This month marks my 13th year of blogging. I want to share with you how I feel about blogging after making over $5 million and working online for over 10 years. When I started blogging in August 2011, I had no idea what I was getting into. It was just a hobby at first. I want to talk about…
This month marks my 13th year of blogging. Having made over $5 million and worked online for over a decade, I wanted to share with you what I think about blogging.
When I started blogging in August 2011, I had no idea what I was jumping into. At first, it was just a hobby. I wanted to talk about personal finance and share my experiences. I didn’t know that I could actually make money from blogging.
Over time, my blog grew. I went from secretly blogging to having a community of readers who followed my journey. Blogging became a way of life for me. It allowed me to leave my day job and do what I love, and now I share my stories and tips with millions of readers every year.
Thirteen years ago I would never have imagined this!
And I’ve never been more grateful, especially recently.
Running my own business and working fewer hours allows me to spend a lot of free time with my husband and daughter.
My dream came true.
My blog has become a great business that allows me to enjoy my work, have a flexible schedule, and make a good living.
I was surprised at how little I knew about blogging when I started.
I’m not a techie and I’ve never considered myself a writer. I say this because many people think you need both to start a successful blog.
I started the blog in addition to my full-time job as a financial analyst, and about two years after starting this blog, I quit my job to blog full-time (that was in 2013).
Some interesting statistics about Making Sense of Cents:
- My first blog post was published on August 10th, 2011. You can read it here .
- I have written over 2,000 articles for Making Sense of Cents, but I have deleted many of them over the last year, and there are now 1,379 published.
- I received 151,762 pieces of email (and that number doesn’t include the countless emails I’ve deleted over the years, so the number is probably over a million, lol). And that’s not even including promotional emails. The 151,762 pieces of email are simply emails I received from my readers.
- My blog post has 65,342 comments. It actually had more, but I removed over 6,000 comments with dead links.
- It took me six months to make my first $100 from “Making Sense of Cents.”
- Although I no longer publish blog income reports or share my income (you can see them all here – Blog Income Reports from Multi Million Blogs), I made about $5 million in total from 2011 to 2018. I have continued to make a significant amount every year since 2018.
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Here are some things I love and have learned about blogging.
1. I enjoy the freedom of being my own boss.
When I started blogging, I quickly realized that being my own boss was what I wanted.
I like to make my own schedule, set business goals, and do what I love every day. It’s great to have full control over my work. I avoid jobs I don’t like, so I have a much better work-life balance.
Every part of blogging is something I love, from writing to promoting it (well, almost every part, but it’s still a lot of work!).
2. A flexible schedule has changed my life
One of the best things about being a blogger is the flexible schedule you have. You can work whenever you want, whether that be in the mornings, evenings, or weekends.
This flexibility allows you to get work done later while still enjoying your day doing fun activities.
3. The freedom to work from anywhere is great
Another great thing about blogging is that it is location independent. I have had great experiences living in many different places, including an RV and a sailboat.
All you need is a laptop and an internet connection to get work done. It can be hard to separate your work and personal life, but the freedom it gives you is worth it.
4. Success takes time
Too many bloggers give up too quickly.
Starting a blog can seem daunting and you might get discouraged if you don’t see results right away. It took me 6 months to make my first $100, but my persistence paid off in the long run.
Remember, good things take time.
5. Write when you feel inspired
I’ve found that I write my best content when I’m not forced to write. Previously, writing when I had a deadline looming would stress me out, but now I can write well ahead of the deadline and write when inspiration strikes.
At the moment we have enough content for about a month ahead which I’m very happy with.
Even after 13 years of writing, writing is still something I really enjoy, and I never run out of topics to write about!
6. Prepare to study
Blogging is a continuous learning journey. From understanding social media to running a website, there is always something new to learn. Blogging is not an easy task and requires hard work to earn an income from it.
But that’s the fun part: it never gets boring because there are always new challenges.
7. Stop seeing other bloggers as competition
It’s important to see other bloggers as friends, not competitors.
Networking with other bloggers is important to your success – sharing each other’s content, attending conferences, supporting each other, etc. This helps everyone grow.
I’ve met some amazing friends who are bloggers and influencers and feel like I’m part of a truly amazing community.
8. You don’t need any experience to start a blog
When I started blogging, I had very little experience or knowledge. You don’t need to be a social media expert or a tech guru to get started.
It’s all something you learn along the way. Every successful blogger started out knowing nothing and learned and grew over time.
This is why I love blogging.
I am proof that you can be successful even if you don’t know much at first. When I started Making Sense of Cents, I didn’t even know that blogs existed or that you could make money from them. I learned how to build a blog from scratch and worked hard to get to where I am today. It’s not always easy, but it’s so rewarding.
9. It’s possible to make a living from blogging
One of the coolest things I’ve realized is that you can actually make a good living from blogging.
Many bloggers start as a hobby and turn it into a profitable job. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, but with consistent (and serious) effort, blogging can turn into a full-time income.
10. I love this career path
Before I started blogging, I absolutely hated my work week.
Now, I wake up excited to work on my blog. Some days are tough, dealing with rude comments and changing algorithms, but the joy I get from blogging makes it all worth it.
I absolutely love my job and look forward to coming to work every day.
11. Prepare for a tough beginning
I get a lot of emails from readers who are scared to start a blog and share their thoughts, and they want to know my best advice for starting a blog.
My best advice is to just go for it!
Most bloggers I know (including some really successful ones) were also scared to start.
This is completely normal.
12. Connecting with your readers is extremely rewarding
One of the most fulfilling things about blogging is the connection with my readers – it’s great to hear from people who have benefited from my advice or been inspired by my blog.
Knowing that my words can have a positive impact on someone’s life is what motivates me to keep writing, and the feedback and support I receive from my readers creates a sense of community that makes all the effort worth it.
I enjoy helping people all over the world through my blog and it’s a really great feeling.
13. I am so grateful for the life I live.
Okay, I’ve said this in most sections above, but I want to say it out loud: I am truly grateful.
Blogging has given me a life I truly enjoy. I’m grateful for the opportunities it has given me, from financial freedom to personal growth. I’ve met amazing people, traveled to amazing places, and built a career I’m passionate about.
Every day I wake up excited to work on my blog and connect with my readers. This journey has brought so much joy and fulfillment into my life and I am grateful for every moment of it.
What’s next?
Blogging is always changing, and I’m always trying to find new ways to make it better – there are so many possibilities and I’m excited to explore them.
Currently, I am trying to grow my blog as I always have – I’m writing a lot more than I used to, which is a good thing and has filled in some content gaps on the website.
If there’s something you’d like me to write about for “Making Sense of Cents,” please email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below.
Thank you for reading Making Sense of Cents.
FAQ
Below are answers to some of the most common questions about starting a blog. I know some of you have questions, so I thought I’d post them here.
How do you start a successful blog?
Starting a successful blog involves a few key steps. First, choose a topic that you are passionate about and that others are interested in. It is important to be consistent in your posts and write quality content that provides value to your readers. Using a platform like self-hosted WordPress makes it easy to set up your blog. Don’t forget to promote your blog on social media to reach more readers. For more information, we recommend reading How to Start a Successful Blog in 10 Steps.
What are your tips for blogging for over 10 years?
It can be hard to stay motivated to continue blogging for a long time. One way to keep going is to set achievable goals and celebrate small successes. Talking to your readers and building a community can also help you stay motivated. It’s good to keep up with new blogging trends and keep learning new skills.
How has the blogging landscape changed in the last 13 years?
Blogging has changed a lot in the past 13 years. In the beginning, short blog posts were the norm, but now longer blog posts are more popular. SEO has become more important, and there are more tools available to help bloggers improve their content. Today, social media also plays a big role in bringing people to blogs.
What are some effective ways to engage with your readers on a long-term blog?
Engaging with your readers is key to the long-term success of your blog. We encourage you to respond to comments and emails to make your readers feel valued (and they do). Hosting Q&A sessions and creating interactive content like polls and surveys can also increase engagement. Regularly updating your blog with new content will keep your readers coming back to it.
Can sharing personal stories on your blog help you build a steady readership?
Yes, sharing personal stories can help you attract and retain readers. People love to connect with real-life experiences. Personal stories make your blog more relatable and can build a loyal readership. It’s important to be genuine and honest when sharing your experiences. I always try to add something personal to my blog posts, so that you can see that when reading other people’s content too.
If you want to start your own blog, I recommend you sign up for my free course “How to Start a Blog” here. This free course will show you how to create a blog, from the technical side to earning your first income and attracting readers.
Are you interested in blogging or starting your own business? Do you have any questions?
