Home / Career & Money How to turn your mommy blog into a career Want to make money documenting life with your kids? Here’s how. By The Bloguettes April 6, 2017 Rectangle Ever wonder how to start a mommy blog, what topics to write about, and how to make money telling your family’s story? Swirling in a world of affiliate programs, brand collaborations and influencer meetups? You’re in good company: With (literally) millions of mommy blogs in the U.S. alone, sharing your family’s story on your own site has evolved into one of the most popular pastimes for mothers. If you’ve been blogging as a hobby for awhile and love it, it only makes sense to try to earn some money from your craft, because let’s face it—children are expensive! Whether you’re looking to use your blog to make some extra cash or you want to be able to eventually quit your 9-5 job, we have the tips and tricks you need to make your blog a success! Here’s what we have learned about how to turn your mommy blog into a career— Make the Investment Investing is hands down the most essential part of taking your mommy blog from a hobby to a successful career. Although, investing can be a pretty general term, so let’s break it down. You’ll need to invest in 3 ways: time, a little money, and a lot of heart— Time So, how much time? Ideally, all of it. No, but really—it’s essential to start treating your blog like a career in order for it to truly become one. This means daily dedication, working hard, and never quitting. As a mom, the idea of using your time for anything other than your parental duties may seem like more of a daydream than reality. This is understandable, as parenting is a full-time job. However, if anyone can can make this blogging thing a reality, it’s you! Remember, your blog is all about being a mommy! So, use your mommy time to find inspiration for content, whether it be pictures, videos, or blog post ideas. Money How much money are we really talking about? Don’t worry, you don’t have to have the latest and greatest gadgets or drop thousands on your blog, especially not right off the bat. Although, you will need invest in a few areas in order to truly monetize your blog. This could include a premium WordPress plan, a DSLR camera, Stock Photo Membership, or editing software, like those you can download from Adobe Creative Cloud. We also recommend downloading a plugin like Yoast to help you optimize your content for SEO purposes! SEO is huge for monetization, as it’s what will help your content get in front of your audience! In addition, it’s also important to invest in your education. The blogging industry is always growing and changing, so by staying one step ahead and investing in your education, you can find success and continue to grow your blog! For example, online classes are great for staying in-the-know when it comes to all things blogging and social media related, and blogging workshops are a great way to network and learn new things in a hands-on environment! In summary, when it comes to investing financially, know what you need to produce the content you desire, and after doing some research, invest in the tools needed to enhance your work without feeling wasteful or guilty. This is your career after all! Heart What do you mean by heart? As a loving mama-bear, having heart should come naturally! You love your little ones the most, so why not use this to fuel your career? The motherly passion you have needs to be visible in your content in order for your audience to buy into it. It’s important to keep your drive, even on the most difficult days. The key to success as a mommy blogger is staying inspired, and depending on the ages of your little ones, you have years to gain inspiration from! So what does it look like to have heart as a mommy blogger? Lorena Garcia, co-founder of Bloguettes, mommy to baby Diego, and the beauty and brains behind her blog, Call Me Lore, told us a little bit about how she stays inspired: “I stay inspired by always keeping my eyes and ears open. I always try to write down all of the questions that I have as a new mom and then try to turn them into pieces of content. I also stay inspired by seeing my site’s growth. Always measure! Use your analytics to strategize and focus on what works. The more you see yourself grow, the more inspired you will be to keep putting more time into your blog.” We also talked with Hailey Andreson, founder of Household Mag, where she shares glimpses of what it’s like to manage her brand and be full-time mama to baby Owen. When we asked her for advice she would give for other mommy bloggers, this is what she had to say: “From the outside, making your blog a profession can seem easy, but put simply, it takes a lot of work, time and energy. Fortunately, telling our story, connecting with other parents, and putting together visual content are all aspects of this job that I genuinely love with with my whole heart. Like any job you do, make sure it’s for the right reasons.” Now that you’re feeling inspired and motivated, you might be chomping at the bit to get started right away! Here are our 6 tips for making the most out of your money-making mom blog— Develop your brand It’s so important to determine who you are as a blogger and what makes you different. It’s also important to come up with the look and feel of your brand and make sure this is consistent throughout your site! This is an essential first step. Produce content: Develop a publishing schedule, and stick to it. However, remember that quality is much more important than quantity. Set realistic goals for yourself– for example, posting twice a week might be a great starting point! Share the love: Interacting with other bloggers will build a supportive community around your own blog. Engagement is key, not just with bloggers, but also with other influencers! This is a great way to be discovered. Stay smart: If you need the income right now, don’t quit your day job just yet. Give yourself at least six months to get your blog up and running! Use affiliate marketing: This is when you find a product you like, share it with your following, and earn a chunk of the profit for each sale you make. If you don’t have direct relationships with brands just yet, affiliate marketing is a great place to start! Be patient! Remember that great things take time, especially in the blogging world. Blog growth to the point of monetization takes time, so don’t get discouraged! The harder you work, the quicker the process can be. So there you have it! Blogging can be a great hobby and creative outlet for mommies to turn to, but why stop there when you can use it to make money as well? Making a profit from your mommy blog is hard work—but the experience of supporting your family while sharing life with your precious little ones, well—that’s priceless. Best of luck on your mommy blog journey! The latest Career & Money 1.2 million parents forced to miss work every month because affordable childcare isn’t available Work & Motherhood Catch-22: No job, no childcare; no childcare, no job Motherly Stories How moms and daughters can close the investing gender gap together Parental Leave Almost 50% of parents heading back to work after parental leave found it harder than expected, survey finds