The Rising Damsel – First Income Report of the New Year

This post may contain affiliate links
This is our first income report of 2018! I absolutely can’t believe how fast the start of the new year flew by. Gone! Do you feel the same way? Is it just me? Am I old? Just kidding. But… it really did go by quickly! 

This year started by surprising me with a new job opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. Wrapping my head around a new job and maintaining the blog forced me to start working more efficiently.

I started taking in all the extra help I possibly could! Posting less often on the blog is hard and I still feel guilty. Despite my lack of posting, I maintained my social media accounts and as a result I’m still seeing steady continued growth. How? Tailwind!

If you’re interested in my complete pinning and social media strategy, I detail how to be successful in this post: How the Ultimate Social Media Scorecard can Skyrocket Your Traffic. I currently use use Tailwind to share 45+ pins but…go get the rest of the tips in the post. When you subscribe to the blog, you get access to The Social Media Scorecard, a one of a kind tool to track your growth.

Are you ready to start earning money from a blog or website? You can even build up your empire it’s possible to succeed online, I’m doing it and you can too. If you don’t have a blog please start with this post: Start a WordPress blog with Bluehost for a setup filled with tons of juicy blog tips. Bluehost lets you start taking steps towards independence today. Stop spinning your wheels, get hosting and start earning.

Here’s what happened this quarter 🙂

Blog Posts

6 Items Every Woman Needs to Revamp and Save
5 Crazy Ways to Save in 2018 You Haven’t Thought Of
Bulk Cooking Nutritious Meals for Busy Nights
Jumpstart Your Morning and Take Advantage of Your Job
10+ Resume Tips that Will Get You Hired Now! Recruiter Secrets Revealed

Social Media Goals:

• Pinterest Goal SUCCESS! From 1,918 to 2,593. That’s an average of 225 / month.  I’ve continued to use Tailwind‘s automated pinning. If you’re debating the use of automated pinning, just dive in. Both programs have completely free trials. I would love it if you followed me on Pinterest. Feel free to message me at anytime with Pinterest questions. Join my Connect and Share Group Board, it’s an active board with great repin rates. My goal is to reach 3,300 followers this upcoming quarter.
• Instagram Goal 440. Failed! I decreased from 431 to 417 followers on Instagram. It’s been difficult to find an instagram following, but with consistent posting I think my odds will change. Find me on Instagram.
• Twitter. Goal 300. Failed! From 285 to 288 followers. Retweeting is so easy! But alas my work schedule has kept me from tweeting as often as I’d like. My goal will be to hit 320 for next quarter. Find me on Twitter so I can retweet you.
• Facebook Page Follows. Goal 475. FAILED! From 428 to 462 follows on my Facebook Page. I have to admit my favorite is The Rising Damsel’s Facebook Group Board: Connect and Share to help you catapult your business or blog with sharing opportunities daily. 
• Blog Subscribers. Goal 350. SUCCESS! From309 to 450 subscribers!!!!!Subscribe today! Get every little bit of the content I create for your growth. Unlimited freebies, tips and blog giveaways. My goal is to get 600 followers.

Total Blog Views: 23,279 – 2017
8,959 – 2018

Shareasale: $ 31.74

Shareasale continues to be a great source of affiliate income for me. If you’re looking to get your feet wet with affiliate marketing and you want to start promoting brands, Shareasale has 100s of retailers to chose from, support and start earning from.

Chitika: $4.03

I researched and found Chitika when my AdSense account went completely stagnant. I was sick of the updates and account holds, something had to change! Chitika has been a great company to work with due to their easily accessible ads. I can maximize profits with better ad viewability for more exposure. Total win!

Ebates: $11.25

The only thing I hate more than not saving money, is not getting cash back! I never, ever purchase anything online without first checking Ebates for all available rebates. Easily do price comparisons with added rebates for the most savings on everything that you buy.

Ibotta: $37

Luckily this year I saw the light and gave Ibotta another shot. It’s so easy to save money on everyday items. Get cashback on items you would already purchase.

Tailwind: $60.00

Lost, absolutely lost. I’d be a pile of hurt if it wasn’t for Tailwind. For extensive details on when and where to post check out my post here: How to Standout and Gain Followers on Pinterest You’ll get secrets that you won’t find anywhere else, I promise it’s true because people tell me all the time. Don’t be afraid to revolutionize your game with Tailwind, there’s a free trial.  

Bluehost $75.00

I have had nothing but great luck with Bluehost! Representatives even reach out to me to make sure I’m satisfied. No other hosting company has given me this kind of quality service. 

You haven’t missed the bandwagon, you can start a blog and earn a passive income. I posted less than 10 times in a quarter and still earned, that’s as passive as it gets! 

All in $219.02 for the first quarter of blogging! I can’t believe it! That’s more income than my affiliates made for all of last year. I was able to make that happen by sheer persistence.

Even if your posts aren’t going viral, keep blogging, even if no one is following you on pinterest, keep pinning.

What’s Worked?

Sharing Content

The biggest part of growth is sharing content, and supporting as many other bloggers as you can. The more you support the more your content will get shared. A percentage of what you give will ALWAYS come back to you in some way, despite how long it might take you to realize.

Creating a Subscriber List and Having Valuable Freebies

Thanks to the free library The Rising Damsel offers, I see a steady stream of subscribers! I love all of you, and I know you can all attest to the fact that I never bombard with emails. I’d love it if you join us! You’ll gain valuable printables to boost your foot traffic and dominate your business.

Next Quarter Goals

Continue to Gain Traction on Facebook

Facebook has been such a great place for me to respond and help all of my readers. Not only that but my group has been super proactive about their own growth and the page allows everything to do that. If you’re still lacking a strong community, jump on Connect and Share. We are all there to help each other grow.

Create a Giveaway

It’s my goal to complete 3 giveaways this year! I love giving stuff away but I want to figure out how to inspire growth and benefit for the individual winner too.

More Guest Posts

I was blown away by my first guest post experience.The Dinks (Dual Income No Kids) took away all my fear in regards to working with other bloggers. The process was smooth and easy, the product came polished and presentable. I absolutely suggest you check out The DiNks for innovative savings and income tips.

If you are interested in guest posting for The Rising Damsel check out contribution details here.

Confession: When you have a steady flow of income from a place you’re required to be, mustering up energy for your own endeavors will take more organization, but it’s worth it. There are resources available to help you, check out The Rising Damsel’s library.

Despite having a new job I love, it has still enlightened me to the fact that I crave the freedom associated with blogging.

Starting a blog is still the best thing that I have ever done for myself! I have the ability to succeed, just as you do through blogging. The dedication to your art is the most important part! If you stop you can never succeed.

I hope to inspire you to find your own creative outlet. Ready to jump into blogging? I suggest you read my post Start a WordPress blog with Bluehost, for just $3.95 a month you can start a blog with Bluehost. Take the next step to starting something great!

How did your first quarter goal? Are you blogging? Did life change unexpectedly? How did you handle it?

Be sure and find The Rising Damsel on Pinterest! You can also subscribe for future free printables, and exclusive content using the ‘Subscribe’ button in the right column.

Join my Facebook Group Connect and Share for Success. I’d love to help spread your content. If you are looking for a free Tailwind Tribe try The Rising Damsel’s brand new one: Promote Your Blog – A Rising Damsel Tribe. Much Love!! Together we will be great!

Please Subscribe to the blog! When you Subscribe to The Rising Damsel, you will get access to The Rising Damsel’s Library! Thanks for reading, be sure and pin this article if you found it inspirational, you never know who you could be helping.

Questions and comments are welcome! I really hope this post inspired you.

My Go-To Resources

Bluehost Website hosting changed my life. Freedom to not go to an office is what I strived for my entire life. It wouldn’t have been possible without hosting through Bluehost. If you don’t have a blog please start with this post: Start a WordPress blog with Bluehost for a setup filled with tons of juicy blog tips. Bluehost lets you start taking steps towards independence today. Stop spinning your wheels, get hosting and start earning.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing to earn money blogging. There are tons of ways to make money on your blog. If you want to make money by promoting an affiliate, you need Michelle’s course Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. It was an invaluable resource to me despite 1,000+ hours of research on how to earn. The money didn’t actually start coming in till I took this course. Save yourself from frustration, Michelle has it figured out for us!

Ebates Coupons deals and cash back. When you’re shopping online if you aren’t stacking your savings, you’re losing serious money. Get rebates from 1%-20%+ on thousands of stores and get $10.00 for signing up. I won’t shop without Ebates.

Ibotta! I save on all my staples from eggs, to paper towels, to coffee and even uber rides! With Ibotta you just snap a picture of your shopping receipt and match it with current deals available online. Get $10 just for signing up through The Rising Damsel. Redeem your first $10 by verifying a buy from any of their stores. It’s an obsession.