From Beyonce to Vine, we certainly had a lot to say in 2013. As an ode to the year gone by, we wanted to share some of our top articles. Check out the top 10 below:

1. Just Ask Beyonce: Why Traditional Publicity Is On The Way Out 

2. How Mayor Rob Ford Could Have Saved Face During “Crack-Gate”

3. Our Top 10 Halloween Costume Predictions For 2013

4. 10 Steps To Eliminating That Pesky Writer’s Block

5. A Vine Love Story: Curtis Lepore and Jessi Smiles

6. How To Pick The Best PR Agency For Your Business

7. Making An Impact: How A Charity Or Non-Profit Can Benefit From Public Relations

8. The Benefits Of Hiring A Boutique PR Firm Or Agency

9. How Diverse Is Your PR Language? Check Out The Most Overused Words

10. 9 Quick Tips For Aspiring PR Pros

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We’d like to take a quick moment to wish everybody a Happy New Year and to thank all our clients, supporters, readers, and everybody who has helped us along the way during this amazing year. 2013 was great, and 2014 will be even better! Be sure to stay safe and take the TTC if you plan to have drinks (it’s free all night on New Year’s Eve). Let’s make 2014 even more disruptive!

Best Wishes,

The EDPR team

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It seems the days of hyping an artist’s record in the months prior to its release may be over. With the immense success of Beyonce’s latest surprise album, it’s clear that there may be a shift in the publicity strategies musicians employ when releasing new music. Beyonce ditched the traditional album-release PR strategy by not promoting at all beforehand. The entire Bey camp managed to keep the 14-track album (which also includes 17 videos filmed in various locations around the world) a complete secret. No leaks, no accidental footage, no sneak peeks, absolutely nothing.

Instead, the surprise self-titled album was released early last Friday morning at 12 a.m. without any warning. The rest was left to fans, who frantically went on a downloading spree — causing iTunes to temporarily shut down from the strain. Beyonce sold a record setting 450,000 digital copies of her album in just one day.

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The results could also be seen throughout social media networks. When the album went live on iTunes, Beyonce posted an Instagram stop-motion video of the visual album with a simple caption underneath reading “Surprise!” The Instagram post alone has garnered over 541,000 likes and over 40,000 comments over a 3-day span. Twitter saw an incredible spike in mentions, with a reported 1.2 million #Bey related tweets in just 12 hours. Smart publicity stunt or just plain smart?

As we’ve seen with a number of artists this year, from Miley Cyrus to Lady Gaga, most are turning toward digital methods of publicity –creating hype in order to promote their album. Miley’s controversial VMA performance lead to hundreds, if not thousands, of viral parody videos, GIFs, memes, blog posts, etc. Memes and GIFs aside, her twerk-filled performance at the VMAs also significantly increased her followers on Twitter, likes on Facebook and her name’s search volume on Google. Miley’s official YouTube account saw a 52% increase in popularity after the performance.

On October 8th, just 6 weeks after her infamous VMA performance, Miley Cyrus released her fourth studio album ‘Bangerz’.  In the first week of its release, Bangerz sold 270,000 copies. As of December 2013, Bangerz has sold 503,000 copies in the US. The numbers are good, but they come nowhere near Beyonce’s.

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Lady Gaga is notoriously known for creating a media stir – whether it’s her lyrics, fashion, or music videos. Gaga jumped on the digital bandwagon by releasing her ARTPOP app prior to the release of her ARTPOP album. Gaga paired with mobile developer Relative Wave to create the app, which is intended to engage her fans, allow them to communicate between one another, and provide updates in the world of Gaga. The menu has four options: ArtHaus, ARTPOP (a link that takes you to the iTunes store to download the album), Trakstar and GagaTV, which won’t be available until 2014 (a great ploy to keep users glued to the app and engaged in the Gaga world). Gaga’s ARTPOP was released on November 6th and sold 258,000 copies its first week. Not bad, right? But compared to Beyonce, it’s still weak.

Apart from the numbers, what distinguishes Beyonce’s album release sales between Lady Gaga’s, Katy Perry’s (who sold 268,000 in one week) and Miley Cyrus’ sales? The publicity strategy. In comparison to Gaga, Katy and Miley –all of whom employed classic publicity tactics – Beyonce clearly surpassed both numbers in less than a week with a unique approach.

You might immediately think: “What publicity plan? She did nothing!”

Now, now.. let’s not underestimate the amount of planning and strategy that went into this bold and creative move.

As much as we’d like to give credit to Beyonce, this endeavour is not a solo project. Beyonce definitely has a solid team of publicists and marketing experts who are managing her key messaging, publicity efforts and execution of this album launch. As much as it may not seem like an aggressive publicity campaign, make no mistake: it is. The difference? All external publicity is done post album release – and this is what separates her campaign from her competitors’ campaigns. We applaud Bey and her team for the innovative strategy.

Artists shouldn’t go out and copy Beyonce’s strategy and expect the same results, however. The copy-and-paste publicity strategy that the music industry embraces certainly needed a shake-up, but that doesn’t mean the disruption stops here.  A lot of time went into executing this strategy, and it’s certainly working in Beyonce’s favour. It has been hard to engage in any media consumption this past week without hearing Bey mentioned not to mention the album sales to date (Bey’s album has already sold 828,773 copies worldwide).

Nobody expected a stunt like this (nor did they expect the album to do well — see this article written the day her album was released) which is exactly what is needed for success. Keeping the public guessing and disrupting the norm continues to be the best and effective way to achieve your publicity goals.

With the mounting competition in all industries (not just entertainment), the copy-and-paste publicity and marketing strategies no longer make the cut. Disruptive innovation combined with clever strategy are the only true tactics for survival. Just ask Beyonce.

*READER DISCLAIMER: album figures may vary, as numbers are sourced from time of article writing.

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We know wintertime can be a drag. With the holidays coming up, it becomes especially difficult to be merry and stress-free. We’re faced with lack of daylight, cloudy skies, cold weather, excessive spending on gifts for family & friend, battling colds and flus, and inevitable weight gain (we can go on and on). So, what’s the best thing to do this month to stay afloat? Plan a party. Getting your friends together for a fun night of cocktails and games can be the perfect mini-escape from stressful holiday season.

Here are 7 different ideas you can use to throw a successful and fun party – and temporarily get your mind off all the holiday stress.

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party – Who doesn’t love themed parties! Now you can finally unearth that hideous Christmas sweater your grandmother (bless her heart) gave you a few Christmases ago. If you’re lucky enough not to own one, it’s just as fun to go on an ugly-sweater-shopping adventure at your local thrift store with a friend. Give your guests even more incentive to wear an ugly sweater by having a contest for the ugliest sweater at the party with a prize (something inexpensive like a $10 Starbucks gift cards works well!)

Board game night – Don’t be fooled by this one! We promise it’s not as lame as it sounds. Although it might seem like the dullest way to spend an evening, inviting your friends over for a night of board games can actually give your brain the rest it needs during this stressful and (at-times) depressing season. By focusing on the game and the added competition against your friends, you’re taking your mind off of work, holiday expenses, travel arrangements, etc. It’s simple yet highly effective. Besides, staying indoors seems like a much nicer alternative than going out when it’s below 10 and snowing outside.

Christmas cocktail/mocktail party – This is a great party idea for all ages, as these drinks can easily be made alcohol-free. Make a list of 5-10 or so different drinks your guests can choose from at the party, be sure to buy all the ingredients you need to make the drink, and play bartender for the night (ok, not the whole night). Giving your guests the option to choose from different cocktails or mocktails can make your party much more appealing, rather than having just two or three drink options. You can also make the mock/cocktails in small test-size cups so they can try more than one drink. Check here for a list of delicious drink recipes.

Festivus – Seinfeld lovers unite! If Christmas songs, the millions of Christmas commercials, and the red and green colour combination are making you sick to your stomach, throw a Festivus party! Take part in the Festivus rituals, which include the airing of grievances and feats of strength. A Festivus themed party is the perfect alternative to those who are in desperate need of some comic relief amidst the madness of Christmas. Don’t forget the aluminum Festivus pole.

Potluck – The best part about a potluck is not having the stress of cooking enough food to feed all your guests – and worrying that you may not have cooked enough food for all your guests. Instead, have a holiday-themed potluck party where your guests can bring a dish of their choice. Make it easier for your guests by not having the dishes be holiday-specific (not everyone is a master chef).

Baking/Gingerbread House Decorating party – The holidays wouldn’t be the same without cookies and gingerbread houses. Pick a few different baking recipes, and gather your family, friends and kids (if you have them) and bake away! While you’re waiting for the cookies to bake, you can drink cocktails or hot chocolate with marshmallows while sitting around a warm fire (or candles, if you don’t have a fireplace).

A Classy Affair that’s laid back – If you just want a reason to dress up and have a good time, throw a classy holiday party with a laid back atmosphere. Tell your guests to dress up in their best attire, and have cocktails, champagne and snacks on hand to serve all night. For more intimate parties or smaller groups, you can host a nice sit-down dinner. Even though you’ll be dressed up, this doesn’t mean the party has to be stuffy and overly serious. Make sure to create a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, so your guests don’t feel uncomfortable.

So, you’re willing to go outside and brave the Zombie Apocalypse in search of supplies Black Friday shopping crowds and risk being trampled by a stampede of angry shoppers on a mission to get the newest Xbox 50% off. No problem – as long as you’re prepared. There are a lot of articles telling you why you shouldn’t go shopping on Black Friday (such as this one). But, if you insist, we’re going to advise caution, as this event is no joke and should not be taken lightly. Read our guide if you want to emerge from the mall with great deals and a sense of accomplishment (or, at the very least, alive).

Plan Ahead/Organize Your Shopping List

We know it’s difficult to plan too far in advance, as some deals aren’t posted until the day before — or at all. Make a list of the things you need to buy, and try to stick to that list only. It is very easy to get carried away when you see items on sale that you want rather than need. Again, stick to your list! Then once you’ve finished it, you can browse for other deals. Save your energy for when it matters most: in the beginning of your quest. Extra tip: clip or print out all of the deals you found in case the store employee isn’t aware of a discount that was advertised.

Set a Budget

As we mentioned previously, it is very easy to get carried away on Black Friday. With so many dirt-cheap deals going on, it’s hard to resist temptation. You will be extremely surprised to see how much all those little things cost once you add them up. Be smart when you head out. Go for big-ticket items (like that certain kitchen appliance you really need) that have been reduced to a much lower price, rather than 20 shirts that cost $10.00 each. Setting a budget also makes it easier to throw down $200 in one transaction when you’ve planned and prepared yourself for it. That said, do your research. See how much it was retailed for originally, compare with other stores, see if it was on sale at any other time during the year, and see if the deal is really worth it. As this LA Times article points out, some Black Friday deals are very misleading and not, in fact, a bargain at all.

This is no family affair

Leave the kids at home. Sorry moms, but Black Friday is not fun or safe for kids. Unless you’re shopping at Ikea and can leave your kid in a ball pit for 4 hours (even that’s questionable), spare them the agony. There is too much commotion happening, and young kids cannot process the craziness and do not cope well in these situations. Plus, you never know what to expect from other shoppers. People push, shove, and get a mob mentality. Just watch this video and you’ll see why it’s a good idea to leave your child (or even your pregnant self) at home.

Pack your essentials

You will most likely spend a few hours shopping, so you need to come prepared in case your stomach starts rumbling halfway through the trip. You most likely won’t want to stop at the food court to have a meal (and even if the food court is open, be kind to your stomach and don’t have it struggling to digest a Big Mac). Pack a sandwich, fruit, and plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Bring a Friend

Having somebody with you on the Black Friday shopping trip can make the experience much more enjoyable (or at least tolerable). Be sure to make a plan in advance, so you don’t end up fighting with your friend over the last PS4 on the shelf. Compare your lists and see if there are any items that are the same, so you can hit up the same stores at the same time and buy what you need. Splitting up can make the process even more time-efficient. If you plan it accordingly, you can split up the list so that one person can head to the electronics section and pick up two of the same items, while the other can head to the appliance section and do the same. Afterward, it’s easy to split the items and the cost between the two once you’ve left the store. Also, bringing a friend ensures that you have back-up in case of a fight (Just kidding. Please don’t get into any fights!).

Remain Calm

If somebody took the last digital camera that was on sale, don’t try to pry it out of their hands. Black Friday shouldn’t be the reason for us to regress back to some caveman/primitive ways. It’s not the end of the world if you didn’t get that deal you expected, so try to be courteous to people around you, even if they’re not reciprocating. To get an idea of what you’re dealing with on Black Friday, we recommend reading this list of the most brutal Black Friday injuries and deaths ever recorded.

Set yourself up for failure

You might walk away empty-handed, and you should come to terms with that. With so many people rushing to get the deal, there just aren’t enough items to please everybody. Have realistic expectations and don’t become emotionally invested in certain items you plan on buying (you’d be surprised at how many people do). Accepting the possibility of failure makes it easier to actually cope with it.

All jokes aside, exercise caution when you go shopping on Black Friday, especially in stores like Target, Best Buy, Future Shop and Wal-Mart, where there might be massive store-wide savings that will attract lots of customers. If you see a potential mob or stampede about to happen, it’s just not worth it. Get out of line and leave. Your health and safety is more important than saving twenty bucks on a gaming console.

This week, we’d like to introduce you to Ivan, Director of the viral Youtube video, “Jessie J - Price Tag lipdub by 500 women in Uganda“ Ivan is the owner of an Amsterdam-based production company, 2FILM, and he is a freelance ad agency creative and director. 

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

I studied film directing at the Dutch Tv and Film Academy in Amsterdam. After that I worked several years in television, mostly on human interest shows. I now own a production company 2FILM, and I work as a freelance creative and director for ad agencies based in Amsterdam.

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).

My best friend calls me the hornet. He thinks I like to sting people and situations but also in my work in order to provoke a reaction, to get people out of their comfort zones. He values this in me btw

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

As a creative and filmmaker I like to create images that make you rethink what you believe in or which play with certain assumptions. In case of the lipdub I wanted to make a campaign video about African women where the stereotypes about Africans and development aid were questioned. When I worked in television for a show about development aid, I noticed most people in the West have to sustain this image of needful Africans, because it helps them feel good about themselves.  I not only think that’s un fair towards people there, but I also believe that it’s nasty and naïve. It supports a development aid industry based in the west and completely ignores the need of people there. People do not want to be helped, they want a chance to help themselves.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

I love living and working in Amsterdam. It’s such a beautiful city and cyclist-friendly. I love getting on to my bike every morning and biking over the little bridges and canals to a client or to a new edit.  Other than living in Amsterdam what I like about my job is the power to tell stories. Whether it’s for an NGO or a commercial client, organizations nowadays need to tell REAL and AUTHENTIC stories. The times that a hot model was enough to sell a product are over. People just don’t buy that stuff anymore. They simply filter it out of their head. If you want to get your message across as a brand or an NGO, you must ask yourself : “Do I have a good story to tell?” I always try to ask myself, “The story I’m telling, would I believe it and share it with my friends?” If so, that’s what I do my best to make.

What’s the most challenging?

Most commercial clients still do not understand this because the people on top are guys who do not understand the internetz and how it talks to people. It takes a lot of time, patience and effort to explain.

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

I would never do that, knowing what comes is boring.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

My starting point mostly is to take an archetypical image and ask myself what has absolutely not been done to this image. Mostly it produces in the beginning a lot of useless material but the process itself helps me to define that the sensibilities are on a certain subject and to use this when we create a concept.

In the case of the lipdub video, I noticed real genuine fun was never filmed in development aid commercials. It’s always either “help this poor woman feed her baby” or “support this little boy to make a great future for himself”, as if they were never having fun themselves, and that’s what I wanted to show. The lipdub also works on a different level I believe.  It’s like a smack in the face. It’s like the women are saying: “Who do you think you are believing we can’t also have fun? Get real! We are the same. So if you want to help us, help us because of that basic human recognition and not because you think we are sad.” I noticed many younger viewers of the lipdub video reacted positively on this message.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

Going back to the largest African lipdub video, my most memorable moment was the last day of shooting. We just filmed our last scene with over 500 women on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. It was hot, the crew was exhausted, the women were hungry and cranky, and I just aged 4 years in 4 days. I thought, “My God, give me strength to finish this before I collapse,” Then the last take was filmed and instead of going home, the women gathered and started celebrating that the shoot went well. They suddenly did not have to go home to cook meals for their husbands or work on the field, they just started partying. The sun was going down, the camera woman Berta Banacloche ( http://bertabanacloche.com), producer Duko Hopman (microbanker.com), and I looked to each other and experienced  such happiness. We knew we had something special on camera. See link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKWyC6zxFs0

Do you support any initiatives or charities? Tell us about it, and please provide links!

I definitely support the work of microbanker (www.microbanker.com). They help these women in Uganda with small loans to start up their own business. The idea is to empower women to take life into their own hands and to spend the earned money as they feel like without patronizing them.

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

With all the technological advances going on in the medicine there is a good chance I will make it past 100, so by the time I’m 65 I might decide it’s time to switch careers and become an astronaut.

Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?

Well if there is an app which makes you understand women better I would definitely downloaded it. After working with 500 women for 2 weeks in Uganda I realized I just don’t get them.

It seems the older we get, the harder it is to figure out what gift to get for our loved ones. To avoid stressing over what to buy and last-minute shopping trips to the mall (please, anything but the madness of malls in the month of December!) here’s our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide to make him, her or a little one you know happy this holiday season.

For Him

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5. MacPro - $3,099 -$4,099CAD

If you want to really excite a loved-one who loves tech, buy him (or her – this one isn’t exclusive to just men) the MacPro. This beast of a machine (it really is a beast) boasts quad-core (or six-core for the pricier version) processor, 12 GB DDR3 ECC memory, Dual AMD FirePro D3000 graphics processor, four USB 3 ports, Dual Gigabit ethernet port, and a bunch more specs we’re drooling over. The design is gorgeous, as well. Set to be released in December, you might have to spend a night in front of Apple in order to pick one up in time for the holidays.

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4. iPega Wireless Bluetooth Controller – $29USD

This awesome Bluetooth joypad for iPhone, iPad, iPod and Android devices is easy to remove and easy to use. Simply connect via bluetooth and play away! This is the perfect gift for the mobile gamer at a price that won’t break the bank.

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3. Mophie Juicepack Powerstation - $79.95USD

Charge your electronics on the go with this compact 4,000 mAh device. It’s compatible with most USB-enabled devices, charges your device quicker with a 2.1 amp outlet, has four LED lights showing how much charge it has left, and it also comes equipped with built-in short-circuit, overcharge and temperature protection.

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2. CTA Digital Pedestal Stand for iPad with Roll Holder - $44.99

This iPad stand is both hilarious and functional. Make his next trip to the toilet more amusing by giving him the CTA Digital iPad Pedestal Stand with attached toilet paper roll holder. At first we chuckled and thought it wouldn’t be a gift that anybody would use. But, alas, we’re human. It has a stable, heavyweight base and a 10″ bendable neck to position the screen in any direction or height. So, you don’t necessarily have to be sitting on a toilet. You can put on your favorite show while taking a relaxing bath. Available online only on Sears.ca.

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1. Olloclip Quick-Connect Lens Solution for iPhone 5 – $69.95CAD

This lens clip for iPhone 5 (is also available for iPhone 4 and 4s) allows you to take macro, fish-eye and wide angle lens photos quickly and easily. It’s the perfect gift for the avid iPhone photographer and Instagram lover. The lens clip works well with most apps and also has a live-shooting mode function.

For Her

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5. Wine Purse - $40USD

You know how sometimes you scramble to find a gift bag to put that bottle of wine in before a party? Usually it’s regifted, and sometimes you face the horror of realizing the person who gave it to you signed that card that’s attached on the bag. Well, this adorable bag has solved your problems. Its cylindrical shape holds any bottle of wine, and the bag is designed to look like an ultra stylish purse. It’s also practical, with metal feet at the bottom to prevent the bag from rolling around. The perk – it’s re-usable and very eco-friendly.

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4. Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Mask - $65CAD

We all work long hours and most of the time those hours are spent in front of a computer screen. No matter what we do, no matter how many hours of sleep we get, we’re still sometimes cursed with the dreaded “eye-bags.” We found a product that actually gets the job done by releasing 3 different types of oxygen while it brightens, de-puffs and re-hydrates your undereyes. It’s a bit costly, since you only get four applications in a box. However, if you or someone you know has an event coming up and wants to look flawless, get them this gift. They’ll look flawless in every photo and they’ll love you for it! Available at all Sephora stores.

Side note: If this product is too rich for your blood, then go for Sephora’s “Instant Depuffing Eye Mask.” At $7, it’s much easier on the wallet and makes for a fab stocking-stuffer!

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3. Luxe Cozy Robe – $116.65CAD

This luxurious, soft and durable robe is a gift that will definitely last. With the option to monogram her initials on the robe, you can make her truly feel special and like everyday is a day at the spa. It a soft brushed microfiber in a knit weave that is easy to wash and doesn’t wear.

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2. MARC JACOBS Showstopper 7-piece Holiday Set – $107

If you know a girl who loves to be pampered and loves her beauty products, this is the perfect gift. The set includes a mini rollerball in Honey Eau du Parfum, Style Eye-Con No. 3 in The Star, Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl in Kiss This, Magic Marc’er Precision Pen, Lash Lifter Gel Mascara and mirror all in an adorable Showstopper makeup bag specially designed by Marc Jacobs.

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1. The Petite Pizzeria – $129.95USD

This is the most adorable and versatile kitchen gift to give. Don’t worry, the person receiving this gift doesn’t have to be a master chef. This petite pizza maker can make frozen pizzas as well as homemade pizzas. It heats up to 315 degrees (celsius) in just minutes, and its lightweight and portable design make it easy to store when not in use (however, it’s stylish enough to keep on your kitchen counter as well). Keep in mind if you want to have it shipped to Canada, you must call 800-243-0852 to place your order, as there is no option to check-out online using an Canadian address.

 For a Little One

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5. Owl Keep You Warm Blanket – $17.99USD

A super warm, cuddly blanket is disguised by this adorable Owl. It’s folds out to 45×30 inches and is perfect to cover up your little one on a cold winter night. When not in use, it could be used as an adorable stuffed addition on your child’s bed.

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4.Glow Crazy Doodle Dome – $29.99CAD

What kid doesn’t love to scribble all over the walls? That is, until they get in trouble for scribbling all over the walls (or furniture, or carpets..sorry mom and dad!) With this genius product, your little one can now scribble away inside the Doodle Dome. The drawings are glow-in-the-dark and eventually fade, which means you can reuse the fabric without washing it. It comes with a pen, travel bag, 4 stencils and instructional book.

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3. Sno-Paints – $9.98-$18.98USD

Now you don’t have to beware of yellow snow! These environmentally-friendly tinted snow powder paints are perfect for having your little one have fun and get creative on snow days. Sno-paints are safe for pets, people and the environment, and they dissolve in warm water and melt along with the snow.

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2.BarkBox - $20/monthUSD (6 mo. subscription)

Ok, for the ones who don’t have or don’t know any human littles ones we have the perfect alternative. If you or a friend have a dog, try this adorable new service that sends treats, toys and a variety of products for the pup. All you do is choose the size/weight of the dog and the subscription length (Choose from 1, 3 or 6 months) and they will send over fun new products every month that cater to their specific size. 10% of the proceeds go toward a rescue group, so you won’t feel bad about the purchase (not that you would!). You can subscribe to BarkBox for yourself, or give it to a friend as a gift.

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1. Beario - $14.99CAD

Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada’s fifth limited edition bear was specially designed by Dylan, who suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and his brother Connor. Beario was modelled after Dylan’s favourite video game character, Super Mario (hence the red star on it’s little foot). A portion of Beario’s sales go toward funding Starlight’s in and out-of-hospital programming to help families in need. Available at all Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us stores across Canada.

This week, we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany, an aspiring luxury travel and lifestyle PR pro and founder of LeftBanked, a luxury travel blog.

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

I went to Ryerson University to study Fashion Communications, and I just graduated last year. I am currently a luxury lifestyle & travel blogger, and I also do freelance PR and marketing (mostly focused on the beauty industry at the moment).

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).

My name is Tiffany. I am 23 years old, and I live in downtown Toronto. My interests include travel, luxury, fashion, and design. I hope to get a career in any of these industries and someday move to Paris, my favourite city in the world!

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

I have been a blogger for several years now (started in 2008). I began my personal blog when I moved out to live on my own, as a way to document my new life. My blog grew and eventually I started focusing more on it as a way to generate extra income and make contacts in the industry. After I graduated from studying Fashion, I still had no idea what I wanted to do. I took a couple PR internships (both agency and in-house), and realized I really enjoyed it. Now I do it freelance and hope to continue with it as a long-term career.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

I love working for myself and setting my own hours. I also really enjoy the industries I’m in so it doesn’t feel like a job. Part of my (PR) job involves social media for a beauty company so I spend a lot of time researching makeup trends, products, articles, etc. On the blogging side, I love taking photographs, attending events and being able to work with brands that I love.

What’s the most challenging?

The most challenging is probably the travel blogging. I love it but at the end of each day on vacations, I need to dedicate a few hours to “work” – reviewing hotels/restaurants, resizing and editing photos, etc when I’d rather be out exploring the cities as much as I can.

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

I see myself travelling around the world, living in a new city every couple years or so before living permanently in Paris.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

I embrace disruption by constantly telling myself that every challenge would be a lesson and setbacks/difficulties will pass with time. I just focus on my end goal and never give up until its achieved.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

The most memorable moment so far was probably last year when I took a few weeks’ trip to Europe by myself. At that time I shifted my blog to more of a travel blog (I was able to make a lot of contacts in the industry and work with several travel brands when I was there), and realized I wanted to pursue blogging as a career as well.

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

I hope to be living in Paris by that time & possibly retired.

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This week, we’d like to introduce you to Noelle, a pediatric nurse based out of Phoenix, Arizona and Founder of Sass Kisser, a line of all-natural lip products.

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

I attended Northern Arizona University where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and I am currently a pediatric nurse at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).

I’ve always been a do it yourself person. I was the toddler making my own dollhouses from toilet paper rolls and shoeboxes- I even had my own hemp jewelry business in the 9^th grade. My mantra in life is to accomplish what you want by simply utilizing your own skills and drive and to never ask of others to get you where you’d like to be.

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

I am quite possibly the pickiest person when it comes to my lip balms. I see lip balm as a very personal thing. What else does a person have with them constantly besides their cell phone? From unpronounceable ingredients to lackluster results, I was tired of constantly buying lip balms that didn’t have my needs in mind. So I did my research and made my own all-natural balms and glosses and if the big cosmetic companies don’t like it, they can kiss my sass!

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

My favorite moments are those times when it’s just me in my kitchen making lip balms and trying out different combinations. It’s peaceful for me in there; I like to call it my laboratory. I love my day job as a pediatric nurse because it is constantly rewarding and challenging but nothing beats those quiet moments at home to myself with just my husband and my puppy.

What’s the most challenging?

I am one of those people that have to do everything at once. I will have an idea of what goals I want to accomplish next in my life and instead of going down the list one at a time I do it all at the same time. I love life that way. It makes me feel like you never know for sure what you will accomplish next and who knows, maybe next week you will start your own small business because you feel like it is a good idea. Which is exactly what I did. It certainly isn’t easy to balance, but I guess I prefer a little chaos!

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

First of all, whatever I see, it better be sparkly. Because everything is better with sparkles. Second of all I hope to encourage others to find all-natural, simple solutions for their busy lives that still make them feel beautiful and glamorous.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

Being the stubborn person that I am, I refuse to sacrifice the integrity of Sass Kisser in order to make my life easier. If there is something that can be done to better my product or my business I will do it regardless of the energy it requires of me. My supporters come first and my goal as an entrepreneur is to only improve on what I am doing to make those who support me happier. Having an all-natural business is certainly not the easiest path in the cosmetic industry, but I enjoy the challenge.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

My family is my biggest supporter and during one of our family brainstorming meetings I looked around the table and realized that each person, even my older brothers and husband, was wearing my Sass Kisser gloss. A table full of all-natural glossy lips- that’s my proudest accomplishment!

Do you support any initiatives or charities? Tell us about it, and please provide links!

When I was much younger my family was blessed by the Make a Wish Foundation. During a tough part of all of our lives, we were given the chance to go on the most wonderful vacation completely funded by them. The wishes they grant for children with life threatening medical conditions is absolutely inspiring and I can tell you first hand it blesses not only the child but also their entire family.

Visit Make a Wish for more details.

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

At 65 years old I hope to be retired and relaxing at a beach house with my husband and our family including lots of grandchildren! Oh, and puppies, you always need puppies around. Honestly, anything with babies and puppies and I’d be happy.

Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?

Don’t tell anyone, but my guilty pleasure is totally Temple Run. I haven’t been able to stop playing it! It’s completely an addiction. Oh and fruit ninja. I can’t get enough! I always try to sneak onto Temple Run without anyone knowing I’m playing but then my sound will be on and the monkey that screeches at the beginning gives me away- dang monkey!

Rob Ford in all his close-up glory
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In light of Rob Ford’s recent confession to smoking crack cocaine, we decided to write about how his train-wreck of a impromptu press conference could have been diverted from disastrous to passable. After a short discussion, we realized that he made the situation much worse simply by the way he presented it (click the link to watch the press conference). We can use Ford as an example for any communications crisis/disaster by explaining different ways that it can be dealt with. Preserving at least a shred of the company’s or person’s dignity in a PR disaster such as this one is key. Even when it seems impossible to do so, such as Mayor Rob Ford’s case, there are still ways to soften the blow (or crack).

Communications crises and disasters are inevitable at some point or another. It’s knowing how to deal with them accordingly and ‘saving face’ that makes a scandal less…well…scandalous. 

Step 1: Admitting the problem - Imagine how differently Mayor Rob Ford’s press conference would have gone if he had shifted focus from his crack-smoking video to him publicly admitting that he has an alcohol problem and that he will be seeking help. Temporarily leaving his position as Mayor while he is ‘recovering’ also would have helped greatly. By simply blaming it on a ‘drunken stupor,’ he gives absolutely zero gravity to the situation. Calling your ex and yelling at them is something that happens in a drunken stupor. A mayor of a city caught smoking crack on video is a problem. You will still be held accountable, of course – there’s no way you can get around that. But at least you have admitted your problem to the public and shown them that you are human with imperfections and mistakes.

Step 2: Owning up to the problem – It seems as if the mayor spent most the press conference bashing the reporters for asking the wrong questions and claiming that he did not lie to them at any point in the past. As if he’s trying to blame the reporters for his mistake, Mayor Rob Ford is trying to shift focus from him denying allegations to the fact that the reporters were at fault by not asking the right question. He admits to making mistakes, but it becomes overshadowed by his blaming the reporters. By owning up to his problems and being completely honest with the public on a more humbling level, he could have saved some respect (not much, but some). What else can be said when you tell people “I did this, and therefore I will be held accountable for my actions,” Sure, you’ll still be viewed negatively, but you’ll be saving some face.

Step 3: Lay low - If you’ve admitted your problem and owned up to your problem, then you’ve got a good chance to recover from the publicity mess. However, we recommend you lay low for a while and let the dust (insert another crack pun) settle before coming back out into the public eye. At this point, stepping down or temporarily leaving his position is Mayor Rob Ford’s only chance to survive this scandal.

This week, we’d like to introduce you to Gustavo, a Toronto lifestyle & travel photographer and founder of FocalJourney.com.

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

Photographer and Founder of FocalJourney.com. I had the chance to go to school in different parts of the world (Canada, Argentina, France).

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).

Lifestyle and travel photography for the style-conscious global urbanite. I was blessed with the chance of living in different continents, usually in big urban centres; so I feel as comfortable being in Toronto, Paris, or Buenos Aires. I gather that I could describe myself as the global urbanite that my photography concept aims at.

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

I drew and painted for more than 7 years, and I worked in fashion as well, so I have always been drawn towards the arts. Also, I travel for business and pleasure, so my work as a photographer allows me to combine the two things I like the most: travel and design.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

Every day is different. One day you have a photo shoot, the next day you attend an event, the next day you work alone editing photos, etc. So I guess the best part of my day-to-day is that you never know where the day will lead you. It is always very exciting not to know exactly what your day will be like. In addition to that, I would also say that I get to visit very interesting places and meet amazing people who, like myself, crave design and beauty in different forms, whether it is fashion, photography, architecture, interiors, etc.

What’s the most challenging?

The most challenging thing is to make the ordinary look beautiful, I reckon. As a photographer, I have to look beyond the obvious. That is extremely important to be able to capture the essence of what is in front of my lense. Cause of the critical eye of a photographer, you learn how to visually appreciate some of the most ordinary things that most people usually take for granted.

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

I always wonder what the future might bring for me. I see myself as being a wise old man who lived life intensely, but responsibly, with no regrets. I would like to look back on how I lived my life, personally and professionally, and realise that it was meaningful to other people.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

Disruption is unavoidable, but I have to quickly adapt and make the most out of it, because it will happen whether you like it or not. As a photographer, knowing how to adapt to constant disruption is crucial. Whether it is unexpected poor lighting conditions, passers-by getting in front of the camera, etc, these are some of the disruptions I have to face on a regular basis, but I am used to that. In my personal life, however, I create my own disruptions by doing things spontaneously without having to worry about schedules. I love when people call me unexpectedly to go out for coffee or a drink. Having lived abroad, I see that spontaneity in North America is unfortunately extremely rare nowadays.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

I am still growing, both as a person and as a photographer, so that memorable moment is yet to come (stay tuned!).

Do you support any initiatives or charities? Tell us about it, and please provide links!

I have been part of different organisations related to international education and development, whether it was providing supplies to rural schools in Latin America or visiting schools in Asia (see www.lionsclub.org).

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

That is a question that is very difficult for me to answer since I do not know what I will be doing when I am 40. In an ideal world, I will be retired living somewhere in Spain along the Mediterranean eating tapas and drinking vino all day

Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?

One app I can’t live without is the weather forecast app. I constantly check the weather on my mobile phone to know what the day will be like. Based on that, I decide what to wear, where to go, and even what to do during the day.

Vine, a popular app and social media network where you film 6-second clips, has created many mini-celebrities, such as Jerome Jarre. The French Vine star is known for awkwardly and hilariously incorporating strangers and passers-by in his videos. Before he was becoming a Vine sensation with his videos, Jarre also co-founded the web based, event management software company, Atendy.  Jarre is a perfect example of how you can use your Vine stardom to build your brand.

Launched just this past January, Vine challenges its users to create meaningful and memorable content in just 6-seconds. With attention spans seemingly becoming shorter, it’s no wonder that Vine has become so popular in such a short period of time. You might be wondering how Vine or Instagram videos are different from YouTube, and the biggest difference is that the two apps are strictly designed for use on a mobile device. Since Instagram released its video feature in June, the life of Vine was in jeopardy. However, with pages devoted to sharing funny vines, such as the Best Vines page on Facebook, we can see that the lifeline of Vine continues to be healthy and stable.

Instagram videos offer users a much longer shooting time (15 seconds vs. Vine’s 6 seconds) along with 13 filters and the ability to delete the previously shot scene. Vine is much simpler in that you simply tap to record and post. There is no option to add filters, although they recently updated the app so you can go back to delete and move around scenes before you publish it. While there has been much debate over which app is, for lack of another term, ‘better’, we find that Vine caters to a tighter community but demands creativity because of its short time-frame and simplified editing tools.

If you’re not yet a Vine sensation, you can still make your voice heard and vine-ify your brand. Here are some helpful tips on how to master the popular app:

1. Use stop-motion for effects: The reason why stop-motion videos are so popular (the good ones, at least) is due to the amount of work and thought put into them.  One mistake could ruin the whole clip, meaning users have to go back and record the Vine all over again. Here’s a quick tutorial. Take a look at Target’s use of stop-motion filming for their most recent Halloween-themed Vine:

For more amazing examples, be sure to visit BrandsOnVine.com to get inspired by some of the world’s leading brands and their Vines.

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DO

Pumpkins: there is nothing better than a display of creative and well-carved pumpkins illuminating your porch (or balcony) on a crisp autumn night. Carving pumpkins is not as easy as it seems, though. Think of the design you want (you’ll have to plan for which spaces will be empty or carved out), transfer the design onto the pumpkin, and use more tools than just a knife (they are difficult to carve with, can be dangerous and could ruin the end product).

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DON’T

Plastic pumpkins, skeletons, Frankenstein, gravestones, etc: Even if you’re decorating your office, there is something about those cheap plastic novelty Halloween items that are an absolute eyesore. If you share a space, please refrain from these novelty items as your neighbours or coworkers may not have the same decorating ideas as you.

The palm trees definitely don’t add to the “spook”

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DO

Wreaths: A wreath adds the perfect Halloween-spirited touch to your front entrance. You can add one to your apartment door or place one on the front door of your home. Enough said.

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DON’T

Cobwebs, fake spiders, and strobe lights: Unless you are turning your home into a haunted house for all the neighbourhood kids, refrain from fake cobwebs, spiders and especially strobe lights. There are people out there who have a terrible fear of spiders, and the sight of even a fake one might be enough to send them into a catatonic state of mind. Skip buying the strobe lights for obvious reasons: one of your trick-or-treaters could be an epileptic (the flashing lights are also just plain annoying).

This just looks like a pain to clean the next day.

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DO

Scented candles: Even if you’re decorating your office, you can decorate the space with scented candles and not have to light them (most offices won’t allow you to light candles). Some candles are pungent enough for you to be able to smell them even when they’re not lit. Scents like pumpkin spice, cinnamon apple, baked apple pie, etc are perfect for the season.

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DON’T

Smoke machines: Do you remember coming up to a house to say “trick or treat” only to be cut off by the sound of a smoke machine spraying a thick cloud of smoke, temporarily confusing you and disabling you from any sort of normal human function? We do. There is no need for smoke machines unless you’re the stage designer for The Rolling Stones’ 45th Farewell tour. They can also be dangerous by impeding a trick-or-treaters vision, which could cause an accident (like falling down porch steps – yes, its happened to one of our staff members).

Ideal for tripping over those gravestones, too.

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DO

Candy & Baked Goods: This doesn’t quite fall under the category of decorating, but if you have candy and baked goods in the office, your co-workers will love you. Have a wide variety of candy readily available for them to snack on. No matter how old, people love candy! Even if its just one bite to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Overall, be minimalistic! Think ‘less is more’. Don’t go on a spending spree buying Halloween-themed photo albums, fake leaves, banners, or other excessively spirited objects that you can only use once a year. Save your money for a vacation or for Christmas gifts. A simple wreath hanging on the door, soft-glowing lanterns, and carved pumpkins will do the trick. They are inviting and will still make you appear spirited. If you think of creative DIY crafts for your Halloween decorations, your wallet will most certainly thank you.

Sources

http://www.sheknows.com/holidays-and-seasons/articles/805916/halloween-decorating-do-s-and-don-ts

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/741181/

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This week we’re explaining the importance of using FourSquare as a lucrative marketing tactic for your shop, pub or restaurant and how to get the most out of it. As with the other social media networks we’ve covered in the previous posts, each platform must be suitable for your business. Since FourSquare allows users to check-into physical locations, it’s obviously necessary to have a customer-service oriented business. FourSquare has had most success in the realm of retailers, bars, restaurants and the like. If you’re not using FourSquare for your business yet, here are a few reasons why you should start and how it will benefit your business.

Statistics:

Over 1.5 millions businesses are on FourSquare
Over 40 millions users worldwide
Over 4.5 billion check-ins a day

• FourSquare makes it easier for your business to be found: If a user is looking for nearby places to eat or shop or get their dry cleaning done, your business will pop on the map if they are in the vicinity. By listing your business on FourSquare, the app has done the work of promoting your business. Offering discounts on your FourSquare account can also greatly increase the chances of your business getting more customers (we will go more into detail about FourSquare campaigns below).
• Promote your FourSquare account onsite: When a potential customer walks by your business and sees that you are on FourSquare, you have already increased the chances that your business will be visited by that customer. Since using FourSquare as a marketing tactic for business is still relatively new, users can look forward to being a valued customer to your business, especially if they will be rewarded. If they check in enough times, they can become the mayor of your business. When someone becomes the mayor of a business on FourSquare it means they have the most check-ins out of anyone else at that particular business.
• Reward system: This idea ties in closely with the previous one. A lot of the times businesses will promote a discount on their storefront if you check in using FourSquare.  Create a contest or some sort of reward every time a user checks in to your place of business. You can also gain new customers by having a “newbie” reward. When a person checks into your business for the first time ever, they can get a free cup of coffee, for example. Or you can offer your customers with frequent check-ins a 15% discount on any item, depending of the nature of your business. This generates revenue for your business while engaging your customer – and every customer loves to be rewarded with free gifts or discounts. When you combine this campaign with promoting it on your storefront, you increase your chances of having your business succeed that much more. The beauty is that the customer puts in minimal effort by simply tapping “check in” on their app, and they are being rewarded for it. However, in order to offer specials and discounts you must become a verified business on FourSquare, see below.
• Become a verified business: In order to become a verified business, you must create a business account with FourSquare. If your business is already listed on FourSquare (a customer may have added it in order to check-in) you can claim it as your own business. You simply search for the business name, enter your phone number, and FourSquare will call you with an automated machine asking a few questions regarding the business. On that same page, you will also be provided with a verification code that you will then enter into your phone. After that, you can access your business’ FourSquare account, review statistics and check-ins, demographics, and manage campaigns.
• Users can connect their Foursquare account to Facebook and Twitter: Depending on whether their social media profiles are linked to their FourSquare, every time a customer checks into your business, it will show up on all of their social media accounts. Not only do their FourSquare friends see their check-ins, but now all their followers on Twitter and friends on Facebook also see them checking into your business. The promotional work is being done for you by your customers. But, once again, rewarding them with specials will only make your business that much more successful. If a users follower notices that the person who checked in to your business received a 15% off coupon just by checking in, others are much more likely to visit your business in order to get the discount too.
• Know your customers: One of the best parts about using FourSquare for your business is that you get to know your customers on a more personal level. You can view their profile photo, their latest check-ins, reviews that they’ve written, their badges that they’ve earned, etc. With FourSquare’s analytics tool, you can also track who’s linking their check-ins with their Facebook or Twitter pages.

To learn more about how to claim, create or manage your business on FourSquare, visit their how-to page.

Sources

http://www.htmlgraphic.com/the-importance-of-foursquare-for-a-business/

http://beeliked.com/resources/how-to-use-foursquare-for-business/

http://scorephoenix.org/2013/09/importance-foursquare-local-businesses/

https://foursquare.com/about

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This week, we’d like to introduce you to Anum, the fashionable and witty woman behind the Toronto style & beauty blog, SummerxSkin

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

I studied print journalism at Sheridan College. After graduating I worked as a contract and freelance reporter, but eventually made the shift online. I am now a digital marketing & social media manager.

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).

Community manager by day, style & beauty blogger at night and fun conversationalist in general! I love to meet and interact with people. I’m a tad obsessed with red pandas and have recently discovered that I enjoy cooking when I have the time.

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

I have a keen interest in a few things: clothes, makeup, digital media and writing. I get to experiment and indulge in all of these things through my job and as a blogger. I never thought I’d actually be recognized for my work, but it’s a fantastic feeling.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

Most people hate waking up early, but I really enjoy it! I have a pretty set routine of being up and out the door by 7 a.m. This way I get to conquer everything on my to-do list before going home to relax and sleep.

What’s the most challenging?

Finding a balance between work and spending time with family and friends. Sometimes I feel bad about scheduling everything in my life, but it’s the only way to get things done and still be able to relax and enjoy the company of your loved ones.

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

I have an entrepreneurial spirit, so I hope to create something eventually on my own and perhaps doing it for a living. I’d also like to be a dedicated wife and mom one day. Not anytime soon though!

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

You have to distract yourself throughout the day in order to get back into focus. I tend to read, watch TV or a movie and sleep during my “down time”. It’s also good to get away from the computer and go to a coffee shop or restaurant.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

There have been a lot of memorable moments but I have to say that it’s truly amazing being praised for my writing and content curation, whether it’s from a client or blog reader.

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

Still writing and over-accessorizing my outfits.

Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?

Oh man! I can narrow it down to 2; Twitter because I like to stay connected at all times and WhatsApp because I have all my close friends on it.

10. Hunger Games’ Katniss
Because everyone loves Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss (and Jennifer Lawrence as Jennifer Lawrence). A Katniss costume is fairly simple to recreate, as shown in the photo below. You might already even have some of the items in your closet. If not, head to your local thrift shop and do some digging around. Trust us, you’ll find gold without having to spend a fortune on a pre-made costume.

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9. “This Is My Costume”
We put this one up here because every year some person decides this is a clever and witty costume to wear – a t-shirt with “This Is My Costume” printed on it. Don’t be that guy, or girl. The time spent finding that shirt could be time spent finding any other costume but that. Please, help us stop this epidemic.

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8. The Royal Baby
Little Prince George is all the rage today. However, if you’re a grown man (or woman) it becomes difficult to dress up as a baby (or should we say dress down). To create this look, take a sheet that you can wrap around you to look like a diaper, buy a baby pacifier, and wear a massive amount of jewels and a crown on your head. People will understand the look you’re going for, as long as you have that royal touch of gold, silver, shine and glimmer.

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7. Dexter – The Lumberjack

Forget the saran wrap and his ‘kill costume.’ Go as the newly transformed, lame-lumberjack Dexter. Put on a messy blonde wig, stick on some hair for the beard, wear flannel and don’t forget the axe. Here’s a funny meme for all those out there who were disappointed by the series’ finale (what Dexter follower wasn’t!?)

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6. Game of Thrones – Crimson Wedding

We’ve seen a lot of Khaleesi costume ideas out there, but nobody seems to want to take on a costume that depicts the brutal ending to the recent Game of Thrones season, “Crimson Wedding,” If you have a few friends who are willing to do it with you, that will make the costume even better. You’ll need a lot of fake blood, though.

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5. The Great Gatsby

Flapper-style costumes are far too common every year. Instead, jazz it up a bit and go as Daisy Buchanan or Jay Gatsby from Baz Luhrmann’s production of ‘The Great Gatsby.’ You’ll most likely find your Gatsby costume twin, or triplet, or quadruplet at whatever event you attend on Halloween. To really be unique, you can go as the ghost of F. Scott Fitzgerald with a gravestone above your head… you can occasionally roll around while you’re at it.

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4. Amanda Bynes – the bat-*&@$ crazy days

With all this talk of Miley and twerking, we’ve forgotten about our favourite hot mess of the year: Amanda Bynes! To complete this look you’ll  need: some fake, drawn-on studs on your cheeks (or, if you’re brave and slightly crazy, get the actual piercings), a wig that is a messy mop of blonde hair, a lot of poorly applied make-up (really pout – or inflate – those lips!), and a combination of the rattiest and skimpiest threads you can find. You can also go for the shaved-head look. Be sure to have your iPhone on you at all times so you can take frightening selfies.

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3. Pregnant Kim Kardashian

That infamous photo of her in the black and white get-up while very, very pregnant is burned into everyone’s memory. We would suggest not being a reminder of that horrible time in pop culture, but if you must:

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2. Breaking Bad’s Walt &  Jesse

Don’t get us wrong, we love them. So so so much. And we were sad to see the show end. But everyone and their mother will go dressed as either of the two leading characters on Breaking Bad. Either in regular attire or the yellow hazmat suit, it will be overdone. To stand out more, go as a character not many would think to go as: think Gus Fring with half of his face missing.

The dog is optional

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1. Miley at the VMAs

We would like you to keep a tally of how many VMA Mileys you see out on the streets, at costume contests or at parties this Halloween. The short hair, the strange nude-coloured bra and shorts, tongue always out and occasionally stopping to twerk like there’s no tomorrow. Instead, you can go as her tongue – that thing has a life of its own.

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The resemblance is uncanny

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Last week we wrote about different ways your business or brand can get the most use out of Instagram. This week we’re tackling one that is sometimes slightly more difficult for a brand, as it depends highly on the product and type of business you are promoting.

Many businesses create a Pinterest account because it is one of the many widely used social media platforms. It seems to have become a belief that as long as your account is present, you have a presence in the social media world. This is not true. Many businesses either do not use Pinterest correctly (as well as other social media platforms that we will cover in the next few weeks) or they do not use it at all because they do not see any or enough feedback. Here are ways to use Pinterest in order to get the most for you brand, product or business.

1. Determine your audience: While Instagram is devoted to just images (which can cover a wider scope of businesses and brands), Pinterest is a combination of images and content. It’s also important to remember that Pinterest is a social media platform that caters to DIY crafts, recipes, design tips, fashion, etc. Determine the type of product you are promoting or the nature of your business and whether or not your audience would benefit from your boards/pins. For example, a furniture designer could boost their popularity by pinning images of their past, current or future design projects. One board could be devoted to furniture they have designed, while another board could be devoted to simple, low-cost design ideas for interior spaces. By doing this, they are simultaneously promoting their brand and giving design tips to their followers without appearing to be pushing sales on a specific product.

2. Pinterest takes time: Just like most social media networks, you need to devote a lot of time and patience in order to create meaningful and quality content that will draw attention and get re-pinned. There is no quick and easy way to get thousands of followers and re-pins, so it’s important to be realistic and manage your time accordingly.

3. Stick with a familiar username: If you have a specific username that you have used for your Instagram or Twitter accounts, make sure your Pinterest (and other social media accounts) are the same. If the username is unavailable, alter it (for example a number at the end or a dash in the middle) but keep the name the same. By using your business or brand name for your username, it will be much easier for your customers to find and follow you. When your content gets re-pinned, then your brand or business name becomes visible to a much larger audience.

4. Link  accounts: If you already have established Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, be sure to link those accounts to your Pinterest. Your followers that are already on Pinterest can now follow you and have access to more of your content.

5. Give your pin boards descriptive names: Boards function as a virtual pinboard where your business or brand can share their latest ideas, designs, etc. Using descriptive names makes it easier to organize your pins and, consequently, your ideas as well. Cluttered boards with mismatched or irrelevant pins are an eye-sore, which could hurt your brand’s reputation by driving away potential customers. Narrowing your boards even further (for example, to specific colours of a certain product) can make it easier for your followers to find a design in that specific colour.

6. Re-pin and follow: Possibly the most important part of Pinterest (we just love alliterations), re-pinning and following businesses or brands similar to your own helps to promote your own business. Re-pinning also helps to get your business’ name out to customers as well as potential clients. If you own a textile company, you could use Pinterest to target a specific designer you would like to work with and re-pin their images. This helps you to network and open up communication between businesses with which you could potentially collaborate.

7. Curating content beyond your brand: This blurb goes hand in hand with the one above in regards to re-pinning. You can devote one specific day a week where you select a unique idea, product or design beyond your brand and re-pin it onto your specific board. You can choose something simple and catchy, such as “Friday Fashion Find.” By curating these unique designs and products, your business is viewed as knowledgeable and up-to-date in the field.

8. Be creative: We’ll keep this one short and sweet. Pinterest is all about creativity! If your pins come off as too serious or are blatantly trying to drive sales, you will lose your followers and your customers’ interest. Pinterest users want to see real people behind the business or brand. By portraying this aspect of reality, or real people behind a business, it enables your costumers to relate more to your product.

This guy ^ is overly excited to be a guest-blogger
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Contributing to blogs is a great way to build your writing resume and get your work featured in front of a larger audience. Guest-blogging can also be a great opportunity to drive traffic to your own site while offering meaningful content to another blog at the same time. You can build your credibility, create great references, and build networks all while improving your writing skills. If you’re just getting started, here are a few tips to become a successful guest-blogger.

Research: When guest-blogging, you need to do your research in order to find the right blog to contribute to. You will write more meaningful articles when you are truly interested in and knowledgeable about a topic. Research topics that fit into  your niche or industry and figure out which blogs would be a good match for the content you will be writing. When you focus your content on a specific topic that you know, your chances of becoming a well-known guest-blogger in that targeted field are that much higher.

Write your best: When you’re contributing to someone else’s blog, you are writing for their established audience, brand and voice. Adhering to the blog’s particular writing style and voice can also help you to become a more fluid writer by being able to adapt writing styles that are different from your own. If your guest post on the blog is successful and gets many viewers, you have boosted both the blog’s popularity and your own popularity as a writer.

Read the guidelines: This is extremely important to do before you start writing. However, if you’re a procrastinator, then it’s especially important to read the guidelines before you send off your finished piece to the blog. Failing to follow certain guidelines of the blog could make you appear disrespectful in that you did not do your research and read the rules. Always be mindful of the rules established for guest-bloggers. One slip up could damage your reputation as a guest-blogger, which will make it difficult to get more opportunities in the future.

Read the blog: This seems like a total no-brainer, but it still needs to be noted that it’s important to read the blog to white you’re contributing. Do not contribute to blogs you found five minutes ago just to get publicity and your writing out there. Follow the blog for a few weeks (if they post often) or a few months (if they don’t post as often) to really get an idea of the style, tone and viewpoint of the blog. If you’re not interested in the blog, how can you contribute your writing to it if you wouldn’t read your own article? Seems silly, right? So read the blog!

Establish goals: Before you decide to contribute to a blog or become a guest-blogger, decide where you want the guest-blogging to take you. Do you want more viewers on your own blog? Do you want your writing to be made available to a larger audience? Do you want to establish yourself as inventive or as a leader in your industry? Decide what you hope to gain from guest-blogging and set out to achieve those goals by finding the right outlets/blogs.

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Whether you’re a business that’s just starting out or a well-established brand releasing a new product, having an active social media presence is vital for today’s market. Recognizing the importance of social media and having an executable social media plan is necessary in order to have a successful social media campaign/presence. Simply having an account that’s there but is idle most of the time is not enough. Here are seven ways your brand or product can effectively use Instagram.

Determine whether or not your type of business is visual: Instagram is all about visuals and telling a story through images. If you think your brand or product is not at all associated with images, keep brainstorming and get creative. We once saw a car wash company like every image that had the hashtag #haboob during one of Arizona’s severe dust storms last summer (by the way,  A haboob (Arabic: هَبوب‎ “blasting/drafting”) is a type of intense dust storm carried on an atmospheric gravity current. Haboobs occur regularly in arid regions throughout the world. Wikipedia). They also posted before and after pictures of dust-covered cars coming out squeaky clean after the wash. Although, sometimes you must come to terms with the fact that your business is not (or should not) be visual and that Instagram may not be the right outlet. For example, if you own a funeral home, it would be fairly inappropriate to have an Instagram account to promote your services.

#Hashtag: Using relevant hashtags in the caption of your photo helps to spread your message even further. It enables your product to become visible to a much larger audience beyond just your followers. We have to note that the keyword there is ‘relevant.’ Viewers/Followers will know you’re spamming them if you use too many hashtags and irrelevant hashtags. It would be in poor taste to post a photo of your restaurant’s new dish (yes, pun intended) using hashtags about a recent tragic event. Make sure they are targeted to your specific audience.

Photo Contests: Creating a photo contest on Instagram is the perfect way to engage your followers and potential customers. Make sure the prize is relevant and will entice your audience. Create a hashtag specific to your brand’s contest, for example #’X’companyPhotoContest, and remember to engage with your followers who entered the contest. A good way to do this is to post their image on your brand’s Instagram account and mention them in the caption. You can also comment on their photo thanking them for the entry and wishing them good luck. People love contests and they love to be rewarded – it’s important to show your customers you love them!

Follow me, Follow you: The title of this is fairly self-defining. When you get a follower, follow him/her back. Be cautious, however. Don’t bother following back the spam accounts that promise you thousands of followers within minutes. Similar to our previous post about effectively gaining followers on Twitter, you want quality followers who will be genuinely interested in your story and your product or brand.

Track image analytics: There are tools available for you to track likes, comments, followers, etc. on your Instagram account. Try BlitzMetrics or Curalate.

Be creative and fun: Instagram is a great tool for a business’ marketing campaign, but for the public, it’s a fun outlet used during downtime. If you appear too serious and dull, you won’t engage your followers. You can post fun photos of your employees at a company function (just make sure they’re sober and you have their consent, of course) or of a typical day in the office. This gives your business personality and makes the customers see that there’s real people and real life behind the scenes.

Sneak-peeks: If you’re designing a new product, take a short video or a photo associated with the product and post it as a teaser for your customers. If your Spring 2014 Fashion Line includes pieces that all incorporate a specific fabric, give your audience of hint of what’s to come by uploading a photo of that fabric.

Stay tuned for next Tuesday when we cover how to get the most out of Pinterest for your brand or business.

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“In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community…either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.” (Wikipedia)

It’s inevitable: you will encounter an internet troll at least once in your life, especially if you are a frequent blogger, tweeter, vlogger, person of interest etc. There are people out there who lurk in the shadows behind their computer preying on individuals who voice an opinion or present an idea that is different from their own. Nothing you say or do will stop them from making nasty comments.

There are varying levels of internet trolls that you should know about. Some produce harmless, negative comments that might annoy you or anger you, while others threaten harm or even death. How do you differentiate between the trolls, and when should you react?

Aggressive troll: If you’ve ever scrolled down to the comments section on YouTube (it’s a guilty pleasure), you will find the worst of the worst when it comes to internet trolls. This type of troll is easier to spot. They use profanity, racial slurs, wish death upon the author of the content, bodily harm, harm to their family or employees, and other violent things. Don’t let this type of troll get to you. Trolls survive off of defensive, over-emotional responses, and they feed on those victims who respond that way. Don’t take it personally. Let’s use an example:

Anonymous writes, “This blog post sucks. I hope all your fingers get broken and you never get to write again because you clearly have no brain function to produce decent ideas. I also hope you get in a car accident that permanently disables you because this planet has no use for you,”

Ouch. Your heart is racing, you have never read such awful things being wished upon you, and you want to respond emotionally because you don’t deserve such a fate. Stop. Breathe. No matter how nasty the comment is, don’t take it personally. Chances are you have never met this person in your life and you never will. You have three options on how to deal with the comment: erase and forget about it, ignore it, or respond politely.

“Thanks for the feedback. What sort of topics would you like me/us to cover in the future?”

If the troll responds with more aggression, you can ignore it. If there is no constructive criticism, you will gain nothing from it. Remember that you are not posting content online in order to preserve or defend your sense of self. You’re posting content that represents your ideas, your opinions, your product, your creativity, etc. Not everyone will agree, and that is ok.

The troll trying to change the world: You will come across this troll by voicing your satisfaction with a certain product, company, political or religious stance. This troll will come out of nowhere and attempt to make you feel embarrassed about your personal opinion by stating facts that support the opposing view. They may or may not include any curse words or racial slurs. Respond in a passive, emotionless way. Thank them for their input, state your own facts if they’re questioning your brand or product, ask how it could be improved, and move on.

The fake profile troll: This troll will create an account on a social media site posing as a somebody else or somebody you might know. They will try to get a rise out of you by spreading rumors, sending vicious messages, threats, and posting inappropriate photos where they may tag you. This could be a difficult troll to ignore, but ignoring them is your best weapon of defense. Do not argue with them, and certainly do not threaten legal action as that can only worsen the situation. Block that person from your own account and continue to do so even if they keep making new profiles. Trolls eventually tire and go onto the next victim when the current one isn’t giving in. The only way you will win is by remaining calm and collected – or at least appearing so.

Sources:

http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/How_to_deal_with_vile_nasty_comments_online_11553.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)
http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/resources/tips/pc-security/you-cant-win-an-argument-with-a-troll
http://www.business2community.com/blogging/how-to-handle-nasty-comments-on-your-business-blog-0570591

Ah, can you smell it? That lovely hint of decay in the air? Whether it be flowers, leaves, or flesh; it means October is officially here. Everywhere you look this month you’ll see orange, black, pumpkins, fake cobwebs and all things Halloween. Sure, it’s also the month for Thanksgiving here in Canada and the start of Fall, but we’re mostly focused on the fun of dressing up as our favourite characters, creatures, ghouls and other ghastly things (Miley VMAs, anyone?). But where’s the fun in dressing up if you don’t know where to go to show off your amazingly grotesque costume? (ok, it doesn’t have to be grotesque – it can be pretty, too) Here’s a list of 6 Halloween events and parties going on in Toronto this month that you can’t miss.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival – No need to dress up for this one (although, if you want to dress up, you most certainly can!). If you’re looking for a more laid-back Halloween event where you can watch all the horror, action, sci-fi and cult classics and munch on snacks late at night, this is the event for you.

Where: Scotiabank Theatre,
When: October 17th-25th. Showtimes TBD
Cost: $143 for all-access pass to screenings on all days (you also earn 2,000 Scene points). Individual tickets are $13 and go on sale Oct 3^rd.

Church Street’s Halloween Night Block Party - With three blocks of the Church and Wellesley area closed off from vehicular traffic, the annual Church Street Halloween Night Block Party is one of the biggest outdoor Halloween events in the city.  Peruse the streets in your best costume,  check out other great costumes, have a few drinks and party in one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Toronto.
Where: Church and Wellesley
When: Thursday October 31st. 7pm-2am
Cost: Free

Halloween Haunt @ Canada’s Wonderland – Every weekend evening in October, Canada’s Wonderland hosts their annual Halloween Haunt. You can run through mazes, be chased by nightmarish demons and killers, or go on their terrifying adrenaline-pumping rides. Just remember that those people chasing you through the maze are actors – they won’t harm you, so don’t try to defend yourself by, lets say, knocking them out with your fist (yes, it has happened).

Where: Canada’s Wonderland, 9580 Jane St., Vaughan, ON
When: Weekend Nights in October until Sunday, Oct 27^th. 7pm-12am
Cost: $29.99 online or $37.99 at the park

Toronto Zombie Walk – The internationally famed Zombie Walk is coming to Toronto on October 26^th. The pre-show starts at 2pm, with the actual walk starting at 3pm. We recommend getting there at 12, so you have plenty of time to check out the different vendors, take pictures of zombies and mingle amongst your fellow living dead. For full details and a map of the walk, visit the website. This is strictly a cannibal-free event.

When: Saturday October 26^th, 2013 12pm
Where: Nathan Phillips Square
Cost: Free

Screemers – The legendary Screemers has been around for 21 years and is known as Canada’s #1 haunted indoor park. The park features live actors, special effects and images that will keep you up at night for the next month. If you get scared easily or have a weak heart, we wouldn’t recommend Screemers. The live actors make the experience all too real. We have to stress this again, however: they’re actors and they will not harm you! We promise.

Where: Screemers, 160 Princes Blvd, Toronto, ON
When: Every Friday and Saturday from Oct. 11^th to Nov 2^nd 7pm-12am.
Special Halloween hours: Wednesday Oct 30^th 7pm-11pm & Thursday Oct 31^st 7pm-12am
Cost: $24.95 online w/ $5 off coupon

This week, we’d like to introduce you to Robin Farr, the woman behind the popular postpartum depression and motherhood blog, Farewell Stranger

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

I have a day job, but for the purposes of this interview my title is Blogger. I have a bachelor’s degree in family studies from the University of British Columbia and a master’s in professional communications from Royal Roads University.

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).

Mine is totally a sea shell. I was born near the mountains but grew up by the ocean. As a kid I spent hours playing on beaches and poking in tide pools and those things became a central part of my identity. And yet when I grew up and got brave enough, I moved back to the mountains because that’s where I thought I should be. So many of the good things in my life are because I was brave enough to take a leap and find my wings on the way down.

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

I started blogging about postpartum depression on New Year’s Day 2011 (because part of me is neat and tidy like that; no random Tuesdays for me).  I had been struggling for 2 ½ years by that point and I was trying to take back control. I had a story to tell and I thought that if I told it, it might help me get better and might just help someone else along the way. It did both, and also released my long-hidden inner writer. I missed her and didn’t realize how much until she came out to play.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

In terms of blogging, I have two very different best parts. One is that I love sitting down to write knowing that I can write whatever I want. I can publish it if I want to, or not. I can break all the rules of writing. I can play with images. Each post is how I’m feeling in that moment and no one gets to dictate my content but me.

The other best thing is when I hear from other moms who are struggling and have come to me for help. That’s such a huge indication of faith and trust and it humbles me every time. And to know that something I have written or said helps another mom through an incredibly difficult thing makes all the times I’ve been vulnerable so worth it.

What’s the most challenging?

There are times when I have nothing to say and, given how much I have processed my world through words since I started blogging, it makes it feel very much like something is missing. Just as bad—worse, maybe—are the times I have something I want to say that won’t come out. That usually means it’s not time for it to come out, but I haven’t yet learned to be patient while waiting.

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

It depends on the day. Some days I look ahead and see more of the same, and I pray that I don’t get to the end of my life and wish I had done more with it. One of my best friends and I have what we call the goat-pant analogy. You know those people you see on the bus to work day in and day out, who sit there looking bored and unhappy and whose office-appropriate pants smell a little bit musty when it rains? No one wants to be stuck in goat pants forever. So most of the time I look into that ball and see someone who has taken risks and pursued joy and figured out how to make time for the things in life that matter. (And yes, sometimes that’s ice cream.) Three years ago I was climbing the corporate ladder. Now I’m climbing out the bus window, shedding the goat pants and wondering what else I can do that will leave some virtual “I was here!” graffiti on the walls of my world.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

I’ve always enjoyed change, whether that’s a new job or an opportunity to rearrange my living room. Stagnant=boring. I am, and always have been, a fatalist. I believe things happen for a reason and we have to learn something from every experience. It’s taken me longer to accept it, but I also think sometimes we don’t get to know why things happen.

My experience with postpartum depression and the massive disruption that caused to both my work (because of a four-month leave from my job) and personal life has reinforced those beliefs. I never asked for that experience. I never wanted it or saw it coming. But it had a purpose, all right. So I’m just embracing the opportunities that something incredibly hard has brought to me.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

The TEDx talk I did in 2011.I shared my experience with postpartum depression and how for so long I wore a mask to hide it, and how when I finally took that mask off and asked for help I realized how common it is and how much we can help others by sharing our struggles. I was supposed to have six minutes and one of the producers was going to give me time signals, but he didn’t because people were engaged. So, lost as I was in my very emotional story, I just kept going. It ended up being 18 minutes and at the end I got a standing ovation. It was something I’ll never forget.

Do you support any initiatives or charities?

I informally support all kinds of things. If a friend is fundraising for something I try to contribute to that, but my own work focuses mostly on charities and programs that support postpartum mood disorders or cancer (which both my parents had – at the same time!). Those include:

Postpartum Progress: http://postpartumprogress.org/

Ovarian Cancer Canada: http://www.ovariancanada.org/

Movember: http://ca.movember.com/

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

Writing, travelling, playing with (or eagerly anticipating) grandchildren, enjoying ice cream (and my husband’s pie), continuing to speak up on behalf of those who can’t do it for themselves.

Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?

That’s a really mean question. The boring answer: a white noise app. (The one thing I don’t like having disrupted is my sleep.) The slightly more interesting answer: Camera+ because I love playing with iPhonography. (I realize that’s not a whole lot more interesting. But hey, at least I’m not a Candy Crush addict, right?)

Google yourself: Carefully search through every result that comes up in each different tab (Web, Images, Video, etc) and target what you want to remove from the search. Sometimes a nasty comment you posted on a Youtube video will come back to haunt you as the first result on the video search. If your Google account is linked with your Youtube account, all you have to do is remove the comment. Otherwise, retrieve your login information, sign into that old account and remove the comment.

Facebook: If you don’t want your Facebook page to show up when you’re searched, it’s extremely easy to hide it without deactivating your account. Simply go into your privacy settings, and turn off the feature that asks “Do you want other search engines to link to your timeline?” If you want to be extra sure that it won’t show up, change your username that shows up on the address bar, which is oftentimes set by default as your first and last name.

Old Accounts: Don’t worry about your old Myspace account: they went ahead and did the work for you. With Myspace’s rebranding, all of the accounts that were under the “Classic” Myspace have been erased. Your angsty teenage blog posts are gone forever (which can definitely be a good thing). If you have any other accounts still showing up, try accessing that account by retrieving your login information. Once you’re in the account, you can delete it. If you can’t remember your login information and have no way of retrieving it, simply contact the webmaster or customer service on the site and talk to someone about getting the account deleted.

Bad publicity: If someone posts an unflattering picture of you or writes something that would damage your reputation, you can send them a polite e-mail asking to remove the content. Do not make any legal threats, as that could make the situation worse. If the person or site still refuses to remove the content you can contact Google’s content removal page and submit a request to have a specific search result be removed. Although the content is still there, it won’t show up on Google. The only issue with this, however, is that it could still be visible on other search engines. But if the content is truly awful or gives out your personal information, you’ll go the extra mile to get it removed.

Don’t use your name: For future reference, keep the blogs or accounts that you want private under an alias. If you comment on videos or blogs, make sure that’s anonymous as well. 5 years down the road you could regret that one angry comment about an article you disagreed with.

Sources:

http://www.wikihow.com/Ungoogle-Yourself

http://www.waysto.com/ways-to-ungoogle-yourself/

http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Un-Google_Yourself

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The dreaded writer’s block! This seemingly-harmless issue could cripple your blogging or writing career if not handled immediately. As a writer, can you picture anything worse than watching that blinking line with a mind as empty as the text box? The harder you try, the worse the writing sounds. Don’t worry, though! There’s still hope that you will produce quality content despite the temporary block. Having experienced it far too many times, we’ve decided to compile a list of 10 ways to get over writer’s block (maybe even for good!)

1. Get over that OCD – We know, we know. You need to start writing from the beginning and continue writing until you get to the end. It seems like the natural order of things. However, this can actually make your writer’s block even worse. By focusing too much on writing and producing results in a certain arrangement, you might overlook the most important thing about writing: the content. If you already have an end in mind, write the end first. If you already have the middle thought-out, then start there. The ideas will start flowing and before you know it you’ll have a whole, finished piece. Take it like a jigsaw puzzle. You would never think to put the pieces together row by row in a consecutive fashion. You put together pieces at random and they form the picture in the end.
2. Create a calendar – We’re going to refer you back to last week’s post about editorial calendars because it’s one of the most important things to have when running a blog. By having ideas that you wrote down in advance, you can just start writing without having to rack your brain thinking of a topic.
3. Writing prompts – Remember grade school when you were given a subject to write about every day? Start doing that again! Not only does this nurture your writing skills, but it can also be great content for future blog posts. Make a list of prompts for two weeks in advance (or a month if you’re feeling brave) and start writing. Just don’t make your prompts as easy as they were in grade school, like writing about your favourite colour. If you make your prompt topics interesting for yourself, you’ll want to write about it.
4. Forget the backspace key – Once again, don’t let your writer’s OCD kick in while you’re writing. If you are continually finding errors and pressing back space, you’ll become discouraged from writing about the topic – even if the topic is good. It’s all about creativity, not perfection. There’s always time to edit it later once you’re finished writing the bulk of it.
5. Walk around – Get up from that chair, walk to a convenience store, grab a soda, admire houses in your neighbourhood, and do whatever else gets your mind off of writing. Refresh your brain (or completely turn it off) and come back to the writing later. The writer’s block will only feel worse if you’ve been sitting in the same place for hours forcing yourself to write without taking a break.
6. Change of scenery – If you’re feeling extra frustrated with your writer’s block, move your desk (unless it’s really heavy – in which case we suggest you buy a lighter desk) to a place where you’d never move it (the bathroom could be fun). Try moving it in front of a window – or away from a window if you’re easily distracted. Or, if you’re not in the position to move your desk, simply find a place to write. Try a park, coffee shop, or a library. A simple change of scenery can do wonders.
7. Download browser extensions – Google Chrome offers a variety of free, downloadable extensions that allow you to block certain URLs that will distract you (like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit etc). There are some that make you simply click an enable or disable button, and there are more serious ones that make you type in a long and annoying code in order the disable the extension (making you less likely to disable it while you’re writing).
8. The Pomodoro Technique – Developed by Francesco Cirillo who was definitely suffering from intense writer’s block in the 1980s, The Pomodoro Technique breaks up your work in 25-minute intervals. Set up a timer anywhere for 25 minutes and see what you can do in that period of time. After the 25 minutes is up, take a 15-minute break and go back at it for another 25 minutes.
9. Just write – Write anything, even if it’s not at all related to your topic. Sometimes in the dead of winter you need to rev the engine a bit to heat up the car to get it running more smoothly (we don’t really know much about cars, but this sounds accurate). Maybe a better metaphor would be the importance of stretching before a workout to avoid cramping and soreness. Well, you get the idea.
10. Be nice - We’re our own worst critic, right? Well, it’s time to stop being so harsh on yourself and your writing. Many writers fall victim to over-criticizing their writing to the point of no return. You’re a writer because you can write well, and don’t let that voice inside your head tell you otherwise. Once you’re done writing it, don’t over-analyze it – just hit that publish button. Of course, its always good to proof-read your writing, but only for grammatical errors. Once you change the content of one sentence, you’ll go onto the next sentence, and it’ll end up being a domino effect of changes.

Sources:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/20-ways-to-kill-your-writers-block-forever.html

This week, we’d like to introduce you to Julie, the woman behind popular lifestyle blog, SoberJulie!

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

Author/Speaker…ok I’m really not into titles but I’d say someone who is connected to the online world and enjoys the unlimited possibilities available for sharing purpose.

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).

I am the mother of two girls and the wife of a very patient man. Also known as SoberJulie in social media circles you can imagine why people are referring to me as a straight-shooter. After facing my alcoholism and being involved in a car accident, I began writing at Sober Julie where I take the tired, unappetizing reputation about sobriety and turns it into a day at the circus. Jam-packed with ideas for delicious food, mocktail recipes, tips for sobriety, reviews & giveaways SoberJulie.com provides tons of ideas for leading a better (more creative, more enjoyable) life.

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

After a debilitating car accident I realized I wouldn’t be able to return to my past corporate career and began writing as more of a journal than what you see today.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

The moments when I have correspondance with people or brands I wouldn’t have without social media. Watching the power of the internet spread positive purpose.

What’s the most challenging?

Saying no. The requests to promote charities or products come daily and it’s a fine balance between being a blog which people read for inspiration vs a review/giveaway blog.

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

White hair and continued learning. A life where I’m connected into each moment, determined to learn all that I is available.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

With open arms! How mundane life would be without disruption, being “different” and embracing new opportunities fits me just fine.

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

There are many, from having articles published on major networks to a simple email from a stranger seeking help with alcoholism.

Do you support any initiatives or charities?

Ronald McDonald House Toronto is my charity of choice, I shaved my head to fundraise for them last year.

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

Writing while sitting on a dock near some beautiful water with my amazing husband.

Posting quality content frequently and consistently is one of the biggest challenges of maintaining a good blog. Keeping an editorial calendar can greatly increase your blog’s chances for success by enabling you to plan and track your content strategically. Here are some tips to keep in mind in order to effectively manage and organize your editorial calendar.

1. Access to calendar: If you’re working with more than one person on a blog, have the editorial calendar uploaded on one central location, such as a Google Calendar or Drive. This enables other users that have access to the file to edit it and add new ideas at a moment’s notice. If it’s just you working on the blog, it’s still great to have a copy of the editorial calendar living online so it’s always readily available.
2. Sync to mobile calendar: If you aren’t checking your calendar frequently, you could be missing important information or deadlines that are coming up. If you sync the calendar to your phone, you can set alerts or reminders so you never miss a beat.
3. Deadlines: If you plan to publish a certain number of posts per week, an editorial calendar will help you keep publishing dates consistent. For example, if Tuesdays and Thursdays will be your main posting dates, put those two days down in your calendar as deadlines.  If necessary, make the deadlines red so they stand out. It’s easier to keep track of publishing your content when you see it highlighted in front of you on a calendar.
4. Content: This seems like a no-brainer, but if you don’t have ideas for future posts clearly written out, then it might become difficult to keep up with the main theme or idea of your blog. The content of your blog is the structure of your blog. If you have inconsistent content, your blog will be a random, jumbled mess of posts. Jot down notes for what you plan to write about at least a month in advance.
5. Purpose: Always keep a solid reminder as to why you’re writing about that particular subject and the audience for which you’re writing. For every post you plan on publishing, make a note for yourself below it that tells you the audience and purpose of that particular post. This helps you decide whether the content is suitable for the overall theme of your blog.
6. Keep notes when on-the-go: If you’re old school, carrying around a small notebook and a pen is great for those spontaneous bursts of inspiration. When you’re on the go and don’t have your computer near you, make sure to write it down in the notebook and later add it to your calendar. Alternatively, if you’ve synced your editorial calendar to your smart phone, you can input notes on the calendar right from your phone. Whichever way you do it, just make sure you always have an accessible place to write down those ideas! There’s nothing worse than getting a great idea and forgetting it five minutes later.
7. Social media: If you’re going to be promoting your blog on social media sites, be sure to include a separate category on your editorial calendar for tweets, status updates, etc. For example, you can include a light blue category as a reminder to post on Twitter that day, or a dark blue category to post on Facebook. Include what you’ll be posting so its available when you need it.
8. Images: Gather photos in advance for every blog post you plan on publishing. This eliminates having to search last-minute for the right photo to go along with the blog post, which can be stressful when the deadline is an hour away. Don’t forget to include any links to the original source of the photo, unless its your own.
9. Tags/SEO: This can easily be overlooked when planning content for a blog post. Make sure  you list all the tags or SEO keywords you plan to use, that way you can save time by having them available on the calendar and transferring them directly into your blog post.

Although we do admit that it’s a bit time consuming in the beginning, creating an editorial calendar will help keep you and your blog on track. Once you already have a calendar established, you will find it much easier to keep all of your content organized.

Sources:

http://properpropaganda.net/2013/08/13-tips-to-create-a-killer-editorial-calendar-for-your-company-blog/
http://blog.journalistics.com/2013/how-to-create-an-editorial-calendar/

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1. High Park: Grab some friends and head to this urban nature sanctuary. Have a picnic, go for a hike through the park’s multiple trails, enjoy the beautiful lakefront views and visit the zoo (it’s free!). The only thing you might spend money on is the TTC to get there and back. (1873 Bloor St. W.)

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2. Thursdays & First Tuesday of every month @ Madison Avenue Pub: If you’re on a budget but love to go out (in Toronto, this can be a deadly combination), then hit up the Madison on a Tuesday. It’s a multi-level pub that was built out of three Victorian homes and houses a piano room, dance-floor, and four more pubs that suit your comfort level. They’re celebrating their 30^th Anniversary by offering prices from their menu in 1983 on every first Tuesday of the month. You can enjoy bar rail drinks, burgers, pints, grilled cheese sandwiches and many more for only $3. If you can’t go on a first Tuesday of the month, they offer $3 drinks every Thursday. (14 Madison Ave.)

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3. Half-priced Cinema Tuesdays: Next time you want to watch a movie without breaking the bank, go to the theatre on a Tuesday. They only charge 50% of the admission price, so you can get away with going to the movies for under $10. Unfortunately, they don’t offer 50% off the food (they’ll still charge you an arm and a leg for popcorn and drinks).

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4. Kensington Market: One of our favourite neighbourhoods, Kensington Market is a great place to explore unique shops, art galleries, coffee shops and parks. It’s free to walk around, window shop and see the multi-colored homes and graffiti. (Btwn Bathurst St. and Spadina Ave., Dundas St. and College St.)

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5. The Green Room: Located in a back alley by Bloor and Bathurst, the Green Room is a super-hip dive bar that is very easy on the wallet. Their appetizers are all in the $3-$5 range (with the exception of a few), and their entrees are in the $7 range. Every day of the week they have drink deals like Beer Bottle Tuesdays with imported bottles at $4.50. With those prices, you can eat out and have drinks without feeling guilty or overspending. (296 Brunswick Ave)

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6. The Java House: Don’t shy away from this place when you see the mismatched wallpaper and furniture inside. What it lacks in décor, it makes up for in cheap drinks and cheap food. Their meals don’t go over ten bucks, and their pitchers aren’t over $14. Just don’t go there expecting the same service you would get at a high-end restaurant. Bonus: they have a great patio! (537 Queen St. W.)

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7. The Distillery District: Home to many designer boutiques, cafes, restaurants and venues, exploring The Distillery District is a great and affordable way to spend an afternoon. For $19 (+Tax) you can get the 60 minute Historic Walking Tour and learn more about the history of the district, prohibition, alcohol production and more. If you don’t want to spend any money, you can walk around for free and check out the vintage buildings and boutiques in the district. (Btwn Parliament St. and Cherry St. & just south of Mill St.)

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8. Wednesdays @ The AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario): Head to the gallery on a Wednesday between 6 and 8:30 and you won’t have to pay for admission. On any other day (the gallery is closed on Mondays, though), admission costs $19.50 for adults and $11 for students (with valid ID). And don’t worry; you don’t have to be an art fanatic to enjoy the gallery. The AGO offers various exhibitions and displays for everybody to enjoy! (317 Dundas St. W.)

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9. Scarborough Bluffs/Bluffer’s Park:Don’t be afraid to venture outside the confines of Downtown Toronto. Scarborough Bluffs are an escarpment with climbable cliffs that rise 65 metres from the water and the park has trails, picnic areas and beaches. From the top of the cliff you can enjoy gorgeous views of Lake Ontario (and more on a clear day). (1 Brimley Rd. S.)

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10. Canadian Broadcasting Centre Museum: Check out Canada’s history in broadcasting at the CBC Museum. Admission for the museum is free at all times, and their hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. (250 Front St. W.)

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11. Polson Pier: To get the best views of downtown Toronto, go to Polson Pier (especially at night or on a clear day). If you have some extra cash, check out Polson Pier Go-Karts while you’re there. It costs $2.50 per lap, or $23 for 20 minutes (about 17 laps). They currently have a Manager’s Special. When you buy 20 minutes of Go-Karting between Monday-Friday you get an extra 10 minutes free!  (190 Cherry St.)

Apple iOS7 & iPhone 5S/5C: Earlier this year Apple announced iOS7, set to be released September 18th. Along with the operating software, they are releasing the new iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s. The 5c will be available in green, white, blue, red and yellow, and you can get the 16Gb for $99 USD or the 32Gb for $199 USD on contract.  The 5s will be available in silver, champagne gold, and space grey colours. Along with more camera features, such as built-in filters and various shooting modes, there is a redesigned interface, a new home button, and a fingerprint sensor for touch ID.

Mini Jambox by Jawbone: Mini Jambox is a pocket-sized wireless stereo that works by pairing with your Bluetooth-enabled device. With its even sleeker and smaller design and nine bright colours to choose from, the Mini Jambox is a more travel-friendly alternative to the Big Jambox and the previous Small Jambox. You can also opt to use the slim auxiliary cord that comes with the package if you have a device that is not equipped with Bluetooth. It will be available in late September.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Sony has finally confirmed the release of the Xperia Z Ultra to the Canadian market, set to hit stores in October. It boasts a 6.4” screen while having a slimness of 6.5 mm. Not only is it ultra modern and thin, the device is also dust-resistant and waterproof (our favourite spec), so you won’t have to worry about ruining it in the rain or snow. With harsh weather just around the corner, you’ll need a durable device that can stand up to the challenge.

PlayStation 4: Video game buffs can expect the new PlayStation 4 to hit stores November 15^th in both Canada and the US. Sony is claiming the PS4 to be the “most powerful gaming device ever conceived.” With the incredible specs of the PS4, we don’t disagree with Sony. It also has lighter security measures when it comes to sharing, trading or selling games, has facial recognition, and has a controller that tracks motion. So, if there are two players in a game and one switches to the left side, the console detects the movement and their half of the screen switches to left as well. Pretty impressive.

Kindle MatchBook: Launching in October, the Kindle MatchBook will allow you to purchase most print-edition books purchased through Amazon between 1995 and now for $2.99 or less. Although the leaves are changing colour, your mind should still be thinking green! And converting your paper books into e-books is environmentally friendly – it also makes organizing your library much easier!

Sources:

http://mobilesyrup.com/2013/09/09/sony-to-bring-the-xperia-z-ultra-to-canada-in-october/
http://www.intomobile.com/2013/09/09/new-bluetooth-speakers-block-jawbone-mini-jambox-jabra-solemate-and-solemate-mini/
http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/kindle-matchbook-lets-you-buy-e-book-versions-your-amazon-8C11063556
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1001373341
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/ps4-release-date-news-and-features-937822

This week, we’d like to introduce you to our very own EDPR team member, Vivian Kwong! Vivian has been expertly assisting EDPR with a number of duties including contributing to our daily blog, mastering our Twitter presence and working on account management. Sadly, we’re sending Vivian off to McMaster for another year of school – but look forward to having her back for special events throughout the course of next year!

What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?

I am a Junior Publicist intern at Embrace Disruption PR! I am currently still in school, about to go into my 4^th year of undergrad at McMaster University. I am studying a double-degree in Multimedia and Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour.

Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter)

Lover of life, foodie, shopaholic, thrill seeker, perfectionist. I’m okay being labeled as any of those things! I am a true believer in living for the moment and experiencing all I can at least once. Life passes by too fast to do anything but.

Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?

I have come a long way in choosing a career path. I always had an interest in fashion, social media and public relations. It didn’t occur to me until recently that I can make a career out of it!

My inspiration comes from the things and the people I surround myself with. When I look at successful individuals, I like picturing myself in their shoes. When I’m in the city, I am always looking up at the big company names. Everything around me pushes me to work harder toward the life I want for myself. I think it is important to always have something to strive for.

What is the best part of your day-to-day?

My favourite part of my day-to-day is being faced with new challenges. I love going to work knowing I will be tasked with something different and will be learning something completely new. Another favourite is reaching out and connecting with all kinds of people through social media!

What’s the most challenging?

The most challenging is keeping on top of everything. A lot of the times, I will have multiple things to do at once, but this is also why I love doing what I do!

If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?

I see myself juggling a family and a successful career doing what I love. That and travelling lots, obviously.

How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?

I love change and I see constant disruption as a must. It’s a necessity, especially when it comes to work because it keeps things moving forward. I can get bored very easily so I’m always on the lookout for something new and inspiring!

What is the most memorable moment in your career?

I am still pretty new to this, but the most memorable moments come from seeing the immediate effects of my work. Whether someone liked a blog post I wrote or responded to my tweet, it’s these small thrills that get me excited about what I do

Do you support any initiatives or charities?

I am a big supporter of animal rights. Being responsible for another animal’s life is a privilege that is often disregarded and it’s not fair that animals have to suffer for our inhumanity. I would love to work with organizations like Mercy for Animals Canada and Animal Justice Canada in the future!

http://www.mercyforanimals.ca/

http://www.meetup.com/animaljustice/

Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.

I see myself well-travelled, surrounded by loved ones, and hopefully, able to look back on my life without regret. I will probably be laughing about something silly with my significant other at a local coffee shop, and just enjoying the small, invaluable moments.

Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?

INSTAGRAM. I can spend an abnormally long time choosing between two filters that look the same and get wildly excited when someone likes my photo. I am completely aware of this little obsession of mine.

So, you’ve signed up for Twitter after hearing what it can do for you and/or your business. Now what?

One issue most Twitter newbies face is not having an audience – followers. You may have a great message, but what is the point of that message if it isn’t reaching the right audience? Here are some tips on how to get more followers, and, most importantly, how to keep those followers!

Get rid of your TrueTwit validation service

TrueTwit works by reducing possible spammers and bots from following you by sending out direct messages (DM) to all the people who request to follow you. Your potential follower then has to click on a link inside the automatically generated DM that takes them to a website where they type in a Captcha in order to follow you. It’s a headache and a complete turn-off for potential followers. If President Obama’s Twitter account doesn’t have TrueTwit validation service, there is no reason you should have one either.

Don’t set up automatic DMs

There is nothing more impersonal than receiving an automated message after following someone that goes something like this: “Thanks for the follow. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page, visit our website, listen to our music, buy our album, and worship the ground we walk on”. We know you didn’t personally send that message, and we’re slightly offended that you’re asking us to put in effort when you didn’t. Which brings us to the next tip:

Socialize 

It’s called social media for a reason. If you get a new follower, send them a personalized tweet thanking them for following you. This encourages interaction, which is a key component for successful tweeting. Retweet (RT) tweets you find interesting, and thoughtfully respond to questions other tweeters ask. An involved tweeter is a happy and successful tweeter. Also, be sure to check out Twitter parties to find like minded people in your areas of interest!

Be interesting 

Twitter is all about engaging people and exchanging news, links, articles and ideas. But in order to stand out, you need to be unique. Your followers don’t really care that you just went shopping. Be witty about it! Tell them about a great deal you got at a certain store or how you had to fight off a little old lady to nab that last adorable pair of $20 Steve Madden stilettos (hey, it could happen).

Follow people

Don’t expect to magically get thousands of followers overnight just by sending tweets. Getting followers takes time and patience. Follow those who you find interesting, whose topics you can relate to, and those who will ultimately help to boost your account’s popularity. If your followers enjoy your tweets, they will RT to their followers, and so on.

Reward your followers

This is especially important if you own a business. To really get your followers engaged, start a contest or provide them with unique value. Although giving away an iPad  might be exciting, it’s more exciting to be given exclusive information for an upcoming pop-up sale, exclusive (valuable) coupon or a loyalty benefit. This also gives you the perfect opportunity to ask your followers to RT your tweets, and it promotes your name/brand. People love being rewarded, particularly if they’re already invested in (or love) your products.

Share your @username

Include it in your e-mail signature, in your LinkedIn profile, on your website, and on any other social media network that you use.  

Update your bio

That ‘About Me’ section is more important than you think! It’s your potential follower’s first impression of you, so you want it to stand-out. Include a recent headshot of yourself, your company’s logo or something that pertains to what you will be tweeting about. Nobody likes that default egg picture.

Have fun!

Sometimes we forget that Twitter is also a means for entertainment and not just for work. If you explore the network, you will meet more people with similar interests. You will find the process to be very rewarding once you’ve settled in and become a regular Tweeter.

Sources:

http://www.twitip.com/7-ways-to-be-worth-following-on-twitter/

http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/10-ways-to-build-a-large-quality-following-on-twitter_b12298

http://www.bitrebels.com/social/how-to-keep-your-twitter-followers/

Don’t be fooled by articles and advertisements that promise earning thousands of dollars a week by blogging. You might be tempted to dramatically quit your day job and start earning six-figures by blogging full-time from a St. Lucian beach, but the truth of the blogging business could not be further from this ill-conceived notion.  Check out these 8 tips that can help you work towards your dream of earning a solid income from blogging.

1. Set yourself up for failure

We put this at the top of the list not to discourage budding bloggers, but to prepare them for the reality of the business of blogging (note the distinction between that and the hobby of blogging). As of 2013, there are more than 239 million blogs combined on WordPress, Blogster, Tumblr, LiveJournal and Weebly (snitchim.com). This number excludes the blogs on Blogger, Posterous and Blogsome. There is a lot of competition out there, and only a handful of the 239 million are earning at least some profit. Simply having your blog online isn’t enough to generate revenue and a sustainable source of income. Treat it as you would a start-up business. You need to put effort into making it grow. It will either take-off or flop, and expecting riches quick is unrealistic.

2. Choose your niche wisely

We’ve visited countless cooking blogs, fashion blogs, beauty blogs, and the soccer-mom blogs who manage to squeeze in just enough time between diaper changes to blog about the experience. The truth is that many of those blogs will fail because the market for that topic is over saturated. If a broad topic such as fashion is your true passion, focus on a particular detail and grow from there. For example, instead of blogging about fashion, you can instead dedicate your entire blog to Denim. Once you delve deeper into this one particular subject, you have the potential to become a well-known (and respected) denim blogger.

3. Quality vs. quantity

If you go around commenting on every random blog you can find, telling them to visit your own blog, chances are you’re not going to get a good following. Don’t expect to gain hundreds of followers in a short period of time, either. Blogging takes time, but finding your target audience is more time-consuming than the writing process itself. Research blog topics that are similar to your own and take the time to read their posts. If you are genuinely interested in their work, make productive comments and follow them. By doing so, you have a higher chance of attracting a quality target audience who will also be genuinely interested in your posts. Remember to also spend a good amount of time looking in your back-end analytics, this will give you a realtime indication as to what content is meaningful to your readers.

4. Use social media (duh!)

Having an online presence is a key factor in having a successful blog. If you already have a solid following on your blog, start a Facebook and Twitter account (if haven’t already done so). If you already have a good following on Twitter and Facebook or other networks and are just starting a blog, use those networks to promote your blog. Be persistent and be patient. Tweet, re-tweet, and repeat. Follow the right people on Twitter, and be an active member of all your social network communities – it’s a great way for you and your future or existing fans to connect and spread the word.

5. The money-maker 

Although to some this may seem like selling out, if you’re looking to earn money off your blog, having advertisements is a good way to do so. If your blog has enough traffic, you can offer up space for Google Ads or other content providers on your site for a reasonable fee (just make sure it’s brand safe!). Also, have a look into affiliate links within both your posts, and in the form of ads.  And don’t forget: search engine optimization (SEO) is a great way to optimize your posts to be more search-engine friendly, and Google offers various tools you can use to help your blog with attracting more visitors (such as Google Trends and Analytics). It takes a lot of work, like any business. If you’re in it for the long haul, the work will eventually pay off.

6. Reach out to PR agencies 

Contact agencies that fit in with your particular blog topic. For example, if you have a travel blog, reach out to agencies that specialize in tourism, hotels, travel, etc. If you write them a good pitch, you can potentially receive free samples or one-night stays at hotels in exchange for publicity on your blog. Be forewarned, PR agencies worth their salt will want to know some of the analytics behind your blog, so know your unique monthly visits (not page views) along with your demographic!

7. Don’t forget the art of writing!

What it all comes down to is that blogging is about writing. You can’t expect to have a successful blog if it has no substance. Good writing takes practice, so don’t get discouraged if your thoughts aren’t being translated the same way via text. Keep writing and you will find your own distinctive writing voice.

8. Make an editorial calendar 

Aside from all of the above, your blog needs two main things in order to succeed: regularity and reliability. In order to stay organized and on top of your posts, make an editorial calendar for yourself. Write down ideas in advance and make clear, organized notes for when you plan to publish each post. It’s difficult to come up with a new subject on the spot every day or every other day. It’s much easier to think of a few different ideas and put them in a queue for publishing on your blog.

With all these in mind, happy blogging and good luck! If you do end up getting rich, don’t forget to take us out for a drink or two

Sources:

http://www.nydailynews.com/jobs/real-money-blogging-article-1.1396145

https://www.mint.com/blog/how-to/turn-your-hobby-into-a-money-making-career-0713/

http://snitchim.com/how-many-blogs-are-there/