I am finally getting back into creating income reports again! It’s only been like a year. lol. Life has thrown me some curve balls over the past year or so and I finally feel like I am getting back into a flow.

I am not going to lie to you. I dropped the ball big time with Arts & Classy for almost a year. Shocking I know. 

Maybe I was suffering from blogger burn out? I don’t know, but I was so unmotivated to write or work on any DIY projects. I had gone through a break up of an over 3.5-year relationship and just needed a break. When I picked the blog back up, it felt like I was starting over again. Rebuilding all the traffic I had lost, the trust with my audience, and then creating new/fresh relevant content.

But that was the past and I am only looking at the future now! The future is bright and I am excited to be back in the game. I know my blog traffic tips + income reports really help a lot of people getting into the online space. I have been told they give clear guidance on what steps need to be taken next for bloggers to monetize their sites.

I am a firm believer that everyone should have a side hustle. I started A & C when I was in the depths of the Art Department in Television back in April of 2012. I can’t believe it’s been over 6 years already! Things have shifted in ways I never expected, and I am super grateful that I now get to call this line of work my career!

Ok now that I have caught you up a little on where I am at,  let’s move onto the reason you are reading this post. The blog traffic tips + income report part. I like to share what tools I use, what’s working, and what isn’t worth your time.

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

TOOLS THAT I USE

When it comes to tools that I use to run my online business, I am all for automation! I am going to give you a list breakdown of everything.

BlueHost – They have been my web host for like 4 years now. I am a big fan of their services especially when I transferred over to my own private server. Anytime I have any issues, they are always so helpful on the phone.

Tailwind – This is my FAVORITE tool that I use the most. If you are not familiar with this tool. It is an automation tool for Pinterest. Tailwind is also an approved partner endorsed by Pinterest. Since Pinterest is my #1 traffic referrer, It’s an absolute must for me so I am not glued to my phone pinning all day every day. It is super valuable! If you haven’t tried Tailwind you can get 1 month for free (no credit card required) to start. What have you got to lose?

If you want to learn how I use my Tailwind to create more traffic to my site, I have a Tailwind video training you would find valuable. 

ConvertKit – This is my email marketing CRM. It is an amazing tool that I have been using more of since I got back into my blogging flow. I was on MailChimp when I first started building my email list. I believe they run a deal where it’s free for your first 1,500 subscribers but this doesn’t allow you to create automated sequences, funnels, or anything fancy.

WPUM Dev Plugin – This plugin is the only one I pay for on my WordPress site. It has so many plugins within it that help me compress images, optimize my sites speed, and back up my data. I have been using this plugin for over a year now and it is still a crucial tool for my business to run smoothly.

SiteLock – This company has really helped with control the bot traffic and malware on my site which was slowing it down. It has improved the performance and speed of my site which has made my audiences experience a better one.

Dropbox – I love Dropbox because it allows me to store all the info from my site backups, images, content, etc for my site. It is especially helpful when I have a Virtual Assistant.

Epic Blog Planner – I am very much a pen to paper kind of girl and I have been using this editorial planner for my blog’s content since 2014.

WHAT IS WORKING FOR ME

1. My. Pinterest. Account! It is my main income source and has been for over a year now. However, Pinterest changed their algorithm earlier this year and my account conversions and traffic had tanked. It forced me to dive into massive research on how to implement new strategies to get back to the numbers I was used to. I am happy to report that all the updates and changes I have made have paid off. I learned a valuable lesson to always stay at the forefront of technology. It also taught me to deal with the dips of social media platforms in a healthier way. 

2. Offering Pinterest Management services to bloggers to help them maximize their leads, conversions, traffic, and overall exposure. I gained my first Pinterest client over summer and was able to test out strategies I have been using on my account on a business that was completely different than mine. I am happy to report that overhauling my client’s Pinterest account has substantially boosted their numbers and leads. I am currently managing their Pinterest account for about 4-5 hours monthly.

3. Creating multiple images for one blog post for Pinterest marketing. Since Pinterest algorithm change, I am now churning out 4-5 images per blog post to create “fresh” content in the eyes of Pinterest!

4. Writing seasonal content that is being searched for. I never used to follow this protocol with my content. I wanted to just write about what I wanted to write about at that moment. Now that I am following trending topics as the season’s change, I am reaping the benefits.

5. Thinking more in SEO terms when I write articles. As in what would people be searching for… and write my content in that frame of thinking.

6. Applying for more sponsored posts with specific pitches that work well for my audience. The agencies that pair me with brands that have been working best for me recently have been Social Fabric, Socialix, and AspireIQ (formerly Revfluence).

WHAT ISN’T WORKING FOR ME

1. Salient Theme – I have been using this theme for the past couple of years on my site. I was advised to implement it because it is being updated all the time. Which as it turns out has been the biggest pain in the butt.

Every time I go to update it through WordPress something goes wrong. I usually end up on the phone with Bluehost to help walk me through uploading via an FTP. It’s too complicated. I have heard many bloggers rave about the theme Genesis. My next course of action is to implement this theme on my site and customize it with a beautiful child theme.

MY ANALYTICS

INCOME BREAKDOWN

• Pinterest Syndication Program: $2,588.25
• Adthrive: $333.93
• Amazon: $29.01
• Content.ad: $158.52
• Pinterest Management: $200.00
• Socialix Sponsored Campaign: $200.00

Total for the month: $3,509.13

I hope this post about blog traffic tips + my September income report was helpful to you! Please let me know what you found most valuable in the comments below.

p.s. If you are trying to bring more traffic to your blog or you are trying to up your game on Pinterest…might I suggest joining my crazy successful “Blogging + Content Marketing” group board?

I get multiple requests daily to join this board and I had stopped adding contributors for a long time. The number of requests was overwhelming. But lucky for you, the board is open again! I only want serious people contributing to this board. No spammers. If you are serious about upleveling click [Here] to learn more. 

If you found this article helpful to you, please share it on Pinterest!