I can’t believe it’s already November! I am super pumped to be sharing my Blog traffic + income report for October with you. I will cut straight to the chase.

I read recently on CNBC’s Instagram that two-thirds of employees dream about a different job every second of every day. Crazy huh? That is part of the reason why I left the film industry and branched out on my own being my own boss.

Does this statistic sound like you too?

My life as a blogger started as a part-time gig. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing…All I did know was that I was a firm believer that everyone should have a side hustle. I was trying to create mine.

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!

With these blog traffic tips + income reports, I love to share things that are working and things that aren’t + my income of course for the month. I want this content to be valuable and to the point.

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 2-3images per blog post to create “fresh” content in the eyes of Pinterest! I could be doing a better job of this to increase my traffic. I need to hire an assistant stat to delegate things like this too. I am only one person with A LOT to do.

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.

I still have yet to update it to Genesis but it is on my to-do list.

MY ANALYTICS

INCOME BREAKDOWN

Pinterest Syndication Program: $3,146.46
Adthrive: $390.31
Amazon: $88.13
Content.ad: $146.91
Pinterest Management: $200.00
Socialix Sponsored Campaign: $150.00
Tailwind Training: $15.00
AspireIQ Sponsored Campaign: $225.00
Blogging + Content Marketing Board Initiation: $70.42
Izea Sponsored Social: $65.00
Awin: $5.68
RewardStyle: $6.34

Total income for the month: $4,509.25

I hope this post about blog traffic tips + my October 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 up-leveling click [Here] to learn more.