I really enjoy this excuse to break down my blog income by category. This is only the third month that I’ve done so, and so far each month’s breakdown looks quite different. Each of the three months has a different top-earning category at least by percentage of the given month’s income. I know that some of the variance is due to the timing of payments. Some payments come the same month they are earned and others lag up to two months. It will be interesting to see how the breakdown looks over time. To give you a little background, I’ve been blogging since the fall of 2013. I started my blog as a way to stay accountable and motivated as my husband and I paid off six figures of student loan debt. It grew into a nice side income for our family over since then. For the complete list of past income reports, you can check out the blogging income report archives. To get the current reports as I make them available, please join my Behind-the-Scenes Blogging email list. Without further ado, here are the numbers!Blogging Income– $1,533In my July 2015 Budget Update, I reported that I earned $1,471. When I report my income, I report the income that I have actually received minus my blog expenses. I actually expected my income to be higher, but some payments that should have come in haven’t yet. Usually payments lag a month or two from when I earn them to when I receive them. Before expenses, my blog income for July was $1,533. Every month is so different from the last. Ad Networks– $773Private Advertising/ Sponsored Posts– $152There are lots of companies that help connect you to brands. They act as the middleman. While I receive many inquiries about advertising on my site or sponsoring a post, most of the opportunities I take come through blog networks. Below are some of the companies I’ve worked with. Izea Affiliate Sales & Referral Bonuses– $608Some affiliates I work with are set up directly through the company, brand, or blog. Others I find through an affiliate manager like Shareasale or CJ Affiliate. Each has their own payout threshhold or schedule, so I don’t get paid from each one each month. Affiliate sales are a great way to get a commission for something you would endorse anyway. CJ Affiliate— $156 Blogging Expenses– $62I try to keep my blog expenses to a minimum, so I really don’t have much that I pay for. My expenses this month added up to $62. Internet– $35 I charge half of our internet bill to the blog, since at least half of our internet use is blog-related. Net Income– $1,471 |
Interested in growing your blog or starting one?
If you’re interested in starting an income-producing blog, then there are two comprehensive resources that I recommend:
Building a Framework: The Ultimate Blogging Handbook— If you’re looking for a great resource to get you started off on the right foot, this ebook, planner, and set of videos is awesome! Abby, the author, will guide you along every step of the way. One of the packages even includes an active and helpful Facebook group.
Elite Blog Academy— If you are committed to sticking to blogging, then this course is well-worth the $500 investment. Registration only opens up once a year, so you’ll want to sign up to be notified when it happens. They’ll also send you a great free ebook on blog moetization when you get on the waiting list.
Of course you’ll actually need to set up a blog too, if you haven’t already. If you’re planning to make money, then you want to set up a self-hosted (meaning you have to pay for your website to be hosted) WordPress blog. I put together a complete photo tutorial for setting up a self-hosted site with plenty of screenshots to walk you through the process.
And finally, be sure to subscribe to my exclusive behind-the-scenes blogging emails where you’ll get my full income and expense reports in your inbox, along with insider tips and other gems.
After you subscribe, hit reply on the first email and tell me about your blog. I’m looking forward to “meeting” you!