Blogging

Apr

How to Make Money Blogging (and how not to)

Me, blogging and smiling away

I have gotten more and more emails lately from folks thinking about blogging asking for advice on how to make money blogging. It is very difficult for me to answer each of these emails personally, so I figured I’d do a post about it today. (So if you’ve been directed to this post by me, you now know why!)

What you Should Know Before Starting a Coupon Blog

Can I be completely candid? Perfectly honest? When I hear someone’s wanting to start up a coupon blog and the first question they ask me is how to earn money, I cringe. I truly do not believe that in most cases it’s a good idea anymore.

With so many coupon blogs out there, the market is growing saturated (if it’s not already). This means you’ll need to work exceptionally hard to compete with the blogs that people are already out there reading. (Goodness knows a constant struggle I have is to keep coming up with content that’s a step ahead!) A better question than “how do I make money with a coupon blog?” might be “what different voice can I contribute to gain traffic and unique following?” I hope that this comes across in the nicest way possible – I don’t care to dash anyone’s dreams of blogging about coupons, certainly. But if your goal is to make money, you need to think about how exactly you plan on offering something different. Some newer blogs that are making traction are coupon blogs with a specific bent – for instance, a gluten-free coupon blog or a kosher coupon blog. Blogs that are working to build a niche within a niche.

So my challenge to you would be this: do a good soul search and ask yourself if you want to write a blog because you love writing and helping others or if it’s just because you need the cash. If you can honestly say it’s because you have a love of writing and sharing with others first, proceed. If you just need the cash, skip ahead – I’ve some additional thoughts for you, too.

How I make Money

As you know, I’m pretty frank about how I make money around here. To review:

I serve and sell ads
I have affiliate relationships (Amazon, Groupon, Coupons.com and so forth)
On rare occasion, I write sponsored posts or host sponsored promotions
On some occasions, I’ve landed freelancing clients & jobs via my blog
I teach coupon classes
And other odds and ends

You might be surprised to learn that I don’t get paid for my coupon matchup posts – arguably one of the most labor intense things that happens on the blog. That being said, I do work to build mutually beneficial relationships with the brands that I care about and post regularly. For instance, Fred Meyer didn’t pay me to do a holiday post, but they did give $900 in gift cards to deserving families in the community. Another one of my store partners regularly provides me with social promotion in exchange for writing about them. As a blogger, I find stuff like this provides value beyond compensation.

However, such brand relationships are NOT built overnight. A blog isn’t as simple as “if you build it, they will come.” It takes hard work, persistence, creativity, and a bit of luck, quite frankly.

As far as making money goes, this too will involve some experimentation and hard work. If I can offer a word of advice on the topic, it’s this: don’t promote something you yourself wouldn’t buy. Not only will it be a waste of time and effort on your part, it might well undermine the credibility you desperately need to foster with your readers!

Making Money from Home

At the start of this post, I asked you frankly if this is more an issue about needing cash. I do have some thoughts for you.

If you are passionate about couponing, might I suggest becoming a couponing instructor? Quite frankly, there seems to be a bigger need for this than blogs! You can certainly charge for coupon classes. For more information on this route, please check out my Coupon Class Posts 1, 2, and 3. You can also see how I’ve structured my coupon class fees for an idea of what’s worked for me. A word here – don’t feel guilted into teaching people how to do this for free! If you feel you want to, fine. But as for me, I give so much away here for free that I can’t justify additional time away from my family without charging. (Not to mention gas, childcare, and other expenses that go into my classes.)

Another route that not many people have tapped is becoming a contributor on an existing blog. Many bloggers are looking for help – people that can run to the stores and do price checks, build content, and more. I am not currently looking for contributors, but I did last year! Watch for open calls, or consider inquiring with some of your favorite bloggers when they might be hiring.

I once ran a series highlighting folks who worked at home and made money from it. If you missed that series, please head to my Post Series page and scroll down for the Work at Home features. There truly are many options of making money legitimately at home!

I still want to learn more about blogging

I’ve written quite a bit on the topic of blogging since it’s near and dear to my heart. Some of those posts:

I should also mention that I’m sometimes asked things by email that I don’t feel OK sharing such as can I help someone brainstorm a blog name or if I can share some of my contacts or if I can meet up for coffee. Please note that while I’m happy to share some things, others I consider proprietary. And maybe others? I should probably be charging you for my time as a professional copywriter/marketer to consult with you.

Beyond that, I HIGHLY recommend the blog Blogging with Amy for practical, step-by-step advice on how to start and run a money making blog.

I love blogging, and I’m so grateful I’ve found a path to work from home. But it wasn’t easy and I’ve said it before – it took 8 months before I saw my first check. It was $100. That is a lot of hours for $100! I hope that if you’re still considering starting that coupon blog you’ll start with a business plan and a realistic understanding of what’s involved.

Other bloggers, I’d love for you to weigh in. What advice would you give someone thinking of starting a blog for business? And if you are a reader of blogs, what are your thoughts about seeing new coupon blogs pop up – are you inclined to read them? Where do you feel there are gaps that new blogs could seek to fill?

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Feb

30 Lessons I’ve Learned About Blogging

(photo credit)

This month is my three year blogiversary. So much of what I’ve learned has been by doing, and taking risks. Have I had some fails? Of course I have. But those fails have also made for some pretty valuable teachers.

Today I wanted to share some of my reflections on blogging with you. I’ve learned some of these things by getting it right the first time – and many by the quite the other way around.

1. People read blogs to connect. Make your personality shine through.

2. Bloggers frequently struggle with jealousy. If you don’t deal with it quickly, bitterness will grow. Keep your heart in check.

3. While a conversational tone is a good thing, remember this is a blog. ’s and LOLs are best reserved for texting your BFF.

4. Don’t just run the spell check. READ YOUR POST ALOUD. You will catch errors you would have easily missed otherwise.

5. Be judicious in publishing posts that are nothing more than “rants.”

6. There’s networking, and then there’s annoying. Don’t be annoying.

7. Don’t underestimate the power of a well-written guest post.

8. Remember to promote others with no strings attached. It’ll come back around.

9. Imitation is not the highest form of flattery when it comes to blogging. Don’t do it.

10. You always have the power to change your blog if you don’t like it. You also have the power to change your mind.

11. A small group of loyal, engaged readers is always better than quick traffic from indifferent, one-time visitors.

12. As your blog grows, some will not be too thrilled with your success. So remember this: cater to the people who like you, not the ones who don’t.

13. Make sure to take the time to read other blogs, in your niche, and particularly beyond your niche.

14. Use caution in what you share with other bloggers about your ideas, plans, and strategies. It’s OK to keep some things close to your chest.

15. The most successful bloggers are smart business owners.

16. If you’re thinking of starting a blog and your first question is “how can I set up ads?” you likely need to pick something else to do.

17. Once you have traffic the challenge will be to keep it. Readers are less loyal than you’d think.

18. Enlist the help of others if you need it.

19. You own the blog. The blog does not own you. If you feel it does at any point, take a step back from the computer and reassess.

20. Be careful what you promise your readers. It’s better to under-promise and “wow” them than over-promise and fall short.

21. It’s OK to admit you’re a human. In fact, it may make you more endearing. Some of my most trafficked posts involved “fails” or “misadventures.”

22. You do need to pay attention to the design and layout of your blog. Remember that visiting a blog is first a visual experience.

23. If you’re not sure you should post it, sleep on it.

24. Be careful about working for big brands for free.

25. If your blog starts to generate an income, make sure to set up your accounting records and bank account in an orderly way. Reconcile your statements monthly. Set aside money for tax time.

26. Make time to get to know some bloggers offline. You might just like some of them. Plus, getting away from the computer isn’t a bad thing.

27. TAKE TIME TO UNPLUG. Give yourself good chunks of the day, or maybe one day a week, where you remain offline. Go for a walk, play with your kids, take a nap, read a book.

28. Blogger’s butt is a very real thing. It ain’t pretty.

29. Bad stuff will happen. Plan on it. There will be nasty comments left, drama between bloggers you’ll somehow get sucked into, your blog will get hacked, you’ll forget to do something really important like Albertsons matchups (God forbid), or you’ll accidentally delete a post you just spent a day and a half working on. When these things happen, take a deep breath, step away from the computer, and perhaps sleep on it. Trust me, you’ll forget about it as soon as the next good thing happens to you. Because those things will happen too.

30. Learn how to schedule some posts the night before so you don’t have a “mad rush” to post stuff first thing in this morning. Case in point, this post which was written last night at 9:30.

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This post may contain affiliate links. When you use them, you support this site. Thank you!

Sep

Blogging ethics: behind the scenes at The Coupon Project

(Image credit Jan Flaska)

There is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart, and I’ve debated for some time on if or how I want to share it with you. Today, I’ve decided to go for it.

The topic? YOU.

Awhile ago, I decided to write a set of values that would govern the content on this blog and the way I would conduct myself here. The first value I penned was this:

“Offer content that provides value to the readers first.”

Bottom line, living out this value has meant I’ve left money on the table. The relationship I’ve built with my readers here will win every time over a quick buck. Why am I sharing this today? Because I want you to know how committed I am to providing you the very best content I can here at The Coupon Project. I also wanted to give you an inside look at how I decide which deals and content to post, and which to leave well enough alone.

#1. You can count on me to listen to you. There are a few affiliate offers I’ve promoted in the past that initially felt like win-win situations. They seemed like legitimate deals, and yes, I made a few bucks in the process. However, when you tell me that you had serious problems with the company, that the freebie was less than stellar, or you wouldn’t recommend the deal to a friend…I listen. I can think of two specific offers I’ve not posted in recent days that would have undoubtedly earned me a nice lil’ paycheck…but I wouldn’t have felt right about promoting to you. In both of these instances, I’ve shared specific feedback with affiliate managers about what you had to say. Behind the scenes, you can count on me to stick out my neck for you.

#2. When there are no deals, I stay silent. If deals are light, I’m not going to try to drum up deals that just aren’t there. I don’t want to speak just to make noise. I may choose to fill in with tutorials, vlogs, or giveaways, but I’m not about to pass off an Amazon non-deal as something truly awesome.

#3. You can count on me to disclose. I make a best effort to disclose shipping costs, fine print, and other information integral in giving you a full picture of a deal. I’m not into trickery to get you to click on my links. I’ve also been very forthcoming in how I make money here. And, you know what? I’d do so regardless if the FTC required it or not. (Read my Disclosure Policy for more information.)

#4. I started this blog because I love to write. When I started this blog, I spent several months developing content before I took out my business license and began the monetization process. I write many posts here (such as this one) that don’t earn me a single cent. I write these for the pure joy of writing. My degree was in English/Creative Writing and my Senior Project was a short story series. I worked as a freelance copywriter a couple years before I started this site (I still do work as a copywriter on the side, too). I’ve been a storyteller as long as I can remember.

I’m not going to lie - it’s great being able to support my family with what I love to do – but it’s also great when I receive comments from you saying how my post brightened your day, made you laugh, or inspired you to live better. That means so much to me.

#5. While I love your support, I’m not a charity case. Let me make this clear: you owe me NOTHING. While I would love it for you to click on my Coupons.com or Groupon links, you are not obligated to do so. Ever. I’m not going to encourage you to help me earn an iPad by bringing me a zillion referrals. I’m not going to beg you to share my Facebook page with your friends so I can hit some magic number. I want you to share my site and my posts because you genuinely like them. Isn’t that the entire point of social media anyway?

If you’ve ever wondered about the decision-making process involved in content development here, I hope I’ve been able to shed some light on that topic for you! And I’ll do my best to answer additional questions if you have them.

Finally, thank you for your honest feedback, comments, and emails. Rest assured, I listen.

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Jul

Back from the Savvy Blogging Summit, Colorado

I thought I’d take a little bit of time out to share the great time I had in Colorado attending the Savvy Blogging Summit.

The location? Was amazing. I’d never been to Colorado, so you can imagine my delight waking up to this stunning view every day.

The sessions were geared to bloggers who have turned what they do into full-fledged businesses: SEO, Accounting, working with PR, branding, and more. For me the best part was getting to meet and hang out with many fantastic bloggers.

Here I am (right) with Angela from Frugal Living NW.

And I also got to meet Andrea from Savings Lifestyle.

The PNW region was WELL represented:

(From left to right: Queen Bee Coupons, Frugal Living NW, Coupon Connections, Thrifty NW Mom, Happy Money Saver, Because More is More, and yours truly.)

As professional as we all are, yes, there may have been a little silliness involved.

Is attending a blog conference right for me?

If you’ve never attended a conference like this, you might want to consider doing so! I think it might be worth considering if:

You are feeling isolated and want the opportunity to meet like-minded bloggers.
You are interested in growing your blog’s traffic and/or income.
You treat your blog as a business, and not just a hobby.
You’re wondering about trends in blogging and how you might take your blog to the next level.

For additional blogger takeaways from this year’s Summit, check out the link up at Savvy Blogging. You might also follow the site for updates on the 2012 conference.

If you have any questions on attending a blog conference, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer. As a reference point, I also have attended BlogHer (’10 in NYC). I would also love to hear from you if you’ve attended a conference yourself and what you might have gotten out of it.

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May

Bloggers: thinking of moving to WordPress from Blogger?

Bloggers, if you’re looking to move your site from Blogger to WordPress, I wanted to share a possible way you could do so and save money at the same time. My good pal Sharon Hujik has recently released her comprehensive, clearly written e-book called Blogger to WordPress.

Why would someone want to move from Blogger?

While Blogger is free and quick to set up, it definitely has its limitations, particularly for those who wish to grow and customize their sites. Blogger also has a reputation for deeming some very legitimate sites as “SPAM” and shutting them down. Those of you with Blogger blogs may have experienced frustration last week as there was extended downtime. I am personally on self-hosted WordPress and have enjoyed the freedom and control it has allowed me.

It can be expensive to pay someone to migrate your site, so you might want to consider doing it yourself. Sharon’s e-book is $35, but you can use promo code timeforwp to save 20%. Even if you are not particularly tech savvy, I think you’ll find Sharon’s clear cut directions and helpful images will get you from Blogger to WordPress easily and smoothly. Topics include finding a host, migrating your site, understanding plug-ins, and much more. You can also download the preview which includes the Table of Contents free.

Sharon is personally my go-to tech gal and I can’t recommend her enough. She has helped hundreds of bloggers move to WordPress, so knows her stuff. If this is something you’ve been considering doing but didn’t know where to start - check out her e-book!

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Mar

Blogging Series: Managing your Time

I started a series on blogging in February and am finally wrapping it up today by talking about how to manage your time. This is actually the most difficult post I’ve written in this series because I often feel this is an area I lack in.

That being said, today I’d like to discuss some of the ways blogging can eat your time and what you can do about it. I would also love to open up the comment thread to hear from you.

Where did my time go?

Some people suppose that blogging is nothing more than finding a deal, slapping it up, and calling it a day. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Here is a list of activities I’ve done related to my blog in the past two weeks:

Coordinated details for a giveaway.
Had an interview for a local online magazine.
Scheduled a meeting with representatives from a local business.
Encouraged fellow bloggers who received negative comments.
Chatted with a friend about the possibility of helping me with my site.
Negotiated vendor space for an upcoming event.
Emailed the food bank to schedule more coupon classes.
Held a live webcast.
Filed my taxes.
Participated in a bloggers’ Twitter party.
Brainstormed a few ideas for upcoming post series (yes, more are coming).
Met with PR to discuss possible collaborative projects.
Emailed one of my affiliates about a possible issue with links not working.
Read and commented on a number of posts across a number of niches.
Set up my LinkedIn profile and began making connections.
Oh yeah, and found deals and posted about them.

The above list isn’t comprehensive, either. I am not sharing this to have you feel sorry for me. I’m sharing this because I want to illustrate how all-consuming a blog can become. I fully understand that your list may vary greatly depending on your niche, the size of your traffic, your purpose in blogging, and other factors.

What Can be Done?

I believe it’s important to take a proactive approach to managing your time online. Here are my best thoughts for you on this topic.

#1. Set up a routine. Savvy Blogging had a post a few months back called “the Daily 7.” The idea is that every day you approach your blog, email, and social media sites in a systematic way. In this regard you tackle one thing at a time, and in order. Depending on your blog, you may have a daily 4, a daily 8, or a daily 5.

#2. Set up work hours. This is actually something my doctor suggested to me after I had my brief meltdown a couple weeks ago. When you work from home, particularly if you are a work-at-home parent, the lines between work and home can really blur. This has been true for me. My work never leaves me. This means I have to make a conscious effort to leave it.

#3. Enlist help. I realized a few weeks ago I can’t do this alone anymore. My traffic has just about doubled since last year and with that, more emails, more opportunities, and more stuff that just has to get done. If you find you get there, too, consider who you might ask to help. A loyal reader? A friend? A former colleague? A virtual assistant? Or perhaps you could team up with another blogger in some capacity?

#4. Figure out what can go. One of my favorite quotes is this ancient Chinese proverb: “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in eliminating the nonessentials.” I have lots of good ideas and lots of good intentions, but at the end of the day, I can’t act on them all. I’ve eliminated some of my weekly features here in order to keep up with the coupon matchups. I’ve paired down my twice-monthly webcasts to once-monthly. I’ve stopped actively seeking writing clientele (yeah…I actually own a copywriting business in addition to this blog). Determine what you can let go.

#5. Be careful to not overcommit. Speaking from experience, you don’t want to promise more than you can deliver to your readers. Don’t tell them every Monday you’ll have some funny story, every Tuesday a killer post on photography, every Wednesday a giveaway, etc etc. Even if these things seem like small posts on the offset, you’d be surprised at the amount of pressure they can add to your life. Be selective in what you promise.

#6. Make time offline. You’ve probably noticed from time to time I take breaks. I aim to have at least one day a week I do something special with my kids, even if it’s just taking them out to lunch and to the library. At least a few times a week, I make an effort to shut down the laptop and just sit with my husband and watch a movie or read a book. If you’re like me, you might find it helpful to schedule time off the computer like this.

A word about Smartphones

Before I end this post, I thought I’d share that I don’t own a Smartphone. I have a basic cell phone with a phone plan that’s super cheap (check out PureTalk if you’re looking for a great deal by the way). I know some of you might laugh, but I know something about me. I know that I can really, really struggle with knowing when to walk away from the computer and this blog. I am afraid having a Smartphone will mean having that world constantly accesible to me, and I am unsure how I could handle that temptation. So for right now, no Smartphone for me.

Now that might not be a temptation at all for you, but if you struggle in this area, I challenge you to turn the phone off when you don’t need it, turn the laptop off when you aren’t using it, or close out of the social media sites when you really need to dig in and get some work done. Find ways to eliminate temptations to sap your time.

As for me? I’m off to turn off my computer and hang with my kids.

Do you struggle with managing your time? Please share what’s helped you, too!

Thanks for joining me for this blogging series. I hope it has been useful to you. Here are the other posts, in case you’ve missed any:

Photo credit Graham Biggs

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Blogging Series: The Emotional Cost of Blogging

March 9, 2011

Last month, I ran a series on blogging that I ran out of time to complete. I wanted to conclude the series with a post on time management (ironic, I know), but it occurred to me last week there was a topic I wanted to share my heart on first. A Startling Discovery When I [...]

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Blogging Series: 6 Ways to Improve Your Posts

February 28, 2011

This afternoon, I’d like to continue the series I started on blogging by sharing some of my best tips for improving your posts. Writing for the Web….is different First, understand that writing for the web is different than writing an essay for your college class or in your journal. It’s just not as easy on [...]

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How to follow bloggers on Twitter

February 24, 2011

Twitter. Some people love it, others hate it. Me? I’ve been on the fence for awhile. But one day I realized I had few hundred folks who have chosen to follow me there, and so I better do something about it! Today, I thought I’d share with you how I use Twitter. Whether you are [...]

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Blogging Series: Be Nice (AKA Blogger Etiquette)

February 22, 2011

Today I’m continuing the blogging series I launched in February by spending some time talking about what I’ve learned about blogging etiquette. As a reminder, I’ve spent some time on this topic in honor of my two year blogiversary and also given the amount of emails I’ve gotten asking blogging-related questions over the past few [...]

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