I met Christin Slade through my blog several years ago. She immediately struck me as the kind of person who I wanted to get to know. She is sweet, smart, and I love her heart for God. In conversing with her it became obvious that she was detail oriented and business minded yet, she filtered it through the Holy Spirit. That is what I liked about her. She doesn’t let intelligence and experience get in the way of God’s plan.
She has been blogging for herself and contributor sites for a couple of years now. She has been wildly successful at marketing and affiliate campaigns and she works behind the scenes with some of the best and brightest talent in blog world today. And no I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about Sarah Mae. She is on my team too though. 
Those qualities are what make her the person you should trust when it comes to details and plans for your blog.
She offers several services and packages.
Blog Critique
Scan blog for specific elements including
- social media buttons and placement
- subscriber placement/access
- page loading time
- overall blog design: header size, color scheme, background
- blog layout
- content layout
- sidebar content
- accessibility
Basic Blog Consultation
One-on-one examination of your blog content/traffic, your questions, and the following
- determine what road blocks you may be hitting
- formulate a plan to push through them
- help with goals and vision
- intro to monetization
Blog Consultation and Critique Package
Includes all the elements included in the blog critique and consultation:
You can visit her Services page for more details.
Giveaway {Closed}
Winners are:
Blog Consult:
#71 Kitty
#7 Lindsey
#44 Tereasa
Blog Critique:
#50 Jamie
#76 Mandy
I am giving away 3 blog critiques and 2 blog consults.
I’m not going to make you jump through a bunch of hoops to enter, either.
All you have to do is leave a comment with your most pressing blogging question. But you must ask a blogging/blog question in order to be entered.
Winners will be chosen at random one week from today.
Don’t forget to visit Christin at Joyful Living Media! Right now she’s doing a series on how to get sponsored by a company for a conference, such as Allume Social.
You can find Joyful Living Media on Facebook and Christin tweeting on Twitter: @christinwrites
Thank you so much, Amy and Christin!
What is more important–fb followers or email subscribers? Are readers clicking the non-committal like instead of subscribing?
Wow, what an excellent opportunity! I am considering stepping my blogging up to the next level by switching to self-hosted wordpress, but I don’t know the first thing about design, and am deficient in all thing technological. How do I make a snazzy blog without paying beaucoup bucks? Because I’m a new SAHM with a very limited budget, and I would love to earn a little side income through blogging. I am willing to work hard and learn, just could use a lot of help!
I’m working on switching from Blogger to WordPress, and really want to figure out how to reach more people with my writing. I’m not trying to make money, so without that aspect, how do I get more people to read my essays? Thanks for this giveaway!
I am wondering how to make money blogging, and if it is possible without spending hours and hours. I would love a small side income to come from it, but am terrified about how to go about it.
Is it possible to devote enough time to a blog to make money while homeschooling and not burn out? If so, how???
How do you turn a blog into a profitable venture? I love to blog and I’d love to grow it so I can have some extra money for family adventures.
Hey! How can I grab the attention of more readers to my blog?? What do I need on the home page to make it more appealing and attractive to others? This is a super giveaway!
How do I go from being a SAHM to a WAHM using my blog?
How can you get your blog to read cleanly in Explorer, Safari, GoogleChrome and Reader?
Our blog needs help! It’s a primary way we communicate with our ministry supporters, friends and families…and it’s not up-to-par! Would love a critique/consult
I need help with the technical side of blogging…lots of help. I want my blog to be more user-friendly and professional looking but am afraid I’ll mess up what I do have if I play around with it too much. Oh, and I can’t figure out how to back up my blog.
Love this Giveaway! My bigeest question is how to make connections with other writers so that I can grow as a blogger. I just wonder… it feels so contrived! There are so many great writers out there, and while I would love their help, I don’t want them to feel used! How does the networking work? Thank you!
My blog is still in it’s basic wordpress template format, and I have no idea about how to change that on my own! I have concentrated hard on writing well and good/useful content. Will revamping the look of the blog make much of a difference in terms of traffic? I want folks to take me seriously so that eventually I can monetize the blog. Where do I begin?
How can I best use affiliates to bring income through my blog? It seems you have to sign up for various payment programs then sign up through individual companies/ebook authors, what is the best way to go about this process?
Should I make the switch from Blogger to WordPress? And if I do, should it be before or after I launch my ebook? Oh … and is a professional redesign really worth the expense? I guess I have three pressing questions.
Just one thing?!
Mine would be…do I NEED a niche, and if so what it is it? Also…to advertise or not? Thanks for doing this giveaway Amy! 
How does I decide which of the hosting sites(wordpress/blogspot/blogher,etc.) is best to use for your blog?
I feel like my blog is just kind of floating out there in internet wonderland. Like everyone else, I would love to have more readers, but I’m also on the timid side of self confident. Do you think it is worth it to blog only for your own satisfaction and for the glory of God? I’m asking because I’m not sure if my writing will ever draw much of an audience.
I’ve been on blogger since July 2007. That’s a lot of posts with a lot of comments and quite a number of links into my blog. Is it worth all the trouble to move to WordPress? Do I export everything over or just leave it at blogger and start fresh on WordPress?
How can I get more people to comment on my blog?
My question is at what point do you categorize your blog into main topics or do you start a new blog when you consider yourself a memoir blogger?
How can I blog/write/blog design my blog so that people will enjoy what they’re seeing/reading? How do I find out what they’re looking for?
To advertise or not to advertise?
I am a new blogger, and I would like to know how to optimize my site/social media presence to gain readership. Any tips you can give me would be hugely appreciated!
How do you find out if your readers like what you’re writing? Also, how do you develop a good follower base and what does that mean?
What a great Giveaway! Since we are fledgling farmers and we are really struggling financially, I would really like to know how to get my blog to a place where it is generating an income. I seem to have hit a plateau in my blog growth (right at 850 FB fans).
How far/hard do you push your blog before saying, “Okay, this is the extent of my platform”? I read about blogs that go up and have hundreds of followers in the first six months but when that doesn’t happen, do you just let it be? (and maybe some are just the grow slowly type?)
Hmmm…. I guess that was more than one question, eh?
I’m starting a money saving blog, but the niche is so overwhelmed with deal bloggers and women who teach you how to save money. How do I stand apart from the rest?
How do I make my blog more professional looking so I can begin selling my sewing patterns and projects?
Great giveaway! Thanks for the opportunity! ?
How do I get my blog out there so that I can be a part of bigger blogs/websites that have more traffic?
What a great giveaway! I have a million questions
How important is the name of your blog? I wanted to change my web address to my name but someone already has it. And what about a tag line–should every blog have a tag line and how do I come up with one that isn’t corny?
Here’s my question: When will I be up and running on WP? LOL
No, really… here’s one: Do you have any tips on keeping your readers through a WP move? I’m afraid that there will be a nightmarish amount of construction work to do on interior links… and should I delete my Blogger blog that has been there for all eternity? RIP 2005 Blogger Blog?
Here’s another one: Will you be my bloggy best friend from LA?
I heart you.
I love Christin
My question is…what is the time committment you should expect to put into each blog post? It seems it takes so long for me just to write a post I don’t have time for anything else! I’m wondering if I am just slow, or what really is normal?
What an awesome giveaway! There are a lot of great questions asked already, and I think I could repeat most of those… I think my most pressing question at the moment is how to convert visitors to subscribers as well.
What are some good sites to pull free images from and what is the correct way to credit image sources? I’d also love to know how to create a button!!
What’s best WP backup plugin? I can’t find one that I’m happy with.
Thank you for this generous giveaway. I know it will bless someone very much.
So, so many questions!!! Perhaps the most pressing is how to keep visitors coming back. My stats go up and down drastically. My hope is to generate income for our family.
There are a lot of really good questions here, that I’d like to know about as well. But the question(s) that really gnaw at me have to do with meaningful content. If one’s bent is more inspirational than instructional (i.e. decorating or homemaking tips), is that considered a niche? How specific does a niche have to be? How does one find the balance between enough variety to be interesting and a limited enough variety so as not to be confusing or too random? And when or how is it possible to know whether anything offered on one’s blog has value to anyone but the author?
I am working on launching a new blog and am very curious about monetization. I have had two personal blogs over the past three years, but this new one would be the first attempt at a business. I have never used any type of advertising on my blogs so I’m am clueless about making money through blogging other than through Google’s AdSense, which I’m just beginning to read about. One thing, though, is that I won’t want advertisements overwhelming my site.
I joined with BlogHer nearly a year ago, have seen Very little in return with lots of limitations for other advertizing. Is it wise to lock yourself into one advertiser hoping to increase your clicks or would you suggest something different at the end of a contract year?
So many questions…How do I get more regular readers and subscribers or should I be worried about that at all?
What is the best way to learn all the right technical aspects of blogging?
Wow, what a great giveaway! I’ve got lots of questions, but the biggest one right now is how do I convert visitors to subscribers? Thanks for the chance to win!
I have lots of blogging questions right now, as I’m trying to build my blog up into something that generates enough traffic and income for me to be able to be a stay at home mom and write – my absolute dream. I guess my most pressing question at the moment is should I switch from blogger to WordPress, and why? Blogger is easy for me to navigate, and I know it well, but it seems as though most serious bloggers use WordPress. And if I should switch over, I have no idea how to go about doing that… Eek!
Help!! I have been blogging for a year, and desperately need to spruce my site up. I would love to know how to go about making it more attractive and professional looking, but I have no idea where to even start. So, please, please, please, pick me!
Very specific question…in wordpress, what should I be doing in that box below where I create my posts that says “Theme SEO Settings”? I always just leave it blank, but I know I’m supposed to be putting something in there.
I have a new question everyday.
Currently my most pressing questions involve finding a sponsor to Allume. Such as how to pitch to a company and what type of company should I pitch to. I am hanging on Christin’s every word.
How can I increase traffic…in one easy step??!!
This is awesome and I am praying hard I win! OK. I have so many questions… I am not sure how to get sponsors/ads. I have read material but am not successful in this area. I’m also having trouble really finding my niche? Oops, that’s two questions. OK…. You have a great day!
Id like to know how to get my readers more involved/talkative. I ask questions at the end of my posts and my Facebook page, but people rarely answer. What else can I do??
How to effectively use social media to promote my blog?
Hi,
I love this give-a-way! This is exactly what I need! Critque and Consult!
I have been trying to figure out how to make a widget? I haven’t been able to do that. So, that is my question. I need to know how to make a widget (with code and picture) for Entrecard.
Thanks and God Bless ,
Jeanene
Oh, this is a GREAT giveaway. My question would be this:
I would love to have ads/sponsors for my blog to help bring in a little supplemental income, so I can stay home and take care of my family. Where do I need to be with my blog before it would be a realistic time to consider doing that?
Thanks
Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 
I’m rather new to blogging, and I feel like I don’t even know all the stuff that I don’t know about blogging! Is there a resource that you would recommend that teaches about all the essentials…blog design, social media, how to advertise, etc.?
Thank you so much for this great giveaway!
I am so glad I saw the tweet about this and found your site Amy. I have not posted on my blog about 6 months due to just being frustrated with myself and the whole blogging idea. I enjoy writing and sharing all that God is teaching me but I can’t seem to find that constant theme in it all. On top of that there I a lot of techy stuff that I need to learn but to scare to try it without someone holding my hand.
Where can you find good facts and statistics, etc. to use in your blog posts?
Love, love, love this Amy…thanks for sharing this giveaway opportunity!
My question is this;
I’m in the process of a blog redesign and move to WordPress. How important is the layout and design. I know the look and feel needs to look like “me” but as far as “white space”, single or double sidebar columns, tabs, etc. It’s all a bit overwhelming at times.
Thanks a bunch!
~ Melissa ~ Mel’s World
I have been tossing around the idea of expanding my blog in order to include ads, and sponsors and the like. My question is in order to do that do I need to find one specific thing to blog about or can I continue blogging about life in general and all that comes with it?
How can I get some design help for my Typepad blog?
How often should a blog background be changed? Or, does it matter?
Um where do I start?!?! LOL I laugh at myself… I love to write/blog. LOVE IT! But seriously lacking in the technology/social media dept. I don’t even understand how to use twitter lol. So, just one question: how do I get more people to subscribe? (of course even better than that would be how do I even put subscription buttons on my blog!)
What do you think about turning off the comment section form altogether?
You know I need this
A. Lot.
If my blogging platform will no longer accept Feedburner, what’s the second best way to have people sign up for email subscriptions – that won’t cost me an arm and a a leg?
Thanks!
Julieanne
http://www.JoyInOurJourney.com
What a great giveaway! I would absolutely love to talk to someone about strategy. I feel like things have moved so fast that I’m barely keeping afloat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled to have things moving along! But I guess my question would be, How do you simplify your blogging routine while still growing your business?
I have been blogging for a little over a year now. I really enjoy it, but how to a encourage people to subscribe to my blog? I also was wondering about whether it is a good idea to put “buttons” on my blog to link other things, such as She Speaks?
My pressing blog question is how to get more traffic to my blog (other than standing on my head). I’ve tweeted, facebooked, linked up….I’m not sure if my problem is an understanding of SEO (of which I basically have none.) But I’d love more traffic!
What about using images? When are there copyright issues and what picture libraries are good? All those kijnds of things.
I have some basic technichal questions about inserting things into my posts and changing font, etc…
Hi Amy,
I get comments and people seem to love my blog but no one scribes. I have repeat readers that I can tell from the comment. When I say I am going to stop blogging the encouragement is there so why are they not signing up to read my every post? I do not want to seem desperate but I need help with this road block.
This is a great opportunity! I’m so glad I saw your Tweet. I also ReTweeted it, as it was only right and fair to do so, but I truly hope to win, so it was hard to want to share the info. lol
First of all, I took over 10 years to write a book to help moms spiritually and emotionally to cope with their hectic and sometimes unappreciated roles. I put it out as an e-book, but only a handful of sales (literally!). I thought to myself, look, it has to get into the hands of moms, so I turned to blogging. Now I’m beginning to get some readers. Then one day I thought, why not add Google Adsense? We live in South Africa, so my husband gave his bank account in the application. We were later turned down. Why was my site turned down and should I rather give my bank account in the States with my mom’s U.S. address instead of my South African address? Thanks for your time and help. In fact, I don’t really mind if I don’t have Adsense on Happy Moms, Happy Homes. I would like to get it on at least two of my other sites: Amanda’s Books and More (my inspirational parenting blog) and 1camera1mom (my photography blog for moms). Please help! God bless! Tina
Wondering how to gain viewers, subscribers and comments. Is it worth it to pay for a background?
Thx!
My blog is 10 days old! Started on may 1st!
How do I build a blogging support community?
How do I use Google Analytics and other stat information to improve my blog?
Thanks!
Mary Beth
How do you keep people coming back?
What is the best way to use Social Media to promote blog traffic(without being annoying )and is there a way to simplify comment replies?
How does one make connections in the blogging world (seemingly a theme of great import) without making connections “for the sake of making connections”? Or to phrase it on the flip side, how does one know when connections are real vs. a marketing strategy?
(This is a real question, btw, lol, not a marketing strategy! )
My blog feels so stale! And confused! How do I write about all the things I want to talk about and still have a consistent theme? How do I liven things up and not feel like I’m boring people to death??
I am a really new blogger and just feel stuck – way behind the learning curve. I think I need to switch over to another blogging platform and I just freeze. I have been praying for help!
I’d love to win, of course, and I’m going to look into her services. Thanks so much for this post!
Gaining more traffic and subscribers, critque on my blog posts and if I am writing the right posts for what my blog is about, help with goals!
How do I narrow my blog down to a theme?