How blogging works or doesn’t work for me
Two weeks ago I wrote a post about the truth behind our home.. It has gotten mostly a very large amount of good responses and I was touched by how many people of you reached out to me. It really does feel good to know that people can relate and it shows that we should all be more open with each other so we can connect more.
Speaking of being more open… some of you mentioned they’d love to read about how blogging works for me. One thing is clear after you guys read that above-mentioned post. It certainly doesn’t make me rich nor could I survive on it would I be a single mom? My husband is the breadwinner in the family, that’s for sure. It is really strange for me to talk openly about this. Imagine you would have to talk publicly about your income or where it comes from exactly in detail. I mean nobody really wants to talk about it.
Blogging comes with certain perks as you guys all know since you read blogs.
The number one perk for me is being home with my kids and being there when they need me. This is closely followed by the fact that I have always loved design, decorating, and crafting which creates another perk of being able to make your house look nicer while writing about it. My hobby of making things turned into something a little more.
But unfortunately, to be able to make a little bit of money, I need to do a lot more things than just make pretty things and inspire. There is so much stuff involved behind the scenes. Those things drain me and a lot of times take the joy out of it for me. It’s frustrating and a lot of times unknown territory because there aren’t many people who can help you. I’ve been sitting on the computer way too much and it’s taken me away from having fun and working on projects.
I want to talk a little bit more about all of it today.
How blogging works or doesn’t work for me
This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
View my full disclosure policy.
I’m only going to write about how I like doing things and I hope there aren’t people who will take it the wrong way and see it as me crucifying the way other people blog. To each, their own and it doesn’t mean one way is the right way. Most of the time I feel like I’m doing everything wrong anyways because I don’t show the same growth or success as other people. That’s where the comparison game can creep up again that I talked about.
Blogging has changed a whole lot since I started and it has become more and more difficult to be in any way successful. People who spend more money have the possibility to make more money but I guess that’s the same way everywhere isn’t it? I still do pretty much everything myself which means I’m limited and spread very thin across the board. I don’t have a virtual assistant like so many of my friends do although I have been thinking about getting one someday. I’m just not sure what things I would hand off. It scares me to lose control over things and also I’m scared to get ripped off when I pay someone by the hour because I don’t actually know if they are being truthful.
Having some help would mean I could create more and have more DIY projects and content. I’m so bad at business decisions.
Anyways, I do pay for some scheduling services for Pinterest, along with email services. We bloggers all have to pay for hosting, blog maintenance and repairs unless we know how to do it ourselves and I’m not one of those techy women at all. That stuff gives me hives. I have so many monthly fees regarding online services connected to my blog and I’m not going to name them all because you get the picture.
Some days all I do is struggle with other websites and content scrapers which is such a frustrating waste of time. There are so many sites out there who just take a photo or in the worst case scrape entire blog posts and post them to their own sites. Then you have to report them which is so time-consuming. So many people don’t play nice. You do a blogger a huge favor if you let them know when you come across a photo that you recognize that isn’t credited properly. Other big websites bank on the small creator’s content by pinning the images from their website to Pinterest and getting all the traffic from that which leads me to the first way bloggers make money…
Pageviews and Ads
Most bloggers make money according to the daily/monthly pageviews they have. We can sign up with ad networks who do the ad placement for you and get a portion of the income or some try to do this themselves as well. I am certainly happy to be with a fabulous ad network because doing this yourself is awfully difficult.
Ad networks are a great thing and make our lives a lot easier. But with all the shifts and changes in blogging and social media, the majority of our pageviews has gone down significantly across the board. Why is that? Well because now Facebook and Pinterest who used to be some of our biggest pageview referrers changed things drastically. Our followers don’t see our content anymore the way they used to which is mostly because they want to make money from us as well. If we pay… enough people see our content. Which is also understandable but not doable for most small businesses and blogs. It’s also not fair considering that we worked hard to get our followers and shouldn’t have to pay that the people who follow us see our content. To accumulate new followers yes but old ones? No.
If you want to do a blogger a favor, well… pinning their content is still the way to go. If a lot of people pin from your site for a certain post then Pinterest sees that your page matters. That happened to me one time in a big way and that’s it. Never happened again.
Do you guys remember my “Favorite Painting Tips and Tricks” post (click HERE to see it if you missed it). Well you guys saved it a lot to Pinterest and see the spike below? It had a crazy impact on my Pinterest analytics. I guess Pinterest saw my site as something relevant that day. It was pretty epic but usually it’s not that great. Everything went back to the usual pretty much right after.
Some of my most pinned images aren’t even from my home. They are photos I took while touring other show homes.
Well one of my own most pinned images is definitely our bedroom (click HERE for the post).
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Sponsored Posts
I do sponsored posts sometimes when the content fits in. I don’t like to do many sponsored posts because there are too many rules involved coming from the companies. A lot of times it feels forced and unnatural to me. I don’t want to have guidelines about what I should talk about and what not. They used to be a lot easier but lately brands have so many blogs to chose from and the rules and restrictions they come up with are just too exhausting.
If you’ve been following me for a long time then you know that I don’t do a lot of sponsored content. I do those types of blog posts if the brand fits in with my family and home and I really love the company and have lasting relationships with them. Those are really great and genuine.
Bloggers do have to legally disclose if they received something for free or were compensated to write about it. I’m not sure if you guys knew that.
Sponsored posts really are a very small part of my blog.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Affiliate Links
In case you don’t know what they are, they are links placed inside blog posts and when you click over to the item, we bloggers make a small amount on that sale. I disclose that in all of my posts if I placed any and we bloggers are legally required to do so.
Affiliate links are actually my favorite because they don’t bother anyone. By that I mean they really aren’t in your face like ads or even the raving about a product in a sponsored post. Yes, some people get annoyed with them and fear that we make too much money but trust me I don’t. There is the potential to make a nice amount of money with affiliates, especially when you are a fashion blogger because people are more inclined to buy a new pair of shoes, outfit or accessories but how many people buy a new couch or bed or other large home decor items? You buy one every couple of years maybe but that’s it, right? The only thing you might buy more often are pillows but definitely not at the rate most people buy clothes. Home decor blogging is an area where the affiliate income is definitely restricted. I certainly wish it wouldn’t be.
What always baffles me though is how aggravated some people get by affiliate links while most people don’t have a problem knowing that the person who helped them at Pottery Barn, West Elm or other stores are making a commission on their purchase. They don’t need to carry a sign announcing that they make a commision on the purchase either like bloggers do. But for whatever reason a lot of people are bothered by the fact that a blogger makes a small commission on a sale. And believe me those commissions aren’t nearly as big as the commissions the sales staff gets at a store. Let me show you what my affiliate application looks like on most days on my phone.
There are worse days and sometimes better days.
And like I mentioned above it’s mostly small decor items and the commissions are small dollar amounts. $17.78 was a better day.
$129.59 in 7 days is about $18.5 per day in average. I’m always baffled when I hear about bloggers that make a large amount in affiliate sales because it’s still a mystery to me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to miss that part of blog income, but I seriously wonder what I’m doing wrong sometimes.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
My Etsy Shop
(click HERE)
That part of my little business ends up being more of a hassle most of the time than lucrative. I’ll leave it at that. I’ve tried to sell more downloads because they are easier to manage but there are too many fish in the sea already and it just doesn’t do all that well.
Selling furniture on Etsy didn’t work out at all. As a small business you just can’t keep up with the shipping costs of larger companies.
The image below was of my most popular item in my Etsy shop ever. I only had one but I still get questions about it to this day all the time even though it was years ago. (click HERE fort see makeover post)
You can see more of my furniture makeovers by clicking HERE. Most of them were sold in my Etsy shop. Since my husband has a motorcycle now, I don’t have room in the garage for furniture makeovers anymore but I do miss working and painting in my garage. It was a fun creative escape.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Some of you may also wonder why a lot of my posts are plastered with links to old posts or items inside my home. Well, a majority of people heading to my blog still come from Google and Pinterest and they’ve never read my blog and are there to just read about one post. They would email me with questions about where I bought something or where the previous post to that particular post is. So in order to minimize those questions people have, I just link to everything. I know that annoys some people who regularly read my blog because it’s redundant and they’ve seen and read it so many times. But for me it is necessary to write posts that way to have less work in the future.
Did this all make sense to you guys? It really feels odd to me to talk talk about this stuff. It’s not like I get together with friends and talk about specific ways they make their income. But bloggers get scrutinized so many times. I can’t even count anymore how many people have said to me “oh good for you, you received a free sofa, I wish that would happen to me” (which only happened once by the way). I totally understand that some people feel frustrated by this stuff on blogs because it doesn’t happen in regular life that you just receive a sofa but the sofa didn’t pay my bills. Other people get Christmas bonuses and such and I wish people could just see it as my bonus that year. A bonus which I have to announce to everyone and it leaves me kind of embarrassed because I know how much it frustrates people.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
So chances are that I’m annoying readers with any one of the above mentioned methods of making money as a blogger but that comes with the territory because I have to make money somehow to make this blog work. And it definitely has to be a combination of all of the things mentioned.
For me a lot of things are still a guessing game when it comes to my blog. I try to follow my instincts. Blogs and social media is always evolving and I feel like I’m never ahead of the game. I am lucky enough to get some acknowledgement here and there which keeps me going. But being on your own this way makes me worry about the future. There is no solid plan, no steady growth and no way of knowing this will work for me in the future. It’s all in the dark.
My husband read this post tonight and told me that I worried too much about annoying people and what other people thought. But when you put yourself out there like this you become vulnerable and can’t help but think that way.
Soooo that’s that and I hope it gave you a little inside view of what a small blog has to do.
And coming winter season, I will be working part time again at the local ski resort. So skiing becomes more affordable for my family 😉
Tschüß,
It’s annoying how much of “blogging” time is spent doing things that aren’t blogging (or diy-ing or decorating), isn’t it?! In a perfect world, there’d be no ads or affiliate links or worrying about social media, but, alas, that is not the world we live in!
It is Gretchen and it is hard to explain to people who don’t blog without appearing like a complainer. I always feel like I’m completely wandering in a jungle not knowing where to turn and what to do next.
i think you do such a great job with your blog! i feel mine sinking again. and i get burnt out on the background stuff as well as the non-community and market saturation these days! i need to be more like you! 🙂
You definitely don’t need to be more like me. Your blog is amazing! And I think we all get the sinking feeling.
I wonder if the market is getting over saturated? I follow you & Carrie, and have actually gone through and cleaned out my emails. I sell vintage at vintage markets & fleas. That market is over done right now.
I love this post so much Julia! It is SO hard these days and I’m totally with you! The passion keeps me going but it is definitely hard not to get discouraged! You are amazing!
Thanks Summer. I’m far from amazing. There are days where I almost feel paralyzed because of all the things I should get done behind the scene. I don’t know how to describe it. Especially for people who don’t know how blogging works. And the uncertainty of not knowing where this will lead is making me really antsy.
Thanks for posting this. I am a new blogger plus working full time and it is really hard to learn everything. Your blog is one of my favorites. I love how you keep everything real. I will always be a fan.
I thought this “behind-the-scenes” look at blogging and the financial aspect was very interesting. I also think that most people understand that blogs are a “business” now and you should not feel guilty for having arrangements that suit your business model and benefit you. If you didn’t have that, the blog would end! So it should be viewed as a positive, not a negative. Anyone who complains is probably the type that complains about everything online. 😉
Don’t let the jerks get you down!
You have a fantastic blog.
I’m going to agree with your husband…don’t worry what the naysayers think. I follow your blog because I like your creativity. I like to read blogs to see what other people create. Your taste is very different from mine…I don’t think I could handle so much white, too hard to keep clean, but I love looking at it!
Personally I get tired of the Blue Apron, Mrs. Meyers sponsored type posts, but I understand why bloggers need it. I like having links, it saves me from having to try and find it myself!
You are very creative and very unique, Julia! Your blog is excellent! Keep the good work!
Thank you for being honest & open about the blogging world….more than others have been.
I started following lots…of bloggers so I can see how to blog. I wanted to start a blog. Now 3 years later, I’m still
” researching ” . And I have thin’d out the ones I follow quite a bit.
I’m mostly upset over the blogs that seem to concentrate on selling or give aways…
Sharing your true cost and numbers makes you real to readers.
I feel I just need to know how & who to contact when mechanical issues happen to gain more confidence.
Stay, keep your blog please. I enjoy it, others do too!
Thank you for this post. I follow your blog because you are an authentic voice. I am grateful you are willing to share your life with your readers. I admire you for making your work fit in with your family’s needs – you will never regret being available for your children. I like that you do not pretend “perfect.” (Does anyone believe perfect anyway?) I am glad you shared the importance of pinning. Now that I know, I will pin all your posts! I also live in the Lehigh Valley and am really excited when you mention something local. Happy blogging!
Yours is the only blog I’ve ever read. Somehow I found it through your posts on Facebook about your “cat walks” in your backyard years ago. I feel like I’ve been watching your family grow up as well as being amazed by your skills and creativity. (It would never occur to me that I could hook up a brand new faucet for my sink!) I hope you continue with blogging and sharing your story. It’s a good one. You’ve been taking care of your kid by sacrificing to take them on annual trips to Germany to see relatives and to learn their German heritage. I’ve been so impressed. Living in a duplex must be difficult for anyone. Perhaps you could buy it and rent it out to people you like. Best of luck with all of it! I’m praying for you!
I’m not a blogger, so it’s interesting to learn everything that goes on behind the scenes. And none of the linking or sponsorship bothers me. 🙂
I also found you through your catio post years ago, but I stayed because I love your style and your Germany posts and your DIYs. I don’t mind reading bigger blogs, but there comes a point when they no longer are personable or relatable, and I think yours still is.
Keep on doing what you’re doing, and I’ll keep on reading!
Perfectly said girl! I don’t have a VA either and am trying to do it all myself but I feel spread thin. Honestly, I kept nodding my head yes to everything you said. And, totally agree with your hubby btw.
I want more time for projects again 🙁
Such a great post Julia! I also hate that all the behind-the-scenes crap takes SO much time (and it feels at times we have so little to show for it, as necessary as it all is). I don’t think people realize just how much time is involved, as it is far more than throwing up a post that took an hour to write 😉 Your explanations of all the monetization options are perfect. I, too, have started to say ‘no’ to more and more brands lately, because I’ve found in many cases it isn’t worth the time (or money) if it isn’t a great fit!
Thanks Sarah
Hey Julia,
thank you for this nice post of the behind the scenes. I am no blogger, but your blog is one of my favorites to follow. I think you have so good taste, and do all this amazing job of decorating your home (I am always trying to learn how people get to have so good eye for these things). I actually came to know your blog through Pinterest once I was searching for great Ikeas Hacks (I really liked that post).
I wonder why you don’t offer interior design services. Isn’t that somewhat lucrative?
I would like to have someone (which would not be super expensive) go over some of my rooms and give me advice on how to improve the layout, whether the choice of pictures is appropriate (I always struggle with proportions), give examples of things that could increase the charm (should I buy more pillow? a furry thing? more knickknacks? should I mix the colors a bit more?). I guess one could work even remotely on something like that, right?
Hope you can get to draw much more joy on your work these days (and along the way also some money)!
I’m glad you liked my Ikea post. That reminds me that I want to go to Ikea again soon 😉
I actually used to offer online decorating help through my blog but took that off as an option because the hours I put into it weren’t worth it. It took so much time and most people wanted to nickel and dime me on everything. It was a ton of work for not enough pay. It sometimes takes a really long time to find the right size piece of furniture for a space 😉
Thanks for your insight into blogging. Most people don’t realize how much work and time it takes.
I know I didn’t. Reading blogs and seeing all the creativity is fun and inspires me to try to improve
my home. But you know that your family comes first and that is the best thing.
Thanks for your post, Julia and I agree with pretty much everything you say! The blogging landscape has changed to the point of being almost unrecognizable in the last 7 years since I started and it’s just so hard to keep up with it all – especially if you aren’t on a huge income (no, me neither) so it’s just so incredibly frustrating having to deal with so much all on your own. I don’t think most non-bloggers realise how much really goes on behind the scenes and how we are all just trying to figure it out as we go. I think you are doing an amazing job btw – your blog has always been one of my favourites, despite the fact I’m so behind on all my favourites these days because there just isn’t enough hours in the day! xxx