food blog side hustle

Blog Income Report August 2019

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Blog Income Report August 2019 : Find out how I made $1729.33 through my blog with various strategies. 

blog income report august 2019

As I write this I am 39 weeks pregnant, it’s Labor Day and there has been a mandatory evacuation in South Carolina for hurricane Dorian which we are not leaving for. August was a really weird month for me!  I worked my personal chef job for the first 3 weeks while blogging in between and I have been “off” since the 23rd on maternity leave. 

I spent a LOT of time on the blog this month but all of that work is going to show up sporadically through the next couple months.  In essence it didn’t really feel like I was doing much because my traffic and engagement was MUCH lower than previous months.  I admit to feeling a bit rushed and burnt out!

I’m hoping it will pick up again since people are cramming in last minute summer adventures and school starts in random parts of the month, but we shall see!

Blog Income Report August 2019

Here are some noteworthy things that happened in August:

  • I hit a wall with photography: I’m pretty unhappy with my photography as of late. I was looking through old posts to update and I found that some of my iphone photos were way better! I’m not sure if I’m just burnt out from rushing to get some recipes done or if I need to invest in more props and surfaces but it’s really frustrating.  My plan IS to invest in better stuff after the first couple months of newborn life.  I also am going to hire a professional to come over and show me exactly where I should be setting up my surfaces and what settings to use etc.  I don’t want to just be good at this, I want to be great because I really want to set myself apart and count on this skill for the future.  I’m hoping by taking some time off and using my camera to photography my baby that I will be re-inspired. 
  • Engagement is DOWN: I am aware that this is super ironic, especially since I am the first to take public social media breaks, but this one kind of bit me in the ass. Obviously instagram favors ACTIVITY and that is not what I was keeping up with at all.  When I made my return I had lost over 400 followers AND my engagement went down horribly.  I get the engagement of someone with 7k followers and I have 18.5k.  It’s hard to say if this matters or not. There are SO many others dealing with the same issue and I think it is largely to do with the fact that IG is making changes in order to push users to boost posts.  And since you could do it for $1 per day, so many others are doing it which proves them right. I’m going to keep on posting a mix of food and personal stuff regardless of what happens because it’s what I like doing, but it’s clear that most of my efforts need to be focused on the blog and SEO. 
  • I’m Addicted to My Phone: The above was so much more apparent to me because I became addicted to my phone again.  This time though, I am not beating myself up about it. I realized that I am going to be home A LOT in the next couple months with my baby and I have to be honest and say that being on my phone is going to be a part of me connecting to the outside world.  At first I was bitter about that, but I realized that there is nothing wrong with that.  After that short season, I WILL start having a routine again and I will be able to put my phone down more and focus more on life.  Until then, I am giving myself permission to give myself as much phone time as possible so long as it’s not messing with my brain. 
  • Ad Income Low:  Ok, so this is going to sound petty but my ad income this month was under $1000.  It was under by less than $20 but it kind of worried me. In my head I set a threshold of making a MINIMUM of $1000 on ads that really wanted to stick to for now on. This data is really interesting to me because now I see that summer really is way lower than usual, but I thought July was going to be worse.  I can’t wait to see what Q4 brings so I can plan for the future. 
  • And Speaking of The Future: I heard a powerful quote on a podcast that really stuck with me. If you can make $1000 a month doing something, you can make $10k a month doing that thing. It made me think about how much time I spend doing 4-5 different things “ok” instead of 1-2 really well.  I am ready to leave the scrappy start-up version of this blog behind and really start focusing on quality in all aspects.  I have a huge list of things I need to do when I am ready to turn this into a business that can support my share of the bills and more. I actually can’t wait to spend more quality time here and have some better valuable content in store.

A note on the metrics below: All of this is income that was MADE in August.  I don’t actually see all payment for this money for about 2-3 months depending on the company paying me. 

Blog Income Report August 2019 | Metrics

Food/Recipe posts that were created in August: 8+

Amazon Affiliate Income: $68.79

 Mediavine Income: $988.59

Recipe Development Projects Paid Out: $500

Virtual Assistant Work: $50

Brand Partnerships: $122.15

Hours spent working on the blog: 15-20 per week

Blog Income Report August 2019 Total: $1729.33

 

Valerie Skinner is a Whole30 approved personal chef & recipe developer that bridges the gap between healthy eating and busy lives by providing simple healthy meals and recipes for you and your family.Charleston Personal Chef Thyme and JOY

Lets Connect!

Check out my Podcast: Food Conversations

Email me: thymeandjoy@gmail.com

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Join my community on Facebook

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Blog Income Report June 2019 | Food Blog Side Hustle

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Blog Income Report June 2019 : Find out how I made $1898.35 through my blog with various strategies. 

blog income report 2019

Ok, so here we are in June and I have racked in my highest amount of income EVER on this blog.  I am blown away at how just making those changes back in May have benefited me.  I know this is a BIG part of why the income is higher, but there were also other random factors contributing to this amount.

As I am writing this, it is fourth of July weekend.  I can remember last year exactly at this time.  Stats were going down BIG time because everyone is off AND because this year the holiday lands in the middle of the week, so most people are getting 4 days off instead of three.  

Do you think they are going to spend that time looking at blogs? ….. No. 

Blog Income Report June 2019

Here are some noteworthy things that happened in June:

  • Nerdy Spreadsheets: This month I decided to buckle down and make a nifty spreadsheet for the work I want to get accomplished before maternity leave and what I will do when I start up again.  The income gained has proved that this really is turning into it’s own business, so I need to treat it like one in order to keep it growing.  Let’s keep in mind that my first recorded income month 2 years ago was SEVEN DOLLARS!! I’ve put SO much work into this for very little return and I feel like I am just scratching the surface of what I can do.  My plan for then next 2 months while baby is still comfy in my belly is to completely schedule out September and October.  I will have one new recipe post each week that will be drafted in June and July and I am currently updating old posts which are taking forever. I am amazed at how terrible my SEO was then will hopefully see a return on the updates in the next 6 months are so.  I am still taking clients and working Whole Foods 2x a month and I am TIRED from being in the third trimester, so all this work is easier said than done, but at the same time, work is what gets me up in the morning and continuing to build a business has kept me active during this pregnancy. 
  • Amazon: Normally, my Amazon affiliate earnings are around the $30-$40 range each month.  This month I happened to have someone place a huge order where I received $38 in commission in one day in addition to my regular earnings. YOU CAN’T PREDICT THIS STUFF!!  While I would love to count on this happening a lot more, it really is about luck and also making sure you have valuable links everywhere to increase your chances of this. 
  • Recipe Videos: In June I took 2 recipes that I was getting a decent amount of traffic from and created recipe videos for them.  The 3 ingredient nutella brownie and crispy air fryer potato videos took a couple hours to film, edit and upload but as of right now they have made a total of $7 in income at this point. Investing in making a video for recipes that are climbing up the rankings does pay off, especially over time! I also want to point out that I shot these videos on a $10 tripod with my iphone.  It seriously does not need to be fancy to make it work! 
  • Thrive Partnership:  As some of you may know, I take on VERY LITTLE partnerships.  One partnership that made the cut was Thrive Market.  They don’t force me to post anything, but when I do I simply link my deal of 30 days free and 25% off first order.  I honestly don’t expect much out of partnerships as I think it is an unstable way to make money and I share naturally and don’t push it, so whatever comes in is icing on the cake for me. Over the last 2 months this partnership specifically earned me $240! 
  • Social Media Update: My post about why I stopped fighting social media algorithms gained a lot of attention. It has been quite a few weeks since I’ve taken all social media off my phone and only use it on my laptop.  There was one night I slipped up and scrolled too much and got upset at 2 things I saw.  It was amazing to see I was back in that cycle of low level constant anxiety after that. It made me think about truly how much social media used to use ME instead of me using IT. One thing I have realized is that there are things that I am missing out on by not engaging with others like I used to.  But, I have accepted this as a small price to pay for having a piece of my life back that has allowed me to create better content and REST before a huge life change. I’m much more on the JOMO spectrum these days (Joy of Missing Out). 
  • All content in one hub: Again, just because I am not on IG stories, it doesn’t mean that I am not sharing those personal pieces of my life that others have come to enjoy.  I share regularly on my Youtube channel and also through podcasting.  I enjoy these mediums so much more than the quick dopamine hits that come from sharing on IG.  It has made me a much better person. I thought about how strange it is to have this website as a hub for so many different types of content.  You can’t really niche this website which may hurt in the long run. But right now, Thyme and JOY is my personal brand. It’s my business, my lifestyle and how I share my random crafts with the world.  Maybe one day something will stick and will spin off into something else, but for now I am actually ok with spinning all of these plates. 
  • July Downfall: As I mentioned above, July is probably the worst month for blog traffic of all time. I had such a great month in June and it sucks that the momentum probably won’t continue to pick up speed until late August or September.  I have to be ok with that and remember that all business is seasonal!  Taking the time now to prepare for later will help my numbers grow. 

A note on the metrics below: All of this is income that was MADE in June.  I don’t actually see all payment for this money for about 2-3 months depending on the company paying me. 

Blog Income Report June 2019 | Metrics

Food/Recipe posts that were created in June: 12

Amazon Affiliate Income: $73.90

 Mediavine Income: $1034.45

Recipe Development Projects Paid Out: $500

Virtual Assistant Work: $50

Brand Partnerships: $240

Hours spent working on the blog: 15-20 per week

Blog Income Report June 2019 Total: $1898.35

 

Valerie Skinner is a Whole30 approved personal chef & recipe developer that bridges the gap between healthy eating and busy lives by providing simple healthy meals and recipes for you and your family.Charleston Personal Chef Thyme and JOY

Lets Connect!

Check out my Podcast: Food Conversations

Email me: thymeandjoy@gmail.com

Follow me on Instagram

Join my community on Facebook

See what I’m pinning on Pinterest

 

Blog Income Report May 2019

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Blog Income Report May 2019 : Find out how I made $1465.15 through my blog with various strategies. 

Something clicked in the month of May in a major way.  I somehow realized that even though this blog is a side-hustle for me, it doesn’t mean that side hustles cap out at a certain amount of money.

The truth is, the next 1.5 year of our lives is up in the air as we have our first child and while Mike gets out of the military.  Having something … ANYTHING that makes us money from home is a true gift, and to let that fall to the wayside is a bad idea. 

This month I changed my strategy and my mindset and was able to generate an extra $233 this month.  Even thought that my not seem like a lot, the hope it brings in playing the long game was all I needed to kick things into a different gear. 

Blog Income Report May 2019

Here are some noteworthy things that happened in May:

  • The 80/20 Rule: All my health foodie friends probably look at that and think that it has to do with diet and eating, I know I did!  This is actually the concept that 80% of your results come from 20% of the work you do.  I listened to this explained on a podcast and it made SO MUCH SENSE in blogging to me.  Truthfully, my every day traffic is coming from the SAME 5-6 posts every day.  My new posts rarely bring in traffic and if they are going to make that list, it takes 6-12 months for them to do so.  I started looking into my top posts and seeing how I can spend my time optimizing THEM instead of just thinking that the answer was constantly cranking out content.  So far this strategy is working and I have a full spreadsheet of older posts to work on along with my new ones. 
  • Deeper research: Figuring out the posts I needed to work on required I do much more research on WHY they were bringing in traffic. It also had me looking at what my competitors on each post were writing and why they had top spots.  Once I did this, I was able to add more information to those top posts so hopefully I can rise above.  Pretty much all of my research is done by using Keysearch.co  It is an SEO tool that gives TONS of information on URL’s and posts and what they are ranking for as well as helping you develop your keywords and phrases to target.  It is a paid service, but without it I don’t think I would have gotten this far. I am not signed up for their affiliate program, so I don’t have a code but I would recommend checking it out!  I also am open to splitting the monthly cost (of $11.90) with someone who is looking to try. 
  • Video: By now you probably know that video has completely taken over how we take in our information.  More people are searching how to do things on youtube than they are buying books.  More people are watching the accounts of others lives on youtube or instagram stories instead of watching TV.  While I didn’t think that people would actually want to watch a short video of me cooking a recipe when they could just read it, I was wrong.  Creating and having videos on my site have already helped bump up my revenue because advertisers are basically begging for spots on videos to place ads.  I have been very strategic about which recipes I want to make a video on because it really is a LOT of work but I really do love creating videos, especially of personal memories on our Youtube Channel. I also want to point out that done is better than perfect.  Some of the videos I made this month (Air fryer burger, Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce) are not great but they convey what they need to. 
  • It’s A Long Game:  Obviously, I knew for a while that blogging is a long game.  Not only do you have to create quality content that is going to rank (if you want traffic) but you also have to WAIT IT OUT to see if it will gain traction.  Often times, it doesn’t but it’s all part of a puzzle that eventually gets finished over time.  The more you post, the more you build your foundation on the internet and become some sort of authority on some subjects.  Things I never expected to rank for do well and vice versa.  Because I know this information, I am able to create content AROUND those subjects to build up authority.  But, this takes so much time to not only create but also to climb in rankings.  It can be a very frustrating process but looking at growth over time does help.  I am happy to have kept up these reports when I get discouraged. I will say this though, these income reports are my favorite things to write but once they are out there for the day they are shared, they pretty much tank.  These are an example of posts I write for ME and the small group of people interested in them.  Long story short, its all a crazy balancing act that takes time and patience. 
  • Fucking Algorithm: I know I say something about this EVERY time I have an income report.  And I also know I talk about it a lot on my IG stories, but this shift is VERY REAL.  I thought I was going crazy because my engagement seemed even worse than before, but it turns out SO MANY OTHERS are experiencing the same.  It really makes me think about spending time on social media platforms.  Do I really want to take the time to put meaningful content out on a free platform that people wont see?  Or should I maybe make my email list and blog the place where I create that and use social media to let others know that the content exists.  While I figure all of this out, I find myself using social media less and less. As my due date gets closer and as I focus on my quality content in other areas, Instagram becomes so much less fun and engaging for me and maybe it is a lesson I need to learn. 
  • Summer slump: We are officially in the slump as of June 1st.  From what I understand, it’s that date where advertisers pull their budgets and save up for the holiday season.  I don’t blame them. Business really is a cyclical thing.  In fact, in my personal chef business I have clients traveling so much that I have full weeks with no work going on outside of the house.  While I have had my panic moments about this, I am fully embracing that time to work on blogging. The small growth keeps me motivated and the fact that I will be able to create an income from home with a new baby and possible move keeps me engaged.  

A note on the metrics below: All of this is income that was MADE in May.  I don’t actually see all payment for this money for about 2-3 months depending on the company paying me. 

Blog Income Report May 2019 | Metrics

Food/Recipe posts that were created in May: 7

Amazon Affiliate Income: $44.41

 Mediavine Income: $870.74

Recipe Development Projects Paid Out: $500

Virtual Assistant Work: $50

Hours spent working on the blog: 15-20 per week

Blog Income Report May 2019 Total: $1465.15

 

Valerie Skinner is a Whole30 approved personal chef & recipe developer that bridges the gap between healthy eating and busy lives by providing simple healthy meals and recipes for you and your family.Charleston Personal Chef Thyme and JOY

Lets Connect!

Check out my Podcast: Food Conversations

Email me: thymeandjoy@gmail.com

Follow me on Instagram

Join my community on Facebook

See what I’m pinning on Pinterest