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Early in 2018, I became obsessed with one question: how do you build a six-figure blog?
Since you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’ve asked yourself the same. Perhaps you’ve read other people’s online income reports and wondered whether you could follow in their footsteps. Maybe you’re already a blogger and the idea of earning six figures seems like an impossible goal.
If this is you then I have some good news… and some bad news.
The bad news is that there’s no one secret to building a six-figure blog. I can’t offer you a surefire strategy that will guarantee your success.
But here’s the good news… there are many ways to create a successful online business. You don’t need to copy someone else’s blueprint. Instead, you can build a blog that’s unique to you. A blog you and your readers love.
As part of my research, I interviewed 17 six-figure bloggers. In this post, I share their stories so that you can learn from them and build your own six-figure online business.
Buy The Book Now! The Essential Habits of 6-Figure Bloggers
#1 Michelle Schroeder-Gardner
In 2011, Michelle started her blog Making Sense of Cents as a hobby. Fast forward to 2018 and Michelle is reporting a six-figure monthly income.
Early in her blogging career, Michelle fired her freelancing clients so that she could free up more time for her blog. The lesson is simple. If you want to succeed, you must have a clear vision and dedicate yourself to your big goal.
Blogging Niche: Personal finance
#2 Monica Froese
Monica blogs right here at Redefining Mom. When I met with Monica she explained that:
“Listening to my audience and creating products they were asking for has been key to my success.”
An important part of blogging is being crystal clear on what you write about and who your blog is for. This way you can tailor everything you do for a specific audience.
Blogging Niche: Online business for moms and working moms
#3 Holly Reisem Hanna
Holly blogs at the award-winning website, The Work at Home Woman. She helps women find remote careers and businesses that feed their souls.
Holly knows the importance of focus in your blogging business. For Holly, this means being strategic with her marketing and her email list. Your email subscribers are your tribe. The people who love your work and are most likely to buy from you.
Blogging Niche: Working at home
#4 Dave Stuart, Jr.
Dave Stuart, Jr. is a high school teacher by day and a blogger as time permits. He shares helpful articles for teachers at DaveStuartJr.com.
Dave shows that it’s possible to build a successful blog while holding down a full-time job. Dave is passionate about teaching and has no intention of giving up his day job. Yet, he also loves helping others through his blog.
Dave said that a big part of his success has been publishing helpful posts twice a week – without fail. Consistency and a commitment to your readers are essential.
Blogging Niche: Teaching
#5 Terra Dawn
Terra Dawn is blogger and owner of Uncork Your Dork and the Wham! Bam! Business Plan! membership site.
Terra told me that everything clicked in her business when she narrowed her attention to one specific audience and product. This allowed her to create something that exactly meets the needs of her ideal readers.
It’s easy to chase shiny objects and new trends. But success comes from sticking with your core audience and providing a solution that meets their needs.
Blogging Niche: Online business (with subscription products)
#6 Christina Scalera
Christina is the attorney and founder behind The Contract Shop, a contract template store for creative entrepreneurs, wedding professionals, and coaches.
Christina leverages her background as a lawyer to fill a business need. Her unique business allows her to do work she’s passionate about by pursuing a more creative path.
Christina told me that connecting with the right people has been key to her success. She explained that her early mentors helped catapult her business forward.
Blogging Niche: Creative entrepreneurs
#7 Gina Horkey
Gina is the founder of Horkey Handbook, a website geared toward helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant.
Gina started out offering freelance writing and virtual assistance services. Later, Gina expanded her business to help others start and grow their own freelance business.
Gina told me that success comes from “showing up every day ready to dig in and do the work”. Many people want to build an online business but most give up when faced with obstacles.
Blogging Niche: Freelancing
#8 Meera Kothand
Meera is an email marketing specialist and writes at MeeraKothand.com. She says that getting comfortable with selling and making money from her business was essential to her success.
In our interview, Meera told me: “You’re in business to help people with your skills, but you also earn a living from your business.” Like many of the people I met, Meera understands that her blog is also a business.
Blogging Niche: Email marketing
#9 Kelly George
Kelly is a part-time entrepreneur at Fearless Homeschool and a part-time nursing student. She travels with her family full-time, with no home base, which is why she started working online.
Now she’s found success with her first blog, Kelly is creating additional niche sites to diversify and increase her passive income. Kelly says that prioritizing the most important tasks (and actually getting them done) are the key to success.
Blogging Niche: Homeschooling
#10 Courtney Slazinik
As a former elementary school teacher, Courtney has combined her passions for photography and teaching to create her online business, Click it Up a Notch.
Courtney told me how building her email list has been her number one focus for the past five years. She said:
“Building that email community allows you to contact people when you want, instead of trying to learn a new algorithm each week.”
Blogging Niche: Photography
#11 Tasha Agruso
Tasha Agruso is the owner and founder of the top-ranked DIY and home decor blog, Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body. It took her just over two years to build a six-figure blog.
Tasha also stressed the importance of her email list. In our interview, she explained that “having an engaged email list and a product to sell will give you far more control over your business destiny than anything else”.
Blogging Niche: DIY and home decor
#12 Nina Garcia
Nina is a mom of three boys, including twins, and the blogger behind Sleeping Should Be Easy, a go-to parenting blog and resource for moms of young kids.
Nina started her blog as a hobby. It wasn’t until she switched her mindset from blogging as a side hustle to earning a full-time income that she found financial success. When I asked Nina what she would do differently if she was to start a new blog today, she said:
“I’d have a clear definition of who the blog serves and narrow down not just the niche, but also what sets it apart from other blogs in the same category.”
Blogging Niche: Parenting
#13 Allie Bjerk
Allie Bjerk is a success and business coach and digital strategist at AllieBjerk.com. Everything clicked for Allie when she stopped watching what others were doing and figured out what worked for her. Here’s what she told me:
“Once I realized that I was enough and that I knew all I needed to know to be successful, everything changed.”
Allie is now laser-focused on one type of client and one offering. And as a result, her business is growing and she’s having a lot more fun in the process!
Blogging Niche: Online business
#14 Kristin Larsen
Kristin is the founder of Believe in a Budget, a blog that helps others learn how to side hustle, save money, and budget. In her third year of blogging, Kristin earned just under $290,000. She attributes much of her success to her commitment to ongoing learning.
One thing I admire about Kristin is her unwavering determination to succeed. In our interview she told me:
“I’ve always had the positive attitude that if put in a lot of prep work and sweat equity, then my efforts will pay off down the road.”
Blogging Niche: Online business
#15 Lena Gott
Lena blogs at What Mommy Does about fun stuff like play dates and making memories with your kids, and more serious topics like budgeting and family finances. Lena grew her blog over the course of many years while her kids were little.
Lena’s income comes from multiple sources, many of which are passive. Earlier in 2018, Lena shared how she earned over $1000 one week while sick. As her business has grown, Lena has come to value the importance of meaningful goals. She told me:
“I finally realized that money on its own is not a good motivator for me.”
Blogging Niche: Parenting and personal finance
#16 Cat LeBlanc
Cat LeBlanc is a business strategist for online-based entrepreneurs. You can find her blog and podcast, Your Business, Your Rules, at CatLeBlanc.com.
When I met with Cat, she explained that in the past she’s been her own biggest obstacle. This is true for all of us. As Cat says:
“People cite finances or time as the main constraint, but the biggest constraint is almost always in our own heads.”
The good news is that once you recognize how your beliefs or fears are holding you back, you have the power to climb higher than you ever dreamed.
Blogging Niche: Online business
#17 Miranda Nahmias
Miranda Nahmias is a marketing expert for female online service providers. You can find her at MirandaNahmias.com. Miranda works with a team of talented people to provide her clients with the best possible results.
I love how Miranda has built a unique business around her own passions and skill-set. A big part of her success has been how driven she is. Miranda told me:
“Success is all about being determined and keeping going when the road gets tough.”
Blogging Niche: Online business
Ready To Build A Six-Figure Blog?
As you can see, there’s more than one way to build a six-figure blog.
Each person I interviewed has their own recipe for success. And while there are some common themes (like focus, determination, and an engaged email list) the real secret is to discover what works for you. This may take experimentation but you absolutely can do this!
If you’d like to learn more secrets of six-figure bloggers, check out The Essential Habits Of Six-Figure Bloggers.
About the author
Sally Miller
Sally Miller is a writer and coach who loves learning how stuff works, mastering new skills and sharing her knowledge with others. Since leaving her nine-to-five, Sally has published seven best-selling books on Amazon (and counting). You can find out more by visiting sallyannmiller.com where she talks about sharing your gifts with the world to make money from home doing what you love.
More Blogging Tips:
Ultimate Beginners Guide to Blogging: How to Blog for Money
50+ Blogging Resources Your Need In Your Business
How to Build An Engaged Email List
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