The New Colour of Passion is Grey

If you haven't read about the book yet, you've surely heard of it.
You're either absolutely smitten and in love with this sexy erotic trilogy or plain 'ol sick of it. However you feel, there's no denying that E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy is sweeping the nation of women everywhere.

Carol Au Courant along with PTPA Media Inc. and a couple of other fabulous Social Media names passionate about this novel are ready to spice up the Twitter world with our Fifty Shades of PTPA Tweet Chat on Twitter happening June 21st from 9pm - 10pm EST at #50ShadesPTPA.


*NO RSVP required*
Steamy Conversation, Sensual Prizes and lots of Flirty Fun! You don't want to miss this!

One of our Prize Sponsors, STLTO Wine, is also running a special contest along with our #50ShadesPTPA Chat! Wow! So many amazing things going on in anticipation of this chat -- enter today!

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Select Social Media Influencers with Care

Too often I see Brands on Twitter & Facebook  randomly picking and choosing any "influencer" they come across that they feel will be a driving force in building brand enthusiasm for their brand.
Their decision often swayed by the number of twitter followers or FB fans as opposed the more important details they should be looking for in someone to work with. As in any work relationship, what is it that qualifies that specific individual to be a part of your team? Fit, Rapport (Relationship) and Background (experience, knowledge, etc.)


Coming from an HR background, if I was to hire someone for one of my positions, I make sure to do my research on that candidate. After all, they will be a reflection on your business. They can make or break your reputation.
You can have someone advocating anti-bullying and yet looking at their tweets, they are rude, condescending and ignorant towards their followers. You may want to market coffee for example, yet looking at tweets that person hasn't even had a coffee a day in their life.

Bottom line: Make sure to do your research before selecting a Social Media Influencer.

I've had brands approach me that I've had to decline working with only because I know that I would never have interest in what their brand has to offer. I'm not going to take it because I get compensated for it.

The same ways, I have approached brands that I know would work well with me and my demographic of readers. It just makes sense.

I came across this great article written by Mia Pearson for a column she wrote on the Globe and Mail with this exact topic.

SELECT SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS WITH CARE

Influencers are that group of social media stars who always seem to be invited to the best parties or get the hottest new gadgets or clothes early and free.

Their Klout scores are double those of a regular person. They fill up your Twitter feed with pictures of their latest exploits, and they would have you believe their blogs get more views than your favourite magazine.

Some brands and agencies swear by influencer programs as a great way to reach potential customers, while a lot of pundits are speculating that the time for influencers is effectively up.

Both camps make some good points, so if you are thinking of starting an influencer program, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Look for a fit

It’s surprising how many brands seem to jump on the influencer bandwagon without carefully evaluating whether or not the fit will work for their company or industry.

Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. If you can’t find any influencers who really suit what you’re trying to do, pull the plug. When the only people at your fashion event are tech influencers, people can tell that you’re reaching, and it will negatively affect your brand.

Be wary of the numbers

The recent changes to Klout’s algorithm and the subsequent outpouring on Twitter proved just how many people pay close attention to their scores.

No doubt, for some, it is pure competitiveness, but a lot of people have a vested interest in keeping their Klout scores high. They’re showing up on résumés for social media types, but agencies and companies also use those scores as a way of identifying influencers to team up with. For some, that’s all they use.

There is no doubt that Klout scores do show how active a person is on social media. The more platforms people use and the more frequently they use them, the higher their scores.

But just like the daily views of a website, the size of a Facebook fan page or the number of Twitter followers someone has, quantity doesn’t always win out.

Do your research. You will likely get better results from working with someone who has 300 really dedicated followers than someone with 10,000 people who follow them because they are likely to say inappropriate things.

Go long-term

One of the reasons agencies like influencers is because they have relationships with them and can count on them to Tweet about an event or do a quick review of a product in a way they can’t count on traditional media.

But, where’s the brand loyalty? critics ask. One day an influencer is singing the praises of your new product, and the next, the influencer is at your competitor’s launch.

Try to establish long-term relationships with key influencers. That could involve bringing that person in-house for a special project or a series of blog posts around a certain theme, for instance.

A carefully selected partnership will be mutually beneficial. The influencer can become a brand ambassador in a true sense while gaining credibility for his or her own brand by connecting with yours.

The social media influencer isn’t dead. This can be seen in so many examples. With women being one of the highest users of social media, credible Mommy bloggers have become real movers. The same goes with fashion, on-campus and technology personalities.

Select carefully. Aligning with well-respected influencers can still make a difference.

Special to The Globe and Mail

Mia Pearson is the co-founder of North Strategic. She has more than two decades of experience in creating and growing communications agencies, and her experience spans many sectors, including financial, technology, consumer and lifestyle.

Credits: www.theglobeandmail.com

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PTPA Media has a new Team Member!

I am thrilled to announce that as of today, I join forces with one of the most trusted and respectable companies in the Parenting community, PTPA Media, as their new Community Manager!

I will be responsible for managing their Twitter account (along with Kathryn the Marketing Director of PTPA) and taking part in other strategic social media efforts.

This is more than exciting for me since I am a huge fan of PTPA and humongous fan of Twitter. I am honoured that they thought of me to take on this fantastic role.

If you haven't heard of PTPA, where have you been? I kid.
Seriously though, check them out at www.ptpamedia.com and see what this great company is all about.

If you're a Parent, join the community! You have access to great articles, winning products and information, you can join the conversation with the PTPA Blogaholics and other Parents and you can also register to become a Product Tester to receive and review products for free!

This is what PTPA thrives on after all -- the honest reviews from parents, just like me and you.

If you're a company that is looking to gain the winning PTPA seal on one (or more) of your products,
visit PTPA to submit your product and join the rest of the other amazing brands that have already gained a PTPA seal. If there's one thing you want, it's the PTPA winning Seal.
Parents rely on it, Parents trust it.

So, my dear friends, exciting things are in store for the Twitter Community! Stay tuned! You don't want to miss it. Make sure you're following us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/PTPA

See you there!

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Toshiba Holiday Heroes Brand Ambassador

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I was chosen by She's Connected to be one of the 44 women to be a Brand Ambassador for Toshiba Canada's Holiday Heroes Campaign! *Jumping up & down*
And what makes it more exciting is that I was chosen in the first batch of 22! Woohoo!  It was like the moment when you applied for a job that you really wanted, anxiously awaiting a phone call (in this case, an email) and then surprise, surprise! :)

She's Connected recently introduced their new Brand Ambassador program and this happened to be the first opportunity. Of course I jumped at it. I am a huge fan of Toshiba (even way prior to this campaign!)
and I also recently received my new white Toshiba laptop as a birthday gift in August because I fell in love with it!
If there's one electronic brand that delivers in seriously high performance, durability and looks and constantly evolving with today's technology, it's Toshiba.
Their products just keep getting better and better so I'm definitely looking forward to checking out their Tablet and 3D HDTV.

Keep your eyes peeled for my super awesome review within the next couple of weeks!

Thank you, Donna Marie, and the wonderful team at She's Connected and Toshiba for this fantastic opportunity! You picked well! ;)

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Brown Nosers in Social Media

Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

I’ll be blunt with you. I can’t stand Brown-Nosers. I refuse to be one. I hate it when newer folks in my niches do it to me. And I’m embarrassed for colleagues who think their transparent brown-nosing sneaks by their savvy readers and followers as good old fashioned networking.

Here’s the thing though. The social media crowd often encourages this behavior. Recently I stumbled across a nearly vomit-inducing blog post on how to identify and get the attention of “A-list” bloggers so they’ll become pals and help promote your wares to their awe-inspiring audiences. I also came across a blog post about how to "brown-nose" your way to working with Brands.

People covet that “A-list” label just as some are self-proclaimed gurus. Personally, I’ve had enough of it. Have you? Or are you willing to pucker up in the hopes of riding someone else’s coattails to achieve social media success rather than earning it on your own?

What Constitutes Being a Kiss-Ass in Social Media?

Not sure what would earn you that kiss-ass status? Here are a few examples:

• You actively pursue relationships with Big Brands on Twitter/Facebook and “A-listers” just because they’ve achieved that mythical status, and because you want to get something out of them (namely partnerships, being able to review one of their hot products, joint promotions or exposure with their audience as opposed to a more meaningful professional relationship).
• You constantly rave about, link to, or promote someone in the hopes that they’ll eventually notice poor little you and honor you with their virtual presence (or again, give you some bit of that influence they supposedly have).
• You’re so busy supporting your social media idols in the hopes that some of their success will trickle down to you that you don’t go out there and do your own thing or provide your own value.
• You stop maintaining relationships with colleagues, readers, or others in your network simply because they’re not “big enough” to help you increase your status anymore.
• You do some or all of this because you can’t wait for people to kiss your ass someday.

While these folks tend to stand out in a less than positive light, I don’t think most involved in social media fit the profile (thank you, thank you, thank you!).

Why You Don’t Have to Be One

If the near-permanent attachment of lips to ass doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry. You can do just fine in the social media world on your own. How do I know that? Well, think for a minute. How did those so-called “A-listers” achieve that status when they were there so early in the game that there were no other “A-listers” to leech onto? Here are a few things they did, and things that you can do too:

• They provided valuable information to members of the audience they wanted to build.
• They networked with people who could teach them things, people who could learn from them, and yes even the little guys who tried to strike up conversations.
• They, in most cases, don’t seem to get too big for their britches. They value people in their networks equally (aside from obvious distinctions like casual acquaintances online versus best buds in the business who meet for lunch once a week). They understand that today’s Joe Schmo could be tomorrow’s Zuckerberg, and even if he’s not there is still value in that relationship.

People do notice (and talk) when you act like a snot-faced little suck-up who’s only around when there’s something in it for you. They notice when you only get attention from the big names if you lavish gifts of praise. But people also notice when you genuinely care about them. So act like it (or better yet, actually do it). Figure out what you have to offer and what might set you apart. Then your success with social media is to no one’s credit but your own, and you can build deserved attention rather than practically begging for it.

How do you feel about kiss-asses in social media, trying to rise in the popularity food chain on the backs of others rather than focusing on their own more legitimate presence with their wider audience? Do you get sucked into some of these behaviors? Which ones, and why? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts.

Credits: bigstockphoto.com

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How You Should Treat Your Twitter Followers

Ever since I discovered Twitter (for the 2nd time - the first time I cared nothing for it), I fell in love.

What do I love about Twitter most? Being able to engage and connect with so many different kinds of individuals, and learn so many great new things. I usually learn of something major from Twitter before anything else. It's amazing what Twitter does.

What's even more amazing is getting to know those I follow and follow me. There are reasons why someone follows you and why I choose to follow someone. It's because we enjoy that persons tweets and respect them as a person -- their thoughts, opinions, values... matter to us somehow.

We find them entertaining, funny, sweet, daring. 

So what boggles my mind is when twitterer's don't engage and respond back to tweet's. I've fallen victim to that with some folks I really liked on Twitter, having that person never respond to me (for reasons I have no clue) even though I've tried to engage in conversation plenty of times (they're no celebrity and have always replied to others that are in our followers circle, but never me).

Don't get me wrong. I'm not taking it too personal, but I just think it's plain old rude.

Despite how many followers I have, I make it a point to respond to every single tweet. Even if it's a quick one. It shows that you acknowledge and are happy to have that person following you.

Here are the few tips which I think every Twitterer should follow while treating their followers-

• Give them respect – Every follower is a human being (obviously most of them) so give them the respect they deserve. Okay. I agree that once you’ve a huge following, it is not feasible to reply to every person. But at least try to reply as many as possible. With huge following comes huge responsibilities.

• Follow them back – Okay. It’s not possible to follow everyone back. Please don’t give the excuse of spam on your timeline. If Mr.Obama (@BARACKOBAMA) can follow 734,818 persons and Guy Kawasaki (@Guykawasaki) can follow 242,903 persons on twitter then why can’t you follow back few of your followers?

• Conversation is Important – Social media is for CONVERSATION. Okay, you might be a celebrity or a great source of information but, if you are not interested in talking with others, then what you are doing on twitter? Just for promoting your content and getting some traffic to your website? Sorry, I’m not interested in following you.

• Be Generous – If your follower sends you a link to his work/article for your feedback then have some decency to reply to it. Even a one word reply like “good” can do wonders. Don’t feel shy in RTing their tweets if they like them. Not only it will boost the motivation of your follower but will also help you to improve your credibility amongst your followers.

• Don’t tweet inanities – Your followers are following you just to learn something from you. They are not interested (or most of them) in what you ate for your lunch or which party you are going to. So please don’t tweet inanities and maintain a proper balance between your personal and informational tweets.

So, these were the five things which I think every Twitter user should care of. Do you know of more points which you feel should be added to this list? Feel free to share them in comments below.

Credits: www.bloggodown.com

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She's Connected Conference 2011

I was on the way to Toronto in my brother's vehicle, running everything through my head from 'Did I bring everything I needed?' to 'I'm so nervous. I hope I'm not sitting alone in the corner somewhere."

Something about being in a room with 199 other women that you've never met in real life, have similar goals as you do, and meeting top brands that you hope to connect with is sure to make even the most confident break a sweat.  I'm talking about the She's Connected Conference that I was humbly invited to on September 29th to September 30th  which took place in The Sheraton Centre on Queen St East in Toronto.

Upon check-in, I was warmly greeted by one of the ladies I chat with every now and then on Twitter who was also checking in and to be honest, that turned down my heartbeat notch a little bit.

I was pumped and ready to network and connect. Much like what we do online, but this time, face-to-face.

Sheraton Centre impressed by not only upgrading my room but also having one ready for me to settle into instead of having to wait another hour or so.

My room was cozy and my view was spectacular! And hello Starbucks coffee and Tazo tea! :)

As soon as I got myself settled in, I headed downstairs to the conference hall to register and start connecting.

It was fantastic. The exhibit hall was large and the different brands were strategically placed around the room. We were given a brand passport to keep track of all the brands that were present to ensure we didn't miss any. I met some great brands and was so excited to meet Christine Cushing, host of Fearless in the Kitchen. She was pleasant and personable and did I mention she was giving out her new EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and delicious pasta sauces? Yum! 

I also had the opportunity to learn more about our fantastic sponsor, Ford, and the new technology they have to offer in their vehicles. They had car-aoke! I didn't sing but I watched others do it and it was hilarious. I was able to park "hands-free" which was uber awesome! So cool and such  great features. Oh, and the navigation system they offer is one thing that hubby would definitely benefit from. Shh, don't tell him I said that. He seems to think he's got the directions thing down. 

We received custom conference shirts so we can identity one another better. They fit and felt comfortable and looked fab! Great way to remember the conference down the years, that's for sure.

Many of the great brands that were there were offering take-away swag to the attendee's which was fantastic. More-so because it offers us the opportunity to sample what their brand/name has to offer and of course to remember them by. I was also intrigued to learn more about LGFB.ca which stands for Look Good Feel Better. They believe that an improved self-image can help lift women that are fighting illnesses spirits and nurture hope with greater confidence. Look Good Feel Better is Canada’s only cancer charity dedicated to empowering women to manage the effects that cancer and its treatment have on their appearance, and often on their morale. Over 100,000 women have been helped through their workshop and services.

Once the conference started, I was lucky to be sitting at a table of smart and savvy women bloggers, all with very different backgrounds and careers. Two of which were brands, and the others were strictly bloggers, some with focused career, others SAHM's and WAHM's like me.
We had the opportunity to hear from Ford's Sheryl Connelly discuss Global Trends. It was very informative. We also had some fun taking part in some group work and exercises helping us connect with one another.
I promise to write a separate post on the amazing things I learned from the speakers.

Unfortunately, on top of me still recovering from a stomach bug and still feeling under the weather, my daughter who was graciously under the care of my mother for the night, was feeling very sick and wanting mommy, so I had to leave before lunch on Friday. But before I left, I was glad I was able to catch Elisa Camahort Page, COO and Co-Founder of Blogher, speak and learned a great wealth of information in relation to blogging, engaging bloggers/brands and utilizing social media effectively.  Also, thanks to twitter, I was always informed and caught up on what I was missing through my timeline.

Overall, being my first conference, I was very impressed and happy to have been able to experience such a great conference connecting me to other digital women and fantastic brands that understand the importance of social media marketing and building brand enthusiasm by working with their largest consumers -- women!

Oh, and did I mention I won two SCCTO giveaways? One from Purdy's Chocolate and a gift basket from PTPA! Woohoo! :)

Thank you to Donna Marie Antoniadis, Co-Founder & COO of She's Connected, and the team of She's Connected for the opportunity and organizing such a great event.

On a side note, check out my view at night from my room! AH-mazing!

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Inspiration is Contagious

Recently, a fellow twitter mom and writer of mumandchums.com, Sara Hodge, had called upon the help of fellow SCCTO attendee's to complete a mini survey to share their experience in the blogging and social media -world - how they got here and why? With all the responses she received she compiled a wonderful article, Inspiration is Contagious.  I was happy to take part and have my comments included in this article.

It's always refreshing to read what others have to say because we grow from learning.
It's a fantastic article for those that are quite new to blogging/writing and would like to hear from women that were in the same shoes not too long ago (me included!).
I'm still growing and absorbing all the wealth of information and advice I can get to better my content, all at the same time growing confident in my writing.
I wish you all a wonderful experience and please do share any tips, comments, questions you may have.

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10 signs you're a social media jerk

Great article I read today on prdaily.com.

We’ve seen tons of examples of people behaving badly on social media.

Maybe it’s because we spend so much time online, we forget that the people we’re sending messages to are human beings. They have a face, not some goofy avatar, and an actual name. They might own a puppy.

So, before the next time you send out a tweet, blog, or start a Hangout, ask yourself: Am I being a jerk? 

If you don’t know the answer, here’s our guide to the telltale signs:

1. Posting anonymous comments. If you’re going to contribute to a conversation, tell people who you are. Don’t hide behind oh-so-precious monikers such as “I Luv Hemingway,” “Reading This Article,” or “PRdivalicious.” If you don’t provide your name, it looks like you’re hiding something. And it just makes you look silly.

2. You’re attached to your smartphone. Whether you’re at dinner, on the soccer sidelines, or playing pat-a-cake with your 2-year-old, your smartphone never leaves your sight. Put. It. Down. There’s a time and a place to tweet or post—and it’s not when you’re talking to someone face to face.

3. Faking authenticity. If you tweet or post under the guise of, “I’m just trying to be real,” or “I want to be honest,” you’re not. You’re trying too hard. If you want to be yourself, be yourself. Just don’t preface it that way.

4. Blatant self-promotion. Don’t clog your social media channels with your product or brand information. People can see right through it. You want to be “authentic,” right?

5. Referring to yourself offline by your Twitter handle. When you attend social media events, do you put your Twitter handle on your name badge, instead of your real name? Ugh. Remember, you are a person. A real, honest-to-God person. You are not your Twitter handle, even if it’s your first and last name.

6. You publicly correct people. We’ve all made grammatical errors or accidentally tweeted the wrong links. It’s embarrassing. What makes it worse is when someone points it out publicly. If you feel the urge to correct someone, send the person a DM. If you can’t, well, at least be subtle: “You might wanna check your last tweet.” They’ll see it as an act of kindness, not as one of humiliation.

7. You tell people your Klout score. This is tragic. You are a person. You are not a number. Why not tell people your SAT scores, too?

8. You’re a Facebook addict. No, seriously; it’s a problem. You’re constantly updating your status, playing Farmville, and sending messages to your high school boyfriend. Every fleeting thought is written down in a post. As you pose for pictures, you’ve already decided which Photo Albums they will go in.

9. You name drop Twitter handles of people who follow you. Just because you follow someone, you don’t actually “know” each other (most likely). It’s OK to say that you follow certain people on Twitter, but you’re mistaken to think you are actually friends with them. You actually have to meet a person before you can say you “know” them.

10. You refer to yourself as a “social media ninja.” Well, I guess it’s better than referring to yourself as “Anonymous.” And you’d better have the Klout score to back it up, Grasshopper.

Jessica Levco is co-editor of Health Care Communication News.

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I'm going to be CONNECTED at She's Connected!

The things that I admire and respect most about other women are their positive influences and their drive.
What is amazing about being a social media addict (for lack of a better word) and a blogger is that you can connect with so many women just like you and learn from one another. Also, have your thoughts and opinions voiced the way you want to.
Because face it, not many women (or people in general) are very comfortable in face-to-face interactions. Although they may not be the greatest in voicing their thoughts in person, they are AMAZING when doing it behind a laptop. :)
And there's nothing wrong with that.
In fact, many brands are recognizing that now. The power of the written word. The magic behind the woman's voice. Even more so, the oh-so-effectual Mother.

I began my blogging journey about 4 yrs ago actively, but mainly for personal reasons relating to family matters. It was private and nobody except close family & friends had access to it.
Recently, I came to notice other blogs and was inspired and touched by many articles I've read from other women like me.  Being a PCOS & Infertility ambassador and going through a rough rollercoaster trying to conceive, I thought instead of making my journey private, why not share it so that perhaps I may inspire and touch other women too?
Then, I started noticing the rewarding careers behind women bloggers in PR, enthusiastic and working with wonderful brands for marketing purposes, getting paid for it and all from home!
And I thought to myself, I can totally do this!

For most of you that do not know me well, I have a strong background in Entrepreneurship and Business. I am always looking for that perfect Work-from-home opportunity where I can balance work and life.
I love being a mom, but I can't sit still. I have to be doing something aside from my regular supermom duties.
I then also started getting hooked onto the convenience and inter-activeness of Facebook and Twitter.
What great platforms for communication and connecting! I quickly became addicted.

Which is why I was beyond excited and honored to be given an invite to the upcoming She's Connected Conference in Toronto on Sept 29-30!

A great opportunity for women interested in learning more about social media influence and connecting with brands and also to network with other digitally connected and influential women.

I am looking forward to attending and already booked my hotel at the Sheraton Centre. Thankfully because I'm such a newbie and don't really know anybody that will be attending (aside from some that I chat with frequently on twitter), my hubby will be staying at the hotel for the night as his office is just walking distance. :)
That's definitely reassuring to me. And I'm also thankful for my mom taking 2 days off work to care for 2 1/2 yr old while I'm gone. It's always good to have a great support system.

I can't wait to learn and network during this wonderful 1 1/2 day event! Thanks so much to Donna and the team at She's Connected for inviting me to this event and I hope to meet you all there!
For more info regarding this conference and She's Connected, visit:
www.shesconnected.com or shesconnectedconference.com.

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Connecting with other Digital Mom's

Have you been there? Perhaps it was changing a diaper and finding technicolor poop that drove you to search out other moms. Perhaps it was wondering if your child was hitting the right milestones or (finally!) a long nap. Whatever the case, find out how you can connect with other moms online.

Becoming a mom is an exciting, thrilling thing. But after giving birth, it can also be a very isolating and lonely time. As beautiful and precious as babies are, Moms need contact with other adults to keep them tethered to reality. That's what's so great about the internet. It has been very good for creating strong communities of people with common interests. Moms are no exception!


FOR MOMS-TO-BE AND NEW MOMS
Expectant women want as much information about everything from morning sickness to stretch marks. For new moms, there are other worries as they learn about the new life they've been charged with protecting.
That's why communities like those offered on Canadian Parents are so popular. Users can find other women with the same due date month, or even similar parenting philosophies, jobs or religions. They can also locate other women who are pregnant and live nearby.  Another great site for those entering the school-age years, sites like Today's Parent will provide invaluable parenting tips.
Are you wanting to find easy and healthy dinners for your family -- or possibly even share some great recipes of your own? ChefMom.com will help you find meals that everyone (even your picky eaters) will love.


SPECIAL INTERESTS
The web is the perfect place to find your niche. Whether you're looking to chat with like-minded others or have a specific issue you want to address in depth, everything you would ever need is online. For instance:

"Crunchy" moms: Women interested in a gentle, natural approach to mamahood -- complete with attachment parenting principles such as co-sleeping, babywearing and exclusive breastfeeding -- may find kinship in the Mothering magazine community.

Help with baby names: Need help on choosing a name for your baby, or just want to brainstorm baby names with other expectant parents? That's what the message boards at Babyhold.com and BabyNameCentral.com are all about.

Fitness-focused: Athletic and energetic moms might want to check out a site likeBabyfit to meet moms and moms-to-be who are working to keep fit.
Adoption:  Adopting a child can be a long and frustrating process -- with a wonderful reward at the end. Sites like Adoption.com will help parents connect with other adopting parents, as well as get information to guide them through the process of welcoming a child into their home.

MOM NETWORKING
The just-launched TwitterMoms is a growing sensation among mom bloggers, business owners and just about every woman whose given birth. Moms join groups, share insights and expand their network. Profiles link to Twitter, websites and more, letting moms share their breadth of experience and knowledge. "I've just gotten started on there, but from what I see, I really, really like it. And the connection I make everyday with other moms on Twitter itself has been fulfilling and fun," says Gina LaGuardia, editorial director and mom of two.
Sarah LeMieux, a musician and mom to a three-year-old, has also frequented TwitterMoms since shortly after it launched in September, but she also has a go-to site for interaction too. "Meetup is good for moms looking to meet other moms in real life," LeMieux says. 


MOMMY BLOGGING
As far as moms online go, one vastly growing sector is the mom bloggers.  There is a blog for every demographic, every corner of the country, every interest. You can find some interesting bloggers at Canada Mom's Blog or She's Connected. For hip, young mamas or moms- to-be, there is Storked! over at Glamour, which is written by writer and single mom Christine Coppa. And I would be remiss to forget the highly addictive and touching Matt Logelin, who lost his wife Liz shortly after their daughter was born.For pregnant mamas who want to stay looking hip and stylish now that they are expecting, PregnancyFashion.com will give you the inside scoop on how to stay looking as hip as your favorite pregnant celebrity, as well as give you the basic essentials you will need to add to your wardrobe. Speaking of celebrities, CelebrityPregnancy.com is like reading your favorite gossip magazine -- online! You will find out who is expecting, who might be expecting, as well as see those fun first photos of A-list babies.


THE RIGHT ONE
Much like anything else, your best bet is to shop around. Check out as many sites as you can and decide which best meet your needs and desires. Don't be afraid to test drive a few before deciding on two or three sites to be your go-to's. If blogs are your thing, then be sure to sign up with a feed reader so that you can read as many as you like without the hassle of visiting dozens of sites.
Mom-oriented sites can be a very useful resource for moms to be and moms.

Article by Sarah Caron of  www.sheknows.com

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