How to Support Your Favorite Bloggers
I’ve hesitated to put this post out for months because I wasn’t sure how it would be received. I finally decided I needed to be honest and explain how things work around here. I love sharing my thoughts with you through my blog, but it comes at a cost.
Today I’m sharing the business of blogging and how you can support the bloggers you enjoy reading. I’ll use A Well Styled Life as an example. There are plenty of “hobby” bloggers who don’t fall into this category, but most professional bloggers business works similarly.
I spend between 50-70 hours a week working on this blog which makes it a full-time job. If I’m not writing content, getting pictures taken, changing my clothes in the car for a photoshoot, editing photographs, making graphics for Pinterest, staying active on social media, or planning content, I’m shopping online or in the stores to keep on top of what’s new.
Why I Started Blogging
When the economy crashed several years ago, people began to hold on to their dollars, so my Image Consulting business crashed with it. I decided to start a blog to connect with other women and share style tips I’d learned as an image consultant. I began on the Blogspot platform, which was free and didn’t require me to purchase a domain. My posts were emailed for free, but I soon realized that Google could take my site down at any time. I had no ownership or control over anything I was producing.
I bought a domain to maintain ownership of my name, and things began to multiply from there. As my blogging expenses mounted, it quickly became apparent that the blog needed to cover itself.
What it Costs to Run a Blog
Here are some of the current costs associated with running my blog.
- I host my website on a platform that charges me a monthly fee based on the size of my audience and the amount of data stored. Because my blog is image-heavy, I need lots of storage.
- My posts are emailed by a service provider who charges me a monthly fee based on how many emails go out.
- I pay an annual fee for access to a site where I size and edit my pictures so they won’t slow my site down, and the pages won’t open for you.
- I pay a technical person to help me with the nuts and bolts of my website. I’ve had it go down enough times to learn I should never mess “under the hood” of this thing 🙂
- I pay smaller amounts for plugins, apps, and widgets, which add to the total expenses.
The result is it costs just over $1,100 a month to float this boat and keep my blog on the internet.
And that gets me to how I pay for all of this.
How I support this business
- Sponsored content. Brands hire me to promote their sale, product, or service. I only work with brands I like, or I think will resonate with you. I want to share things that will increase your confidence and make your life better in some way. They’re paying for access to my audience (you), which I value and protect. I turn down multiple offers a week because the product is cheesy, not something I would use or just plain dumb.
- Ads. People hate ads. The truth is they’re a passive way for me to earn income to pay my blogging expenses. Do I like them? In a word, no. They distract from my content. I’m fortunate to have an Ad company that works with me to help them run smoothly and be as unobtrusive as possible.
- Affiliate sales. I’m a member of several affiliate networks and earn money if you purchase through a link on my blog. This doesn’t increase your cost of anything. If you click a link on my blog and put something into your virtual shopping cart, then pop over to another blogger and click a link to the same website, then make your purchase, the other blogger earns the commission because they were the last link you used. It’s just the way they work.
Ways You Can Support Bloggers
Don’t keep them a secret. If you like their content, share it with women you think will also enjoy it. Subscribe to follow their blog. Comment and engage with their content which “tells” Google it’s worth showing to other women on the web. Share their images to your Pinterest boards, so more people find them. Follow them on social media. Whenever possible, purchase through the link of the blogger who inspired you.
I appreciate you all more than I can say. Reading your comments feels like visiting with a favorite girlfriend.
Thank you for being here and taking the time out of your day to read my blog.
Thank you for sharing. I have several friends that are part time bloggers with very little expense involved. I also knew full time blogging would have some ongoing expenses, but did not realize how much. I appreciate your honesty and transparency. Your blogs are always interesting and informative, so thank you for that.
Thanks for your frank discussion on the topic of blogging, Jennifer. A year and a half ago, at age 64, I was ready to start a blog. I had been retired from the classroom for five years and was looking for something to do. I had a domain, Lifestyle over 60, and had written several posts (but not published) but realized how long it would take to earn enough to offset the cost. Realizing this would be a full-time job, I decided I didn’t want to work full-time anymore. I could be nearing 70 before I earned sufficient income. I applaud you for your effort to bring us quality content that is useful to our age group. Generating inspirational content is not easy. Bravo!
Thank you
Hi Jennifer, thank you for sharing this information. It was very enlightening as I had no idea how many costs were involved. I enjoy your blog very much and can relate to a lot of the information you so generously provide. I will be more mindful of how I order things from your recommendations in the future so that you get the benefit.
First let me say, thank you for sharing something so personal, I truly appreciate it. Here are my thoughts, for whatever it’s worth. I find blogs that share personal and vulnerable thoughts to be more relatable and “real” as apposed to blogs that merely regurgitate information found on many sites or “push” selling things. I like to look at blogs for inspiration, maybe it isn’t my price point or my body type but I get an idea for fashion or style, and beauty / health. It’s the details or specifics that grab the reader, if that makes sense. When you, a real person, goes into a fitting room to try on clothes I get a better picture than seeing those same clothes on stick thin paid models. For instance, your previous post on dry eyes was very useful and became a topic of conversation while having lunch with girlfriends. Another post you created on things to wear after 40, again so useful and relatable. These are topics other women can say, “I’m going through that too” and “what works for you”. As for this post, I didn’t realize how much time and cost goes into maintaining a blog. Thank you for your hard work and your blog:)
Thank you for being here!
Hi Jennifer, I suspected you worked many hours, but learned much from your commentary on details of a blogger. You are the only blogger I have ever followed and I am 75. You are very nice with a good soul.
However, this stuff takes too much of my time since I am so busy in an active senior community.
Best wishes, Love, Karen
I don’t know why you would hesitate to put this information out to your viewers. It was very informative. I’m sure most of us did not realize the monetary cost to run this site. I did realize that a lot of time goes into putting the content together. The pop up ads do not bother me in the least unless a click won’t make them go away. I have not seen that on your blog. I comment often when I feel I can add to the conversation. I follow many blogs on various aspects of life and the ones I comment on are the ones that engage with their readers.
We appreciate you, Jennifer!
Thank you for the information , I love your site, read and look at everything, you have such good advise, thanks for being here , you’ve got me , I support you ??
Thank you
Thank you!! I read your blog daily and I have learned so much from you. You have really helped guide me on how to dress and feel more confident.
That’s why I do what I do! So I can help women dress with confidence. Thank you.
I knew there had to be costs involved but learning the details was helpful. Thanks for all you do for fashion. I appreciate it!
Dear Jennifer,
Thanks for the honest and informative post.
As many others have said, yours is one of the few blogs that is easy to navigate, where the ads are not intrusive,
and where you are not always hyping ridiculous stuff that your readers know you would never use, and would never insult us by suggesting we do.
Thanks for that!
I really do look for way to your blog & check out your Saturday “ Would’ve you wear this”.
I love,love that we are closer in age than most of the other advertisers.
I don’t often click on your links as I am Canadian & there is usually a lot of rigmarole.
It was from to see your stories when you visited this summer.
Thanks again.
I am a hobby blogger–I use the free version of WordPress, with no control over the ads they load (nor any revenue at all) and some readers have complained about disgusting skin fungus ads. I am disgusted, too, but I can’t afford to pay to have my blog hosted.
Now that you’ve broken down the expenses, I see I really can’t afford to do it. Yikes! For several years, I truly savored going through my list of blogs, like perusing a magazine while having my coffee. But so many have let quality fall and they are just transparently sponsored content. I’ve unsubscribed to most of them, and continue to read just a few. And you’re among the keepers!
Wow, this is informative. I subscribe to an interior decorating (I have no idea why, I live in a MH) blog and to yours. You are easy to read on the phone which is how I usually look at it.
Often I refrain from posting a comment as I feel I am “talking too much”. Thanks for freeing me up to do that.
It’s obvious these posts take a tremendous amount of time, I actually worry about them coming out so often!
Thanks for the information.
Thank you for being open about Fashion Blogging. I did not realize how time consuming and costly it could be. I really enjoy your blog. I only get excited about yours and a few others. You have great tips and I feel like I am chatting with a good friend every time I read one of your posts. (Even though I seldom comment. I will try to remedy that!)
I so glad you’re here
Wow! Thanks for explaining it all. I didnt know all of the details of it.
Thanks, Jennifer. I enjoy your blog, and hope you have some time to have fun during your busy work week!
I see my grandson every chance I get!!
Thank you Jennifer for putting out your blog, for doing the work you do and sharing your problems and solutions and joy.
I appreciate the “behind the scenes look” into blogging. You are one of the few bloggers I continue to follow because you seem to be true to yourself. You share clothing that is accessible—you don’t constantly push high end designer goods, and your dressing room diaries feature retailers who are often local and have a more moderate price point. I also enjoy knowing what you kept and what stayed in the store.
What has turned me off to other bloggers is when they constantly wear high end designers (Louis Vuitton, Dior, etc.) and then post about how wonderful Walmart clothes are because Walmart paid them big bucks to do so. That is selling out because I know they aren’t really adding Walmart clothes into their wardrobe. (I’m not dissing Walmart—if the clothes fit the budget and are well made vs toss after one wear, buy and wear them.)
We are total opposites in height, but I love seeing how you style an outfit and that makes me wonder how it might work for me.
I totally agree with your comment about the bloggers who generally show expensive clothing and then have a post with Wal Mart clothing. I believe in wearing high and low clothing but don’t like to see the bloggers who sport $3,000 handbags, $400 blouses and then do a blog about Wal Mart fashion.
Jennifer, I appreciated this informative post on the costs associated with blogging.
Thank you for sharing this and for your efforts to provide great content. I was involved with developing a web page early on and know first-hand some of the process & expenses. The online world changes at lightening speed, so just keeping up with technology is a challenge. Your Blog is much appreciated; I will continue to support it gladly.
Learning has helped keep my mind active and sharp.
Thank you for this information. I had no idea the labor and expense that went into fashion blogs! I also did not realize that leaving a comment helps you out.
I do have one question: if I follow you via Bloglovin, do I need to also get your email? I have assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the information in your blog post and the information in your email would be the same. I am trying to streamline my email but if the content is significantly different, I would consider it.
Bloglovin is very convenient, I know. I’ve just had an email template made and installed so I can share more about my life with subscribers without putting it in my blog. You’re fine!
Thanks for speaking up for all of us, Jennifer! Well done!