{Your Questions} Blog Bidness

Hey, hey! I hope you guys all had a fabulous weekend! We're still trucking along and having a great time on our road trip. So far we've had 11 bathroom breaks, 9 food and snack stops, 3 gas fill-ups, passed 21 McDonald's and stayed in 2 hotels. Oh, and we've crossed a Swampoodle Creek and seen a man carrying a large cross down the freeway. And as long as the DVDs are flowing, there is peace in the backseat. So far, so great! (I'm posting our adventures on InstaGram...I'm CassieSugarplum).

Last month, I opened the blog up to any and all of your questions. The biggest topic, which we addressed last week, was how in the world to "do it all"?! Hopefully I squashed the notion that I do, in this post, 'Doing It All. Who Does?!' The second most popular subject was blogging....tips, making money, scheduling, etc. And while I'm certainly no expert and still feel like a newbie, I'll share my methods.

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How do you take the jump into accepting ads and making money at blogging? 

I think it's important to say, blogging isn't like starting a small business....you can't go at it from a financial standpoint. That defies the whole point of blogs, and readers will skip right over your agenda-driven content. It really has to be something that you enjoy, and do solely for yourself. Then as it grows, so do the opportunities to make money.

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Unfortunately, there is no 'Blogging for Dummies' (or maybe there is?!), so I'm feeling my way through this journey just like you (with the help of my circle of blogging friends who I consult regularly). I struggle with how much to charge, uncomfortable with assigning a dollar amount to myself, and I still have no idea how my rates compare to others. You also need to factor in the work involved with having sponsors...adding the graphics and links, maintaining the invoices, etc. I sell my ad spaces in 3, 6 and 12-month increments, with price breaks at the longer terms, so I don't have to mess with changing out the ads constantly.

Once you've established your voice and are blogging consistently, reach out to small companies and Etsy shops you really like, and offer to give them space for a super low rate ($10/month, or even free). This gets things moving, and lets other potential sponsors know you're open for business. As your blog grows, you can slowly increase your rates. How much is too much or too little? I have no idea. I still struggle with charging people to have a spot on my dingbat blog, but I have to remind myself that I work hard to keep the content original and engaging.... and that has value!

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You could also run affiliate ads (ShareASale and Commission Junction are two I'm familiar with), where you receive a portion of sales generated from links on your blog. I'm not a big fan of them, so I only ran them for a short time. Google Ad Sense is easy to install and pays you for page views, as do the ad networks like BlogHer, Izea and Rivit. And lastly, Social Spark pays you to write review posts on assorted products and services. It's difficult to turn down financial offers, but remember you're only getting them because of the fresh and original content on your blog, so don't veer too far from that. (Read more about that here.)

So how much time do you actually spend blogging -- editing photos, drafting the post, etc?

I tend to blog in spurts and group the tasks together. For instance, I'll create and photograph a few projects over the weekend, then edit all the photos (using picmonkey) one evening during the week. Then during work down-time and lunch breaks, I'll write the shell of several posts, finishing them up the day or so before they post. But if I were to calculate the total time spent per post, I'd say about an hour to select and edit the photos, and another hour to write the post. Some more, some less. And of course this doesn't include the actual project time!

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Do you plan your posts in advance or do you write them the night before?

I'm reeeeally Type A and an expert list maker (I choked out my dark secrets here), so I don't usually blog spontaneously and off-the-cuff. Sometimes ideas pop up and I'll throw a post together, but the majority of my posts are pre-planned and scheduled (in pencil) in my pocket calendar. I also keep a running list of ideas and projects to draw from.

How do you balance your blog time...do you have a set schedule for when you write a post, how long you'll spend on it, how long you spend answering comments and commenting on other blogs?

This is where keeping a calendar helps me manage my blog time. On the weekend, I'm able to look at the upcoming post ideas, then focus on completing and photographing those projects. After editing the photos, I'll place them in blank posts until ready to write. If the writing doesn't come easy or I'm not feeling it, I'll just come back to it later. The 'deadlines' are only my own, so I don't stress about completing a post. Which means some days I have no post, and that's okay. (Well, maybe I stress it a little. But that's when I remind myself that this is my hobby and supposed to be fun.)

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As for comments and emails, I address those throughout the day when I get a break from work. Having an iPhone makes it easier to stay on top of my inbox, and connected with social media, too. I am an avid fan of blogs, but they can suck up all my free time if I'm not careful. So instead of reading them all every day, I read a few at a time, catching up on a week's worth of posts.

Did your blog improve over time? Most of the time I think mine sucks and wonder if I should scrap the whole thing.

I hope it's improved, after two years of doing it! But you guys would be the judge of that. When I first started, writing was my favorite aspect of blogging and where I spent most of my time (I was an English minor). So the structure and visuals were sorely lacking. Over time, and with practice through trial and error, I've come to love the full process....from seeing a project come to life, to photographing and sharing it with you all. I love blogging, and creating a post from start to finish is one of my favorite things to do. I'm thrilled to have followers and subscribers, but I'd still be blogging from my little corner of the internet even if you weren't reading. (But you're not allowed to leave me now!) So if you enjoy it, keep going! If you're doing it only for followers and money, or you feel pressure and stress from it, then maybe it's time to re-evaluate.

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What tips do you have for us blogging newbies?

I think readers are drawn to blogs for the personal connections and real-life experiences. At least that's why I prefer blogs over straight editorial writing. That, and I'm a total voyeur, and blogs give me a glimpse in to other people's lives. And I believe if you love what you're blogging, that will come across and attract readers.

My other tips are the same ones repeated throughout Blogland...read and comment on other blogs (check to be sure you're not a dreaded No Reply Blogger first), make connections with bloggers and your readers by responding to comments and questions, turn the flash off your camera and post large, bright images, be nice and have fun! I know, totally lame. You hoped for some golden nugget to blogging success....but sorry, I don't have one.

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I know it's frustrating to watch other blogs explode with popularity, especially if for no known reason. But comparing yourself will just kill the fun. As tempting as it may be, don't stray from your voice and who you are. I remind myself constantly that this fun, this is my hobby, and I do it for the joy and creative outlet.

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Ack, that is enough of my blabbering for one day! I hope this has been helpful, and we'll tackle another round of questions next week. Do you have the Holy Grail to blogging? Share your tips and secrets!