Welcome to my Money Making Blogger interview series where I interview bloggers who are making money from their blogs! 

Scroll down if you've been here before, or if it's your first time then read this intro first to understand why I'm doing this interview series.

I've been a full time blogger officially since May 2017.  For one year before this I made a part time wage from my blog and worked a part time job.  I started blogging in April 2013 and never even realised I could make a real living from my blog and thought it was just a hobby.  So for the first three years I didn't make any money from my blog.

Before properly monetizing my blog I did have a few opportunities land in my inbox which I politely declined as I wasn't really sure what they were.  Then I stumbled upon some blogger income reports and realised there was some real money to be made.  I’ve never looked back and I started collaborating with brands and putting a value on my time and worth, instead of accepting unpaid collaborations.  I now make a full time living from my blog and I want you to realise you can do this too, if you want to. 

I get to write every day and make money by doing what I love.  It’s amazing and still amazes me each day, even two years into making money from my website.  It’s not without a lot of hard work though, so don’t be fooled into thinking you simply set up a website and voila, income starts rolling in.  If only!  I work 30-40 hours per week currently and my blog is my life!

In this series I am going to interview other bloggers who also make money from their blogs to hopefully inspire people to start a blog if they wish or to make that leap to monetizing content.  I also find it so interesting to learn what other bloggers are up to and even us full time bloggers can learn from each other and inspire one another.

Hello, please introduce yourself and tell us all about your money making blog.

Hey, I’m Sassy Wyatt and I am a lifestyle and disability blogger at www.thinkingoutloud-sassystyle.com.  I challenge perceptions through education and humour, empowering others to be more disability confident.

How long have you been blogging for and when did you begin to monetize?

I have been blogging since October 2015, and I started to monetise it towards the end of 2017. I started my blog to educate the public.  Being so niche, opportunities don’t come my way often, but being able to say that I can get paid for my work is pretty cool.

What's your monthly blog income like?

Financially I’m not in need of the money thank goodness, but I am saving for my wedding in 2020, so I would love for it to become full-time, right now though I would say it’s definitely just pocket money.

How exactly do you make money from your blog?

The majority of my money comes through from sponsored posts and brand work.  I do use affiliate links but this has only been recently - I’ve had a couple of pennies through from doing this. I’ve just got to keep the ball rolling and hope that page views increase and affiliate income follows after that.

Were there any steps you took to prep your blog for making money?

I registered with my own domain name straightaway and added Google ad.   I’ve pretty much stopped using them now though.  I never reached the threshold of checking the money out.  Being blind and using a screen reader, these ads react badly with the information I am trying to read.

Has it been an easy process to make money from your blog? Why?

No, my blog is very niche and because of that my page views and stats are quite low in comparison to bloggers that have been blogging for the same amount of time as I have. I am very particular on who I choose to work with and because of that I get less opportunities and sometimes people try and use that as an excuse to not pay me my worth.

How many hours per week do you work on your blog?

I see my blog as a business and because I work from home I use this time to set a schedule for myself. I am forever emailing, sending pitches, and networking. Blogging isn’t just about physically writing and hitting publish.  Whether it’s face-to-face or online, I’m basically always networking. Putting that into consideration, I would probably say I work 40 hours a week.

What are your aims for your blog in the future?

To work with brands to educate the public about disability, as well as bring awareness to local and international establishments. Right now I’m focusing on disability travel and my aim is for this to be a full-time job travelling, reviewing and supporting businesses and the travel industry to become more inclusive for people of all ages and disabilities.

If someone is totally new to blogging, what should they concentrate on most to start making money?

Niche right down, appeal to a specific demographic, write about what you truly know love and use affiliates to showcase your brand.  People will buy from you if you are likeable, knowledgeable and helpful.

Are there any drawbacks to running a money making blog?

If you are doing it for your full-time job then the stress of bringing in money each week/ month.

What inspires you to blog and what is the best thing about blogging?

The public inspire me. Being disabled I get asked many questions on a daily basis from “who cares for you?” to “how do you know where you are going?” I’m still yet to answer all these questions on my blog, but I have created a fantastic community allowing people to share their own stories, and letting them know they are not alone with whatever they are going through. Most of my comments are from disabled people thanking me for the support and nondisabled people thanking me for educating them. It’s a lovely feeling knowing that you are giving support and comfort to someone going through a similar thing. It is even better when what I say encourages others to take action.

Would you still blog even if you couldn’t make money doing it and why?

Yes, and in all respects I am. I go to many events, attend meetings, provide talks, and blog about things that I do not get paid for, but for me it’s all about education. I am passionate about making a difference in my small way.

Do you think blogging is here to stay and why?

Yes, consumers trust people’s honest opinions, not what a brand is attempting to sell you. Instagram is the new hub of finding where to travel to next.  Social media is just an extension of a person’s blog and life.

 

Thank you so much for taking part in my Money Making Blogger interview series and best of luck with your blog!

 

Helpful articles if you want to monetise your blog:
Make money from your blog with Awin affiliate marketing
Make money from your blog without Google ads 
4 ways to find paid blog opportunities
How I save hours every week scheduling tweets with Social Oomph
How to improve your domain authority (DA)
The 5 ways I made £30000 money from home in 2017/2018
5 tried and tested ways to make money as a UK stay at home mum

Do you make money from your blog?  Would you like to take part?   Click here for the interview questions.