. You can't wash clothes
w/o electricity.
18. Stock up on plenty of alcohol, as this will help to calm you before, during and after the storm.
Be safe. If you plan on leaving town do it now!
2. Freeze regular tap water for pets, cleaning or drinking in Tupperware-type containers. REMEMBER to leave a small bit of space between the top of the water & the lids so the ice expands but doesn't crack the container.
3. Start using up your perishables to make more room for ice in the freezer.
4. Fill up all vehicles & check tires & oil.
5. Cash from ATM, at least enough to get you through tolls and gas out of town. Call your bank if you plan on leaving the state so they don't freeze your card for out-of-area "suspicious" transactions.
6. All important docs screenshot & send to your email. Take originals in sealed bags or plastic bins.
7. Pet & livestock food & supplies. Vet records in case you need to shelter than at a storm-safe facility.
8. Evacuation plans and share with family members so they know where you're headed.
9. Consider putting heirlooms & photos in plastic bins in a high place, second floor, or safe room if you don't plan on taking them with you.
10. SECURE ALL FIREARMS & AMMUNITION PROPERLY.
11. Old rags & beach towels on your windowsills. Even with the best windows & shutters, water seeping from the wind pressure happens. A few damp towels are better than soaked drywall or floors!
12. Shutter windows and doors and bring everything outside into your garage or house NOW. Do not wait until the day before. Better to get done early and relax than wait until it's too late, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE MANDATORY PERSONNEL (hospital employee or first responder).
13. If you don't already have your hurricane supplies, you might want to get them now. Shelves are already empty in most places.
14. If you have special needs call 311 and register
15. Have a bucket in the bathroom & fill the tub. Use this water & bucket for flushing.
16. Charge your phone & keep it charged. A car charger is handy for when you lose electricity.
17. Do your laundry now. Everything gets dirty during the cleanup & aftermath. You can't wash clothes
w/o electricity.
18. Stock up on plenty of alcohol, as this will help to calm you before, during and after the storm.
Be safe. If you plan on leaving town do it now!
Blogger Opp Red Copper Pan Giveaway ARV $80
Blogger Opp Red Copper Pans Giveaway
3 Winners
Each blogger will receive up to 3 Free links
for posting and promoting this giveaway
for posting and promoting this giveaway
Giveaway Date
9/15 to 9/29
Open to US
Open to US
Giveaway will be 2 weeks long. Make sure if you are purchasing links they will be valid that long. We don't want blank entries.
Prizes:
5 Minute Giveaway ($39.99)
Brownie Bonanza ($19.99)
Flipwich ($19.99)
Prizes:
5 Minute Giveaway ($39.99)
Brownie Bonanza ($19.99)
Flipwich ($19.99)
The more bloggers promoting ~ the bigger the results ~ the more giveaways we get to do together.
Sign Up Here or Below
Co-Hosts spots are unlimited, Co-Hosts Needed
Co-Hosts
$5 for 5 additional links (up to 8 total) plus backlink to your blog.
Custom links available:
Adding social links $1 each limit 3
Sign Up Here or Below
Co-Hosts spots are unlimited, Co-Hosts Needed
Co-Hosts
$5 for 5 additional links (up to 8 total) plus backlink to your blog.
Custom links available:
Adding social links $1 each limit 3
(link to specific post required)
This includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, etc
Daily links $2 each or 3 for $5 (Limit 3)
Daily Comments, retweets, post shares, email sign ups, secret word, etc
(link to specific post required)
Daily links $2 each or 3 for $5 (Limit 3)
Daily Comments, retweets, post shares, email sign ups, secret word, etc
(link to specific post required)
Posting will be required within 24 hours of launch.
I hope to see you there.
If you have any questions about this giveaway please email Amy at grovesamy81@gmail.com or amy@aarlreviews.com
If you have any questions about this giveaway please email Amy at grovesamy81@gmail.com or amy@aarlreviews.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)