256. Create Passive Income Online: Reach Your Blogging Dreams | Katie of Heart’s Content Farmhouse

Summary

Simple Farmhouse Life Podcast Summary

Episode 256: Create Passive Income Online: Reach Your Blogging Dreams | Katie of Heart’s Content Farmhouse
Release Date: September 24, 2024
Host: Lisa Bass

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1. Introduction and Guest Background

In Episode 256 of the Simple Farmhouse Life podcast, host Lisa Bass welcomes Katie from Heart’s Content Farmhouse, a successful lifestyle blog focusing on homemade and handmade homemaking content. Lisa introduces Katie as one of her first students from a blogging course she launched six years prior, highlighting Katie's unique approach to blogging without relying heavily on social media or YouTube.

Notable Quote:

Lisa (00:00): "You have carved one way of making that successful for you and working in your life and your family."

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2. Starting a Blog: Advice to New Bloggers

Katie shares her insights on startup blogging strategies, challenging the conventional wisdom that bloggers must immediately narrow their niche. Instead, she advocates for starting broad to gather feedback and then focusing on what resonates most with the audience.

Notable Quote:

Katie (04:20): "I think I would still go broad and but what I probably would be better about is starting broad and then when something works, really doubling down on that."

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3. Traffic Sources: Pinterest, Email Lists, and Google

The conversation delves into the primary sources of blog traffic. Katie reveals that 75% of her traffic comes from Pinterest, complemented by an effective email list and Google searches. She emphasizes the enduring value of blogging as a passive income stream, even in an age dominated by platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Notable Quote:

Katie (06:03): "For me, I would say 75% of my traffic is Pinterest."

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4. The Role of Consistency and Content Quantity

Both Lisa and Katie stress the importance of consistent content creation. They agree that producing a high volume of quality posts increases the likelihood of some content performing exceptionally well, even if many posts seem average initially.

Notable Quote:

Katie (09:29): "You can't have those few hits without creating tons and tons of content."

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5. Balancing Blogging with Personal Life and Other Obligations

Balancing a full-time blogging career with personal responsibilities is a significant theme. Katie recounts how she managed her time effectively while homeschooling and raising children, highlighting the necessity of treating blogging like a full-time job to achieve success.

Notable Quote:

Katie (12:36): "You have to put your head down and get that work done. You know, if you want this to be a job, you have to treat it like a job and get that work done."

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6. Hiring and Delegating Tasks

The discussion moves to the challenges of hiring, especially when seeking to maintain the blog’s unique aesthetic and quality. Katie shares her experiences with agencies and emphasizes the importance of personal involvement in creative aspects like Pinterest pin creation and video editing to preserve her vision.

Notable Quote:

Katie (13:52): "I have to find my way and then show somebody how to do it my way."

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7. The Evolution of Blogging Strategies

Katie reflects on her blogging journey, noting how she initially mirrored her life on her blog but later shifted to a more structured, magazine-like format to provide value without over-personalizing her content. This pivot was crucial in maintaining focus and fostering growth.

Notable Quote:

Katie (17:16): "I definitely got stuck for a long time in wanting to have my blog mirror my life exactly."

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8. The Longevity and Future of Blogging

Both hosts affirm the enduring relevance of blogging as a viable income source. Katie predicts that blogging remains a strong option for passive income, even with the rise of new social media platforms, because people continue to seek out written content like recipes and how-to guides.

Notable Quote:

Katie (25:13): "I think I would still start a blog."

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9. Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

In wrapping up, Lisa and Katie emphasize the importance of perseverance, continuous learning, and adapting strategies to the evolving digital landscape. They encourage aspiring bloggers to focus on consistent content creation and to remain resilient despite the challenges.

Notable Quote:

Katie (34:37): "What you taught us in the very beginning. Find keywords, here's how you write a post, and then just keep doing it. Make it pretty, make it helpful."

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Key Takeaways

• Start Broad, Then Focus: Beginning with a wide-ranging blog allows for audience feedback, helping to identify and concentrate on the most successful content areas.
• Diversify Traffic Sources: Harnessing platforms like Pinterest and building a robust email list can significantly drive blog traffic alongside Google searches.
• Consistency is Crucial: Regular content production not only increases visibility but also enhances the quality of posts through practice.
• Balance and Treat Blogging Professionally: Managing a blog alongside personal life requires treating it with the dedication of a full-time job.
• Selective Delegation: While some tasks can be outsourced, maintaining creative control over key elements like visuals and video content is essential for brand consistency.
• Resilience Pays Off: Persistence and a commitment to continual improvement are vital for long-term blogging success.

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About the Hosts and Guest

Lisa Bass is an experienced homemaker, mother of eight, and the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Farmhouse on Boone. She shares her passion for natural living, from-scratch cooking, and handmade home projects, alongside offering business tips and entrepreneurial insights.

Katie manages Heart’s Content Farmhouse, a successful lifestyle blog that emphasizes homemade and handmade homemaking content. Her approach to blogging without heavy reliance on social media has made her a standout success story in the blogging community.

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Follow Heart’s Content Farmhouse

For more insights and to explore Katie’s content, visit Heart’s Content Farmhouse.

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Transcript

[Lisa]

Everybody has a different path. So you and I, we have very similar styles of content. We both do natural homemaking, from scratch type of living. You have carved one way of making that successful for you and working in your life and your family. And then I've kind of done it a little bit of a different way. But that, I think is what is so interesting. There's a lot of different ways to do it. I know everybody wants a very step by step formula and I definitely try to get people started with that. But then ultimately, as an entrepreneur, it's going to require your creativity and your effort. My name is Lisa, mother of eight and creator of the blog and YouTube channel Farmhouse on Boone. Join me as I share with you my love for creating a handmade home from scratch cooking and a little mom and entrepreneur life along the way. Welcome back to the Simple Farmhouse Life podcast. Today we get to talk a bit about entrepreneurship, which some of you are like, meh, all right, nope, I'm leaving. Some of you are very interested in. Some of you are maybe just curious about what that could look like, specifically blogging. So as many of you may know, I launched a blogging course about six years ago now after my husband came home a few months prior. I worked that summer on making a blogging course. One of my first students was Katie from Hearts Content Farmhouse and she has just excelled with her lifestyle blog that focuses on all things homemade, handmade, a homemaking style lifestyle, lifestyle blog. And she didn't do it with social media, she did not do it with YouTube. She really figured out how to make this lifestyle blog a success in her own way. And I'm really curious to hear from her how she fit that into her life as a mom and trying to do all the other things that can be really difficult to juggle. And then what her timeline looked like, was it many years? And I also want to ask her if she still thinks it's worth starting right now in today's world. So we have lots of bloggers, everybody wants to start an Internet business of some kind, make some money from home. So I'm curious to hear from her what her take is on that and how blogging has shifted and how that's looked in the last couple of years. Even if you don't want to start a blog, I think that you'll find this discussion very entertaining. I mean, this is like, if this is the kind of thing that I wish I could talk about all the time, to be honest, I just know that I'm probably a little bit bent towards Entrepreneurship as a mom and a homemaker, more than average. And so it's not something that I do a ton, but this is the kind of stuff that if my, you know, if I could just talk about anything, it'd probably be this. So without further ado, let's chat with Katie from Heart's Content Farmhouse. Well, Katie, it's so glad to have you on. I think we've only really interacted in the blog Facebook group quite a bit, but then like I'm looking at your face thinking I don't really feel like we've ever actually talked in real life, even though I felt like I knew you.

[Katie]

Yes, I agree. I do feel, feel like we have spoken, but we actually never have.

[Lisa]

So.

[Katie]

Yeah, interesting.

[Lisa]

Yeah, it's funny because you're, you're in the Facebook group and you're very helpful in there a lot of times, especially because you're one of the more successful blogs in the course group. And then I also run across your blog on Pinterest all the time. So for those who don't know your blog, they probably do know it, just did not realize that it was yours. Tell us a bit about your blog.

[Katie]

So it is called Hearts Content Farmhouse. It is almost like an old school lifestyle blog. I would say lots of recipes, a little bit of homesteading like gardening and chickens and then some sort of general homemaking, you know, organizing that type of thing. Basically what everyone tells you not to not to start.

[Lisa]

Exactly.

[Katie]

A little bit of everything.

[Lisa]

Yep. Yep. Well, okay. So with that being said, I really value your feedback because you're a bit of a newer blogger. I mean, at this point you've had had a blog for several years. But I get asked the question all the time, would what would you do if you were starting a blog today? And I'm sure you could ask that question as well. So that's just to jump right into the topic. Let's start there. What would you tell a brand new blogger?

[Katie]

So I think a lot of the new advice that you hear is that sort of you have to be very niche. You have to pick your area of expertise. And I think we've kind of seen recently that that isn't really a perfect answer either. I think I would still go broad and but what I probably would be better about is starting broad and then when something works, really doubling down on that. Yeah, like start broad, get that feedback and then use that to do more and more of what's working.

[Lisa]

So what's funny is that that's how I started my blog too. And that's how I coached students. The course very originally. And then after a few years, I started kind of listening to the advice of the experts, which it's. It's hard because what works for one person isn't. Or for one niche isn't going to be an exact copy and paste. So I try my best to, like, help people achieve success, but, you know, there's obviously, even the top SEO experts don't necessarily know. Like, a lot of times they'll say things and then we'll get. There'll be a Google algorithm shift, and everything they're saying is completely different. So I leaned into teaching more specifics on SEO for a while. And then I kind of. After the last year or so with a lot of things that have happened with Google, I've kind of shifted back to no, I really think this will work, especially when you go on to Pinterest and you create good graphics like I see you doing so often. So is that where you're seeing most of your traffic, or is it split pretty evenly between that and Google? And then where does social media factor in?

[Katie]

So for me, I would say 75% of my traffic is Pinterest. That's okay.

[Lisa]

I assumed that for you, which is really encouraging to people, because that is where a lifestyle blog will really shine.

[Katie]

Yes. And then I've been able to grow an email list that actually generates a lot of traffic, too. And then my third biggest traffic source is Google.

[Lisa]

Okay, now, were you serious about the email list from the very beginning? Because I teach that. And then I know so many people are like, like, you know, it's stress when you're first starting a blog because there's a lot of moving pieces. And so how long after did you decide that that was worth implementing?

[Katie]

So I was always serious about. You always hear that advice, grow the email list. You say that in your course. And I did exactly what you said about growing it and getting all that set up to get people's email addresses. But what I just started leaning into recently is using that for traffic. And so it was still good advice, because once I decided I wanted to use that list, I had tens of thousands of email addresses that I had just been sitting on.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Katie]

So it was good advice, and it still is. And again, a lifestyle blog works for that. Because if you're just blogging about reptiles, you know, nobody wants an email three days a week about reptiles.

[Lisa]

Right? Right. Yeah.

[Katie]

But if it's a variety, they might.

[Lisa]

Okay, so I have had so many students, you've interacted with lots of them in the blog group. You're on mediavine. And so you, at this point, have met lots of bloggers, lots of professional bloggers. What do you feel like has. Like, what is the reason why your blog has become so successful when it seems like a lot of lifestyle blogs really struggle to make it?

[Katie]

It's a hard question, because sometimes I feel like I got lucky.

[Lisa]

There's a lot of talk about luck, especially in the group right now over on Facebook.

[Katie]

And then sometimes I feel like I don't. You know, sometimes I feel like I worked super, super hard for a very long time and it wasn't luck. Well, and I just. It's hard to say I agree with you.

[Lisa]

I really struggle with the luck thing because there are parts of my business that have been very, very lucky. Very lucky. I will not deny that. But there's also parts that even if that luck wouldn't have happened to accelerate it to where it is today, it still would be successful, just on a different level. With all of the randomness I threw at the wall for so long, like, I never. I. And I don't want to say, like, oh, you know, if you just. It's such a tricky conversation. It really, really is. And I don't want to deny that. But I will say that I do think that I have more consistently put out content over most people in this. In this industry over the last nine years. Like, I just. I just have not stopped. And so I think there's a bit of both. I'm sure you could speak to that as well.

[Katie]

I agree with that. I mean, you. Everyone has those few posts that sort of pay their bills, and it's easy to say that you're lucky, but also, if you've created a hundred posts versus someone who's created 20, and you have a few that have done really well, you still put in that work to get to that small percentage that did well, if that makes sense. You can't have those few hits without creating tons and tons of content. And I have created tons of content.

[Lisa]

Yes. And I'm sure you've had some. And I have, because, you know, I create over on the blog and on YouTube and I have videos where I'm like, this is going to go nuts. And then it's like, 10 to 10 is what the YouTube ranking is. And then I'll have like a blog post that I'm like, okay, this is an easy win. I've looked at the SEO on it. I have, you know, this amount of authority. It's my Topic. It says it's easy to rank for nothing. Will not. And then, and then randomly, I just today realized I rank for chicken marsala soup. And I'm not. I know that's not a big deal, but like, usually if it's not a certain type of food, I'm not ranking for it. So sometimes even with your best advice, all. Everything in the, you know, we're doing everything right. We are writing our blog posts in the perfect way. We're putting in the right pictures, we're labeling things correctly, we are keywording things correctly. Still, there is going to be a certain amount of. I just don't really know. But I have put out so much that some things just seem to work.

[Katie]

Right and that's what it is. I can't pinpoint why, but I know that I've worked hard enough to deserve it, if that makes sense. Like.

[Lisa]

Yeah, yeah. Well, it's, it's really hard. I, I have some, like, there's some guilt around it right now because I have not worked super hard for a few years, but. And it's easy to forget what it took in those first few years because, you know, I started my business almost nine years ago at the end of this year and I would say five years at least, probably more if I'm being honest, were really, really difficult. But then like the last several. It's been a while, I haven't even, you know, like, I've built out a really great team, really great systems, very established. And so right now I don't have to work even close to as hard as a new blogger. And it's. It just seems too good to be true. But yeah, you have to remind yourself like, no, no, this was not all luck. I definitely put in some serious hours.

[Katie]

I'm just kind of getting to that point. So I'm about, I guess I would say five years in and I've just started hiring and I do feel that I probably work now about three hours a day, if that.

[Lisa]

Right, right.

[Katie]

I'm like, you know, so I am sort of getting into YouTube again now that I feel like I have the time. But it, it did take a very long time to get there. Super long.

[Lisa]

Yeah. And it'll be different for different people because you have different budgets, different number of children, different ages of children, different obligations. Whether you homeschool or you have a full time job. We always want to compare ourselves. And that's where it gets really tricky, especially in the group because there'll be chatter in there and people will say, well, but I did this and she did this. And it's like our situations are just so different. I try to, you know, especially alongside some really great students who also are really happy to weigh in on their successes and what's worked for them. I try to encourage people and show them what. What to do, where they are. But ultimately, just like anything, everybody's situation is going to be so different with the amount of time you have to devote your niche. There's a lot that goes into it.

[Katie]

Yeah. And it is hard, though. I definitely. I feel that. And I want. I always want to say that to people. Well, you're so busy with this and this, but at the same time, you do have to put your head down and get that work done. You know, if you want this to be a job, you have to treat it like a job and get that work done. And it is hard to walk that line and tell people, you know, what is the right path. And I think it's fine to say, you know, if you can't do this right now, if you can't commit to the time that it takes, that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. But it is a lot of work, and there's no real getting around that in the end.

[Lisa]

Right. Even if you have a high budget to hire people, I have always found that you can hire things out too soon before you truly understand it. And it never works. Like, anytime I, as the business owner, don't first understand what I'm doing and then take what I know and train a team of people, I have always prematurely, like, when I have a little bit of extra money from the blog and I want to reinvest it, I've tried to just be like, hey, you take this course and then. And then do this and make it huge. It never works. Have you tried something like that or experienced that?

[Katie]

I have. Basically any time that I hire any type of agency where they have, this is our method. This is what we do. It has never worked for me. I have to find my way and then show somebody how to do it my way. And then there are things like making pins. I've tried. I just. I have. I have to do it. It has to be well.

[Lisa]

And your pins are so beautiful. And I've seen in the group where you have talked about how you make them, and I find it so interesting. And it's really like, I have literally tried doing what you do, and I cannot figure out. I mean, I haven't, like, in order to copy you, but I'm like, I'm gonna see if I can get that done. And I literally cannot get them like yours. They're really beautiful. And I know what you're saying, and I've had the same experience with YouTube. So what's the first thing somebody hires out when they're building a YouTube channel? A video editor. Right. Like somebody who has this many followers, this many views on the blog, you should have a video editor. I'm with you. That is something I cannot hire out. I cannot. I have tried and it just never comes back with my vision. And for me, it's. There's going to be places in your business where you know that you can't let go. But then there's also places where if you try to hold on to everything, you will never grow past a certain point. And it isn't always monetarily equal. Like I have noticed. There are certain parts of my business that are, that pay off way more, but I can hire people to run them better than I can do myself. And so you think, okay, that pays more. You should be the one in that because you're the owner of this business. But they're doing great. Whereas, like the thing that pays a little bit less, it needs my creative touch. Have you found like, really tricky balance with all of that?

[Katie]

It is, it's true. I mean, for example, blog writing that is easy to hire out. And even though that's, you know, my biggest moneymaker is the blog content, that is something that I don't think needs. You know, I'll come in and write a little bit of it, but I don't think that needs a personal touch the way that like a Pinterest image does or a, you know how you're saying your YouTube is.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Lisa]

Yes.

[Katie]

And that's interesting. I think for both of us, those are the two things that have made us successful. And we're realizing, you know, that those are the things that we can't let go of. So, yeah, it's, it's interesting.

[Lisa]

Well, everybody has a different path. So you and I, we have very similar styles of content. We both do natural homemaking, from scratch type of living. And you have carved one way of making that successful for you and working in your life and your family. And then I've kind of done it a little bit of a different way. But that, I think is what is so interesting is there's a lot of different ways to do it. I know everybody wants a very step by step formula, and I definitely try to get people started with that. But then ultimately, as an entrepreneur, it's going to require your creativity and your effort. I remember whenever my sister was starting her blog, which is also quite successful, she would ask me certain things and I would say, you know, nobody else has ever started this exact blog called this exact thing on this exact platform with these exact posts. And so I can help you guess what will work, but you're going to have to try it and then just see. And we'll have to, like, reassess from there because. So, okay, so with that being said, have. Have you ever taken the wrong path? You're like, whoop, nope, that's not going to work for me. Like, that's not furthering my goals.

[Katie]

You know, I definitely got stuck for a long time in wanting to have my blog mirror my life exactly. So, like, if I made something for dinner, it was going on the blog. Like, I've done this too.

[Lisa]

It was my diary.

[Katie]

And it. What was really silly was a lot of people will start saying, oh, this was a hobby and it was my diary. But no, I always knew I wanted it to be a business. But same.

[Lisa]

I have the exact story and people always. I almost feel a little bad about it.

[Katie]

I was just gonna say that it's.

[Lisa]

Supposed to be like, real innocent and sweet. Like, I just shared what I was passionate about and boom, money.

[Katie]

Oops, I'm making so much money, right? No, not me. Not me. But I still continue to make it very, like, centered around myself, which nobody knew who I was. Nobody. People still don't know who I am. My blog isn't personal, but.

[Lisa]

And see, I. Again, it's weird. That was smart. I'm just going to go ahead and tell you right now. I like that.

[Katie]

Oh, it was just very weird that I really wanted my life to be reflected so much. And it was probably two years in before I said, you know, like, it. Think of this like a magazine. People are not.

[Lisa]

Yes, like a magazine.

[Katie]

It's just articles. It's a collection of articles that are helping people. And then that is what kind of helped keep me focused, I think.

[Lisa]

Because social media was introduced as a way for somebody to share their lives, blogging was first introduced as the first way that you could keep a record in a journal of your life for somebody to follow along with. I think that that is your natural inclination before you realize, wait a minute, this doesn't have to be this way. And it actually shouldn't be this way for me to be successful with this. But yeah, I had the same thing happen. I don't remember when that shift happened for me. I think it took me a lot more than two years to figure it out. And even now I'm like distancing myself a bit more from the personal story for a lot of reasons and just trying to share even with my YouTube videos, like a collection, kind of a video version of what's happening on the blog and distancing myself a bit from all of that. So that's, that's another whole topic entirely, like being anonymous and all this.

[Unknown]

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[Lisa]

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[Unknown]

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[Lisa]

For you early on. So a lot of people right now are probably thinking about starting some kind of Internet business if they're listening to this episode. What did that look like? You were home with children. I pretty sure you homeschool, am I correct?

[Katie]

I don't actually anymore. Okay, okay.

[Lisa]

But at the time, what did your life look like and how did you fit it in?

[Katie]

It was. Sometimes I look back and I don't really know how I did it.

[Lisa]

What drove you? Because I think that too. Because right now, I think once you reach kind of your goals, you're no longer really motivated. Personally, me, I'm not motivated to like, push, push, push, push, push. Like, I did that and it was so fun and I was like on fire to do it. Like, it worked, but now I'm like, this, this version of me could not. So, yeah, like, there's something driving you. In the beginning, maybe.

[Katie]

There definitely was something driving me. I mean, I felt that nobody in my real life thought that it would work. And that motivated me tremendously in, like, isn't that terrible?

[Lisa]

I mean, if we're honest, a lot of us feel that way.

[Katie]

Yeah, I mean, people would. Nobody understood it. You know, are you. Are you selling something?

[Lisa]

Are you on how do you make money on that?

[Katie]

And it just frustrated me, and I just wanted to prove everyone wrong. So there was some of that. And then at a certain point, you've put so much work into it that you can't quit. You have to see it through or else you, you know, you just have to do it. And I think a lot of people have that drive and it, it definitely, you know, it was waking up early, it was keeping every. And you talk a lot about this in your Course that you have to make a schedule for yourself from these hours. I'm working and when I sit down to work, I know what I'm doing and that's it.

[Lisa]

Right. No, not. No tinkering around on the website and the logo. That's what people really like to do. Like, I'm gonna switch my theme, I'm gonna make a new logo. That is not the right work. Now, if you have time, let's say you have so much time and you're just trying to figure out what to do next, that would be it. But I think so many people like to waste time because there's, there's certain parts of the business that are more fun than others. And so you feel like, okay, I'm moving, I'm moving, I'm doing things. But there's certain work, Right. That actually will move you forward.

[Katie]

Yes. Yeah, A lot of people do get stuck in that. And then the before they launch, wanting it to be perfect and it's so hard. You know, what you have to do is just create content. And that's the hardest part. And that's the part that's going to move the needle. There's just no way around it.

[Lisa]

Yeah, yeah, yes. So if you were starting a business online, so now I feel like, okay, you said five years ago is when you started your blog. So now TikTok's big. Instagram is big. People have shifted their focus. What would you start again? Like, let's say you know, everything you know right now and you're a stay at home mom and you want to earn some income for your family that you could maybe do at nap times late at night, like still be a stay at home moment. What would you.

[Katie]

I think I would still start a blog. Yeah.

[Lisa]

Yeah, I agree. I agree. And then there are people who will question me on that and I'm like, but it's the most anonymous. Like I. If I quit everything else right now and faded into oblivion and just had my recipes on the blog, I would be able to support our family with that.

[Katie]

Right.

[Lisa]

And nobody'd recognize me out and about. Fits in with my life. It doesn't require me to document every single thing I'm doing all day. Like Instagram. So yeah, share your thoughts on that.

[Katie]

It's passive. Yeah, it's. Yeah, it. I still. And I like my blog traffic is still growing. So to hear. And that's with so many new blogs being created each and every day. So the whole story of. Oh, people don't read blogs anymore. They definitely don't Read blogs the way they used to read blogs.

[Lisa]

Right. That's different.

[Katie]

100% true. People are still looking up the written word on the Internet.

[Lisa]

Yeah.

[Katie]

I mean, people are still buying cookbooks, so people are definitely still looking recipes up online. And I would still start a blog. I think if you want something passive and something that you know will grow a little bit on its own, there's nothing better than a blog.

[Lisa]

I. I still fully agree. So what did your timeline look like? You started your blog how fast before it was a part time income? How fast before it was a full time income?

[Katie]

Yeah, so I started it in 2000, like probably the middle of, I guess the very end of 2018. And it was, you know, who knows what was happening there. And then I saw your course and I think I was probably one of the early. I don't know when you started it.

[Lisa]

But I think I launched my course in late summer of 2018 because my husband quit his job that May, so six years ago. And I was like, okay, we did something, so now I can share about it. Like, I didn't want to be one of those people who was like, oh, I'm going to make money sharing how to do something I've never done. So that's. Yeah, that was the 2018.

[Katie]

So. Yeah. So it must have been the very end of 2018 that I bought it. And I realized kind of what I was doing was never going to work. And so that was when I understood keyword research. Putting things in a recipe card, what an H2 is. I didn't use those. I didn't know what that meant. And I realized that I needed to be more consistent. You said two blog posts and two YouTube videos a week, and I took that as like what had to be done. And that's what I did. And then, so then it was probably December of 2019 that I got into Mediavine and then I had some sourdough content. So when Covid hit, I immediately like skyrocketed up to about 300,000 page views.

[Lisa]

Right.

[Katie]

And you know, that came back down and. But by the middle of 2021 I was at a full time income. But like, keep in mind from when that's still like almost two years of, from getting into mediavine to being on a full time income. And that still feels like a grind, you know, like two years of still putting out all this content.

[Lisa]

What, like what kind of hour commitment was it at that point?

[Katie]

I would say I was probably working 30 hours a week because I was still doing YouTube videos and editing Them myself. And you know how time consuming that is.

[Lisa]

Yes, yeah.

[Katie]

And you know, photography and all that, doing all my social media, everything by myself. But I mean, now I make a very, very comfortable income. More than my husband. He could if I don't want him to, but if he did, he could stop working.

[Lisa]

Yeah. It's not for everybody to do that.

[Katie]

Right.

[Lisa]

Yes. I needed hands here. So it, you know, it's different for everybody because what I was doing here was two people's full time jobs. And so I was like, this is a very short season. I can get it done but I cannot stay here. And so for us, that's why he had to come home to help with, with. I mean, there's just, there's beyond two people's full jobs.

[Katie]

Yeah. I mean, my kids are in school now, so I have a very different daily life than you and a lot of people. And so I definitely do not need or want my husband home. But.

[Lisa]

Right, right. You'd be like, what do I do now? Like that would. Yeah, that's not for everybody by any stretch.

[Katie]

But yeah, it was it definitely you. I definitely had periods where I felt super stuck. You know, I'm doing, I'm working as hard as I can. I'm not growing, I'm not growing. And I just kept working like, oh, well, I'm not growing. I'll just keep working. If I stop, then I definitely won't grow. But if I keep going, maybe I will.

[Lisa]

Yeah. Yeah. So do you feel like if everybody pushed past, they could. I know there's a lot of factors that go into this because there is also a certain something that you are good at. You are good at coming up with the right topics. You're good at making the pins. So of course their talent is going to go into it, but everybody's going to grow on that. So, like, what was your content like way back? Like, part of this wasn't just that you got this many posts out. You also got better at making the post, which would happen for everybody at some point. Might take longer for some.

[Katie]

Yeah. So first of all, I do think there's probably something everybody is good at in. Because if you think of blogging, there's so many different, you know, talents that are possibilities that could take you far. You could be a really good writer, you could be a really good photographer, you could be good at keyword research. Somebody has one of those. Everybody has something like that in the book.

[Lisa]

Yes.

[Katie]

Yeah, but. And also, like you said, a lot of content, but you also got better and I don't think those are two separate things. I think you make a lot of content and that makes you better. And then, you know, you do a certain recipe, and then you do 300 more photo shoots, and you look back on that recipe and you're like, I could do that way better now because of those 300 more photo shoots I've done. Now I'm going to go redo it. And I think people talk about quantity versus quality, and the best way to get better is to keep practicing and do it more.

[Lisa]

Yeah, there's no harm in that. We're currently in the process, me and my blog team, in updating all of my terrible posts because I had a audit with Casey Marquis, and he basically told me my blog should go on the trash. No, just kidding. Not in the trash. But it was close. I was like, man, Casey, like, if I didn't have this many page views, I'd be thinking, like, I should quit. But, yeah, we're going back and we're redoing the terrible stuff that I put out for you years. Because that was my process, like, figuring this whole thing out.

[Katie]

Yeah, but, like, think if you had only done one blog post a month or something, you never would have gotten that, like, gap in where you are now to where you were then. Like, you wouldn't be able to look back and say, oh, these do need to be updated. These are bad posts. You'll still be there. But, like, all that repetition, now you are better. So not only do you have all that content that you made that can be updated, you have those skills that have improved. So that's why I just feel like, you know, just make more. Make more content. Right?

[Lisa]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, ultimately that's what is going to teach you better than anything else. But through all of that, I always talk about the level of belief. Like you said, oh, I'm going to prove to people that this will work. So you obviously always thought it would work. So I think what happens is people start a blog, they realize how much work goes into it. Then at some point they say, well, this probably won't even work. I'm just wasting my time. And then they quit. And what will keep you from quitting is actually thinking, like, if anybody knew, I have to work 30 hours a week, but in two years, I'm going to be making way more money than my husband. They would not quit. Nobody in their right mind would do that. But they just don't think that's true.

[Katie]

That is true. I never believed that it would not work. Ever. Like, I didn't know how long it would take, but I knew that I wouldn't stop until it worked. And if you, like, if you were to look at my first blog post, my 10th blog post, my 50th blog post, I'm sure they are no better than anyone's blog posts who started and quit on their 50th post. Like, I was, there was nothing special about me anything. Like, my pins were terrible. Everything I did was terrible for a very long time and then it wasn't. And I do think that there is this element of not quitting. And your course is actually very, very good about explaining that the mindset that goes into it and how the most successful bloggers are the ones who just don't stop working.

[Lisa]

Yeah, I think you're right. Is there anything that you have been listening to for, you know, education or for some of the motivation throughout your blogging journey, like any helpful podcast or YouTube channels along the way?

[Katie]

I, I, I used to listen to a lot of podcasts that were in the blogging world and lately I've kind of just, it's all felt just like a lot of noise lately. There's been a lot of changes and I just, a lot of things that I don't think people know. And honestly, I feel like going back to like, your course was the very first course I ever bought. And I feel like going back to that is more helpful now than some of these crazy strategies that are all about gaming the system and weird researches and, you know, like just weird, weird stuff. What you taught us in the very beginning. Find keywords, here's how you write a post, and then just keep doing it. Make it pretty, make it helpful. That is still the most valuable information, I think.

[Lisa]

Well, yeah, I think a lot of people want a hack, you know, like some kind of shortcut, some kind of hack. And yes, there's strategy, there is like, there's things to learn, but ultimately there is no hack. And if there is, I still don't know it. Now a lot of people ask me, I get this all the time. What about YouTube? Would you start YouTube versus would you start a blog? I think you ended up pulling back from YouTube. What was your thought process behind that? Obviously you make plenty of money on the blog, so I think I know what your response is probably going to be.

[Katie]

I, I think YouTube, like, I definitely do think that there's tons of opportunity there. I, I mean, for me, like the amount of work that goes into a YouTube video and the fact that nobody my YouTube channel just doesn't do that. Well, I think the blog is just easier and more profitable. But at the same time, for years I did make YouTube videos. And so this is another thing that you talk about in the course, how much video helps your blog. And my most popular blog posts that do the best on Google have very popular YouTube videos to go with them. So it, it is hard for me to separate it. I don't know if video also helped to get me to where I am, you know, from videos that I have way back in the day that are still circulating. Obviously both is ideal for sure.

[Lisa]

Yeah, well, and everybody again has to figure out what's going to fit into their family life where, you know, I sometimes think, and I could be wrong because again, this depends on different people's style of video, their niche. But for some people, YouTube will be a faster turnaround. But then ultimately, I think blogging is a better growth oriented strategy as well as one that's more passive. Like, for me personally, the income on the blog has been something that I've steadily been able to increase and it's extremely passive, whereas YouTube is more of a grind. And I feel like my income is kind of remained pretty level with it. The only reason I wouldn't personally quit it is just because I like the diversification of having several things. But ultimately, like, if I knew my blog was going to discontinue to make what it makes now for the next 15, 20 years, I'd quit. I'd quit YouTube like 100%. I wouldn't look back. But I just, you know, sometimes I like that diversification. That's why I do the podcast. But yeah, blogging to me still is the best for sure.

[Katie]

It is, it is. It makes me so sad to hear people not even want to try. Oh, everyone's only doing Instagram now. Everyone's only doing. And I just think, no, they're really not. You just don't know about all the people quietly not famous. You don't know who they are cashing huge checks.

[Lisa]

Well, and so my, my response to that usually, okay, is everybody is doing that, then that means everybody is competing. Whereas, I mean, yes, there are so many blogs, but nowhere near as many people are trying to make it as a blogger than are trying to make it as Instagrammers or tick tockers. It's not even close. And then people will tell me, oh, I don't read blog. And I'll be like, well, did you Google the recipe for the enchiladas you made last night? And like, yes. Like you wrote a blog, you didn't even realize you did it. And that person made money and you had no idea. They're not even famous. If you walked into the store and saw them, you would not recognize their face. And that is so cool.

[Katie]

Yeah, that is cool. That is what I like about it. Yeah. I mean, people in my real life don't even. I think they just think I don't do anything all day and that's fine. That doesn't bother me at all.

[Lisa]

I think that's great. More and more I'm like, man, I should have chosen a more anonymous career. Not that like, I always think people probably think, like weird things have happened, they haven't. I think it just, it's more recently just occurring to me how many people know my face. And I'm like, right, you know, well.

[Katie]

And when you see your view numbers, you're like, okay, odds are somebody at the grocery store.

[Lisa]

Yes, exactly. So I think it's encouraging to people that you can make a living on the Internet without being Internet famous. Because a lot of people don't want to be Internet famous. And they'll tell themselves, well, that's why I won't start an Internet business. But the truth is you actually can do both.

[Katie]

Absolutely. Definitely. Nobody has to know who you are. If you can take a good picture, you'll be okay.

[Lisa]

Yeah. Yes, yes, absolutely. Okay, well, tell everybody where they can follow along with you. What kind of. What kind of content is most popular on your blog, especially this time of year? Like what things are people visiting, hard hearts content farmhouse for so tons of.

[Katie]

Baking, some sourdough, but also other kinds, cookies, breads, lots of any type of bread you can find there. And I am not really on any social media. I don't. I will post like a YouTube video a month if I feel like it. I'm not on Instagram, so if anybody wants to find me, the best way is just to go to the blog and. Or send me an email probably.

[Lisa]

But oh man, I'm jealous right now. Honestly, I love that. I mean that it just seems like a very, like I know what the pace of work is for a blog and so your life sounds very relaxed because that is the slowest pace work that I have is working on the blog. It's just it truly, once you get it to a certain point, is very, very passive.

[Katie]

It really is. And it. If I don't want to, you know, I try to post as much as I can, but if I don't want to, I don't have to. Nobody's, like, checking, so.

[Lisa]

Exactly. Whereas, like, a YouTube and an Instagram, you have this content calendar that you're keeping up with, or people are literally like, why didn't you upload this week? Whereas the blog, you just pop some new post to the front of it, and it's like, we're ready for fall. All right? Like, if you want to take off for three months, you could, and your income would not even suffer.

[Katie]

Right. And also with YouTube and Instagram, you're worrying about feeding that machine, you know, okay, well, if I do take a break, can I come back and be where I was?

[Lisa]

You know, you can't. That's totally true. Whereas with the blog, I can take very long breaks from it and still make tons of money again. People are probably like, why don't you just quit everything else? Well, because I want to make sure that if one puzzle piece kind of, like, dips. I know. I guess I'm crazy in some ways.

[Katie]

No, it's. And it's good that you do that. And you also. I'm sure it does help your blog having, you know, those signals from Google or from YouTube and Instagram. I'm sure it all works together well.

[Lisa]

But people think that you get blog traffic From Instagram, from YouTube, and you do not. So if you look at my analytics, very, very little, small portion, very tiny percent comes from those. So, yeah, you can do what Katie's done, build a blog and not have to chase all of these crazy algorithms that we're all, I think, getting very tired of.

[Katie]

Yeah.

[Lisa]

I love it. What's. What's the future for you? Do you have any, like, books you're wanting to do or any big goals or you're just like, you know what? I love where I'm at, and I'm just going to continue in this. This lifestyle.

[Katie]

Yeah, I like where I'm at. I am like, I just posted a YouTube video today, and it's terrible, but I want to try to get into that a little bit, just to diversify. But other than that, I'm just trying to stay where I am, not work too much.

[Lisa]

I think that's great.

[Katie]

Goals.

[Lisa]

That's. Those have been my goals for years. Like, people ask, what's your New Year's resolution? Like, just keep. Maintain what I've done. I already did this whole grind thing, and I don't want to do it forever, and nobody needs to do it forever.

[Katie]

Or people who say, oh, well, you know, would you ever want to have a TV show or a book? I'm like, no, I don't want anything like that ever.

[Lisa]

Right.

[Katie]

Make money from home.

[Lisa]

Yes. I think that's so many people's experience. And we see the blog is kind of like a very. It's just a not well known thing. And so most people who would see your Instagram or your TikTok or YouTube would be like, well, she's not making any money. And it's great because you actually are. And it's very anonymous and I love it.

[Katie]

Yeah. That is what's so funny about it. I'm almost like, I almost want to tell people I don't even have an Instagram because I don't want them looking at it being like, what is that?

[Lisa]

Right, don't look it up.

[Katie]

Right, don't look it up. Yep, yep.

[Lisa]

It's refreshing though. I think that that's actually what everybody really wants if they're honest, you know?

[Katie]

Yeah. It's the way to go. Blogging still alive. Everyone should try it.

[Lisa]

All right, well, thank you so much, Katie. This was very encouraging.

[Katie]

Yeah, thanks, Lisa.

[Lisa]

I hope that you found this as interesting and entertaining as I did. As always, thank you so much for listening and I will see you in the next episode of the simple farmhouse life podcast.

[Unknown]

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