Increase Blog Income: First Dollar to 1K

How 22 bloggers increased their blog income from their first dollar to 4-figure months.

In a previous post, I shared thoughts and quotes from 22 bloggers on getting starting blogging. In this post, these same successful bloggers spill what they did that grew their blog income from their first dollar to $1K months and beyond.

How long did it take you to make your first dollar?

Our bloggers had a wide variety of answers to this question – everything from “almost immediately” to 2+ years! By far the most common answer, though, was around the 2-6 month mark to bring in that magical first dollar.

What did you do to earn your first dollar?

Most bloggers start out making money from affiliate income, ad income, or a combination. These methods start out small, but can grow with your traffic if you are strategic about it. To grow to a full-time blog income, most people will at some point add in their own products to sell.

Signed up for any free affiliate marketing resources I could find (because obviously had no money to invest), started to write articles for people and their needs and what they’ll expect when they read this. – Your Girl Knows

The first dollar I ever made blogging was through a paid partnership with my social media platform; after that, it was through an Amazon affiliate sale. – Mimosas and Motherhood

My first earnings were from google ads. But from the entire business I actually got some Instagram collaborations before I even had my blog. – Masha Plans

Want to know how to make money with a mental health blog? Read this post.

How long did it take to increase your blog income and have your first $1,000 month?

There were a wide variety of answers – again, from within the first month, all the way up to 4 years. Most of the bloggers who responded, though, had their first $1K month 6 months to a year after they started blogging.

In June 2020, less than three months after starting my blog, I had enough traffic (25,000 sessions) to qualify for Mediavine. I put my application in immediately, and I’m so glad I did because 4 days after I put in my application, Mediavine changed their requirements to 50,000 sessions per month. I was sure I wouldn’t be accepted but somehow I was. My first month over $1000 was September 2020, about 6 months after starting my blog. – No Sweat Vegan

It took over 6 months to make my first $1,000. One of my articles took off and I had optimized my post in all the right ways and eventually became #1 in google search. That was my biggest breakthrough. – Walls of Wonderland

What changes did you make to go from making your first dollar, to having your first $1,000 month?

Making four figure months is different than making your first few bucks. It’s critical to implement the right strategies, stay consistent, and not be afraid to grow and change.

Having enough traffic to apply for Mediavine ad revenue for consistent income. – I See Stars Quilting

I just kept building. Burnout is always a real threat for new bloggers, but if you push through it and keep moving forward, you will get there. Despite having a small email list, I decided to launch an online course just a few months after Thrifty Guardian went live. At this time, I had been working in higher ed for 7 years, so I was familiar with course structure and creating something that would keep people’s interest while providing exceptional value. – Thrifty Guardian

Implementing better keyword research and seo best practices as well as Pinterest. – The Lived In Look

I really dialed in on my SEO. I decided it was time for me to stop just looking for free advice and that if I wanted to see results I needed to treat this like the business it is and invest in the process. That’s when I purchased the very famous Stupid Simple SEO course and went hard on learning everything I could about writing with the intent for gaining that SEO traffic. – Mom After Baby

I added in ads to my site once I qualified for a network (I use SheMedia), found more affiliates and wrote more SEO optimized blog posts. – Champaign and Coffee Stains

Created an Ebook and added display ads to my site. – SVG Nation

Higher paying brand collabs. – Serena Joyce

I joined Mediavine. – Southern Bytes

What is your niche, and who is your avatar?

To really grow your blog income, you have to know who your readers are – and who they aren’t. If you don’t have a clear idea who you are setting out to help, your content will wander around and end up resonating with no one.

I am a dietitian who posts recipes for a variety of special diets using different kitchen gadgets (such as the air fryer). I always sprinkle in a little nutrition information for those who want it. My avatar is the busy adult who enjoys food but also wants to meet their health goals. I love helping people find new recipes that fit their needs! “Health” means different things to different people and I try to provide a little something for everyone. – Summer Yule

I’m in the art, creativity and blogging niche. I teach women how to be creative and start fun, happy and colorful blogs that make money online. – Stray Curls

What is your superpower?

We all have one! Lean into your strengths and show up in the places where you really shine.

Staying motivated. Blogging has great days but it also has really hard days. You’ve got to push yourself through those days because that’s when you start to see more wins happening. – We Three Shanes

I love to teach. I’m a teacher at heart and want everyone to understand what their lie would look like if they didn’t o anyone anything. The feeling of zero financial stress is like nothing else you’ve ever felt (besides maybe the birth of babies). I am kind and love to serve others. I’m a born leader and have an amazing personality. – Frozen Pennies

My super power is that I believe anything is possible, so I know there’s a way to reach my goals. Secondly, I know my niche and am truly passionate about it. I immerse myself in all aspects of it. – Life Well Cruised

Optimism and perseverence. It’s hard to keep going when you aren’t seeing much growth, but being an optimist definitely helps. You really have to believe it’s possible and then be willing to stick it out in the long run. – Delicious on a Dime

To deeply connect with my audience through my blog posts and email lists. I’ve had many people tell me they’re super fans because they can relate to my story and how I share my personal experiences. – Raising Biracial Babies

Knowing a LOT about my niche. – The Parks Expert

I like to think being grounded is the superpower; I just don’t drift with the flow. Influencer industry is an industry which has no boundaries and sometimes you do get lost in the way, so to stay grounded and true to yourself Is really important. – Chakshu Bohra

Lots of bloggers struggle to make it to 1K months and beyond, but with persistence and the right strategies for your unique audience, you can get there sooner than you might think.

NEED MORE SUPPORT?

If you’d like some help increasing your blog income to 1K and beyond, let’s chat: AlisonReeves.Co/strategy-call