Blogging is dead. Or so I’ve heard, so how to make money with a blog? This is the question I’ve been trying to answer for the past two years.
It is never easy starting anything new. It takes a lot of courage to be a beginner. That is where I found myself two years ago. A beginner, trying to launch something new. I did all the research, and thought I was completely prepared for whatever came my way. My focus was on how to make money with a blog.
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The ambition of starting something new also brought the launch of a podcast, YouTube channel, Rumble channel, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest. And of course my mom swag shop, my journal store, and homeschool resources I launched along the way. I was ready to take the internet by storm.
Spoiler alert, have I made money with a blog. The answer is yes, but it hasn’t been easy. Keep reading for the good, the bad, and the slow process of making money with a blog. I just finished my second year of blogging, and I’ve learned so much along the way.
Starting out, it felt like there was more clarity on what to do. I was clear-eyed and clear minded. Now it feels like my clean slate is full of scribbles. And it is hard to see clearly.
Is Blogging Dead?
Yes, I’ve been hearing this recently, so it is a question that needs to be answered. Especially, if you are trying to make money blogging. The answer is no, it is not dead. It has just changed.
When people started blogging, it really was an online journal. Bloggers wrote about their day, what they were feeling, and what they like or disliked.
Today, blogging is about content marketing and providing value to readers. People look online because they want a specific solution to questions. And these same people are usually finding solutions on blogs.
Make money with blogging is not just about writing any more. It is producing podcast episodes and YouTube videos. Or reels on Instagram. Blogging encompasses all of these aspects.
While it has changed, it is not dead.
If Blogging is so Hard, Why do I do it?
That is a really good question, and one that I ask myself almost daily. My intention was to create a business that would help moms break free from the 9-5, be your own boss, raise your kids, and enjoy your life.
My purpose was to give moms all the tools they needed. Basically, everything that I was missing when I started my virtual assistant business.
Being a digital creator is incredibly difficult. How to make money with blogging is a very, very slow process. My husband recently told me to stop watching my nails grow. I am constantly looking to see if I am growing that is it like trying to see my nails grown. We know it happens, but it is not something that we can actually see.
There are a number of business growth timelines that I’ve read. For example, it takes 3 years for a blog to take off…so I am right on schedule. Or it takes 2-3 years to see a business making money, and 5 years to see a business make serious money.
These timeframes are encouraging and discouraging. Encouraging because I know that I am right on schedule. Discouraging because I want it to happen faster.
I keep putting out content for two reasons. One, I want to build something that is truly my own. I know for an accidental entrepreneur, I never thought I would say something like that. Two, I really want to help moms break free to design a life that you want.
Another surprising outcome, my exponential traffic spike on my virtual assistant website. I wasn’t expecting such an increase on my website that I not even working to promote.
Tracking the Progress
I believe in tracking stats because sometimes my feelings will tell me how bad things are going, but my stats will tell me that I’ve gained more than I thought. You know facts should speak louder than our feelings, but it only works if we actually track the stats. I also need the reminder of what has actually been accomplished.
In two years I’ve written approximately 160,000 words, posted 178 posts, created 227 videos, recorded 160 podcasts, created hundreds of images for social media, and so much more.
Feeling Trapped for so Many Years
I know what it is like to feel trapped in a job. And maybe you like the job, but it isn’t giving you the freedom you want to raise your kids.
Yes, mom it is ok to find meaning and fulfillment in being a mom. If that means you want to be the most influential in their lives, then you need to design the life you want.
If you don’t create the life you want, someone else will do it for you.
My motivation in creating all these resources is to equip moms to start a business, homeschool their kids, and to do it confidently.
Can You Make Money with a Blog
Yes, you can but the process is really slow. I still need to run my virtual assistant business, and that got busier this year. And I am building Life Unboxed blog with all these ideas and not enough time to execute them.
Slow and steady is not a pace that I fully appreciate, but it is what I can do right now.
After two years of writing and creating digital content, the best way to make money blogging is creating your own products. That is the conclusion that I have reached. It may change by next year, but it is the direction I am moving in.
How to Make Money with a Blog—The Stats
Did you know that you can have a video go viral, or at least get thousands of views and still lose followers? I don’t know what the algorithm gods are up to, but trying to understand them all is hopeless.
But I have seen growth with my social media channels…you know slow and steady. Here is the comparison from the start and the last two years.
As I am seeing these numbers in black and white, I am kind of amazed. In some instances I’ve doubled or even tripled the numbers. That is a lot of growth, even though it doesn’t feel that way.
How to Make Money with a Blog the Next Steps
I have a course written and a book written. So the next step is to get those recorded and published. Sign-up for the newsletter so you can be the first to know when they’ve launched!
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