I first started blogging in 2012, I started on a free platform and began sharing my story. When I look back at those posts, they are painful to look at: short, quick little tidbits, that weren’t well composed and not so pleasing to the eye. I was positioned in the personal finance space and was really blogging about being in debt and trying to get a handle on my financial life. There was no thought of monetizing my blog, I was just doing…this random thing that sometimes I felt a little weird about. But, for some reason, I loved it. I loved the people that I met through blogging, the conferences and professional opportunities that opened up as a result of blogging, the personal accountability to continue focusing on my goals, and I loved hearing from the people who resonated with my project. But, as the years went by things changed and my friends began to make money with their blogs and were able to make significant changes to their lives. For me, I started to think about the possibilities and the problems that monetizing my blog would create. What if my blog lost its voice? What if I came across too salesy? Would I upset my readers? What on earth would I even sell? So, in this episode I share how to maintain your blogging voice when trying to make money with your blog. It’s possible and not as hard as it sounds.
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Show Affiliate and Resources
- I’m a huge fan and affiliate of Elite Blog Academy and the amazing community that Ruth Soukup has created to support EBA. If you’re thinking about starting your first blog or revitalizing your website check out EBA today. I’ve also included a link to the 120 Awesome Blog Post Ideas Resource to get you started or give you fresh ideas for content.
- Grab my resource Do It Ugly below-A free course on how to get started with your blog, podcast, book, or podcast without spending a ton of money.
Show Notes
- When you’re in the personal finance content creation space you spend a lot of time (hopefully) weighing the ethics of what you do. For example: I’m not against credit cards, but they are a financial tool that I currently don’t use. So, if I started sharing credit card affiliates to my audience it would be out of alignment with what I share and believe currently.
- Basically, just because I can possible earn around $250 a sign up as an affiliate doesn’t mean that I should do it.
- So, for a couple of years I really struggled with the following question “How to I monetize my content, maintain my blogging voice, and be in alignment with my brand?”
- The other issue that I struggled was-should I even make money doing what I do? It’s a reasonable question and there is no right or wrong answer. It’s highly personal. But, for me, it became increasingly clear that blocking coins that I could use to pay off debt, save money, and change my life-really didn’t make a lot of sense.
- But, some real talk, part of what worried me about monetization was that I found many highly monetized website SOOOOOO boring and dry. Yes, my question was answered, but why I originally visited your site-YOU-felt lost in the mix.
- As a result of this observation I continued to seek out a solution to the problem of lost blogging voice during monetization.
- During that time I began podcasting, I literally added my voice to my brand. NO, I’m telling you to podcast. I’m just saying that I took that step and I started podcasting about 3 years ago. I loved it but I was kind of just sharing random stories, people, and thoughts-all related to personal finance.
- This year I finally cracked the code to monetizing your website, saving your blog’s voice, and some best practices that may be helpful to you.
- At the time of this recording it’s almost 2020-while blogging is still an incredible way to grow a platform, build a brand, and make (some) money. You would be crazy if you didn’t add
- Audio content-podcast or pre-recorded audio
- Video Content-Vlog/Instastories/pre-recorded
- I didn’t lose my blogging voice because I literally added my voice to my content. And, before you freak out-again, I’m not telling you to start a podcast. Instead of starting a podcast you can do the following:
- Get interviewed on podcasts that relate to what you’re doing and the community that you’re growing. You will gain exposure to targeted audiences that are looking for answers to their problems.
- Say yes speaking gigs that make sense for you.
- Commit to regular Instastories/Facebook lives (or both) depending on where your community finds and connects with you.
- Instead of creating random content, I began really working on who my content avatar is-basically, who am I trying to reach with what I’m working on?
- I found win-win affiliates that helped my content avatars with whatever it is that they are working on right now.
- Consistency also became one of my top 3 areas of focus. I made sure to have at least one well thought out post that went out every Monday.
- I committed to a slight deviation from my original niche-I didn’t just want to write and talk about money because I found that energetically tiring. I like to share content on the following topics:
- Lifestyle and Lifestyle Design
- Mindset
- Woo Woo stuff
- Money
- Slow F.I.R.E.
- Online Entrepreneurship
- Colorado-which is why I have a website about it.
- By staying true to myself, even though it was hard, I was able to maintain my voice in my writing, podcast, and other content.
- It has not been lost on me that I have been able to do the following:
- Grow my passive income significantly
- Get me email list to grow. The most difficult email list that I’ve worked on has been my Michelle is Money Hungry list. My Autumn Stone Romance list and Square State lists always grow like crazy.
- The lesson that I’ve learned is this-you can monetize the work that you do, maintain your voice, and stay true to your mission. Blogging has changed and those of you who want to monetize what you do, now have a number of different avenues to achieve your goals without relying on the following monetization model
- Dry SEO posts that answer a question
- Instead create engaging evergreen posts that allow your personality to shine through. You will help others, attract your tribe, and continue to stay true to your blogging voice.
Tool Mentioned in the Show
- Ibotta-I love this savings app and I’m an affiliate. Grab the link and redeem your first savings and earn $10 towards your first $20 payout.
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[…] with my online activities. A couple of years ago, I began thinking about how to make money online without losing my blogging voice. It took forever to figure it out, but I think I have. Currently I am in the process of […]