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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cyberstalking

June 11, 2017 By Sarah Roe 3 Comments

Don't Let Cyberstalking Take Your Blog Down

I don’t usually write about blogging. I mean, it’s what I do but, I don’t say much about it. I saw a post the other day that triggered something in my head, memories of something I survived that I have come to realize other bloggers are dealing with as well. And, quite honestly, I think it’s time we talked about it.

We’ve all heard of cyberstalking, right? According to the APC, cyberstalking can be defined as “(repeatedly) sending threats or false accusations via email or mobile phone, making threatening or false posts on websites, stealing a person’s identity or data or spying and monitoring a person’s computer and internet use.”

This all sounds like something you’ve seen on a news story or read online, right? But, did you know cyberstalking could happen to bloggers too? It happened to me.

This post is directed towards everyone but more especially bloggers, I have been a professional blogger for 10 years and I am also a victim of cyberstalking. That cyberstalking, harassment and online bullying eventually pushed my entire business into foreclosure.

So, I think it’s time we had a little talk.

Who can be cyberstalked? Anyone. Especially anyone with a public persona.

The harassment began in May 2013, it started as text messages which escalated to e-mails, posts on my Facebook pages, posts on other large websites, multitudes of social media posts, posts on my website directly, calls to local media stations and calls to my advertisers.

Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? It was. In fact, it was overwhelming and often left my head spinning. At first, I thought it was a crazy person and I ignored it. As it escalated, I realized this person was talking to people who knew me and had begun posting personal information. I also realized this person made up stories about me and began posting those as well.

I stayed silent, I screenshot, I called attorneys all the while remaining silent. If there is one thing I regret today, it is my silence. I allowed this person to bully my entire company, my family and my friends because of a made up story and I literally sat by and watched it all fall apart. I didn’t want to get in the gutter, I didn’t want to be involved but, I was involved, it was happening to me.

Let me be very clear in case you’re just now learning about blogging, bloggers make their money from advertising. Period. For those of you who know me, I have been blogging in Tulsa since 2007 first as Tulsa’s Coupon Queen then 918 Coupon Queen and eventually Money Saving Queen. My blog evolved, it grew tremendously during that time and was profitable. My blog had also expanded to include daily local television spots and regular radio and print media appearances.

I say that to say, we were all over the place and I was not the only one behind this website. We had investors, employees and volunteers all of which were paid through advertising from this blog.

Calls to advertisers are a big deal, why? Because no one wants to advertise with anyone who is dealing with a mess. Advertisers don’t want to be drug through the mud either. No matter how close we were, no matter how much they knew me, they bailed. One by one. That made this ordeal a big deal as each employee and investor (including myself) lost everything.

Now, my situation was more of a perfect storm with too much detail to explain here but you get the idea.

If you think you are immune and protected in your small corner of the internet, let me assure you, you are not. Internet laws are a new thing, many lawyers do not even know what to do with them and if this can happen to me, it can happen to you.

If you are a blogger, there are a few things you MUST do to protect yourself from cyberstalking or (if it is already happening) there are things you need to do right now:

  1. Screenshot EVERYTHING: If you get a harassing e-mail (not the typical “I don’t like your post” stuff but harassing and/or threatening), keep it, screenshot it. Do NOT delete the comment, the post or e-mail without a screenshot. This is a mistake I made at the beginning. Because the posts were made up, I deleted them thinking they were spam. It took a little bit before I realized who they were coming from and then, we began to screenshot before deleting and banning the person(s) posting.
  2. Call the Police: File a harassment report immediately and a protective order if violence is threatened. As bloggers, we can get fluke messages and threats, especially if you are on television. However, all threats should be treated as valid and precautions like police reports should be made.
  3. Contact Your VA’s, Assistants, etc. Immediately: You want to make sure everyone is “in the know” in case the situation escalates. It is possible your stalker could try to “friend” these individuals and in turn, get closer to you. Those who work with you also need to be on the same page so they are on the lookout as well and do not start deleting messages you might need for court later. It is also important to be on the lookout for an influx of page likes, retweets, google alerts, etc. during this time.
  4. Lock Down all Personal Accounts: For most bloggers, you’ve already done this. If you haven’t, do it now. If you are a public figure, you should not have a public personal account. It does not take much for someone to download a picture of you and your kids (this happened to me too), find out your location, learn the names of family members, etc. if you keep that information public.
  5. Talk to Your Family: Your family can unknowingly post your whereabouts, personal pictures or information the stalker could use against you. This matters because many times (and in my case) the stalker will start out online but also stalk you in person. You also will need your family support, if you are a victim of real stalking, the path is long and difficult.
  6. Approve Comments Before They Post: Move to comment approval so you see the comments first. Many bloggers do this already but if your blog is large, it is hard to keep on top of them. During the time of suspected stalking, it is important you see the comments before your audience sees them.
  7. Keep Your Private Information Private: Make sure your website is privately registered or registered under a business name with a P.O. Box and not your personal address and phone numbers. Obviously, if you know your stalker personally, this won’t matter but, if it is a stranger, you want to make sure all of your private information is private.
  8. Hire a GOOD Attorney: At this point, you need legal counsel. Hopefully, it doesn’t get to this point because it is draining and expensive but, if it does, you need to be prepared with good, solid legal advice to move forward with a lawsuit if necessary. The one piece of advice I will give to you here is to be sure your attorney understands what you do for a living (work online) and what it means for a stalker to post on your website, social media pages, etc. It is important that they realize your reach might be in the millions meaning millions of people could potentially be seeing the harassing, false posts.
  9. DO NOT Retaliate Online without Legal Counsel: I talked about regretting my silence, I do regret it. But, I regret not making a public statement, I do not regret taking the high road. Do not get in the gutter with these people, it could destroy your business in a heartbeat. If you feel the need to make a statement, do so with legal counsel. Remember, anytime you write online, consider the possibility of your statements being read in open court and take the time to think before you publish.
  10. Protect Yourself: Get a support system, protect yourself legally, protect your business and protect yourself physically. My blog is my business, it should have been better protected but we were caught off guard and I did not have a good group managing it. Therefore, it got knocked down.Furthermore, my cyberstalker went from the internet to stalking in person and using other people to do so, this person went after my kids and family as well. I had to protect my business and myself and my family. The possibility is real,  be sure to keep your eyes open and know your surroundings. Remember, as bloggers, we are putting a lot of our real life online. Do so cautiously. Jon Acuff said once, “I always tweet about where I have been not where I am at.” Very rarely will I ever post about a place I am at at that moment, always, always, post later.

I knew my stalker which is rare but, I could not have imagined how far the stalking and harassment would go. Eventually, my staff lost their jobs, investors (including myself) lost their money and I had to purchase the company back out of foreclosure.

Today, after having two offices and a full staff for more than 5 years, it’s just me now. There is a trail of hurt people behind me and I have no doubt, crushed dreams as well. Most of these people I no longer speak to, we did not go through this ordeal well. That being said, there was much more to it than they will ever know and I hope they never have to deal with. I, on the other hand, still live with the mess today. I have forgiven, I have picked up the pieces but it’s never forgotten.

As I scrolled through my feed reading another story from a different blogger, I thought it was time we started talking about this in our industry.

Bloggers, this is real. If it could happen to me, it could happen to you. I didn’t deserve it, I didn’t cause it, it wasn’t about me but it happened to me anyway. Your blog is your business in one of the toughest most unforgiving spaces in the entire world, the internet. Protect your family, protect your business and protect yourself.

Online resource:


Reference:

How to avoid becoming a cyberstalking victim. (2011, May 01). Retrieved June 10, 2017, from https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/issue/how-avoid-becoming-cyberstalking-victim

Protect Your Blog from Cyberstalking

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: blogging, business, cyberstalking, harassment, online bullying

How to Make Money Blogging

October 31, 2016 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

How to Run Your Blog like A Boss

I have been blogging for 10 years and making money at it! You guys have heard me talk about the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit all week and now, the sale is almost over. But, I’m telling you, if you’re thinking about blogging as a profession, this is not a deal to miss.

For $97, you will get more than $3,000 worth of resources. Don’t believe me? Check out this list below:

Professional Blogging

    • Blogging Roadmap: The Simple Method for Creating A Profitable Blog by WellnessMama ($97.00)
    • Building a Framework: The Ultimate Blogging Handbook Master Package by Abby Lawson ($75.00)
    • Everything But the Posts: Tips, Advice, and Templates From a Blogger Who Has Been in Your Shoes by Becca Ludlum ($7.99)
    • Launch Your Dream Blogger’s Bundle by Natalie Joy ($81.00)
    • The Blogger’s Guide to Online Marketing from ProBlogger ($49.99)
    • The Foundation Series by Kirsten Oliphant ($49.00)
    • The Knowtbook: In-Depth Notes for Online Business by Amy Lynn Andrews ($24.00)
    • The Must-Have Guide to Blogging by Kayla Aimee ($17.00)

Time Management & Productivity

  • Asana for Bloggers by Matthew Giovanisci ($25.00)
  • Blog Buddies Planner Pages & Calling Cards by Mollie Johanson ($8.00)
  • Creating and Maintaining an Editorial Calendar by Angie Holden ($19.99)
  • Productivity Guide for Bloggers by Ruth Soukup ($97.00)
  • The Balanced Blog Planner by Amy Blevins ($49.00)
  • The Ultimate Freelancer Tax Guide by Caitlin Pyle ($9.99)
  • The Ultimate Unoffical Dropbox Guide by Jason Glaspey ($29.00)
  • Time Management Mama by Beth Anne Schwamberger ($5.99)

Social Media

  • Facebook Live Bully by Dave Anderson ($37.00)
  • FB Ads for Beginners by Beth Anne Schwamberger ($75.00)
  • Growing With Groups by Val Geisler ($97.00)
  • InstaValuable :: Grow Your Instagram Basic Course by Myquillyn Smith ($97.00)
  • Pinaffiliate Masterclass by Adeline Ganley  ($97.00)
  • Pinterest Traffic Secrets by Bob Lotich ($149.00)
  • Snapchat for Influencers by Amy Bellgardt & Jessi Sanfilippo ($9.99)
  • Social Media Marketing Workbook and Planner: How to Master Engagement in 15 Minutes a Day by Dwainia Grey ($27.00)
  • Stop Guessing: Your Step by Step Guide to Creating a Social Media Strategy by Jenn Herman ($9.99)
  • Strategies Worth Sharing eBook & Workbook by Brittany Ann ($30.00)
  • Triple Your Twitter by Helene Sula ($127.00)

Product Creation

  • Blog To Book: A Guide to Building Your Blog Business Through eBooks and Paperbacks by P.R. Newton ($7.99)
  • Building a Business: How to Dream, Plan, Make, Sell, and Share Your Online Shop by Maggie Whitley & Elise Blaha Cripe ($12.00)
  • Delight: The Digital Biz Owner’s Guide To Creating A Pro Client + Customer Service Plan by Erika Madden ($11.00)
  • E-Course Creation 101 by Chantel Klassen ($97.00)
  • Formatting e-Books for Writers by Susan K. Stewart ($2.99)
  • From Idea to eBook by Mandi Ehman ($37.00)
  • Get Them Excited to Buy: Step-by-Step Guide for Converting Just Looking to Just Bought by Kelly Thorne Gore ($27.00)
  • How to Start Publishing for Kindle by Jeff Goins ($47.00)

Tech Help

  • Blog Beautiful: 50 Tips + Fixes to Make Your Blog Glow by Marianne Manthey ($24.00)
  • HTML and CSS Crash Course by Sarah Eggers ($129.00)
  • Sticky Blogging SEO: Climb to the Top With This 21-Day Course by Kelly Holmes ($99.00)
  • What the Tech? A Guide to Ease Your Technical Blogging Frustrations by Lesley Clavijo ($75.00)
  • You Have a Blog, Now What? Tips for Non-Techie Bloggers by Maria Davis ($19.00)

Photography & Images

  • Eat Pretty Things: Your Guide to Food Photography by Trisha Hughes  ($29.00)
  • Lazy Girl’s Guide to Lightroom: Easy Photo Editing for Bloggers by Beth Bryan ($97.00)
  • Photoshop Your Biz: Learn Photoshop & Design On Your Own Schedule by Holly McCaig ($79.00)
  • Systematize Your Branding by Indigo Colton and Kaitlyn Kessler ($49.00)

Blog Growth

  • 17 Strategies I Used to Go from 17K to 350K+ Pageviews in 9 Months by Lena Gott ($25.00)
  • List Building Jumpstart by Laura Smith ($147.00)
  • Networking Tips to Take Your Business to the Next Level by Natalie Cutler-Welsh ($19.00)
  • Primp My Post by Angie Nelson ($17.00)
  • Rave: Turn Your Online Followers Into Fans by Allison Marshall ($149.00)

Content Creation

  • Content Cookbook by Prerna Malik ($199.00)
  • Done-For-You Blog Content Creation Kit by Tanya Peterson ($47.00)
  • Heart of Your Business Video Training by Adera Angelucci ($47.50)
  • Podcasters Secret Weapon: Ultimate Podcaster Launch Guide  by Luis Congdon ($9.00)
  • Simple Podcasting by Joe Pardo ($69.99)

Monetizing

  • Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers: The Fundamentals by Tasha Agruso ($75.00)
  • Affiliate Marketing Secrets & Strategies by Katie Hornor ($47.00)
  • BloggerRevolution™ Sponsored Content Master Guide:  How to Pitch, Create & Nail Sponsored Content Every Time by Bonnie LaVell ($259.00)
  • Brands Are Looking For YOU! by Karen Lee ($14.99)
  • How to Move from Blog to Business by Caz and Craig Makepeace ($67.00)
  • Launch Your Speaking Ministry by Sheila Wray Gregiore ($79.00)
  • Monetize45 by Tabitha Philen ($149.00)
  • PR + Marketing for Bloggers by Kaelah Flynn ($25.00)
  • The Concise Guide to Blogging for Business Growth by Ling Wong ($27.00)

Today is THE day to pick up the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit. It’s insane to pay only $97 for all of the information above, insane and totally worth it!

Genius Bloggers Toolkit

Filed Under: Financial Planning Tagged With: blogging, business

10 Ways to Turn Your Blog into a Business

October 28, 2016 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

How to Run Your Blog like A Boss

I have been blogging for nearly 10 years (GASP!) and through those years I have learned a lot. I started out building my own blog by watching YouTube videos and relying on google. Thankfully, I have grown a bit and have discovered much easier ways to do things.

That being said, the blog you are looking at has provided for my family for nearly all of those 10 years. That means, I have used this platform to create multiple revenue streams and build a business. And, guess what? You can do the same thing.

Today, I want to take you out of the coupon world and into the blogging world. Not just any blogging world, the blog to business world. It’s here where freedom is found but don’t be fooled, that freedom does not come cheap. It will cost time and effort and a little money to make your blog grow but if you have a little faith, it can happen.

10 Ways to Turn Your Blog into a Business

  1. Start the Blog: Well, you can’t grow something you don’t have. My favorite blog starter advice giver on the planet is Amy Lynn Andrews. Check her site out and you’ll find everything you need to know. I feel like I have lived and breathed her website for many years now. She has an ebook out too, there’s a link at the bottom of this post to that.
  2. Build the Brand: This is important and this takes work and time. Make sure your branding is catchy, appealing and it matches the overall theme of your blog. Simply speaking, the title of your blog, logo and overall branding need to match and it needs to make sense. If you start a blog about retirement but you call it Sally Savings, that makes no sense. Or if you have a travel blog and start blogging about make-up, that doesn’t flow very well. You want it all to make sense, you are building a brand think Kim Kardashian here.
  3. Get Social: Get on the social media platforms your customers (readers) are using. If they’re on Snapchat, start snapping, if they’re on Twitter, start tweeting, etc. Go where your audience is at not where you just happen to be at, you might have to expand your horizons a bit. This does not mean you need to be on every social media platform out there, it has more to do with being on the right platform for your audience than anything else.
  4. Study Your Niche: This can be tricky, if you look too hard, you might become a copy cat and ain’t nobody got time for that. You want to see what works and what doesn’t in your niche. Learn from others and don’t make the same mistakes.
  5. Think Outside the Blog: Try to get traffic to your blog from out of the box places such as television media or magazines or advertising your blog at the next coupon swap, homeschool co-op, etc. The most loyal readers you will ever have are the ones you meet in real life. Build a base of loyal readers and they’ll grow your blog for you.
  6. Seek Out Successful Bloggers: This is a BIG deal, I have taught workshops over the years and I have bought a million ebooks and taken online courses on this subject. In fact, I took a course this spring that cost more than $2,000. Trust me, this is a BIG deal. Successful bloggers have been there and done that so you don’t have to and many of them have written ebooks or published online courses. You want to get ahold of those. Right now, I’m going to recommend the very best resource I have ever seen and you can only get it between now and November 1, 2016. It’s called the Genius Bloggers Toolkit. It contains more than 62 ebooks & e-courses from top bloggers and it is freaking amazing!

    Genius Bloggers Toolkit
    I can tell you right now, it’s the best resource I have found on the internet and it will teach you how to start a blog, grow a blog and make money doing it. Hurry though, the Genius Bloggers Toolkit won’t be around long and right now, it’s 98% off meaning it’s only $97 which is FAR less than the $2k I paid this spring.

  7. Write an ebook: Ebooks are a big deal for bloggers, they’re easy to write and easy to sell. Amazon helps with this and ebooks can also be featured in bundles such as the Genius Bloggers Toolkit (assuming they are about blogging and are decent, of course). If you have an audience, an ebook can be an instant source of revenue.
  8. Teach Classes: This has been key for me over the years. If you’re a food blogger, teach a cooking class. If you’re a money saving blogger, teach a coupon class. This is another wonderful revenue stream, promote your classes by using your blog and promote your blog in your classes, it’s a win-win. The best place to teach a class is at your local continuing education center or you can simply reserve a room and hold your own workshop.
  9. Sell Local Advertising: A long time ago, the main revenue stream for this blog was private ad sales. I don’t do as much of those now simply because I don’t have the time however, it is a great source of revenue if you have a blog that can appeal to local businesses. If you’re a foodie, a local restaurant may be interested in advertising with you either by ads or a sponsored post. Just remember, the ads that work are the ads that match your blog content.
  10. Contact Big Brands Directly: Most bloggers use services to help connect them with bigger brands and in many cases, you have to do that. However, some of my best advertising deals were made by me contacting a brand directly and bypassing the middle man all together. You will make more money that way if they want to partner with you. I am not talking about local brands and business, I’m talking about major brands. Think about the brand of makeup you’re always blogging about, the clothes you where, etc. Reach out to those brands directly (once your blog is built and you have an audience) and see what happens. Never be afraid of getting a “no” there’s always a “yes” coming too!

As I said earlier, I do believe the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit is the best resource out there right now. The toolkit contains over $5,000 in resources including 62 ebooks & e-courses dedicated specifically to starting a blog, growing a blog, growing your social media, content creation and monetizing your blog. This is a BIG deal and it’s only $97 that is 98% off if you were to buy these ebooks individually. This deal expires November 1, 2016, please check it out. It’s worth it, I believe it’s worth it and it will make your blogging life SO much easier! And, yes, Amy Lynn Andrews ebook is included in this bundle too!

Genius Blogger Toolkit

Disclosure: I am an affiliate with the Genius Blogger’s Toolkit however, my opinions are 100% my own. I would not promote this product if I did not believe it in trust me, this is an AMAZING deal. 

Filed Under: Financial Planning Tagged With: blog, bloggers toolkit, business

How to Start a Blog, Build a Blog & Make Money

October 26, 2016 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment


It is here and it is HUGE.

I have been blogging and supporting my family by doing so for the last 10 years. That means, as a stay at home I had an income, when I went through my divorce, I had an income and now, remarried and with kiddos in private school, I have an income.

Blogging is no joke, it is a job and it will work when you treat it as work and take advantage of every resource you possibly can. I have read a million blog posts, watched webinars and read ebooks on the topics of social media, building an audience, monetizing your blog, etc. I have also taught multiple workshops on the topic, I promise, I know what I’m talking about in this arena.

That being said, a few days ago I came across one of the most comprehensive teaching bundles I have ever seen when it comes to blogging. Literally, every single thing you need to be successful at blogging is inside this bundle. I have read through it, many of the ebooks I had already read myself and I wanted to share it with you today. There is more information here than any workshop I have ever attended or taught. SO, if you are wanting to start a blog, trying to figure out how to promote or make money on your blog OR if you have a small business and want to add a blog page to your business, THIS IS FOR YOU!

I’m not saying that lightly, very rarely do I ever fully 100% endorse something but I’m going to do that with this. So here’s everything you get when you buy The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit:

    • A comprehensive collection of 62 eBooks, eCourses, audios, and printables covering almost everything you could want to know about how to grow your blog and work smarter, including how to…
      • boost your traffic,
      • earn more money,
      • create and sell products,
      • master social media,
      • and so much more…
    • A unique Genius Blogger User Manual to help you pinpoint exactly which resources are right for you right now, so you can take action immediately.
    • Over $1,447 worth of incredible (and brilliant) bonus offers from blogging companies, like Board Booster, ViralTag, The Hungry JPEG, Bluehost and Convertkit.
    • Full money-back, happiness guarantee, so there’s no risk in trying it out.

You will get all of this for $97! That is a 98% savings if you were to buy these ebooks and items individually. That is HUGE!

HURRY!! This sale ends November 1, 2016. This is a BIG FLIPPING DEAL, you guys. Buy it for yourself, buy it for a friend. This bundle will rock your world plus, there’s no risk!

Filed Under: Financial Planning, Frugal Living Tagged With: blogging, business, working from home

How to Start A Blog & Make Money

January 19, 2016 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

How to Start a Blog

A few days ago, it hit me. Next year will be my 10 year blogging anniversary. Ten years! I’ll be honest, I never thought I would be blogging this long. Now, I actually have multiple blogs and websites. I make my own hours, I decide what I will and will not post and I have fun with it. That’s what it is all about.

->Visit PeaceLoveandSarah.com, ProduceGathering.com or FoodAllergyEats.com<-

Of course, it wasn’t always that easy. When I built my first website as Tulsa’s Coupon Queen, I actually did not even know what “blogging” was or that I was even doing it. I just had a few ideas and some thoughts that I thought would benefit other people. I was also teaching coupon workshops at that time and I needed a way to communicate with people. That’s how my first blog was born, it then turned into 918 Coupon Queen and eventually Money Saving Queen.

Money Saving Queen has supported our family for a number of years, it’s not easy and I certainly did take a bumpy road but, making money while blogging can be done. My sister, MommyHatesCooking.com is a great example of that too!

How to Start a Blog & Make Money

1. The Concept: First, think of an original idea. The difference between blogging 10 years ago and blogging today is the amount of blogs out there right now. Think of something that sets you a part from the rest. I actually do not read blogs similar to my own, it’s a rule of mine and I have kept it for the most part over the last 10 years. The reason is that I want to make sure I keep my own voice especially in the coupon blog world which is quite honestly, flooded with blogs.

What makes me different? First, I started 10 years ago, before the recession and when there were only a handful of us. I also have a good local following in my own city and focus on healthy eating. I have also been on television daily for the last 7 years which has helped me maintain a pretty consistent following.

2. The URL & Hosting: This is it. This is when things get real. It is important to think of a unique and catchy URL (blog name that will become your web address) that is descriptive of your brand and also easy to spell. You do not want a name that can be misspelled or confusing. Think hard about this one and test it out on family and friends.

People come up with “cutesy” names all the time that end up being embarrassing later on or easily misheard when doing media appearances. For example, my former name 918 Coupon Queen was commonly mistaken for 911 Coupon Queen when I appeared on media outside of my area code (918 is the Tulsa area code FYI). Don’t let that happen to you.

Once you decide on a URL, check to see if it is available by using the widget below:

If it is available, GREAT! If not, try another one until you find the right fit for you. You can also visit Bluehost.com directly to set it up.

At this point, it is time to select your hosting plan, I recommend the plus plan for $5.95 per month and then, setup your domain. Hosting is required to start a website, think about it as your rental space on the internet. It’s a must-have.

Bluehost

I recommend the 36 month plan however, you can sign up for as little as 12 months. That’s a great deal and well worth it, if you use Bluehost, it will lead you through the proper steps and you’ll be ready to go in about 5 minutes.

Bluehost

Now, here is where it gets flat out amazing. Bluehost will install WordPress for you. Did you hear that? I wish that was available when I first started blogging.

Disclosure: I am a Bluehost affiliate. I use Bluehost on my ProduceGathering.com website. I do not use it for Money Saving Queen because this site is hosted by the same company that hosts our local news stations of which I was once affiliated with. That being said, I love Bluehost and will be using it on another new site I plan to launch in the next few months.

To install wordpress, watch the video below. Then, you’ll be ready to rock!

Be sure to keep track of all of your login information and passwords. Screenshot them and write them down. Once you’ve completed this step, you are well on your way to writing your first blog post.

What about design? Good question. You can hire designers such as Big Blue Designs, you can find great options on Etsy or you can design it yourself. I have done all three of these options and like the first the best personally. Keep in mind, first impressions are important.

Once you have installed WordPress, you can click on the ADMIN URL link and login. Then, click post ->add new and being blogging. Of course, there are several methods to doing this and making your blog great. I would highly recommend visiting AmyLynnAndrews.com for amazing advice in that arena.

3. Making Money: This is where it all gets a bit more complex. The key to blogging is having multiple revenue streams. That might mean teaching workshops, hosting online workshops, selling advertising on your blog, using affiliate links such as the Bluehost link above or selling sponsored posts. It could also mean ebooks, “real” books and other products too.

This is where you have to decide what your brand is going to look like, what voice you are going to give your brand and what advertising makes sense. For Money Saving Queen, I use affiliate links, sponsored posts, sold advertising and I teach workshops. We have used those methods for years and they work well for us. I limit the advertising I sell simply because I only use brands that make sense with our brand. For example, I don’t want to advertise for a casino when I’m trying to teach my readers how to save money. Doesn’t make sense.

Take a little time to look around the blogging space and see what everyone else is doing in terms of revenue then think about what makes sense for your brand. You don’t have to have 50 different revenue streams, you can have 3 just as long as you do those 3 really well.

Don’t forget to set up social media for your new blog, that will be key to driving traffic to your new website. If you have no traffic, you will have no advertising. Blogging is easy to start but it’s a real job maintaining it and hustling everyday. In fact, I think it’s safe to say I have never worked so hard in my life. That being said, I love it and I am so grateful for the blogging community!



Filed Under: Financial Planning Tagged With: blogging, business, making money from home

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