Only after a ping-pong of several e-mails, I found out that Ana’s a Romanian, fact which made me feel both proud and a bit anxious. We all know that co-nationals are not afraid to point flaws and be direct about what’s wrong and maybe even let everyone know about their strong opinions. At least this is written in every Romanian’s DNA.
I’ve been learning a lot from Ana’s experience as a blogger who treats her activity seriously, so there’s no wonder why I reached her again to chat about blogging as a profession, a concept which I found intriguing. Let’s dive in!
I started my first blog in English because I wanted to improve my writing & knowledge of the language and that eventually led me to research what blogging is really all about and how people end up blogging full-time.
Q: Who’s Ana when she’s not in the digital spotlight?
Ana: I always found it hard to summarize myself, but to keep it short, I’m a 22-year-old Romanian currently residing in the UK. When I’m not blogging, I can be found devouring a good book, cuddling my dog (or requesting permission to pet stranger’s dogs), attempting to replicate my mom’s recipes or winning at Catan on family game night. (What can I say, strategy is in my blood – digital or not.)
Q: Where does this intense blogging passion come from?
Ana: My blogging passion steams from two other lifelong hobbies: writing and digital marketing. Growing up, I had this secret dream to become a writer but had no clue whatsoever what I was going to write about. When I moved to the UK, I started my first blog in English because I wanted to improve my writing & knowledge of the language and that eventually led me to research what blogging is really all about and how people end up blogging full-time.
I knew that digital products were a great way to monetize a blog, and I actually had something that I thought was really valuable to share.
My other “hobby”, digital marketing, resulted from growing up in a family with the entrepreneurial spirit. As my older siblings started and grew their online businesses, I became an unofficial virtual assistant, helping out with different tasks during summers or school holidays. I got introduced to the world of e-commerce and digital marketing early on, and discovered the world of social media by myself, as a bored teenager.
And so, years later, The She Approach was born, as a combination of my love of writing, my knowledge of digital marketing and my curious nature that pushed me to figure out how I can use all of that to conquer blogging and share how I did it with others.
Q: Where do you invest energy besides blogging?
Ana: Besides running my blogging business, I am currently in the midst of launching an online gift shop where I hope to apply my e-commerce experience. This is a passion project of mine that has been in the works for a couple of months now and that comes with its own challenges and lessons that I hope to only add to my knowledge of the digital world.
While the competition is bigger than ever (and new blogs are started every day), the blogging community seems to be closer than ever.
Q: How did all the expansion kicked-off?
Ana: To be honest, my blog wasn’t that big when I launched my first ebook. But I knew that digital products were a great way to monetize a blog, and I actually had something that I thought was really valuable to share. I finally cracked the code of increasing blog traffic, and I knew that what I wanted to share was way too vast for a blog post. So I wrote an ebook.
To answer your question, I guess I started putting a price on my strategies (while still delivering free content in the same time) when I realized that what I’ve learned and experienced with growing my own blog was not common knowledge, but valuable information that was (and is) worth paying for.
Q: What’s your two cents on the blogging landscape?
Ana: I feel like blogging is now more dynamic than ever. You’d have to look really closely at what type of bloggers are out there. Some still do it as hobbies, others treat it as a business and a lot just use it as a tool to add value to their existing businesses. There are also more opportunities than ever to work with brands, monetize your blog, be recognized as an expert or simply build a following online.
I spend a lot of time delivering value via a weekly newsletter and I make it a priority to personally respond to every email and message that gets sent my way.
While the competition is bigger than ever (and new blogs are started every day), the blogging community seems to be closer than ever. From people openly sharing their strategies to collaborations between bloggers and elite communities you could join, the blogging landscape seems to be thriving and valuing community over competition. And I feel the same. There is enough success out there for everyone.
Q: How much do design and personal branding matter in such a game?
Ana: While we don’t feel or want to compete with each other, the fact of the matter is that we are. We are competing for our readers to turn to us above anyone else in our field or above any other information sources out there. We want people to choose us, remember us, come back to us (and to our blogs).
And that’s where personal branding and web design play a huge role. That’s how we make a good first impression, stand out and get people to remember us, trust us, recommend us. That’s how we differentiate ourselves from the millions of other blogs out there.
Once you foster an engaged audience, you can easily take on blogging as a profession.
Because at the end of the day, there’s only one you. And everyone has something so unique to bring to the table. And letting your personality shine through the work you do online has everything to do with how you brand yourself. And your website’s design is how you show up online. So it matters.
Q: How much do you invest in nurturing a loyal community?
Ana: I learned the importance of this quite early on, so I try to make it a main focus to engage with my audience. One of the best ways that I am able to do that, is by growing and nurturing my email list. (Don’t even get me started on why I think every blogger out there should start an email list!)
I spend a lot of time delivering value via a weekly newsletter and I make it a priority to personally respond to every email and message that gets sent my way.
Q: What are your two cents on the blogging as a profession concept?
Ana: Because there are so many facets to blogging, I think that if your dream is to blog full time, you need a plan to make that happen. I know bloggers that are able to do this as a profession because they have a set amount of brand partnerships each month. Others monetize their blogs through affiliate marketing or create courses. If you look at successful bloggers out there that have income reports, you’ll see how different their approaches are.
There is one simple solution to this: experiment! Take everything other people teach with a grain of salt and approach it with a lot of curiosity.
But I truly believe that once you have a plan (for example, to make enough money to live on + run your blog, you might only need to sell three courses per month and do two sponsored posts) and once you foster an engaged audience, you can easily take on blogging as a profession.
Q: Which are your best practices in monetizing your blog?
Ana: As mentioned above, there are a few different ways to do it. I think one of the most lucrative ways to do it (because it can turn passive – which means you’ll still get paid even if you can’t put as much time into it) is affiliate marketing. If you are in a niche that thrives on brand partnerships, sponsored content is also a good idea.
Creating and selling your own digital products can really work for you, but you need an engaged audience that will buy from you. You could also sell services, such as coaching or VA work. Ads are another popular revenue stream, but they are rarely the main way bloggers make their money.
Diversifying your income is important in this case because it can really help you reach your monetary goals faster.
Q: There are a bunch of growth hacks — do you believe in them?
Ana: Depends where they come from. There are a lot of bloggers or experts that share what worked for them, and that’s how I learned so much about blogging. But a big part of growing your own blog is that you have to do it your own way!
The only regret that I have with my blog is that I didn’t start sooner. There are now more resources out there then ever to help you succeed
That means that not all the strategies and tips and tricks that other people share (including the ones that I teach) will work for you. And that doesn’t mean they are not valid or good. It simply means that they are not appropriate for your content or your audience.
There is one simple solution to this: experiment! Take everything other people teach with a grain of salt and approach it with a lot of curiosity. If something doesn’t work right away, start asking questions, make some changes, tweak your approach. And try again. (But also don’t be afraid to stop doing what’s not working.)
Blogging is not an exact science. There are people out there that know what they are doing or teaching (and there are some growth hacks that will work universally), but that doesn’t mean they can guarantee your success.
Q: Do you have any role models in this challenging field?
Ana: I have a lot of people that I really look up to that are either successful bloggers or online entrepreneurs. Pat Flynn, Melyssa Griffin, John Lee Dumas, Zoe Linda, Carly from Mommy On Purpose and much more! I think that constantly learning is super important in this industry, so I always keep an eye out on what they teach or share online.
Q: What would be your advice for the wannabe bloggers? Send them a message.
Ana: I’ll leave you with one of my newest favorite quotes: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Eager to achieve the same level of success as Ana did?
We can help you make it happen.
I truly believe right it’s the best time to start a blog. If this idea crossed your mind, if you’re passionate about something and you want to help other people, if you want to make money in a fun, challenging and creative way, then don’t wait another second.
The only regret that I have with my blog is that I didn’t start sooner. There are now more resources out there then ever to help you succeed, and even if you’re not planning to blog full time, I truly believe that blogging can open up so many new opportunities for you!
If you made it until here maybe it means that you are truly interested in blogging, so don’t let the what-ifs dictate your choices. Be a player, not a bystander and kick-off your journey. We’re here to help you make it.
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