What I Learned About Blogging, Money, and Freedom

This yr marks 14 years of running a blog for me. Yearly, I wish to replicate on my weblog and the enterprise that I’ve constructed. Right here’s what I take into consideration running a blog after incomes over $5,000,000 and dealing on-line for over a decade.

Over a decade in the past, I began this weblog with no actual plan. I used to be only a 20-something with plenty of pupil mortgage debt and a dream of changing into debt-free. I had no expertise, no formal writing background, and no concept what I used to be doing. However I knew I wanted a change.

Immediately, that tiny weblog – Making Sense of Cents – has earned over $5,000,000. That quantity nonetheless surprises me.

However what may shock you much more is what I’ve realized alongside the best way. As a result of this journey hasn’t simply been about cash.

It’s been about freedom, flexibility, errors, progress, and determining what success actually means.

Advisable studying: How To Monetize A Weblog: How I Grew A $5 Million Weblog

Who I’m and why I began this weblog

Earlier than we start, I need to rapidly share some details about myself and my weblog in case you’re new right here.

I’m Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, the founding father of Making Sense of Cents. I began this weblog in 2011 after I was drowning in pupil mortgage debt and month-to-month payments, and I used to be searching for a means to enhance my monetary state of affairs.

Again then, I had no concept my little weblog would develop right into a full-time enterprise, enable me to go away my day job, assist me journey full-time, and ultimately earn tens of millions of {dollars} on-line.

I merely simply preferred the running a blog group, studying new methods to make and get monetary savings, and listening to about everybody’s debt payoff, journey, and early retirement tales. I’ve at all times discovered it actually motivating and thrilling!

I went full-time with my weblog in 2013 after I give up my day job as a monetary analyst. I spotted that I might make a full-time earnings with my weblog, and I cherished it a lot that I took the steps to make the leap. And, I’ve been doing this full-time ever since!

Some enjoyable stats about Making Sense of Cents:

• My first weblog submit went dwell on August 10, 2011. You possibly can learn it right here.
• I’ve written over 2,000 articles on Making Sense of Cents, however I deleted a lot of them a few years in the past (as a result of I didn’t suppose they had been good or they had been outdated) and at present have 1,556 printed.
• I’ve acquired 168,710 emails (this doesn’t even embody the numerous emails I’ve deleted through the years, so the quantity might be over 1 million, haha!). I haven’t included promotional emails on this whole both!
• I’ve acquired 66,181 feedback on my weblog posts.
• It took me six months to make my first $100 on this weblog, Making Sense of Cents.
• Whereas I now not publish weblog earnings stories nor share my earnings (I finished because of privateness causes, however yow will discover the previous ones right here – Weblog Earnings Studies From A Multi-Million Weblog), from 2011 to 2018, I made round $5,000,000 whole. Since 2018, I’ve made earnings annually that I’m very pleased with.

Advisable studying: I’ve Achieved Over 20 Aspect Hustles in My Life: Right here’s What I Consider Every

What I’ve Realized After 10+ Years of Running a blog

Should you’re simply beginning a weblog or questioning if it’s nonetheless value it proper now, I need to share the most important classes that truly mattered. These are the issues that shocked me most – the elements nobody actually tells you about.

The largest influence wasn’t simply the cash – it was the liberty

Incomes a full-time earnings from my weblog was one thing I used to solely dream about. And over time, that earnings saved rising – greater than I ever anticipated after I began.

Sure, I’ve earned tens of millions from running a blog. And whereas I’m very, very grateful for that, the quantity itself wasn’t essentially the most thrilling half.

What actually modified every little thing wasn’t the cash; it was what that cash made doable:

• I might work fewer hours and construct a versatile schedule.
• I used to be capable of journey extra and say sure to experiences I used to solely examine.
• I had the liberty to say no to issues that didn’t really feel proper for me.
• And most significantly, I gained time – time to be with my household, to relaxation, to dwell slower after I wished to.

The liberty is what I worth most. And that’s what I hope for everybody – whether or not they earn $5,000 or $5 million.

Running a blog nonetheless works (sure, even proper now)

I hear it on a regular basis: “Is it too late to start out a weblog?”

The brief reply: Completely not.

Running a blog has modified, positive. You must care extra concerning the other ways to develop a weblog and your content material wants to face out.

However I nonetheless suppose that folks wish to learn weblog posts and that running a blog remains to be about serving to individuals resolve issues, share concepts, and construct belief.

Right here’s why running a blog nonetheless works:

• Folks nonetheless Google questions – and so they need solutions from actual individuals.
• You personal your weblog – in contrast to social media platforms that may change in a single day. So, even should you plan on beginning a social media account the place you primarily plan on being lively, I nonetheless extremely, extremely suggest having your personal web site to associate with it.
• It’s versatile – you’ll be able to construct a weblog round your schedule, your passions, and your objectives.

I additionally know individuals who have began blogs not too long ago – throughout the previous yr – and so they’re already rising their site visitors, incomes earnings, and constructing a enterprise that they get pleasure from. So, I feel it’s nonetheless doable to start out a profitable weblog in the present day.

My greatest wins got here from issues I didn’t plan

A few of the greatest moments in my running a blog journey weren’t a part of a technique – they had been simply me following issues I used to be excited by or saying sure to one thing new.

For instance:

• I wrote a submit about how I paid off my pupil loans in 7 months. That one submit was shared like loopy and introduced in tons of site visitors.
• I began answering the identical reader questions time and again about internet affiliate marketing – so I turned these solutions right into a course (Making Sense of Affiliate Advertising), which has now helped hundreds of bloggers.
• One week, I performed a sport on my telephone and ended up incomes over $300 – so I wrote about it. That straightforward and actual weblog submit introduced in additional affiliate earnings than many who I spent weeks writing.

These weren’t strategized enterprise strikes. They had been simply me being sincere and useful.

Lesson: You don’t should have all of it discovered. Simply begin, listen, and be open to what unfolds.

What I assumed would matter … didn’t

I used to suppose I wanted:

• A elaborate and costly web site. I completely love my design, however I do know different bloggers who’ve spent tens of hundreds of {dollars} on their weblog design – and that’s positively not wanted for the common weblog! You will discover premade weblog designs from my net designer right here (and save some huge cash!).
• A giant social media following.
• An excellent strict publishing schedule.
• An enormous crew of individuals working for me.

However actually? None of that mattered as a lot as I assumed it will.

What mattered extra:

• Writing content material that truly helped individuals.
• Being constant (not every day – simply constant).
• Constructing belief with my viewers.

You possibly can spend months tweaking your emblem or colours. But when your content material isn’t fixing issues or telling a narrative individuals join with, it received’t get pageviews.

So, deal with what issues: your message, your readers, your story.

I obtain so many emails from readers who’re frightened concerning the small stuff when actually, you simply want to start out. You can also make adjustments and enhancements as you go, and I feel simply getting began is nice as a result of it is going to train you a lot!

Running a blog let me construct a life I like – however that took boundaries

There was a time after I labored 60+ hours per week on my weblog. I used to be hustling arduous – making an attempt to develop site visitors, create content material, and handle every little thing myself.

Finally, I hit a wall.

Burnout is actual. And it doesn’t matter how a lot you like your weblog – should you’re working nonstop, you’ll get drained.

What helped:

• Setting work hours (and sticking to them).
• Taking actual breaks – like full weeks off.
• Outsourcing duties I didn’t get pleasure from or that took me too lengthy (like tech stuff, graphic design, or modifying).

Boundaries helped me get pleasure from running a blog once more and dwell the life I really wished.

The perfect funding I made was in myself

I used to suppose investing in instruments or programs was dangerous.

At first, after I first began my weblog, spending $100 felt scary. However over time, I spotted that the most important returns got here from investing in myself and this enterprise.

That included:

• Taking programs that taught me about web optimization, Pinterest, Fb, and the other ways to monetize a weblog.
• Paying for skilled instruments which have saved me hours of time.
• Hiring assist so I might deal with creating content material (a job that I get pleasure from) as a substitute of burning out.

Should you’re scared to put money into your self, begin small, like shopping for your weblog area and your hosting.

Your weblog can begin small and nonetheless change every little thing

After I began this weblog, nobody was studying it. I didn’t have a “marketing strategy.” I used to be simply writing posts about budgeting, debt, and what I used to be doing.

However that small begin led to a enterprise I by no means might have imagined.

You don’t want:

• An enormous viewers
• Fancy photographs
• A viral launch

You simply want to start out. Write one useful submit. Then one other. And one other. Join along with your readers. Reply their questions. Maintain displaying up.

Success in running a blog isn’t about going viral. It’s about being helpful, reliable, and constant.

What’s subsequent for me

After greater than a decade of running a blog, I’m at some extent in my life and enterprise the place I really feel financially safe. I’ve hit my model of economic independence (FIRE – Monetary Independence, Retire Early).

That doesn’t imply I’m quitting work fully (I get pleasure from what I do an excessive amount of for that).

But it surely does imply I’m altering how I work.

My objective now could be to work much less – with out sacrificing the full-time earnings I’ve constructed. I need extra sluggish days, extra time exterior, extra adventures with my household.

And in relation to this weblog, I plan to spend my time doing the elements I like most:

• Writing and sharing useful, sincere weblog posts that actually join with readers.
• Answering emails and messages from individuals in my group.

I’ve realized that I don’t must say sure to every little thing.

I’ll be focusing much less on the busy work and extra on what issues. That’s the liberty this weblog has given me.

Lately, I’m extra targeted on working smarter, doing what I get pleasure from, and preserving issues easy. I’m not making an attempt to develop as quick as doable – I simply need to maintain serving to readers, share what I study, and benefit from the freedom this weblog has created for me.

Advisable studying: How I Created a Life That Doesn’t Revolve Round Work

Need to begin a weblog?

If running a blog is one thing you’re interested by, I 100% encourage you to present it a attempt.

You don’t should be tech-savvy. You don’t want an enormous social media following.

In order for you assist getting began, I’ve a free running a blog course that over 80,000 individuals have taken. It walks you thru the best way to:

• Arrange your weblog.
• Select a subject to jot down about.
• Write useful content material.
• Begin incomes from internet affiliate marketing, adverts, and extra.

You possibly can be a part of right here: Free How To Begin A Weblog Course

From Aspect Hustle to Freedom: What I’ve Realized After 10+ Years of Running a blog – Abstract

I began this weblog with one little objective: repay my pupil loans. I didn’t even suppose I’d become profitable from my weblog; I merely wished to study extra concerning the other ways to make more money and study from the monetary running a blog group.

What I received was a lot greater than that.

Running a blog gave me freedom. It helped me go away a job that wasn’t making me blissful. It allowed me to create a enterprise I like, one which helps my household and provides me time to be current in my life.

It additionally gave me confidence. I by no means considered myself as a author or an entrepreneur. However by means of running a blog, I realized to belief myself – to attempt new issues, to fail, to develop, and to maintain going.

Should you’re interested by beginning a weblog, right here’s my recommendation:

• Begin now. Don’t wait till it’s excellent.
• Be sincere. Share your actual experiences.
• Give attention to serving to others.
• Keep constant, even when it feels sluggish.

You by no means know the place it’d take you.

What’s your greatest objective proper now? I’d love to listen to about it!

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