Tag: Blogging

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Posted in Goal, Manifestation

3 Simple Blog Goals for Year 2

Posted on by tracydee

How can I know what to achieve if I don’t set blog goals?

First of all, if you started following along since the beginning of this blogventure or joined at any point along the way, many thanks and appreciation to you. I wrote my first post in February 2021 and I published 100 posts by January 1st, 2022. Thanks to my friend for guest writing Dear 2022 and my last push to get out 5 things to focus on for the new year:

  1. Time management
  2. Self-Love
  3. Learning a new skill
  4. Reflection and gratitude
  5. Building healthy relationships

The year was full of learning curves as well as inspiration striking at strange times. Through all my research I know I am supposed to “niche down”, but I am still writing posts that are a bit all over the place. Right now I have 25 posts in draft mode with random ideas I have had about topics I’m interested in writing about. So far, my strategy works well, albeit a bit inconsistent (even though I wrote about how consistency is important).

So what’s next for me in blog goals?

The first thing I need to define is my goals. What are my top blog goals for year 2?

  1. Continue to share content and write about the things that interest me
  2. Grow my blog to 10,000 monthly page views by learning marketing strategies and search engine optimization (SEO).
  3. Start earning money so that I can turn this into a full-time gig at some point in the next few years
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Now, how do I reach these blog goals?

Before I get too far into new content (which I will definitely keep putting out there), I need to go back through old posts. This is important to do because I have added many new posts that could be linked to older topics. Internal linking is something that is helpful for SEO.

I also plan to take an SEO course, either a free one I can find or pay for one that is highly recommended in the blogging community.

One of the tools I’ve been using for marketing is Tailwind App. I will continue to utilize this tool to create pins on Pinterest and easy to use visuals to share.

I think one opportunity to grow the blog that I need to utilize a bit more is the power of LinkedIn. As someone who enjoys talking about productivity and time management, I believe there is a strong market of people who may be interested in what I’m writing.

Affiliate Marketing

One of the easiest ways to earn money on blogs besides advertisements is through affiliate marketing. I already joined the Amazon affiliate program and regularly suggest products I like.

Because I also have a growing following on Tik Tok, I am eligible to apply for other affiliate programs. Recently, I applied for my favorite iPad accessory, the PaperLike screen protector. Anyone can join, but if you have 5000 followers or more, you can request a free item to try.

Another lesson I learned was to add legal pages to my blog. I didn’t realize initially that I needed them, but if I’m going to continue to grow this as a business then it’s a must-have. So if you are in need of some as well, I recommend the Legal Bundle from A Self Guru. And now, I’m part of the affiliate program for them as well.

Final Thoughts for Today

There is so much to learn about blogging and I’m ready to tackle the next steps and reach these blog goals! You might see some changes in design or advertisements and upgrades to some old posts. Thanks again for reading and the support!

Posted in Manifestation

How Blogging and Social Media are Building my Confidence

Posted on by tracydee

I’ve struggled for years with building my confidence. I think one of the biggest fears of putting myself out there is rejection or negativity. This is only natural. To some degree, we all want to be liked and validated. Some people are better at shrugging off the negative comments. While others, like myself, take them personally.

For years, I let my anxiety hold me back from sharing publicly some of the things I wanted to talk about. What will people think? What if it’s not good enough? What if I’m not good enough? The truth is, I will never be enough if I continue seeking validation from others.

Furthermore, I have the power to change my reality and my actions. If it turns out that I could have done something differently, well, then I have the chance to improve and be better next time.

selective focus photo of smiling woman
Photo by Andre Furtado on Pexels.com

Building my Confidence Through Blogging

When I read and watched YouTube videos about starting a blog, the number one advice was to niche down. I’m just not ready for that. And it is okay. My blog allows me to share my thoughts and experiences with my friends, family, and even strangers who are interested in reading.

That is partly why I believe it is building my confidence. Despite being academically driven, I never considered myself that great of a writer. People always saw me as the numbers person, good at math, and destined to work in a math profession.

Yet, if I look back through notes and journal entries from when I was a teenager, I always enjoyed writing to express myself. I didn’t necessarily enjoy writing to appease others through an assignment or required task.

Now, I pick and choose how to manage my time and write posts of interest. The likes and comments allow me to see what content the audience is connecting with the most. But overall, the comments are overwhelmingly positive.

Building my Confidence Through Social Media

My adult students told me for years to start a YouTube channel. I was scared. Making videos intimidated me. I finally took the plunge this past year and did it. At first, I always tried to make sure my make-up looked good and everything was perfect. Then I realized that perfection is not the goal. Reality is. And the reality is that we look different and have good days and bad days.

Tik Tok also brings out the opportunity to be silly and share with others. The app gives you a chance to showcase bits of your personality and separate yourself from work if you so choose. I am still working up the courage to post more dancing videos. But, if you know me, you know I love to dance. So, I better start having some fun and being my silly self!

Now, I still have a long way to go to be the type of confident that I wish to be. But, I’m well on my way, helped by inner reflection and being brave enough to put myself out there, flaws and all. Yes, there will be mean people, but most people are supportive and encouraging! So go build that community.

Whatever it is that you have been waiting for to get started, why wait? Don’t wait for the perfect body, partner, or job to start sharing your message with others or living your dreams!

Posted in Goal

It’s a Productivity Puzzle! Fitting the Pieces Together

Posted on by tracydee

My productivity puzzle: Fitting the pieces of life together can be challenging at certain points. My productivity toward reaching my goals is something I have been proud of in the past. I put my mind to completing a half marathon and finishing a doctorate degree, among other goals along the way.

One goal I am excited about is now heading to Norway on a Fulbright to work with schools and continue my passion of civic education.

The last several months really put the idea of productivity into perspective for me. In fact, many times, I re-evaluated what it truly meant to be productive for me. I was so used to being busy, that it was nice to spend a little time reflecting on my hopes for this blog and getting to keep working on that goal.

productivity puzzle
Photo by Polina Zimmerman on Pexels.com

However, the time versus money internal debate came to a head when Norway was delayed yet again and I faced a huge lack of solid income. I had no choice but to take a temporary full time position that did turn out to be extremely stressful and left way less time for me to be productive toward these longer term goals.

These ebbs and flows of life are natural and it is up to us to make the most of our moments. Whether that means sitting down and trying to attain something greater for ourselves or simply taking a break to walk on the beach and get some fresh air.

Now, I face down this new opportunity to create a schedule around my commitments to my job and to myself. I think of this new journey as a productivity puzzle where I am trying to fit the pieces together. Truthfully, I am excited to arrive at my destination and spend some time working on my calendar and prioritizing my tasks.

As I continue to maintain a growth mindset, I will blog my learnings along the way and share helpful tips and advice that works for me!

Posted in Goal

Consistency in Blogging is Important: My Efforts to Improve

Posted on by tracydee

Am I the most consistent blogger? No. Would I like to be better? Absolutely. Consistency in blogging is important. Many of the blog advice gurus emphasize how important consistency is for getting your blog going and maintaining the content (by the way, the article linked here is an easy read on 4 simple ways to come up with content for your blog).

Readers expect to see articles from you on a regular basis, whether it’s several times a week, once a week, or twice a month. As the writer, you get to set the tone and precedent to manage those expectations. If you’ve subscribed with me for a few months now, you might notice that I’ll post a lot for a few weeks, then kind of disappear, and then start posting again.

Even when I’m not posting, I still use the draft mode to collect my ideas as inspiration strikes me. However, because blogging is not my primary source of income (yet!), I do sometimes have to pivot to the things that take priority in my life, such as family or paying current bills.

In the spring, it was maintaining my two part-time jobs while finishing up my dissertation. This summer, it was helping my family move halfway across the country and then working full time at a customer service job to make ends meet while I waited for the green light to leave the country.

consistency in blogging
Photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels.com

Consistency in blogging: Monitoring statistics

I recently shared my blogging statistics for the first 6 months or so of this endeavor. When I look at the chart of views, my best months were when I was consistently posting content 2-4 times a week. There was a month or so where I did post quite a bit, but I did it all at once with a long break in between. What this tells me, is that I should utilize the schedule post feature more often.

Even if I get a bunch of ideas that strike me and I get the urge to post 2 times in one day, it seems to be better if I draft it and then schedule it to post in another day or two. That way, there is some time in between the posts.

Now, I just decided to Google how often I should post and it seems that my observations are in line with the recommendations. It is best to post 2-4 times per week, with an average of 11 posts per month in order to see the best traffic. In my own data, I can see that I need at least 10 posts per month to keep my views growing.

So, my commitment from October through December to finish out 2021 is to write at least 11 new blog posts per month. As I currently have 75 blog posts, that would put me over 100 for the year, which is an attainable and realistic goal. And would help my consistency in blogging.

I will use data and inspiration to choose content by monitoring posts that seem to do well. For instance, the blog posts with the most likes seem to be about time management, money, or technology. But, it would be very helpful if you comment below on any articles you would like to see me write more about!

Posted in Goal, Manifestation

Blogging in 2021 – Sharing My Blog Stats 6 Months In

Posted on by tracydee

Here is a post of my 6- month blog stats.

Well, I know blogging is not a get rich quick method and it takes time, patience, and strategy to truly develop a quality blog that people trust and go to for tips and advice. I’ve also researched the importance of developing a niche that helps Google give you domain authority over that niche. However, my blog is more of an opportunity to share my voice and things I’ve learned with others. It also gives me an outlet to write about the things on my mind and almost use it as a journal of sorts.

I wanted to share some of the stats I have had since February 2021 when I first started publishing posts on this blog. Although I have been working on learning Search Engine Optimization (SEO), I still have so far to go. I know many bloggers get exceptional returns through the wonderful world of Pinterest marketing, but I have not mastered that yet either. I am proud of how far I have come in this process considering I was finishing grad school and working 2 part-time jobs when I started. In the last 6 weeks, I have been working at least full time in one job and consulting still with the other.

Now that I have an upcoming new adventure with a ten day quarantine, I feel like this is the perfect time to reflect on what is working and try to amp up the posts and marketing even more. I can use the time for self care and get one step closer to reaching my ultimate goals. Also, consider this an encouragement for any of you out there still blogging away waiting for those page views to go up.

Blog stats: page view and visitor insights:

blog stats

As you can see from the green shading in the chart, May and June were the months with the most page views. I even hit 1,000 in May, which was amazing. At that time, I was gaining steam in posting consistently about 10 times a month or so. As you can see in August, the posts took a dip as did the page views. At the time of this current blog post, I have 210 people following my blog (THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ME!).

In theory, that means if I posted 10 times a month now, and every person clicked on each post (not just in the reader view, but actually click on my blog post), then I should be reaching 2,000 views for the month. And that doesn’t include all the people who may find the post and then not subscribe to the blog itself.

Now, onto the money side of things with Word Ads. I do have that enabled, but you don’t actually get paid from WordPress until you earn $100. Additionally, I can’t apply for other ad programs like MediaVine until I have many more page views. It’s a goal, so I will report back when I do reach that milestone.

Blog stats: income

So far, my total earnings from blogging in 2021through August are $6.67. My best month was June, when my average CPM was $0.54. This is great for me now, but once I’m able to partner with bigger advertisers, that will be in the $7-$30 range hopefully.

I’m still going to continue to develop and find my niche, but for now, I enjoy what I’m learning and sharing it with you all in the process!

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Posted in Goal

Finding Your Voice: How I’m (Hopefully) Becoming A Better Blog Writer

Posted on by tracydee

I’m on a journey to become a better blog writer.

I recently went back through some of my initial blog posts in February 2021 to add links to more recent articles I’ve written. For the SEO stuff I’m learning, this is supposed to help increase domain authority to get me to rank in Google search results. I know that takes time to accomplish, but I need to set myself up for success as I move forward in building this website.

Here is my first post on February 9, 2021 about organizing my workspace. As I review this post, I feel like the ideas are good, but it’s a little more sterile than some of the later posts. I was originally planning to have a formula for my posts: essentially pick a topic, share some background, and then list some tips or resources for people to take away. I also wanted to include more links for affiliate marketing as a way to earn some extra income.

What I realized is that for this particular blog I want my voice to be central in my posts. So, I started to share personal experiences and discuss the ways in which I come up with blog topics. But, truthfully, I’m still kind of figuring this out as I go and learning in public with this process. By doing so, I hope to inspire others to go out and chase a dream or hobby and just see what happens.

reach for the and blue moon neon signages. better blog writer
Photo by Designecologist on Pexels.com

Help to become a better blog writer

When people post comments on my blog, it also helps me respond to the needs of the people who are reading. And so, I want my voice to be helpful as well as inspirational to others. So if you’ve made it this far in reading my post, drop a hello in the comments below! I’d love to interact more with the 192 people who have chosen to follow this journey thus far.

Every month, I plan to go back to older posts and re-read them for clarity, engagement, and link to more recent blog articles that I’ve written. As I go through this editing process, I hope that my voice starts to come across more and more and that the connection is purposeful and authentic.

By going through this self-reflection process and continuing to learn new strategies to market the blog, I believe my writing will also improve. I’m used to being an academic writer, which is a much more prescribed and formulaic type of writing. I’m embracing the creative aspect of owning my own domain and choosing how to present ideas to the world.

Thank you for believing in me!!

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Posted in Uncategorized

4 Simple Ideas to Curate Content for Blog Posts

Posted on by tracydee

Are you starting a blog for the first time and looking for ideas on how to create content for blog posts? I recently wrote two posts about starting a blog in 2021 and my method for writing blog posts.

On the second post, someone made a great comment asking for more ideas on how to create content for your blog. While I am no expert with my baby blog here, I have learned some strategies to create content and build ideas for blog posts. Since this blog is about learning, sharing, and growing together, then of course I will share what I’m learning along the way.

I read a lot of other blogs and watch YouTube channels to help build my knowledge of starting a blog. From what I’ve gathered, it takes 6 months to a year to start seeing profits from a blog. And even then, it’s highly dependent on the content you create, the audience you’ve grown, and the quality you provide. One of the more informative channels that I follow is Income School. They have a course you can pay for, but the videos include the majority of the content and strategies for free if you follow them.

I hope to add more value as I continue to learn, but for now I’ll share 4 ideas to curate content for blog posts:


Personal experience

This is probably the fastest and easiest way to generate content for your blog. As you think about things you’d like to write about, draw on your own experiences. For example, I do regular goal planning throughout the year and I shared my process in a Summer 2021 goal planning post. Another example I shared was my experience preparing for and running a half marathon.

Start with making a list of things that interest you and see if you want to write about any of those topics. Pick the one you have the most to say about and start writing. Now, you may prefer to write one blog post at a time in its entirety or you may choose my method of just tracking ideas and thoughts as they come to me.


Trending topics

Choose to write about trending topics on social media or in the news. I subscribe to a number of bigger blogs such as Medium and PCMag. It allows me to see which type of content is getting a lot of likes or mentions. Additionally, because I write a lot of productivity posts, I follow people on Twitter and LinkedIn to find out what topics are interesting to them.

If you are more advanced, you can use keywords that are popular in searches or invest in technology that helps you identify what those are. I am not at that level yet, but I hope to be in the next 6 months. From Income School, I learned that it takes about 8 months for most blog posts to mature and reach their maximum audience. I just started this blog in February 2021 and really started to ramp up my content in April 2021.

content for blog posts
Photo by Tracy Le Blanc on Pexels.com

Interesting things I read about or listen to

I spend a fair amount of time consuming content. I love to read and listen to podcasts or watch YouTube channels. Whenever I do this, I am constantly learning new things and gathering new ideas. Many times, I send myself an email with notes on what I read or watched because email is like my ongoing to do list and record keeping space.

I have several blog posts in draft mode right now reviewing books I’ve read to share my overall thoughts. In my conversations with friends, I make notes of the things they are interested in and what they are also reading and watching.

Yes, it’s my circle which could result in an echo chamber of sorts, but I love to hear their viewpoints on different topics and it informs me of the things they are interested in as well. The goal planning post and YouTube video was based on personal experience, but also a conversation with a friend on something that could help her with planning, but all helps me come up with content for blog posts.

My blog post on ways to say no was also a result of a conversation with a friend and some coaching to help her get the message across as she intended. Additionally, I’m currently editing a YouTube video on this topic so I can repurpose content from by blog and YouTube to get the message out to a wider audience.


Monitoring posts that do well

I initially started with the WordPress premium account, but I recently invested in the WordPress business account, which comes with a lot more optimization tools to see how blog posts are doing. One thing I am monitoring is which posts are getting more views and more likes. That tells me that those topics are popular and people want to see more information about that.

Another interesting feature of the business account is that I have a headline analyzer function. This helps me to create eye-catching headlines that have a better chance of eventually be picked up by Google (which takes time). For example, this headline has a score of 72 and a good score is between 40 and 60. I can write a follow up blog post in 6-8 months to update on how well this particularly post did.

What I plan to do is improve the posts that do well over time by adding more information to them or expanding even further. I watch the likes come in on different posts. What I’ve found is that I have a few loyal subscribers who like most of my posts and then some posts on time management and communication or email topics that seem to be doing well in the WordPress reader world.

However, one thing to note is that people can view your blog on the WordPress Reader, but not actually count as a view because they’re not on your page. So I encourage you to click directly on the blog and check out some other posts when you’re coming in from the WordPress Reader.

I hope this advice for developing content for blog posts was helpful and I look forward to sharing more with you as I continue on this blogging journey!

Posted in Uncategorized

My Strategy for Writing Blog Posts

Posted on by tracydee

Everyone has their own strategy for writing blog posts. Since I just started working on my blog a few months ago, I’m still finding my groove in how to develop posts. I’ve done some research on how to write posts and what length to target. A lot of things I read actually have quite lengthy blog posts as the ideal. However, I’ve been focusing on shorter posts that get right to the point. I suppose I’ll have to invest in some longer ones and compare how they do.

Now at first, I didn’t know what I was doing (and probably still don’t know nearly enough), but I’m starting to develop some strategies for content development and ideas. My initial plan was to keep a list of running ideas in a Google Sheet and then add to them as I came up with fresh ideas. I was planning to create a whole monthly calendar, set aside a couple of days to write everything, and then schedule the posts to run.

As an organized person, I still think of that method as my ultimate content creation goal. However, as a busy person with a brain constantly filled with tasks and new knowledge, I discovered another way to write content for blog posts.

blog posts
Sparked curiosity leads to my blog posts

What do I do now for my blog posts?

Well, I found that adding headings and bullet points to my posts seems to help them track better in views. Even though I’m focusing on shorter content for now, I noticed that longer posts have more space for advertisements. In turn, that would equal more revenue if I made the effort to create longer content.

That could be financially beneficial down the line.

The method I use now is not fancy, but it’s working, so I’ll continue to use it until I’ve got a better routine. I often listen to podcasts, read news articles, and follow lots of productivity gurus.

Just like how Marie Kondo tells us to keep items that spark joy, I keep tidbits of information that spark curiosity.

As new ideas or innovations come to me, I add them to my draft posts right away. And if I don’t have access to my WordPress site at the moment, then I text or email myself the idea so I can put it there later. In my current draft post folder I have 17 different posts that I have started.

As I learn more, I continue to add to that post until it’s ready to go out into the world. Sometimes when I have designated time on my calendar to work on blog posts, I’ll pick the idea that sticks out to me the most and I’ll work on adding information to flesh it out.

In my research, I read that it takes about 8 months for blog posts to reach their highest viewer audience and after a year, I should track the posts to see which ones are most popular. Right now, I periodically review the post insights to see which topics are trending or have more likes.

For example, my original short post on time management tips actually has the most likes out of everything I’ve written. It’s simple, but shows me that there is more room to add time management content with more blog posts. Interestingly, super specific time management strategies, such as using the Eisenhower Matrix, doesn’t seem to be as popular as just a short list of ways to make a to-do list.

I’m sure my methods will evolve as I continue to grow in knowledge on how to create useful content and share it with others.

Be on the lookout for more posts because I’ve got at least 17 more ideas on the back burner!

Posted in Uncategorized

My Favorite YouTubers That I Follow: Inspirational YouTube Channels to Binge Now

Posted on by tracydee

Since I recently started my YouTube channel and blog, I thought it would be fun to share some of the inspirational YouTube channels I watch on a regular basis that have inspired me. There are a lot of wonderful, engaging, and informative channels that can help you learn to grow your channel, build your blog, and create content as well. Or, if you’re just looking for helpful information, I will share some topic areas and suggested YouTubers to follow. I’m not going to rank them in any particular order because it’s not content to necessarily compare since each offers amazing videos and helpful advice.

Productivity and Time Management:

The YouTuber who’s video inspired me to just put myself out there and do it, whether I’m ready or not, was Ali Abdaal. He includes videos on productivity, technology, and tips and strategies for a variety of things, including staying motivated and managing your time. There are tons of other productivity inspirational YouTube channels, but Ali is my favorite.

Blogging Tips:

I love going to Nakisha Wynn for blogging tips and strategies to stay motivated and make the most of your content and marketing. She releases a video a week that provides useful information about finding a niche and ways to make money as a blogger.

If you’re interested in learning about marketing using Pinterest, my go to resource is Shruti Pangtey If you subscribe to her email list, you get access to a free webinar where she breaks down content strategy for using Pinterest to market your blog.

Interesting Information:

I love to eat good food and a great channel to get healthy and budget friendly recipes is from Fit Men Cook. And the recipes are yummy!

Now, this person is newer to YouTube, but has an amazing blog that I’ve been following for quite some time. Anne-Laure studies neuroscience and provides really interesting articles about how the brain works and how to be productive. Keep this on your inspirational YouTube channels list!

The videos on the next channel never disappoint and no wonder there is a stampede following Kelly Stamps. Whether you want to learn strategies for YouTube, follow interesting vlogs, or get general life advice, this is the channel for you.

inspirational YouTube channels
Free Mock-up | YouTube Channel Art by Gui Dellacolletta is licensed under CC-BY 4.0

Growing on YouTube:

So in order to reach my goal of 1000 subscribers by the end of 2021, I watch videos on strategies to do that. A really helpful channel is Annie Dubé. The videos are to the point, super clear, and provide actionable steps to grow your YouTube channel. She is definitely one to keep on the list of inspirational YouTube channels. Annie also has a really helpful Facebook group and community of engaged YouTubers.

Creative – Etsy and Designing:

The first YouTuber I like to watch videos from is Alissa Rose. If you are looking to sell on Etsy and open up a shop, this creator has tons of helpful tutorial videos guiding you each step of the way. There are videos on social media strategy, designing digital products, and more.

The next YouTuber I like to watch videos from is Kirstin with KDigitalStudio. I recently got an iPad and bought the digital creating program Procreate. It is an amazing program and Kirstin has excellent videos on how to create digital designs on Procreate.

Study Tips:

This channel has over 1 million subscribers and it’s easy to see why. The study tips and note-taking strategies are so helpful and the videos are easy to watch. The channel I go to for study habits and advice is StudyTee by Therese.

Another helpful channel with study information is Estella with Study To Success. One day, I hope to have as beautiful an office set up. I love all the colorful products and it’s fun to see how to making studying not so boring.

Finance:

There are tons of YouTube channels designated for the stocks and Bitcoin, but the ones I follow provide a little bit of everything. The first one I follow is SaraFinance, where you can learn about affiliate marketing, drop shipping, budgeting, and more.

The next one is Charlie Chang, who has a large following on Tik Tok as well as YouTube. This is a great channel to learn about side hustles, investing, and other ways to make passive income and become an entrepreneur.


There are lots more channels that I follow, but I wanted to share some of my favorite ones with you here. Hopefully, you can find some useful information from them like I do. If you have another suggestion, drop it in the comments below!

Posted in Blogging, Personal Skills

What I’m Learning About Starting a Blog in 2021

Posted on by tracydee

I wanted to start this blog to share information about what I already know and what I’m learning as well as create a potential outlet for passive income in the future. What I’m finding is that I enjoy writing posts and learning about the technical side of building a website and this really could be more than a side passion if I put my mind to it. So, one of the things I’m learning is actually how to get this blog going in the first place to build it into something meaningful. I’ve done research by watching YouTube videos and being an expert Googler, but there are still some things that I’m working on. Here are some things that I learned so far:

1. Building Traffic – difference between views and likes

I’m using WordPress premium as my hosting platform. Now that I have about 20 posts on the blog, I’m getting consistent notifications about likes on my posts, which is very exciting. I thought that would immediately translate into more views, but that is not the case. So of course, I Googled it to find out what was going on. It turns on out that most of my readers are viewing the posts through WordPress Reader and liking it there and not actually clicking on the blog itself. So even though the posts are being liked, I’m not getting very many views.

2. Building Traffic – Advertising

Now, I’m thinking how do I even let people know about the blog in the first place? I’ve mostly been using Pinterest and creating pins using Canva. I experimented with Pinterest Ads, but it was too expensive and I didn’t get enough clicks to make it worth my while yet. Here is an example of a pin I made for one of my blog posts. I’m considering starting a Twitter account to post tips of the day and drive traffic from there.

3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

This is probably the part I still have the most to learn about. The actual building of the site came pretty easily to me since I’ve had to build sites for school projects before. There are a number of websites that let you search for keywords, but the biggest piece of advice I’ve found is to search for long tail keywords that have lower competition. So, perhaps it’s being search 1,000 times a month, but there aren’t many articles written about that particular topic. Turns out the types of things I like to write about are wildly popular and written about all the time. This is definitely an area of improvement that I’ll keep learning about it and working on for future posts.

4. Revenue – making money from the blog

I’ve watched tons of YouTube videos and read other blog posts to try and figure this one out. It seems you need a combination of advertising, affiliate links, sponsored ads, and even your own personalized premium content. Well, I certainly have lots of ideas and things in the works, but it’s not going to happen overnight. So, for now I’m just utilizing the WordPress Ads that is built in to the site functions and some Amazon affiliate links. For transparency, my site ran about 450 ads in February and it generated a revenue of $0.04 and about 1000 ads in March for a revenue of $0.01. Obviously, I was disappointed with the lower number this month even with higher views, so I searched what could be going on. It seems that advertisers might be bidding lower prices for space and my content just hasn’t had enough time to saturate. That’s okay. I actually have a 15-18 month plan in place and this is just the start.

I wanted to share some of the things I’m learning about building a blog here with you in this post. Feel free to drop a comment with any tips you have. Let’s help each other!