5 Frequently Asked Questions: My Blogging Journey
I get a lot of questions in various forms - in person, through social media, and sometimes through email. I’ve put together a list of them to answer on the blog and decided it would be easiest to break them down by category. Some of the categories include things like favorite places to eat, my blogging journey, entertainment, parenting, mental health, and more.
I thought today as I kick off this new series, I would talk about the start of 614 Mom and all of the questions surrounding the logistics of the blog. Blogging is popular but a lot of people still don’t really understand it, which I get. It’s weird. Being able to share things I love and make a living for my family is a dream. It gives me the flexibility I need and the fun creative challenges I crave. Today I’m answering some of the questions I get most often. I can always do a part two another day.
Questions are always welcome and I love talking to all of you so please reach out if you have a question you’d like me to answer!
Why did you start 614 Mom?
I started 614 Mom almost 6 years ago as a fun outlet after I started staying home with my two little kids. I was on the hunt for fun things to do with my kids that were more unique and fun and decided to start sharing them on Instagram. I just wanted to write and share my thoughts with other moms. I wanted to create a space for moms that’s about us. Yes, we love our families and doing fun things with them and we love ourselves. We can do both. We should do both. I had no idea what I was doing but I learned a lot along the way and luckily so much of it is so natural for me. It’s worth noting that this was also before the big blogging boom in Columbus.
When did it transition from hobby to business?
I still vividly remember my first sponsored post. I can remember sitting at my desk downstairs typing, going downtown with my new camera to take pictures, and putting everything together. It was so much fun. I was in love with this world. I was so shocked that someone wanted to pay me to share about their business. Once I posted that piece, it started to flow and more sponsorship requests started hitting my inbox. I am so grateful for each and every one of the emails I got and still get, asking to be an advertiser on my site.
How do I (your reader) know the difference between something you’re getting paid for and something you’re just sharing to share?
Great question. First I want to say that I only share about products or services that I genuinely LOVE! I’ve turned down countless opportunities to bring in more income because I couldn’t stand behind the product or service with confidence.
With that being said how cool is it that I can be paid for my time and effort while also sharing about something that I love? Dream job! With that being said below are a few terms you’ll see on my site and what they mean.
Ad, Sponsored and Paid Partnership are all terms that describe that I am being paid to share about the products and services.
Gifted is the term I will use if I am sent something for free.
Hosted is the term I use when a business is hosting myself and/or my family for an event, trip, etc.
Affiliate - Being an affiliate means I get a small percentage of the sale if any of you purchase from that link. It doesn’t cost you any more to use that link, it just allows me to make a small amount of money for the work I do. When I say small I mean anywhere from 2% to 10% but generally not more than 5% of the sale. Every single click adds up though so purchasing through my affiliate links is always appreciated.
Is 614 Mom your full-time job
It’s not. I used to do this full time and what I found was that I was so worried about the numbers and it stressed me out and took the fun away. I’m really happy with where it’s at now - I get to post what I want and not focus on keeping up while still doing what I love. It is a job though - just a really fun one and not full time. :)
I actually own a digital marketing firm as well which is technically my full-time job. I help businesses with their online presence, teach classes on blogging and social media, and help small businesses with their workflows. I LOVE being able to do both. I love my jobs and how they fit so nicely together.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a blog?
Create a plan! Figure out what you love, pick a name, build your site, and start writing. Make sure that you’ve planned it out so that you can push through those days that are filled with busy schedules and writers’ block. I personally love Squarespace and Canva to help me produce the best content possible. If you have more questions I’m always happy to answer - send me an email or check out the classes that I teach. Either way, I’m always here to help!
