We’re back for the May 2018 blog income report. Otherwise known as my Blogress Reports. I started this blog at the beginning of July 2017 and have since committed to blogging and building a digital business. These reports are really for me to document my blog’s progress, set new goals, inspire others, and hold myself accountable. No turning back now, it’s on the internet.
***Please note I do not plan on sharing income received from services I provide as my other side hustles. This is strictly blogging income. There is a lot of supplementary income to be made these days, but this will only detail the money I see from my blog.***
Reports like these are exactly what built up my confidence before ditching the 9-to-5 and pursuing a life I love. Creating a passive income stream might not be easy, but neither is limiting your income to the time you spend in a chair. Amirite?
You might think I’m crazy (most people think I am), but if I can share a little optimism for struggling moms like me, then I’ll be happy! I want to reassure hardworking newcomers of blogging possibilities and how fast (or slow) things can grow.
But most importantly, I want to document my strategies and figure this whole game out. This is my way to keep track of what works, and what definitely doesn’t.
moving on…
I had a great month, and I hope you did too! There was a lot going between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. We’ve had huge transitions going on here, so my schedule has been somewhat neglected… One day I’ll get the hang of it.
Personally
My husband moved back from New York. For GOOD! We are no longer a long-distance couple. In fact, we agreed to NEVER AGREE TO THAT AGAIN. Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you need to do it.
Now were in yet another transitional phase of life. Adjusting to him at home and fewer chores on my plate is awesome. (I hate dishes so yay!) But were always sure to give ourselves time. You can’t neglect the process, and we all need a little grace period to get into a new groove.
Professionally
My Pinterest Traffic is BACK! The update has been interesting, but I’ve managed to do well with it. Reinvesting in Tailwind has paid off, but I won’t lie to you – there are a few things about it I don’t love. Mainly, the refilling of queues… and I really wish I could source pins from my boards automatically. That’s the most time-consuming part of pinning for me.
What I’m talking about are those 3rd party pins that make my Pinterest profile kick ass. It’s all detailed in Pinteresting Strategies, WHICH BTW IS BEING UPDATED. Carly from Mommy on Purpose tipped us off to an update surrounding all the new Pinterest things. The price shouldn’t raise too much, but it’s super affordable at $32 and you will have access to the update if you buy now.
The Stats
Income: $593.74
Ad Income: $531.99
Affiliates: $61.75
Page Views: 48,126
Instagram: 1447 // 1639
Facebook: 86 // 86 (I’ll say it. I don’t like facebook lol)
Pinterest: 734 // 838 holy cow.
Twitter: 382 // 386
My Pinterest growth makes me the happiest. That’s where most ALL of my marketing efforts are placed. Overall, that income was ENTIRELY PASSIVE. There was really no work from me, other than Pinteresting and regular blog jobs.
Goals from last month
- I’m officially a quarter of the way through EBA, but like I said – I’m continuing to focus on ALL the things I’ve covered. I’m not quite ready to move on. I’d like to master those first bits and the unit I’m in by the end of May. – I say PASS
- Keep posting twice a week. – lol FAIL
- Network! I desperately need to make blog friends. I’ve been so busy caring for my babies (baby, blog, and dog), and I really need to talk bloggy. – PASS (kinda)
- Get more active in the communities I’m apart of. I guess these two go together but I’m keeping them separate! – PASS
- Diversify my income with affiliate/sponsored posts. – eh pass…?
- Finish Think and Grow Rich and start Girl, Wash Your Face – FAIL. I’m still on Think and Grow Rich lol
Goals for this month
- Create my first video! I’m determined to start a YouTube channel.
- Share my Pinterest strategy with my mastermind group!
Takeaways & Tips
Sometimes we all just need to take a breather. I’m not using summer as an excuse to slack, but I’ve been feeling mentally strained and really need to go easy on myself in June. As corny as self-care sounds, I’m really digging the idea of it.
My advice to newer bloggers:
Done is better than perfect! I feel so much better once something is off my desk. Move along and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Tailwind is pretty much necessary now. Using BoardBooster is getting people flagged as spam and permanently deleting their accounts. Eek!
I secretly hope Tailwind copies some of their tools, but I guess that’s not a secret anymore haha!
NEW POSTS this month:
- How to find your perfect pumping schedule for work
- How to Safely Introduce your Dog to your Newborn
- Friendly Reminders for your First Week Back to Work
- 10 Tips for Frugal Living for Financial Freedom
- The only 15 things a Newborn Needs (& 5 they don’t)
Previous Blogress Reports:
- April 2018 Blogress Report
- March 2018 Blog Income Report
- January 2018 Blogress Report
- Second Quarter Blogress Report
- My First Quarter Blogress Report
Finsavvy Panda says
Hi Ashely!
I love your advice on how “done is better than perfect.” I’ve learned that when we try to aim for perfection, nothing will ever be done! That’s why I learned to let go of my older blog posts rather than trying to fix every single one of them, which probably won’t generate a good return based on my efforts.
By the way, I love how you were transparent in your April blog income report about traffic being f*cked up, lol… Pinterest is just so unpredictable, but glad to hear that your traffic is back up! Hopefully, things will be better now that the fall and winter are approaching! 🙂
Ashley Grey says
Yes! That is my motto, or at least one of many haha! Especially in these early stages, just putting ourselves out there is a huge step. Thank you for the support. I’m so excited to see holiday traffic again lol