Here’s how we make and save money on our blog.
This is a collaboration with Lojix
When you are new to blogging or to set up your online business, it is easy to just go with whatever others suggest to you as a result of your lack of knowledge.
It took us a little over a year to realize that some of the blogging related purchases we made early on didn’t have to cost as much as others suggest. The reason most people point you in the direction of some of these themes, hosts, and courses, is because they themselves are affiliates. Obviously, the more people they get to pay, it’s the bigger the cut they receive. So they are not necessarily looking out for your best interest.
In this post we are going to share some of the ways you can save money on running your blog/website/online business.
Shop around
There is no one person who is the source of all knowledge on any matter at all. There are many who have the know-how on important matters that you will need for your business; but as their charges vary, you would be better off to shop around until you find a price that suits you.
It might also seem best to buy things in a bundle as that way it is more cost-effective. BIG MISTAKE. That is not always true. Check the prices of the individual jobs you need to do and compare. If someone is insisting on you purchasing a bundle deal well feel free to haggle and if they won’t budge then look elsewhere. That leads on nicely to my next point.
Barter services
There are so many jobs/services that you are good at, and that others need. Why not offer to price up the cost of your services and make a swap?
We had been using Pinterest long before we even started our blog and we quickly found out that this was a way to send a lot of traffic to your website.
When a fellow blogger asked us to show them how to set up and use Pinterest, we offered to set up, optimize and run her Pinterest business account for her for three months in exchange for doing some graphics work for us.
This turned out to be a big win for us both. Don’t forget to make sure that what you are offering is a fair exchange for what you will receive.
Get personal recommendations
When someone suggests that you pay for something for your business, try to arrange a little chat with them to see if this is a personal recommendation or if they have ulterior motives (as outlined above).
Be sure to ask as many detailed questions about the pros and cons of their recommendation and do not just accept textbook answers.
If they can’t personally attest to the benefits, they might just be ‘scamming’ you.
And even if they convince you, try to talk with someone else who has used the service before and has benefitted. Just satisfy yourself that they are genuinely happy customers.
We have been ‘scammed’ already when we spent hundreds of pounds on a course that was not suited to us at all. We just got caught up because we heard so many others (US-based), talking about it. In the end, we realize it just could not work for us here as the US market and the UK market are totally different in a lot of respects. It was one of the worst ways we could ever have spent money and we feel so upset each time we think about it.
Use small local agencies
Very large corporations don’t always give good deals either and this is where a smart company that is local to you and one that will give personalized service comes in.
If you have an online blog or business or website, then you know (or may not know), that you need to do well with all things Google related and all things SEO.
You need these so that you can get more views on your site, more visitors, more ad views and clicks, more sales, and more money.
When you’re a small fish swimming in the ocean of big sharks, you want to know that this is done for you in a way that puts you ahead of the competition. This is where a small digital marketing agency such as Lojix comes in. They assess the market and your competitors and ensure that you are not ‘washed away by the tide’. Using agencies like this takes the hard work from you and allows you to focus more on what you are good at.
Become an influencer
When your online business or blog takes off, you will notice that others naturally gravitate towards you and want to share in your success, follow you, and even want to imitate what you do.
The world is your oyster so make use of your new-found status as an influencer.
A lot of our blogging income comes as a result of influencer opportunities we’ve had. We do product reviews (either for cash, for products, or a combination of the two).
Some of the ways we have used our blog to make and save money
See how our blog landed us a TV role
Our five-star bathroom makeover with gifted items
Our amazing holiday with ‘free’ spending money
This is a good way to make money and also to save money too.
If you do have any questions or comments about how to make and save money from your online presence or any of the information in this post, please just use the comment box below.
