Behind the Brand: How Lindsey & Coco Actually Runs
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A behind-the-scenes look at the tools and systems that power the Lindsey & Coco blog, community, and Dog Mom Life Social Club™.
I started Lindsey & Coco in 2019 as an Instagram account. At the time, it was simply a place to document life with my dog, Coco. I had no master plan—just a desire to share the small, meaningful moments that come with loving a dog deeply.
As I spent more time in the Instagram dog account community, I began noticing that many dog moms had also started blogs and were collaborating with brands alongside their pets. As someone who loves writing and has a background in journalism, I remember thinking: I could do that.
What began as a personal Instagram account gradually grew into a dog mom blog and eventually a lifestyle platform exploring dog motherhood, intentional routines, and living beautifully with multiple dogs.
Today Lindsey & Coco includes a growing community of readers, an email newsletter, display advertising through Mediavine Journey, affiliate partnerships, and the early stages of a product line through Dog Mom Life Social Club™.
As the brand evolved, readers and fellow creators began asking a similar question:
How do you actually run a lifestyle blog and brand like Lindsey & Coco?
Running a lifestyle blog like Lindsey & Coco involves much more than simply publishing posts. Behind the scenes, a small collection of platforms quietly powers the website, email newsletter, and brand partnerships that help the blog grow. These tools make it possible to manage everything from audience building to affiliate partnerships and an online store.
If you're curious about the tools I use to run my blog, grow the Lindsey & Coco brand, and manage the Dog Mom Life Social Club store, consider this a look behind the curtain.
The Website Platform I Use to Run Lindsey & Coco
Shopify — The Foundation of My Blog and Store
One of the earliest decisions I made was building the Lindsey & Coco website on Shopify.
Many bloggers choose traditional blogging platforms, but I intentionally started Lindsey & Coco on Shopify because I knew that one day I might want to expand the platform beyond articles. I wanted the flexibility to eventually launch products without rebuilding the entire site.
Because of that early decision, launching the Dog Mom Life Social Club™ apparel store was a natural extension of the site rather than a separate project.
Today Shopify powers several parts of the Lindsey & Coco ecosystem:
- the Lindsey & Coco lifestyle blog
- the Dog Mom Life Social Club store
- checkout and order management
- customer communication and order emails
For creators thinking about starting a blog that may eventually grow into a brand or product business, choosing a platform that supports both content and commerce can make expansion much easier.
If you’re curious about the platform that powers the Lindsey & Coco store, you can explore Shopify here →
Tap Below to Explore the DMLSC Store
Where I Registered My Blog Domain
GoDaddy — Securing the Lindsey & Coco Domain
Every website begins with a domain name.
When I first launched Lindsey & Coco, I registered the domain through GoDaddy. Securing the domain early allowed me to establish the digital home for the brand before the blog itself had fully taken shape.
While registering a domain may seem like a small step, it becomes the long-term address for your brand online. For Lindsey & Coco, that address—lindseyandcoco.com—has remained consistent since the beginning.
If you’re starting a blog or brand of your own, you can explore GoDaddy here →
The Email Platform That Powers My Newsletter
Klaviyo — Building the Lindsey & Coco Email Community
While social media helps new readers discover Lindsey & Coco, email has become the most personal way I stay connected with the community.
I use Klaviyo to manage email newsletters, updates, and announcements related to new articles and Dog Mom Life Social Club™ releases.
Email marketing allows me to communicate directly with readers without relying on social media algorithms. It also creates space for more thoughtful conversations about dog motherhood, routines, and life with multiple dogs.
For anyone building a lifestyle blog or brand, having an email platform is one of the most valuable ways to nurture a community.
If you’re interested in the email platform I use to run the Lindsey & Coco newsletter, you can take a look at Klaviyo here →
How Lindsey & Coco Is Monetized as a Blog
Mediavine Journey — Hosting Ads on the Lindsey & Coco Website
One of the ways Lindsey & Coco supports the ongoing work behind the blog is through display advertising.
The site is part of Mediavine Journey, a program created by Mediavine that allows growing publishers to host thoughtfully placed ads on their websites. These ads appear within articles and throughout the site and help support the time and effort that goes into creating content.
For readers, the experience remains largely the same — articles remain free to access and explore. Behind the scenes, display advertising helps make it possible for independent publishers like Lindsey & Coco to continue producing helpful and thoughtful content.
For creators building their own blogs, joining a publisher network like Mediavine can be an important step in turning a website into a sustainable long-term platform.
Bloggers interested in display advertising can explore Mediavine Journey here →
How Readers Discover Lindsey & Coco
Pinterest — A Long-Term Traffic Source for the Blog
Pinterest has played an important role in helping new readers discover Lindsey & Coco over the years.
Unlike traditional social media platforms, Pinterest functions more like a visual search engine. Articles can continue attracting readers months or even years after they are published.
Many readers first encounter Lindsey & Coco through Pinterest searches related to topics like:
- living with multiple dogs
- dog-friendly apartment living
- stylish dog-friendly home decor
- routines for dog moms
Because Pinterest continues to surface helpful content long after it is published, it remains an important part of how the Lindsey & Coco blog grows.
The Design Tool I Use for Blog Graphics
Canva — Designing Graphics for Blog and Pinterest
Visual storytelling is an important part of the Lindsey & Coco aesthetic.
I use Canva to create many of the graphics that support the blog and social channels. From Pinterest images to social media graphics and simple design elements, Canva helps maintain a consistent visual identity without requiring advanced design software.
For creators managing their own lifestyle blog or brand, having a flexible design tool makes it easier to create cohesive visual content.
For creators designing their own content, you can explore Canva here →
Affiliate Marketing and Brand Partnerships
LTK — Expanding Affiliate Income for Lindsey & Coco
Affiliate partnerships are one of the ways Lindsey & Coco supports the work behind the platform.
I joined LTK (LikeToKnowIt) as part of expanding affiliate marketing opportunities connected to lifestyle content. Through LTK, readers can easily explore and shop items featured within Lindsey & Coco content.
Affiliate partnerships allow creators to earn commissions when readers choose to purchase products through those links. When used thoughtfully, affiliate marketing can support the continued creation of content while keeping the editorial focus intact.
If you’re interested in joining LTK yourself, please send me a DM over on Instagram and I’d be happy to share more information with you about the requirements.
If you want to learn more about the platform, you can explore LTK here →
Additional Tools That Support the Brand
Running a lifestyle blog and brand always involves a few additional tools that evolve over time.
As Lindsey & Coco continues to grow, this section will expand to include other platforms and resources that support the blog, community, and product development.
Future categories may include:
- analytics tools
- blogging workflow tools
- content planning systems
- creator business resources
The Philosophy Behind the Tools
While technology makes running an online brand possible, tools are only part of the story.
At its heart, Lindsey & Coco has always been about intentional dog motherhood—living thoughtfully with dogs, building routines that support both dogs and humans, and creating spaces where dogs are part of everyday life.
The tools simply help the ideas travel farther.
And as the platform continues to evolve—with new content, new community initiatives, and the early stages of Dog Mom Life Social Club™—this behind-the-scenes stack will likely evolve as well.
But the purpose remains the same:
Creating a thoughtful space for people who believe that life with dogs can be both meaningful and beautiful.