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Featured Blog of the Week — Nutrition Stripped

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mckel post
This week’s featured blogger is definitely going to make you hungry! Meet McKel of Nutrition Stripped. A while back, McKel reached out to me with a question about her blog. Immediately upon looking at her blog, it was clear to me that she knew what she was doing. Her photos are mouth-wateringly beautiful, her writing is excellent and her blog’s clean design makes it easy to read post after post. When I thought about starting this feature, she was one of the first bloggers who came to mind.

McKel has achieved very rapid success (in terms of blogging), boasting a Facebook account of over 8,000 fans and an eye-popping 67,000+ Instagram followers! Take a look at her Instagram account and you’ll see why. Talk about staying focused and delivering what your audience wants!

One additional note – if you’re looking for a LEGIT food blog to follow, this is a great one! McKel is a Registered Dietitian and a Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist. Basically, she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to what is good for you and what isn’t.

Ok, so let’s hear from McKel and learn about how she’s achieved such great success in just over a year of blogging.

How did you choose your url? What does it mean to you?
This is a great question! I have a lot of people ask me what the meaning behind Nutrition Stripped is. First, when I was brainstorming names I wrote down a list of adjectives, concepts, imagery, or visuals that I felt represented my philosophy about food, coaching, and overall health. I came up with a list of about 40 adjectives and starting narrowing them down. A couple of names that were great, were either too similar to names already out there, didn’t roll off the tongue well, or didn’t make sense/capture the message I was trying to portray. Also, I took it to my family and friends with each name and presented it as “What do you think this means… or what do you think of when you hear this…?” Those were helpful questions to ask.

I also had to keep in mind, would this name be something my company could be named after. Nutrition Stripped essentially means getting back to bare basics with nutrition- stripping away nutrition confusion and just getting back to the real deal. Whole real foods is the basis of my food philosophy- I also clearly state what my food philosophy is on my blog for everyone to read and get a sense of where I’m coming from.

In one sentence, describe your blog.
Healthy whole food eating made deliciously simple with nourishing recipes and nutrition services by a Registered Dietitian.

How long have you been blogging?
It was a year mid- January!

How long did it take you to earn your first $100 from blogging?
At least 6 months- it takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work. For a while I didn’t want to sign up for ad networks because of lack of control with what would be advertised on my site- I wanted to make sure it was congruent with what I was preaching and believe in. I do my best to monitor ads, but sometimes a couple slip through I would rather not see.
mckel quote 1
What is the best piece of advice you have received about blogging?
Have your own voice! Be who you are, don’t copy someone else just because you see him or her being successful. Take notes, but ultimately no one can be you better than YOU. There’s a solid quote I love “Comparison is creative kryptonite. Be in your own game”.

What is one thing that you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
The time, labor, and hardships that go along with it. Blogging isn’t just sunshine and rainbows all the time- it’s a FULL time job if you make it out to be. You’re not only a writer, but in my case with food blogging, I’m also a photographer, social media marketer, recipe developer, editor, accountant, business guru, and then my actual title of a dietitian, which involves one-on-one coaching.

What is the most recent “aha” moment you have had about your blog?
Make it work FOR you, not WORK you. Having a blog is just one of many platforms for your crafts.

Your Instagram account is tremendous. What do you attribute to such amazing growth there?
Visuals and knowledge. We’re visual beings and in my line of work for food blogging, sharing nutrition information and touching base with my clients, it’s based largely on visual appeal. I also feel it’s grown so well because of the content I share. An unfortunate side of social media in general is the “guru” effect- you have people who eat food claiming they’re nutritionists or feel entitled to recommend specific things nutritionally speaking, to a huge audience. It can be dangerous and full of bad information especially when these individuals have thousands of followers! I like to think people can have peace of mind and rely on my information coming from my solid background in nutrition, science, and my experience- not just “hearsay”.
mckel quote 2
You offer nutrition and health coaching services. Has your blog helped get you more clients? If so, how do you think it has?
I do offer nutrition services from one-on-one coaching with clients to recipe development with companies; freelance writing for articles/magazines/journals, to food styling and photographing work. Having a blog and website has allowed me to share “what I can do” in terms of nutrition content I share for free, photography, and also connecting with people on a more person level.
mckel quote 3
In general, do sponsors come to you, or do you reach out to them?
I’ve only engaged in one sponsored post thus far and that’s because they’ve contacted me. I’ve had many sponsors, brands, and products contact me for sponsored blog posts that I’ve turned away simply because their product or brand is not in line with my philosophy or I didn’t truly enjoy the product. I’m honest with my readers and I would never engage in a sponsored post just because I was paid to do so, honest and integrity > money!

Do you do it all yourself or do you have a Virtual Assistant? How many hours does your VA work?
Before you asked me this question I had no idea what a virtual assistant was! I do it all solo. I’m the photographer, designer, writer, editor, recipe developer, accountant, social media/marketing guru, etc. If I did have a VA they would be working well over 20 hours a week, but since I don’t- that’s all me. The way Nutrition Stripped is growing, I will have to hire someone on in the future.

Do you have another job, or is blogging your main source of income?
I work as a Registered Dietitian coaching clients one-on-one through my personal business of Nutrition Stripped, freelance nutrition writer, and I work with several companies as their dietitian.

How many hours per week do you work on your blog/recipes for your blog?
It varies from recipe to recipe- some are quite easy to develop because they’re things I eat on a daily basis (for example, smoothies, Nourish Bowl, stir-fry’s, etc.), whereas others take many more trials of recipe testing (for example, cakes, cookies, breads). To estimate, I’d say around 2 hours total for each photo shoot + photo editing, 1-4 hours recipe testing, 1-3 hours writing a blog post. Some of my blog posts aren’t recipes, they’re researched based such as my “Spotlight On” series where I go in depth about a specific food or ingredient, health benefits of, and nutritional content.

Do you try to keep set hours for yourself or do you just work until the work is done?
When I first started out, I had no clue how to balance my schedule and I let my blog work me- as in, overwork me! I’ve since learned how to better manage my time, get organized, and set boundaries with work and personal life. Blogging is a fantastic part of my life that I enjoy so much that sometimes it doesn’t feel like work- for example photo shoots and editing is incredibly fun and stress relieving for me.
mckel quote 4
What advice do you have for someone who wants to start a blog (any blog)?
Be patient, work smarter not harder, set boundaries, have your unique voice, be true to yourself, and know that nothing happens over night. It takes weeks, months, maybe even years of hard work and dedication to take your blog to your dream goal. You’ll get there if you stay on track, enlist a great group of supportive friends and family, and take it step by step (or should I say blog post by blog post).
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Thanks McKel for a great interview!

While McKel has experienced a more rapid growth pattern than most one-year old bloggers, it’s pretty clear as to why. Take one look at her site and social profiles and you see that she sticks to her focus 100%. Reading the interview makes it even more clear – McKel takes what she does very seriously.

My favorite part was that she says “it doesn’t feel like work” when speaking on blogging. This is perfect! I say this often here on the blog – you have to LOVE what you are doing, or it’s not going to work. There are very few people who would stick with something they don’t enjoy for 6+ months without making money. You have to love it and take pride in it. Again, it is very clear that McKel does, and I think that is a major factor in her blog’s speedy growth.

I also like how she talks about not letting your blog run you. Time management plays a big part in this. If you set a schedule with goals and plan out your days, you will allow yourself some non-blogging time, which is important in avoiding burnout.

McKel is an excellent example of having a vision for her blog and executing. She wants to show that she has extensive knowledge in nutrition and I think she does an outstanding job at that. She approaches her blog with professionalism and every post and social media update improves her chances at landing new clients. It’s not easy landing clients for consultations out of the blue, and using a blog the way McKel does is genius, when done the right way.

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blogger Tagged With: featured blogger

Featured Blog of the Week — ONE little MOMMA

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kilee
It’s another week and another awesome blogger for y’all to hear from and to learn from!

Today, I’m happy to introduce Kilee from the blog ONE little MOMMA and the wonderful Etsy shop ONE little BELT, where you can find adorable belts for your little ones, among other great products. One look at the 395+ reviews in her shop and you can see that she’s doing an amazing job! She’s also sporting a very well-designed blog and a fancy Google PageRank of 4! She also has a Facebook fan page with over 4400 fans!

I reached out to Kilee because she’s a dual threat: she has an awesome blog and one of the better stores on Etsy that I have seen from a blogger.

Below are the questions that I asked Kilee. As always, the entire thing is really great, but I have bolded the parts that really stood out to me.

How did you choose your url? What does it mean to you?
I started my blog as an extension of our small business, ONE little BELT which sells leather belts and more for babies and toddlers. I wanted to name my blog something that would connect it to OLB, but also represent what I blog about.  My husband frequently calls me “little momma” so one day it just came to me. My blog is part of our business, but also about our family, my style and me.

How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging since July 2012.

What is your main blog niche?
My blog niche is tough to pinpoint. I think I am a lifestyle blogger, but I lean heavily to the personal style/fashion side. I love to share easy DIY’s, personal stories and our day to day activities as well as outfits and style advice.

Who designed your blog?
My blog design is from Miss Audrey Sue Designs. I chose my colors and designed my logo and my header, but Audrey did the rest. She has great style and is fab to work with.

How long did it take you to earn your first $100?
It took about a year. I was sent free product to review before then, but actually getting paid took a while. Part of that was difficulty getting Google Ads set up on my blog. I didn’t have any ads until probably six months in and they paid nothing for quite a while.

Kilee quote 1What is the most recent “aha” moment you have had about your blog?
This question is perfectly timed. Just last week I was struggling with how to deal with sponsors who wanted to send me product for reviews or put ads on my blog. While I want blogging to provide an income, that isn’t why I blog. I don’t want to jeopardize my relationship with my readers because I’m getting paid by a company to write. It is really hard to have an unbiased opinion when you are getting paid. A big theme on my blog is being real and authentic as a blogger so I have decided to change my sponsorship policies. I’ll be phasing out sponsored posts and do my best to only write what is true to me, my taste and who I am. I want to build a base of loyal readers who can trust me and I think that will work out for me in the end.

What do you give credit to for your great social media following numbers?
As much as readers hate giveaways, they are the biggest way that I have grown my FB and Twitter numbers. My Pinterest and Instagram numbers have grown on their own- I like to think because of my good content. I also contribute to two other blogs that are larger than mine. They have really helped to promote my blog on their social media channels.

What are some of the main ways that your blog helps your Etsy business?
1. My blog is one of the biggest traffic drivers to my Etsy shop.
2. I have formed relationships with other bloggers who have helped to promote my shop to their readers.
3. I personally love to buy from someone that I know. Having a blog has also helped me “make friends” with so many potential customers.

Kilee quote 2Would your business be where it is today if not for your blog?
I have no idea. I thought we were growing steadily and doing well before I started blogging, but since blogging things have grown so much more! Blogging has done more than I probably know for our shop.

What is one of your more successful posts (in terms of traffic numbers, income, comments, shares or whatever) on your blog and why do you think that is?
My most successful posts are all hair tutorials. This wavy hair tutorial is my most popular and I think that is because it was one of the first ones I wrote. (It has had time to make its way around Pinterest.) My hair is unique and one of the most popular topics on my blog. I think readers are drawn to bloggers with something unique that they can learn from.

What goals do you have for your blog?
My goals are obviously to grow my readership as well as our customer base. I would like to learn how to edit and create more videos and video tutorials on my site. Most of all I would like to stay true to myself and never come across as a sell-out.

Do you do it all yourself or do you have a Virtual Assistant? How many hours does your VA work?
I don’t, but I have started looking into it. I would love to have one to help me with 2-5 hours of work a week.

How many hours per week do you work on your blog?
As a SAHM it is hard to count up. I think about my blog all of the time, but usually sit down to work for 2-2.5 hours each night M-Sat. Then there is the time that it takes to photograph projects and outfits which might be an extra hour or two a week.

Do you try to keep set hours for yourself or do you just work until the work is done?
I try not to work on my blog on Sunday although I usually take outfit photos on that day because my husband is home to take them. I also try not to or just can’t get on the computer to work while my kids are awake. I can do a little during the day, but not much.

Kilee quote 3What advice do you have for someone who wants to start a blog (any blog)?
My advice is all over the place. I would recommend setting a schedule for yourself. Pick a topic that you will blog about for each day on your schedule. Be consistent with your posts no matter how often you decide to post. Write about what you enjoy and what you know about. Even if you don’t know much about it, if you enjoy it, you will learn SO much by blogging about it. Find a blogging mentor and connect with other bloggers. Go to a blog conference.

What is your favorite part about blogging?
I love connecting with readers and feeling like I have helped someone.

What is your #1 revenue source?
Google Adsense

What is your #1 traffic source?
Pinterest

Do you have another job, or is blogging your main source of income?
Blogging and my Etsy shop are my income sources. My husband works full time as an accountant.

How long did it take you to reach the level of income that you are at now with your blog?
A year and a half.

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Kilee said so many things that I agree with!
– No surprise that we’ve got another blogger who says it took at least a year to make $100. Hearing that answer will never get old to me. It’s not that I don’t want people to be successful, but I think they need to know that it TAKES TIME!
– I like what she said about sponsors. I recently put out a post on this blog and emphasized that you should NOT, under any circumstances promote or write about something that you do not support. Letting money get in the way of your blog’s content is a dangerous thing.
– Having good, unique content, and content that teaches will produce results. Kilee is an excellent example of this. Make it unique, make it YOU and leave your readers wanting to come back!
– Perhaps my favorite thing is how Kilee credits her blog with helping her connect with potential customers. I really feel that this is the essence of a blog tied to an Etsy shop. The blog puts a personality into the shop and can show the products in a different light. It is a great way to promote a shop!

A huge thank you to Kilee for taking the time to answer these questions. Let’s pay her back by showing her shop some love. Check it out here!

Check back next week for another awesome featured blogger!

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blogger Tagged With: etsy, featured blogger

Featured Blog of the Week — Because Shanna Said So

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because shanna said so
Today I am excited to bring you Shanna from Because Shanna Said So! Shanna was on my radar because she is one of my wife’s favorite bloggers. Quickly upon looking at her site I could see that she’s got blogging down pat! Her answers to my questions below only confirmed that belief.

There are a lot of reasons why I consider Shanna a successful blogger. She has something that many bloggers covet – a link-up that gets over 150 submissions each week. Additionally, she regularly tops 50 comments on a post! Shanna has proven herself to be an expert in the field of personal style and she does an excellent job of sharing her style with others. Her blog has a real genuineness that I believe contributes greatly to her large following. You can really tell that she enjoys what she does, and that is a wonderful thing to see!

I also applaud Shanna for being “everywhere”, which I am a big fan of. She have been a Ruche featured blogger, has contributed to Women’s Health magazine and has been in Lucky Magazine. When it comes to exposure, she truly goes out and gets it! As she notes in the interview – nobody is going to do it for her, so she markets herself! And oh by the way, she also has over 10,000 followers between Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Not too shabby!

How long have you been blogging?
I started my blog a little over two years ago, December 20, 2011 to be exact.

What is your main blog niche?
I focus on personal style (outfit posts), affordable fashion trends, a dash of beauty tips and glimpse into my personal life.

Describe your blog in one sentence.
I am a simple girl, keeping it real, who enjoys sharing personal style that won’t break the bank.

shanna quoteHow long did it take you to earn your first $100?
I am not 100% sure about this one, but at least six months…after I finally realized that I could actually make money with my blog. I was so clueless at first. I really just started Because Shanna Said So because I thought it would be fun. I had no idea that people actually made money blogging. True story.

What is the best piece of advice you have received about blogging?
It’s okay to say no. And of course the cliché of staying true to yourself and not becoming something you’re not. I think I have done a pretty good job with both.

What is one thing that you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
That there are super mean people out there that will try and knock you down. You have to have tough skin in this world. Also, that I could make money doing it. Oh, and that it takes a CRAZY amount of time to run a successful blog…hours every single day.

What is the most recent “aha” moment you have had about your blog?
That this is not going to last forever and to enjoy the moment and remind myself that blogging is not the end all, be all. It’s okay if I take a day off here and there. Life isn’t going to end and my readers aren’t going to forget about me just because I skipped one post.

shanna quote 2You have very solid social media numbers (especially on Instagram and Twitter). What do you attribute to the large following?
Marketing the heck out of myself. I had to realize that if I was going to grow, nobody out there was going to make it happen for me. I had to put in the time and effort.

I followed up on the above question, asking for some elaboration about how she markets herself on social media, to which Shanna kindly provided!
Instagram – I use a bunch of hashtags when promoting a blog post. I have also hosted a few Instagram giveaways, however, I don’t recommend doing too many. People will follow you and as soon as the giveaway is over, you will lose many of them. Blog giveaways work better, in my opinion. If I am wearing a certain brand’s clothing item, I will be sure to tag them in hopes of them reposting my picture. Make your IG photos worth looking at by using photo apps to enhance the photos and tease your readers with sneak peek to upcoming posts.
Twitter – Any blog giveaway I do, I ask that people tweet about it. This helps in having many readers tweet with your handle. I also share other great posts that I come across and promote my post at least 3 times per day….tagging brands and companies when it relates.
Facebook – When I first started I asked my friends and family to “like” my page. Then I moved to requesting people to like my page when entering a giveaway. I now have moved on to paying for ad placement on FB. I just started that this month and have seen a tremendous amount of new likes because of it. I highly recommend this approach. It’s money well spent.
Pinterest – I am still trying to figure this one out. This is where I lack in my following. I do pin all my posts and try to pin original content when I can, but this is definitely a focus for me in 2014. It’s a huge traffic generator and I feel like I am missing a piece to the puzzle. If anyone has any recommendations, I am all ears.

You do a very successful link-up on Wednesdays. About how long have you been doing it and what advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own link-up?
Random Wednesday happened randomly, as silly as that sounds, over a year ago. Every Wednesday I started posting different topics about what was going on in my life. It had no rhyme or reason. My readers liked these posts, so I thought, why not start a link up to give other bloggers a day to write random thoughts and things about their life. I have a great mix of bloggers who come back every week. If you start a link up, I would make it one that can relate to many different genres of blogging…not just recipes, fashion or DIY…keep it a broad topic…you will get more people to participate this way.

What concerns do you have, if any, about the future of your blog and its income?
I never have been worried about the income part because honestly that is not the #1 reason that I blog. I blog to journal my life and to inspire other women and to be part of something pretty magical. I do have concerns about my age and worry that in a few years, I will be too old to blog about fashion…at least in my readers’ eyes. Style bloggers consist mostly of women in their early to mid 20’s….I am well passed those years.

Do you do it all yourself or do you have a Virtual Assistant? How many hours does your VA work?
I do everything myself. I never had an assistant and not sure I will ever be to the point where I will need or want one. This is my blog and I want to control 100% of my content and interactions.

How many hours per week do you work on your blog?
At least 40 hours, if not more. I think it’s just because I have chosen to put that amount of time into it. I don’t necessarily feel someone has to put that much time into a blog for it to be successful.

Do you try to keep set hours for yourself or do you just work until the work is done?
I work until it’s done, but since I stay home, I can do the majority of it during the day while my kids are at school. When they come home I focus on them and finish things up after they go to bed. I am a night owl.

shanna quote 3What advice do you have for someone who wants to start a blog (any blog)?
If you want to make money and it be somewhat of a part-time or even full-time job then know that it takes time to grow. It will not happen overnight. You have to comment on lots of blogs to get your name out there. Be active on all social media channels. Take quality photos. Be genuine. Invest in a blog design, not a template. Be ready to work hard and to spend a little money along the way.

What is your #1 revenue source?
I am part of a few affiliate networks where I can monetize my blog, but the number one source of income has been my partnership with Glam Style. It’s mostly geared for style/beauty bloggers. I generate income from serving ads on my site as well as participating in campaigns that they offer their bloggers. I also have seen an increase in commission from RewardStyle.

What is your #1 traffic source?
I actually don’t mind sharing my top three traffic sources:
1. Bloglovin. If you don’t have your blog set up with this reader, do it now. It pretty much replaced Google Reader last summer.
2. Google
3. Pinterest. Pin all of your posts. It’s 100% okay to pin yourself. You are not self absorbed!

Do you have another job, or is blogging your main source of income?
I blog full time with a part time income. I chose to leave my 9-5 marketing career over two years ago to stay home with my children. Blogging has helped a little with earning extra income, but I by no means make what I was making when I was working full time in the corporate world.

How long did it take you to start making what you are making now from your blog?
It took almost a year and a half to make what I am making now. I had to build up my following and trust with my readers.
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All I can say is WOW! This interview is loaded with great answers!

I love that Shanna touched on the unfortunate truth that there are a lot of jerks out there who try and bring others down. It’s sad, but it is something almost all of us bloggers have to deal with from time to time. Also, once again, we have a blogger who did not make $100 until 6 months in, re-enforcing that it takes time.

My absolute favorite line from this is: “be ready to work hard and to spend a little money along the way” to the question about advice for people wanting to start a blog. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to pay $1,000/month to an SEO person or anything, but you can’t be afraid of the $33 for a year of PicMonkey Royale or other small expenses!

Another thing I loved was her line about how “life isn’t going to end…because I skipped one post”. I am always a proponent of taking a day off when you want! Shanna said it best, “life is not going to end” if you give yourself a break! You’ll come back more fresh. Blogger burnout is a dangerous thing, so take breaks if you need to in order to prevent it!

If anyone has any Pinterest tips for Shanna (or the rest of us!) feel free to leave them in the comments below!

As we do, let’s head over to Because Shanna Said So and show her some love for taking the time to drop some knowledge on us here today!

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blogger Tagged With: featured blogger

Featured Blog of the Week — Southern Cali Saver

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southern cali saver
Welcome to the Featured Blogger of the Week series! Each week, I’ll feature one blogger here who I have determined is successful. The hope here is to have you learn from the interviews and maybe see that even successful bloggers had to start from nothing.

Ok, we’re kicking off this featured blogger segment with a friend of mine who has an awesome blog to help people save money. Josie runs Southern Cali Saver as her main blog. There is a large niche in the blogging world of coupon/deal/frugal blogs, but there is really only a small handful who are on Josie’s level.

I actually got my blogging start in that niche and know how difficult and demanding it is to be successful there. The coupon/deal/frugal niche is VERY different from a lifestyle blog. Josie has to be one step ahead of grocery store deals and basically has to know about every single coupon in circulation. A typical day on her blog sees at least 5 new posts. She also offers some great posts with tips on frugal living and budgeting as well. She has built a very loyal following by being relentless in her search for the best grocery deals around and by letting readers into her life with personal little tidbits added to posts. Something that has been very helpful in connecting with her readers is her highly interactive Facebook Group associated with the blog.

Josie has the Southern California market for deal blogs cornered, which is NOT an easy feat! Basically, if there’s someone going grocery shopping in SoCal, they need to be looking at her blog first. And you know what? A LOT of people do check her blog first. Josie’s blog easily cracked the 5,000,000 pageview mark last year and will be pushing closer to 10 million in 2014! Yes, you read that right, 10 million pageviews. So let’s let her drop some knowledge on us about how to do it, shall we?

How did you choose your url? What does it mean to you?
My url didn’t take too much thought– I wanted the world to know that I was a couponer in Southern California and also didn’t want a url that was too long. So, southerncalisaver.com was born.

How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging for 4 years, however, I didn’t get serious about it until 3.5 years ago.

What is your main blog niche?
Coupons and deals. I also talk about living a frugal life on my blog.

Who designed your blog?
Currently, I have designs from Mortizfinedesigns.com and Pixelmedesigns featured on Southern Cali Saver.

How long did it take you to earn your first $100?
About 6 months after I got serious. So this was after having my blog for 1 year total 🙂

What is the best piece of advice you have received about blogging?
Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket and don’t depend on social media to grow your blog. It may work but will be short lived. Just work hard and people will notice you.
quote

What is one thing that you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
It’s not a “sit back and watch the benefits” type of thing. You must work hard at establishing a following.

What is the most recent “aha” moment you have had about your blog?
Creating lasting content.

What goals do you have for your blog?
My goals for 2014 are to create more evergreen content.

What concerns do you have, if any, about the future of your blog and its income?
I feel secure in knowing that I have a good relationship with my readers, that they will always be there as long as I blog. My income my fluctuates, but it often does that and I’ve grown used to it. My family doesn’t depend on my blogging income.

Do you do it all yourself of do you have a Virtual Assistant? How many hours does your VA work?
I have several VA’s. They work about 25 hours a week combined.

How many hours per week do you work on your blog?
About 40 hours.

Do you try to keep set hours for yourself or do you just work until the work is done?
I work until it is done.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to start a blog (any blog)?
Work hard and be true to yourself and don’t expect to make money right away.
quote2

What is your #1 revenue source?
Coupon print revenue and Adsense are pretty much tied.

What is your #1 traffic source?
Organic Searches

Do you have another job, or is blogging your main source of income?
Does being a mom count? 🙂
(Zack here: YES, it does!)

How long did it take to start making an average of at least $1,000 per month from your blog?
About 2 years.
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So, for anyone wanting to start a deal blog I suggest you take what Josie said seriously. Notice that from the answers above, over 65 hours of work goes into her blog every week. Are you ready to do that for several months before seeing any type of financial return? Josie did not crack the $1,000 per month income level on her blog for 2 years! You’ll see a common theme with these blogger features in the weeks to come, and that is that not really anyone started making a ton of money right out of the gate.

For Josie and people in her niche, creating evergreen content is huge. This is content that stands the test of time. So not a post about a Macy’s One-Day sale. Even fashion and beauty bloggers can take notice of this statement. If you find yourself always blogging about the latest fashion trend, you may not have the most lasting content. Of course staying on top of the trends is important, but if it’s the bulk of your content, what will people read when your posts are not “in season” anymore?

The best thing Josie said is “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. It’s so easy to see AdSense being successful and just keep working on building that, while ignoring everything else. Diversification of your income is very, very important. Don’t settle for one income stream just because it is doing very well. Always think about diversification.

I’d like to thank Josie for her time in answering these questions. Be sure to visit Southern Cali Saver and see what a successful blog looks like! You might even find yourself saving some money!

Stay tuned next week for another awesome featured blog!

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blogger Tagged With: featured blogger

Featured Blogger of the Week

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Featured blogger of the week
I’m so excited to bring you a new feature to the site starting Monday 1/20/2014.

Each week, I will feature one blogger who I have deemed successful. There are a few metrics that I will use to define “success” for this feature. Of course, money is a big one however I don’t believe it is the only determining factor for success. I will also feature people who have built tremendous social followings, people who have started fast right out of the gate and hopefully a few bloggers who have turned blogging into a 6-figure income!

Each featured blogger will get a few of the same, basic questions. Additionally, there will be questions specific to their blog or niche. I feel that learning from people who have done it, and who have been in your shoes can be very helpful. Wouldn’t it be awesome to know that some of the most established bloggers faced the same challenges you are going through right now? Would you like to hear how they pushed through? That’s what this post is all about! Helping you by providing you with resources from those who have done it and succeeded.

I’m excited for myself because I know I am going to learn so much from these awesome bloggers!

What are some bloggers that you would like to see featured here?

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blogger Tagged With: featured blogger

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How to Start a WordPress Blog

There are many reasons why you might want to know how to start a blog. Maybe you have a business and want to supplement your online activity with a blog. Good idea! Maybe you want to start an online diary of your life. That's fun too! Maybe you want to start a fashion blog, or a … Read More