Today’s post is a little different from what I typically talk about. I am very clearly NOT a blog about blogging, but I feel it is still important to be transparent about how my blog is progressing over time and exactly what I did to get it there. For this reason (and a few more that I will mention later), I want to talk to you about how my blog is growing in my first month blogging and what I hope to do next month to improve it further. So without any more introductions, let’s take a look at what’s been happening here at In Its Season!
(Read more about the blogging journey with this post on my second month of blogging.)
What my First Month Blogging REALLY Looks Like
First Month Blog Reports from an Absolute Beginner
This page contains affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission, at zero extra cost to you, if you choose to make a purchase through my links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see my disclaimer.
Who I Am and Why I Started a Blog
Before jumping into the report itself, I think it’s important that you know a little about me.
My name is Genesis, and I am a former teacher. I had been teaching abroad for the last four years, and just finished my contract in China a few months ago.
At the end of that contract, I knew I was done with teaching in the classroom. Teaching did not put me in a good headspace, and I felt there was something more for me out there.
I LOVE to write, and after a lot of research, I eventually saw blogging as something that I felt I would enjoy and get value from. Blogging is such a perfect outlet for helping people and sharing ideas.
When Covid-19 threw everyone’s plans into question, I was left with a lot of time on my hands. I decided that there would be no better time for me to try starting a blog if I was really going to do it, and so I took a deep breath and jumped in!
I took a month or two to do some research and planning, and then I got started on a few blog posts. Finally, in July, I launched my site, and here we are at the end of my first month blogging!
Why am I Sharing my Progress?
I have a few reasons for wanting to share the results of my first month blogging with you.
The first reason is that I encourage honesty and transparency on my site.
I can’t tell everyone to aim for “Progress, not Perfection”, and then refuse to share my journey simply because it is not perfect. I want to be an example of someone who can be honest about their life even when it is not perfection itself.
Sharing my progress, both the good and the bad, is a perfect way to exemplify what I stand for and what I want to encourage in others.
The second reason that I want to share my journey is because I want to help and encourage other people who are learning how to blog or who are considering starting their own blog. I have found other people’s blogging reports to be so motivating, because it reminds me that blogging takes time and patience to grow.
I don’t expect to be booming in my first month blogging (let alone my first year) because other people’s experiences have shown me that it takes a while to really gain traction. That being said, I have noticed that many bloggers only show income reports after they start making money.
It’s nice to see that they reached a good place in their blog, but I usually wish I could have read about the struggle before they reached that place.
I hope that I can encourage people with my mistakes as well as my successes.
Honestly, more often than not, I think learning from mistakes is more valuable anyways!
The final reason, which I’ll admit is a little selfish, is to encourage myself. I struggle a lot with the feeling like I should be better than I am. I need constant encouragement to stay committed and motivated in the midst of setbacks, and sometimes that encouragement needs to be from my past self.
It helps me to have a record of the things I’m learning so that I can be reminded of my progress, because I know I will never reach perfection.
Having a monthly record of that progress will serve to motivate and encourage me in the future.
Now that you’ve got a bit of background information, let’s move on to the report itself! Here is what has been going on, both the good and the bad, at In Its Season for the month of July 2020:
Steps I took my First Month Blogging
First, I want to share some of the things I have been learning and developing over the course of this month.
I Worked on Site Design
I got my site set up through BlueHost on WordPress. During this time, I spent a lot of effort orienting myself and customizing the site. I am far from finished with the design, but I know that it is more important to just get started, so I launched the site before it looked exactly as I wanted it to. Every day it looks a little better!
I’ve been adding plug-ins as I learn about them, and I’ve learned a little bit more about how to make the site look good.
I was especially excited when I learned how to insert Featured Images, as it really changed the look of the site!
It will continue to change it as I get a better feel for it, but for right now, it feels good!
I Made My Site Legal
Oh man, I was a ball of nerves before I did this part of the site. It was so nerve-racking to think that I was going to do something wrong and end up getting sued.
I used Amira’s legal bundle and got everything ready in one sitting. It was definitely the right decision to pay for this part, because now I can rest easy knowing that I’m covered.
You can read more about how to make your blog legal here, or get your own legal bundle now right here!
I Practiced Using Different Streams of Income:
There was no personal expectation to make any money in my first month blogging, but I wanted to start getting educated on some of the different ways bloggers turn their blogs into a career.
I added Google AdSense so that I could get an idea of how ad revenue works. Additionally, I tried joining Amazon Affiliates and an affiliate program through Kartra.
To be honest, I’m super nervous about my affiliation with Amazon, because I have to make a certain number of sales in order to keep it, and I really don’t know if that is going to happen.But hey, if I lose the affiliation this time round, I can still try again later!
I Learned a TON about Pinterest Marketing
It was obvious even in the first month blogging that Pinterest is a huge factor in how many people visit your blog. Because of this, it was one of the first things I chose to work on. I have been using Canva exclusively to make loads of different pins that would draw people to my site.
It has been such a blast using my creative juices to come up with fun images for Pinterest! I have been struggling to understand how exactly to use Pinterest properly, though.
I didn’t really want to spend money on a class, so I started by getting my hands dirty and trying out different ways to pin. I’ve had a few good pins, but I’ve been struggling to see any pattern. My level of expertise is at the point now where I feel I have learned everything I can on my own, and now I need to take a class to develop those skills further.
I Stuck to a Schedule of 3 Posts per Week
Considering how much time I had available, I thought I should really just go all out in developing this blog. I’ve been learning a lot about SEO (I think I still have a lot to learn!). I’ve also been getting a feel for everything that goes into writing a blog post.
I am proud to say that I haven’t missed a single deadline yet. (Though I did get close a few times). New material has been consistently posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I have felt most motivated by this achievement.
My biggest concern when I started my blog was that I would have trouble creating a schedule for myself and sticking to it. It has felt like a big win to have successfully met every deadline I set for myself!
The Results
Now I want to show you what that effort led to. I can’t decide if I’m happy about my progress or a little disappointed.
Like I said, not a lot of people show their first month of blogging. The ones who do only show it because they were more successful than the average blog and wanted to share their strategy.
I know that I shouldn’t be expecting much as a complete beginner for at least the first three months. However, I think a part of me was still hoping for more. That being said, I know that I should be proud of how far I’ve come, even if it isn’t perfect! Here’s what my blog looked like after my very first month live:
Traffic Report
You can see from my graph here how much my page views fluctuated day by day. I have started feeling a little better that it is sort of starting to even out at 5(ish) views a day. At first, I was surprised to be getting any views at all! But after getting 19 when one of my pins got popular, I was a little disappointed to see it go down again.
Top Referrals
I learned VERY quickly that Pinterest was going to be an important platform for me. It was my main referral source for the entire month!
Top 5 Posts
My top posts were almost exclusively about organization and routines. As a result, I have a good idea of what content is most helpful to people! I was pleased to see that’s what people liked best, because it’s what I like best, too! Give me something to organize or a routine to follow and I’m happy!
#1: How to Use your Phone with Intention (46 Pageviews)
#2: Organize your Phone: 11 Tips to a Simplified Smartphone (23 Pageviews)
#3: How to Keep Your Purse Organized (18 Pageviews)
#4: Monthly To Do List Ideas to Add to Your Routine (11 Pageviews)
#5: Morning Brainwash: How to Start your Day Right (11 Pageviews)
Income
This part is pretty straightforward this time around. I am in the middle of setting up Google Adsense, and I’m an affiliate with Kartra and Amazon. However, I have not made any money off of any of them yet. This is not a surprise, but I do hope that I can make some progress next month!
Expenses
Full Disclosure: the money I spent on these items is not a guarantee that this is their current cost.
I spent $155 on Bluehost for three years.
$157 was spent on legal pages.
No money was spent on a blog theme, and what I’ve got is working for me so far! I also just use the free version of canva, and I have done free classes to increase my knowledge on blogging. Perhaps I will end up paying for these things somewhere down the line. But as a beginner, I’ve got enough to learn right now without adding more stuff!
Expense Total: $312
Where the Blog is Headed
I feel like my blog is starting to get a bit of a personality now.
At first, I didn’t really know what I wanted my niche to be. However, as I’ve been writing posts and learning new things, I’ve been getting a feel for what seems to be flowing naturally.
I LOVE topics about personal growth, and I’ve had a lot to say on that matter. It is a joy to write about organizing and making my home a place I love.
I realized if I could have any job out there, I would want to be another version of Marie Kondo. She connects a de-cluttered home to a more peaceful life in general. This is a sentiment I value deeply and love to teach others.
I would love to help other people create a calming space for themselves by teaching cleanliness and organization in the home.
The blog is heading in a direction that encourages holistic habits that can help people live a more peaceful, purposeful life.
My Thoughts About my First Month Blogging
Ok, here is where you are going to hear my brutally honest thoughts on how things are going so far.
When I look at what I’ve learned, I am happy to say that it has felt substantial. I am proud of the commitment I have shown to my blog, and I still feel inspired and creative. I am ready for another full month of writing and developing my skills further.
But personally? I’ve had some struggles.
I am discouraged by the lack of response I’ve had with other people.
Other than the few days that had a rise in visitors, it’s just been 4 or 5 people a day. Additionally, no one really seems engaged enough to stay on the site. I’m left questioning whether I’m really cut out for this, or if I’m doing something wrong.
The struggle is made a little harder, too, because of what people around me think. I mean, I know how it sounds. People don’t understand why I stopped teaching, and now I’m starting a blog and not making any income.
I want to continue to treat my blog like a full-time job so that I can really make some progress. However, the part of me that wants to be accepted and seen as ‘responsible’ just wants to take up a ‘safe’ job to get people to stop asking questions.
It is really hard for me to commit to things when I know how risky it looks from an outsider’s perspective.
But I am thankful that I have a supportive husband and siblings who are with me every step of the way. I intend to lean on them when I am lacking confidence in myself.
Now, as much as self-confidence is a problem for me right now, when I am by myself and working on the blog, I KNOW that it is what I was made to do! I love every minute of the work, no matter what part I am doing. That has been a huge encouragement to me to continue down this path. I am excited to see where it leads!
My Personal Goals
In my first month, I didn’t make any goals for myself because I had no clue what to expect.Now that I’ve seen how things seem to progress on my blog and on Pinterest, I have a few goals for myself that I will be able to check at the end of next month.
Pinterest Goals: Have 100k monthly viewers and 30 followers
Traffic Goals: Have an average of 10 visitors per day on the blog
Income Goals: Make my first dollar on my blog
Product Goals: Make my first free downloadable content for visitors
Blogging resources I would recommend
You can see that I’m not a blogging expert, yet. I’m still in the baby stages of learning how to do it. But there are a few resources that I have tested out and found to be extremely helpful! I want to share the ones that have helped me a lot in my blogging journey so that you don’t have to waste time trying to find the best resources alone.
(Please note that I am an affiliate for these three programs, so I do make a small commission on purchases you make through these links. However, I want to make it clear that I would never recommend something that I don’t use and appreciate myself. I truly love these three resources and believe that you would benefit from using them, as well!)
Resource #1: ConvertKit
I would recommend ConvertKit to anyone looking to build a mailing list. Not only is it easier to use, but the support offered to you as a creator is just so helpful! They offer weekly workshops to help you grow as a creator, concerts and inspirational stories to watch, free templates, community networking, and one-on-one support. Honestly, I have nothing but good things to say about them!
If you’re looking to grow a mailing list, you should sign up for ConvertKit.
Resource #2: Legal Pages Bundle
After quite a bit of research, it was clear to me that Amira’s Legal Bundle was the most cost-effective way to protect myself fully on my blog. Within one day, I had purchased the bundle, customized it, and placed it on my site.
Amira’s bundle makes me feel so much safer about my blog, and I want you to have the same thing!
If you are a freelancer or a blogger, then don’t hesitate to buy Amira’s Legal Bundle. It is the best use of your money and time to get her help!
Related Post: Where to get the Best Legal Bundle for your Blog
Resource #3: Divi WordPress theme
I opted for Divi because it promised a lot of customization without having to know all of the coding lingo.
Now, I want to be candid with you and explain that, for me, the learning curve was still really tough. Additionally, a lot of the customization I wanted ended up slowing down my site enough that I had to sacrifice beauty for functionality.
I might not recommend this theme to everyone, but I would recommend it to beginner bloggers like me.
I really appreciate the personal support I get from them and that is the main reason why I would recommend their product for you. Though my more experienced future self might move on to a new theme eventually, I couldn’t have asked for a better beginner theme!
If you want to try Divi out for yourself, you can check out their products here!
I hope that this post was helpful and interesting! I know I’m not exactly a shining example of blogging success, but my hope is that you feel encouraged by my humble beginnings. If you are starting a blog and feel like you are going nowhere in your first month blogging, let this be encouragement to you that you are not alone! Everyone has to start somewhere, and that journey can be just as exciting as the destination!
What about you? Have you started a blog or a new project? Are you feeling motivated, or do you feel like you’re losing steam?
Comment Below!
Liked this Post? Pin Me!
0 Comments