Author: Scottish Mum

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Featured Guest Post: 7 Steps to Keep Your Child Safe Online

Baby Computer

The internet is a wonderful way for our children to learn and play.  But as every parent knows, it can be a dangerous place too.  Even if you lock your security settings as tightly as possible, you can still download viruses and be targeted by spammers and scams.

There’s an even riskier human element to the web as well.  People target families to steal identities and money, and predators often pretend to be children and teenagers to target kids in chat rooms, games and social networks.

The best way to protect children from this is to supervise them whenever they’re online.  But with so many devices now able to access the internet, it’s impossible to monitor children all the time.  Even children as young as 3-5 years-old are now going online independently by using the family laptop or tablet.

So what can you do to teach your child how to be safe online?  What should they do to protect themselves? Here are seven steps which should help…

1. Thinking about the internet as a place

A great tip to help teach your child about the dangers of the internet is to imagine the web as a physical place.  You don’t have to go into specifics, but try to make them realise that there are bad neighbourhoods online the same as there are in ‘real’ life. What are bad neighbourhoods? You’ll often recognise them by the ads for gambling sites, drugs and even pornography. Make sure they’re aware that it’s bad to end up on these sites, and they shouldn’t wander off there on their own online if they do end up unsupervised.

2. Giving out personal details

Teach your children that they shouldn’t hand out personal information when they’re playing games or chatting to other kids online. It might feel natural for them to post instant messages explaining where they live or what their phone number is, but explain that this is dangerous. Even if the person they’re communicating with is genuine, these personal details may not stay in the right hands.

3. Accepting online communications

If your child starts using a social gaming site and begins striking up friendships, they may start sending instant messages, emails, texts and photos to each other. Children need to be very careful about this. An innocent-looking message could contain bullying messages, or messages from adults pretending to be a child. And both kids and their parents need to careful about downloading and opening attachments containing viruses that will harm your computer – downloading the latest virus protection software will help protect against this.

4. Meeting up with strangers

It might feel normal for children to arrange a meeting when they’re been playing games together or chatting online. But make it clear that your kids should meet up with people they’ve only talked to on the internet. It’s vital that your children understand that online friends are still ‘strangers’ if they haven’t met them in real life.

5. Deciding if something is reliable

Young children are incredibly trusting and honest. While this is an admirable trait that many adults wish they’d held onto better, it means that kids aren’t equipped to judge whether people or information they encounter online is reliable or not. Teach your kids how to check out whether things are real or lies by reading other websites, in books or by asking someone who knows.

6. Telling adults about online concerns

It’s important for kids to tell adults if someone is being bullied or feeling worried in the physical world, and the same principles apply on the internet.  It’s even easier for bullies to target victims online, as they can harass other children anonymously and from a distance.  And sometimes other children or profiles will talk to kids in a way that seems suspicious or makes them feel uncomfortable.  Again, it’s vital in this situation that children know to tell parents, teachers or other responsible grown-ups that they’re worried.

7. Talking about the online experience

The internet doesn’t go away just because you power down the laptop, and children’s experience of being online can stay with them long after a session has ended.  Sometimes kids might be upset about something that has happened online and not let on, so it’s a good idea to talk with your children regarding how they felt about their time online.  You don’t need a blow-by-blow account, but this is a good way to get a handle on whether anything is concerning them online – or whether they’ve been doing anything risky.

These steps are in many ways just the tip of the iceberg.  There are many in-depth guides to help you keep your children safe online, but this advice should help give you a foundation to start building safe internet behaviour.  To read more about internet safety for kids go to Childnet.com.
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This is a featured guest post.  Although this content of this post is one that I have received compensation for my time in editing and posting, the content is a very real issue that our children face on a daily basis.  We’d do well to consider the content and remind ourselves of the obligations we have to our children and keeping them as safe as we possibly can.

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Featured Post: Going online for the first time is scary for over 50’s.

The confident woman standing in front of me posed first to the right and then to the left.  I stood with my camera in hand and giggled while I took her pictures and smiled at her ability to laugh once more.

My friend found herself alone in her early fifties with three young children when she thought her life was mapped out in front of her.

Lorna was devastated when her husband upped and left just before Christmas a couple of years ago and she just got on with things.

Although she stayed in Aberdeen, she moved home and slowly began to rebuild her life.  I’ve long admired her for her ability to get through the tough times and she’s emerging brighter, better and more confident than I have ever seen her before.  There are times that I look at her and I have no idea how she does it all.

Lorna recently decided that she doesn’t want to be alone for the rest of her life and that’s a revelation for her.  I never thought I’d hear her saying that she was ready to move on, but where on earth do you start when you are over 50 and up in the North East of Scotland – which is really more like a little village than a big city to the locals?

She’d started going out now and then in the town, but found that she was being propositioned by what she thought were married men just out to see what they could find for the evening.  She wasn’t ready for a relationship and was just out once a month to get out of the house.  She found herself putting back on her wedding rings so that the men who approached her would think she was a married woman out with her friends for an evening.  I’ve not been in town in the evening for well over a decade, and I’ve been married for nearly two, so I’m well out of touch with how the town or dating scene works these days.  To be honest, the thought of dating scares me silly nowadays and I’ve enjoyed just sitting back, relaxing and listening to her adventures from a safe place.

I think she found it hard going as having young children and being a single mum is really not something you want to publicise in case it attracts the wrong kind of person, but neither does she want to lie.  Some ads in the paper saying things like “single mum of two under fives” are not what she would be comfortable doing, and we think that is just like waving a honey pot at a bee.  The hotspots for singles over a certain age are looked at more as a place to go for a laugh than actually find a new partner so that is out of the question.

There have been lots of conversations around what she would do if she finds someone she wants to meet, and she slips the odd sentence in here and there when she is talking to the kids.  It’s only something simple like “now if I’m going to meet a new partner, I’m going to have to get my hair, my nails and my face lifted.”  They all laugh and are very relaxed about it.   I’ve no doubt her kids will find it tough if she does find a new partner, but they’ve accepted her ex-husbands new partner with ease.  It’s a big worry for her and she’s trying to slowly get them round to the idea that at some point in their lives, they may meet a new male role model.

The world is different now to when we were younger and single.  The Internet that dominates most of my daily life seems to have taken the place of socialising, even up here in Scotland.  For me, that would be easy enough, but Lorna is different and as technologically challenged as you can get.  Just looking at a computer is enough to set off a hyperventilating attack, but for the sake of her kids’ futures, we’ve been spending some time getting her used to using a computer and not to be scared of one.  I also hoped that she would become interested in online dating, as a few of my other friends had mentioned using the site eHarmony.co.uk to find themselves a partner.

We started slowly by just getting e-mail, then moved on to some searches on Google.  She’s not there yet, but she is slowly becoming more proficient with her computer and looking for more ways to get her enmeshed in the online world. She’s still frightened of the Internet as she inches forward into the anonymous and challenging world online.  She realises that using computers will become a regular part of her daily life as she helps her kids to grow.

She’s begun talking about mixing online with dating which is a new angle for her and one that I am sure she will come too soon.  The social media aspect of the Internet is one that I am comfortable with, but she is not.  She resists Facebook and Twitter and no amount of persuading her that timelines and chats will be dictated by her has made her comfortable with it.  I can see that I am never going to be able to share my blogging or twitter addictions with her, but she’s realised that the online world can open up a world that she would never reach as a single mum bringing up her kids alone. Not only will online dating give her the time she needs to build her confidence, she can tailor her search to meet like-minded people who are also looking for dating in Scotland.

I wish her the best of luck, as she’s doing a fabulous job.

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This is a featured post and payment was provided, but the content is real.

 

 

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What’s The Alternative to Vet Prescription Charges?

Looking at the receipt from the vet nearly made my eyes water.  They prescribed 5ml of drops for my old girl for possible glaucoma today, at a price of £51.02 for the meds.  I pretty much choked, said that the dog would have to get put down at this rate as I wasn’t willing to get into debt for her monthly drugs.

I know, pouting doesn’t suit anyone over the age of 8 – I sounded ridiculous.

I paid the extortionate fee and fumed while I waited to pick up a child.  I checked the Internet to see if there was a human version and thankfully the same drug is used for humans.  That meant a phone call to my local pharmacy.  They charge £11.45 on a private prescription for it.

So – £8.50 for the prescription and £11.45 for the drops (the chemist make a profit at this rate remember.)

A total of £19.95 from the chemist over the road from the vet.

The vet wanted £51.02, so that’s a whopping £31.07 more than the local chemist.

So, breaking it down, the vet wanted £31.07 pure profit + the £8.50 script and say £3 for the profit the chemist would have made.  I know it’s probably more, but it’s a conservative estimate.

In total, off a teensy bottle of drops, the vet wanted to pocket £42.57 at least.  Probably slightly more.  That doesn’t even count the £26 for a consultation to get the drops in the first place.

It’s daylight robbery.

Vet Prescription 1

I looked at Lloyds online and they were even cheaper for it at £7.85 so I would probably go that route if this ends up a  long-term prescription.    And at £7.85, Lloyds make a PROFIT.

If these figures aren’t making you sit up and take a look at your pets meds, they should.  Most medicines won’t be so over inflated as these drops, but you could save a pretty penny over a year if your animals are on long term scripts.

I’ve heard people saying vets have to pay more to get them in, but I don’t believe that.  A large vet won’t be charged more than a dispensing pharmacy for animals than they would be for humans, or they should be telling people to go and get their scripts filled elsewhere to allow the animals to get the treatment they deserve.

No wonder so many animals are going without treatment.  If people don’t realise they can ask for the human version where possible, they are being fleeced right royally.   It’s not fair and it’s not right.  It’s also not usually the fault of the vet we see in practice as they normally are just charging what they’re told to charge, but if we don’t talk with our wallets, they’ll just keep on overcharging us.

If the vet prescribes you something for your animals, check it out before paying.  My vet had the good grace to refund me the £51.02 and give me a script that I could walk across the road and get filled.  Talking to the pharmacist, she is surprised that  they don’t get more prescriptions from people going to the vets, given that there are 2 vets within a short distance,.  I would imagine most people are like I was and don’t realise that many pet prescriptions can be filled at a chemist or online human or animal pharmacy for much cheaper than we pay at the vets.

For the next script, if she needs more, I will ask for a few months on one script so that it works out even cheaper.

We all need to get smart with our pets meds.

pocolo

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How to make a quick uncooked strawberry sorbet with stevia.

A sorbet recipe gives a lovely and light ice cream substitute and doesn’t show that it only a blend of strawberries and sugar or sweetner.   I believe they used to be used to cleanse the palate between courses in earlier centuries, but sorbet now tends to be used in place of ice-cream, or as a gorgeously light and tasty alternative on a hot day to cool us down.

To make them, it just involves freezing fruit, water, sugar and on occasion lemon juice to help it keep for longer.   Recipes tend to recommend frozen strawberries, but I prefer mine fresh as the sweetner takes care of any lack of sweetness in them.

Strawberries

I decided to give my new stevia sweetner a try out in this version as I wanted the calories to come only from the strawberries themselves.  Stevia is quite expensive so it’s something we have to think about carefully before adding to our food as a cooking ingredient.  I used an ice-cream maker and the consistency was perfect for us.

When you freeze this, it will take a while but because the sugar isn’t cooked, the consistency if it is frozen too long or overnight will be like an ice pole with the water content forming larger crystals.   If you are using it after a long time in the freezer, take it out so that it can defrost enough to be pliable.  If you want a smoother, creamier version of sorbet, you will need to cook the sweetner into a syrup, but this did the trick for me.  It all depends how you like your sorbet.

Lesley S Smith

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe with Stevia Instead of Sugar (Simple, Uncooked Version)

If you add an egg white, the sorbet will be slightly creamier. I prefer the slushy strawberry ice without the egg.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 - 8
Course: Appetizer
Calories: 31000
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 heaped tablespoons Stevia I used Tesco Sweet
  • 750 g Strawberries Hulled
  • 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 150 ml Water
  • 2 tablespoons Vodka/Wine or Gin Optional

Method
 

  1. I used the very fine stevia which didn't need heating up, but if you use the granulated kind you would need to melt the sugar in the water and bubble it for a few minutes and then leave it to cool down.



  2. With the fine stevia, I added it with the water and lime juice to the strawberries which were pureed. Mix it up in a blender for several minutes until you have a smooth mix. Some might prefer it to be put through a sieve at this point, but I just use mine as it comes out of the blender.

  3. You can taste the mix here to see if it is sweet enough for you. If it isn't sweet enough, simply add a little more stevia, whizz it around for a while, then taste once again.



  4. Chill the pureed mix in the fridge for an hour and put it in the ice-cream maker for 20 - 30 minutes, or until it turns to a thickening slushy consistency.

  5. Simply add it to a container and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving.



  6. If you make it without an ice cream maker, put your mix into a container and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours, then take it out and put it back into the blender to whizz it up again. Then simply put it back into it's container and to the freezer once again for another couple of hours.

 

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Sneaky Pamper Days: Canine Hydrotherapy

What’s that’s I hear you ask.   Canine hydrotherapy???  Well, it isn’t for me, nor for the kids, but my old and blind lab still has a huge passion for life and still wants and needs exercise, lots of cuddles and some fun to go with it.  She deserves a little pampering in her old age.

Hydrotherapy 2

Her favourite activity used to be splashing around in water and swimming whenever she got a chance.  She is very wary of water now as she can’t see the shore and tends just to paddle close with the lead on to guide her back in.  She no longer runs as she can’t see where she’s going, so I looked around for a way to get her a swim sometimes.

I was a bit wary of taking her to a hydrotherapy centre as I’d not heard any reviews, good or bad about them, and there seemed to be plenty videos on YouTube that looked as if it was a good thing for elderly or infirm animals.  They swim in the warm water and so are not given such a shock at being in the pool.  I really just wanted it to get her in the water, but they are doing a programme to strengthen her legs and she now looks better than she’s looked in a few years.

It was with a little trepidation that I took her to try it out.  She was very nervous of the scales so we agreed to leave those until the end.  When it’s time to go now, she tries to knock me down to get into the car to go there, and then her legs do the Elvis shake until she gets into the pool for that swim.

They are really good with her and for her first session, there were 4 of them around the pool calling encouragement, help and praise all the way around.  Now she is used to it and knows where to find the ramp, she often chooses to just ignore it and keep going around and around.  They sometimes put the jets on and she tries to find them.  I think the noise reminds her of rivers with running water and she seems to like that.

Hydrotherapy 3

The best bit for her is the spa at the end where her old bones get a well deserved massage, then an quick shampoo and blow dry.

Hydrotherapy

I do find it a bit pricey so I think it’ll be limited to once a fortnight or less going forward, but her legs are moving in her sleep again as her dreams are obviously happier now and she’s happier in herself for getting a swim.  Who said blind dogs shouldn’t go and do things.

Here is her in action on her first visit when there were plenty staff round the pool giving her encouragement.

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Review: Tea, Powercuts and 1940’s Musicals

I was brought up on cups of tea from my grandmother while the snow trickled down outside and power cuts ruled, or on other days we watched 1940 movies on the TV. I can imagine that those occasions happened very much less often than I remember them, but as in the way of memories, we cherry pick the ones that mean the most to us for whatever reason.

I’ve never really understood putting in milk before the hot water in either tea or coffee and I can’t see the fascination for the American version of Iced Tea.

To me, tea should be hot and with plenty of flavour. Fond memories of dunking digestives and adding the milk in breakfast tea AFTER the tea is masked in a giant teapot was the preference in our house.

Tea India offered some lovely teas to try and although I’ve not been much of a tea Jeannie recently, I did used to really enjoy a cuppa. I thought it would be a good idea to get some in for summer as tea always sounds and feels much lighter than coffee on hot days.

Tea India 3

Although Tea India is a new tea, they have three authentic Chais and a black tea blend, created with more than 70 years of blending experience to get to this point.

Tea connoisseurs will certainly enjoy these and Chai blends tend to be exotic and aromatic for an unusual alternative to the teas we usually have in our cupboards.

There is a Facebook promotion, You & I and a Cup of Chai, which gives you the chance to try a selection of the Tea India blends for free. You will receive the award-winning Black Tea, Masala Chai, Cardamom Chai and Vanilla Chai. If you want to try it for yourself, go to Facebook to enter your details.

Tea India 1
My big box is black tea which goes down well on all occasions.

Tea India 6

The one I really wanted to try was the Masala Chai, which describes itself as spicy, warming and reviving. Containing black tea, ginger root, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and star anise, it seems a great tea for a cold dreich day up here in Aberdeen.

I could really taste the cinnamon and as a cinnamon fan, that went down a treat. I could actually imagine the Masala Chai getting a little addictive around here.

There are also:

Vanilla Chai

Comforting, light blend of the finest teas with sweet spices of cinnamon, cardamom and natural vanilla flavouring offers the perfect balance of sweetness and spice, ideal as a delicious evening treat or afternoon pick-me-up.

Cardamom Chai

For a truly distinctive tea experience, Tea India’s Cardamom Chai blends premium tea leaves with exotic, aromatic cardamom. An authentic Indian ingredient, used in many traditional sweet and savoury dishes and to flavour hot drinks, cardamom seeds are often seen as a symbol of hospitality. In true Indian tradition, this invigorating blend is a real treat for the senses and will put a spring in any tea lover’s step!

Black Tea

This 100 per cent black tea has a high Assam content for a robust, golden flavour. Tea India’s signature blend, it has been sourced by the master blender, who grew up in Assam, north-east India. His innate knowledge of creating the perfect blend, using only the top two leaves and the bud of the Assam tea bush when the tea is at its freshest, ensures a superior cup of reviving tea every time.

All Tea India blends are ethically sourced based on the Ethical Trade Initiative.

Tea India 4

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How to Cook Quails Eggs: Hard and Soft Boiled

Quails eggs are easier to cook than we think, and because they are so small, the cook very fast.  They make the perfect sized eggs to go with salads and side dishes and taste creamy and light.

Lesley Smith

Quails Eggs – Soft and Hard Boiled

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Course: Snack
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Quails Eggs
  • Boiling Water

Method
 

  1. For Hard Boiled Quails Eggs: Place Quails Eggs in boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold tap and peel off shells to serve.
  2. For Soft Boiled Quails Eggs: Place Quails Eggs in boiling water for 2.5 - 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold tap, and peel off shells to serve.

Notes

Don't overcrowd the pan, though 12 quail eggs will happily sit on a medium sized pan with enough water to cover all the eggs.    Make sure your eggs go into boiling water and a slotted spoon is best for putting them in and taking them out with the least damage to the eggs.
Cool the eggs down under water to be able to peel the shells off.  The shells can be tricky to remove, so take your time with them.

 

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Fresh Home Made Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

When I walked into Lidl and spotted their ice-cream maker, I did think about it.  I’ve had ones before that people have given me as presents, but usually such a faff to use that I end up just passing them off to other people. This one was electric and after the huge success I had with their slow cooker, it wasn’t such a thought to buy another machine from them.

The bowl should go into the freezer for 24 hours before, but I got away with putting mine in the freezer and putting on the super freeze function.  It says to put the mix when made up into the fridge for 4 hours too, but if all the ingredients come straight from the fridge, I don’t see the need to do that apart from keeping it to have the ice cream completely freshly made for an evening meal.

If you do buy one, don’t do what I did and put your ice cream back in the freezer while it’s still in the machine bowl, or if you do, use a soft scraper for the sides as I put mine in our freezer and scraped the side of mine with the ice cream scoop.  I used a three yolk mix but it was too much.  The 2 yolk mix is definitely enough for the 1 litre tub the maker comes with.

It was delicious and absolutely zero nasties or unpronouncable ingredients in it.

Fresh Home Made Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

This recipe is adapted from the Silvercrest Ice Cream Maker Recipe Handbook.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Egg yolks
  • 7 fl oz Low Fat Milk I used semi-skimmed.
  • 7 fl oz Whipping Cream I used double cream and whipped it.
  • 1.5 oz Icing Sugar
  • 300 gg Strawberries

Method
 

  1. The egg yolk and icing sugar needs to be mixed together. Don't be temped to use a balloon whisk as the egg yolk will stick to it. The mixture will be bright yellow when it is properly beaten together.
  2. Add the cold milk to the egg and icing sugar and mix it together. It will look like a buttermilk mix when it's done.
  3. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks and add it to the egg yolk and icing sugar mix. It took so long to mix to smooth for me, that I put it through a sieve to finish it off.
  4. Puree the strawberries and stir it in until it looks evenly mixed.
  5. Save the mix until about 45 minutes before you want to serve it, or use the ice cream maker to pre-make it and then freeze for later. It will take approximately 40 minutes for the ice cream to be ready and then it is simply serve, or freeze for later.

 

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Scottish Raspberry Cranachan (Cream Crowdie)

Raspberry Cranachan is the traditional Scottish dish.  It’s one that I do like, but not too often with the calorie count in it.

Cranachan

It’s traditional, it’s Scottish and with raspberries it can be quite tart.   You can reduce the sweetness of the added sugar by using more fruit and leaving out the honey.  Some people prefer much less oatmeal in their cranachan.  Add it slowly until you have enough for you.

Lesley S Smith

Scottish Raspberry Cranachan (Cream Crowdie)

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g Oatmeal
  • 50 g Honey
  • 4 tablespoons Whisky
  • 1 pint Double or Whipping Cream
  • 500 g Raspberries

Method
 

  1. Toast the oatmeal in a frying pan until it reaches a nutty consistency. Leave to cool.
  2. Whip cream until it reaches soft peaks, but it still pliable.
  3. Fold the oatmeal, half the raspberries, honey and whisky into the cream. If you whip it in, the consistency will not be light and fluffy.
  4. Fill serving dishes and finish with some fruit on top. Serve immediately. If it is left too long, the oats will go soft.

 

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Guest Post: Dealing with Link Requests / Sponsored Posts as a Blogger

This guest post comes from Hannah who blogs at Mummy Macaroni and is also an online marketer who knows what she’s talking about.

SEO

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Most bloggers will be familiar with receiving link requests from other websites. Usually link requests are emails from PRs or SEOs who represent their client in that they are trying to gain exposure for their clients business, or more specifically, their clients website. If you’re not sure whether you’ve come across an SEO, they usually send an email along the lines of:

“Dear blogger,

I am contacting you on behalf of my client, “www.clientwebsite.com” who specialises in children’s products.  I’d like to provide you with a guest blog post about the benefits of children’s products, which would be completely unique and add value to your readers.  I’m happy to make a payment for this post being published, all that I would ask in exchange is for you to include a link from the words “children’s products” from the post to my client’s site www.clientwebsite.com which is how my client will benefit.”

Now I think it only fair to explain who I am and why I am writing this post for Scottish Mum. I am, what is known as “an SEO”.

I prefer to be known as an online marketer as SEOs often get a bad name, particularly SEOs who send emails like the one above.

Why am I writing this post for Scottish Mum?

The reason I’ve got an interest in writing for this blog is because I have recently become a “mummy blogger” in my spare time as I’m currently 7 months pregnant and when I came across this blog, I was pleased to come across someone who is keen to provide blogging advice to other mummy bloggers and help educate the community about things like PageRank and other SEO related topics because I feel it important for both bloggers and SEOs to understand each other if they’re going to work together.

Whether you started blogging because you love writing, are passionate about your subject or are keen to make money from advertising, I’m sure that most of you who care about the quality of your blog and what your readers think won’t even entertain an email like the example above, and why would you?

Purely for cash?

If that’s your sole aim then great – you’re attracting requests from people willing to pay.  Ideal right?

On the other hand, what if you are keen to make a bit of money from your blog but feel a bit uncomfortable about posting an article that is poorly written, too promotional or written in a style completely different to your own writing style that has gained you a good following of readers whose respect you don’t want to lose by publishing such as piece?

Well for one, if the content sent to you is of this poor quality, this is more likely to come from an SEO who sends an email like the above, the ones that give SEO a bad name within the blogging community.  Not all SEOs are “bad” though, and there’s lots that bloggers can gain from working with them, whether that be money, more traffic to your site or more followers.

The good news is, that these things can still be gained without simply publishing a poor post they’ve sent you.

Here’s my tips on ensuring you benefit from working with SEOs without having to jeopardise the quality of your blog.

1. Be picky about the companies you collaborate with.
You might be approached by some SEOs representing random companies who have no relation to the topic of your blog or who you don’t feel comfortable mentioning on your blog due to their reputation or products they sell. For example, as a mummy blogger, I probably wouldn’t want to collaborate with an estate agent, as I don’t think they could offer me something that would benefit my readers.  Keep the content on your blog relevant to your readers and only work with companies that are related.

2. Establish what the brand really wants to gain from you.
Sometimes an email approaching you for a guest post, or a sponsored link or product review can be unclear in stating exactly what the brand want to achieve through your blog. If you’re approached by a PR, they may be looking to build brand awareness through getting in front of your readership and followers, or they may want to promote the benefits of a new product with the help of your influence and opinion.

SEOs are more likely to want a “follow link” to their brand’s site to help that website rank higher in Google.  The best thing to do is ask them what they want – they’ll realise that you’re not just a naive blogger and will more likely respect the fact that you care about the quality of your site which in turn makes you more valuable to them.

3. Understand your options.
Once you’ve established what the PR or SEO wants from you, you need to think about how you’re going to give them that. If you’re going to accept payment for publishing an article that links to the company, or you’re accepting a product in exchange for reviewing it then you should state that the post is sponsored to make it clear that you have been paid or asked to do so. You also need to make sure any links in such posts are “no follow” if you don’t want to risk breaking Google’s guidelines.

Brands who are looking for increased exposure or brand awareness through your readers should be happy with this and you’ll be happier being honest with your readers and complying with disclosure laws.  SEOs however, are after follow links, so they won’t want you to add the no follow tag or label the article as ‘sponsored’. It’s up to you whether you publish the post as sponsored without adding the no follow link – you won’t be breaking any disclosure laws but you will risk losing PageRank on your site. Losing PageRank shouldn’t affect your site’s rankings in Google but it will likely make your site less attractive to other SEOs who are willing to pay you for a link as this is one of the factors they look at when looking for potential sites to get links from.

You don’t always have to go with their suggestions so if you don’t want to publish a guest post without labeling it sponsored then don’t do it, but don’t just turn away the opportunity either. Try asking yourself what you can gain from the collaboration and be creative in suggesting something different.

Ask yourself why you would naturally write about that brand, or naturally link to them. Build a relationship with them, research their products or services and find out if they have something worth linking to. Perhaps the company has experts in child safety for example, and you could provide your readers with some great insight into child safety by interviewing an expert.

Final Thoughts

Working with SEOs and PRs can be rewarding so don’t always be so quick to dismiss their requests.  The most important thing to remember is that you only do what you’re comfortable with.  If someone asks you to publish something and you’re not sure whether you’re allowed or will get into trouble with Google, then run it past someone (like Lesley aka Scottish Mum) who can help keep you right.