How moms are making money with blogging

(MCT) — In the past few months, articles in the New York Times and the Globe & Mail have generated a lot of discussion about why professional blogging moms aren't treated with the same respect as other professionals. The truth is that professional blogging moms are creating dynamic, useful Web sites where they showcase their skills and earn a living.

For pro-mom bloggers, blogging isn't just a hobby. It's a career choice that's garnering them loyal followers, ad revenue and leading to great opportunity beyond their corner of the Web. Here's how four moms are making it happen.

Dawn Viola

Wicked Good Dinner: Food writer and recipe developer Dawn Viola started her blog Wicked Good Dinner a few years ago. "I just started blogging about what I was cooking for dinner, what was happening with (my) food allergies. It really was a diary for me … I wasn't expecting anyone to read it," says Viola. "I realized I ought to give these people something worth reading."

On her site, Viola shares recipes, stories and cooking tips with readers. Between recipe development, writing and marketing, she estimates that she spends about 10 to 12 hours a day working. Her hard work is paying off. In March, her site had roughly 96,000 unique visitors.

Marketing: Viola has harnessed social media for her marketing including Facebook and Twitter. "With social media especially, the moment you go dark and aren't tweeting something, people forget about you," says Viola. She also reaches out to radio and television stations for coverage as well.

Money: Viola earns money from advertising on her site and through freelance writing she does. "I am definitely not making the salary I was making at Disney. (But) it is on its way to making the income where I can rely on it," says Viola.

For the ads, Viola has recently begun accepting ads through the BlogHer Ad Network. She also accepts some private ads as well. "I just started accepting ads on my blog. But as I get more, will start charging more," she says.

Carrie Rocha

Pocket Your Dollars: When Carrie Rocha found out last year that her job as chief operating officer of a nonprofit was going to be eliminated, she decided to channel her energies into sharing her knowledge of saving money with others on a blog, Pocket Your Dollars. The site launched in March 2009 and within 10 days of launching, she did her first television appearance. "It's been an incredible year. I've had explosive growth," says Rocha. By the time she was laid off in January, her blogging income had eclipsed her job income.