When Lou Martin began taking part in paid product overview panels, she had no thought the place that have would take her. It was adopted by a optimistic expertise on the revenue-sharing article web site Squidoo, and once they closed store, Lou struck out on her personal with a weblog: Product Review Mom.
By arduous work, consistency, and a ardour for her web site, Lou’s incomes 6 figures a yr because of a strong mixture of internet online affiliate marketing and advertisements.
Hold studying to seek out out:
- How she acquired began together with her weblog
- The place her earnings comes from
- How a lot she works on her web site
- Her prime advertising and marketing methods
- Her ideas on search engine optimisation
- How she creates content material
- How she grows her e-mail record
- The assets and instruments she loves
- Her biggest problem
- Her largest accomplishment
- Her most important mistake
- The recommendation she would give different entrepreneurs
Meet Lou Martin
My identify is Louida Martin, however I desire to be referred to as Lou. I have been dwelling within the metro Atlanta space of Georgia for almost twenty years, although I am initially from northern California. I am with my highschool sweetheart and a proud mom of two teenage women.
Why She Created Product Assessment Mother
My aim with Product Review Mom is to share my discoveries of varied services with my readers and followers.
Earlier than beginning my weblog, I participated in market analysis panels the place I offered suggestions on unreleased merchandise and earned compensation for my time. Though I could not focus on new product growth, I needed to share with others how they may take part in comparable applications for product evaluations.
I first shared this data with different members on a author’s platform referred to as Squidoo, again in 2008, the place I used to be invited to hitch their free author’s boot camp.
This expertise taught me tips on how to enhance my writing abilities, together with storytelling and making my writing relatable to readers. I additionally discovered tips on how to monetize my writing by becoming a member of affiliate applications.
When Squidoo shut its doorways, I created Product Assessment Mother to proceed sharing my experiences and evaluations with others.
Through the years, my weblog and earnings have each grown. I established Product Assessment Mother in 2012 and transitioned to full-time in 2016. My dedication to sustaining consistency in my weblog posts and my ardour for what I do permit me to go away my job and change into self-employed.
How A lot Cash She’s Making
I’m proud to say that my weblog is a affluent supply of earnings, producing six figures yearly.
My month-to-month earnings vary between $10k-$20k, with internet online affiliate marketing applications being my main supply of earnings. Mediavine and Panthera Community are two of my most important applications.
Moreover, I earn cash from show advertisements, sponsored social media posts, and sponsored weblog posts.
Primarily, I make 80% of my earnings from internet online affiliate marketing, 15% from advertisements, and 5% from sponsored posts. I’m in a complete of 6 affiliate applications however primarily use 3.
For these unfamiliar, internet online affiliate marketing is an association the place associates obtain a fee for every go to, signup, or sale they generate for a service provider. For instance, I earn a fee when somebody indicators up for a program I promote on my weblog or clicks one in all my hyperlinks and makes a purchase order.
It took me roughly three years of arduous work to achieve my present degree of earnings income.
I presently work three days per week, however once I started running a blog, I labored each day. My dedication and energy paid off, as now my earnings is passive, permitting me to earn cash with out actively working. In consequence, I can work fewer hours and nonetheless keep my earnings.
Lou’s High Advertising Technique
To successfully market my model, I prioritize creating new and relevant content often, which is to say 1 or 2 instances per week.
Moreover, I add recent updates to my present weblog posts to maintain them present.
I additionally embody private pictures and movies that includes myself to ascertain a reference to my viewers and guarantee them that my product evaluations are real and reliable. This method helps my readers really feel snug and engaged with my model.
Relating to the evaluations, firms present me with merchandise, so I check out the product and provides my trustworthy opinions. In fact, not all merchandise are reviewed if they do not match my present life-style.
Since I am a storyteller, I like reviewing merchandise that will enhance my life and could be useful for my readers and followers.
The Significance of search engine optimisation
To extend site visitors to my weblog, I prioritize optimizing it for serps. This implies often reviewing the key phrases individuals use to seek out my weblog utilizing Google Console Instruments and creating beneficial content material that aligns with these key phrases.
I solely use Search Console to seek out key phrases and see what weblog posts are doing the very best. Then, based mostly on this data, I create follow-up content material utilizing among the high-ranking key phrases to spice up site visitors to my weblog.
I gained information about search engine optimisation by means of the author’s boot camp with Squidoo in 2008. I utilized this information once I created my weblog.
Hyperlink Constructing
Relatively than making my give attention to hyperlink constructing, I intention to create compelling content material that my readers will need to share with others. By doing so, I appeal to pure hyperlinks from different web sites.
I do subscribe to HARO although, the place I present my experience to journalists.
Lou’s Content material Creation Course of
As a content material creator, I give attention to present tendencies and seasonal themes. For instance, I write about spring-related subjects through the spring season and counsel merchandise that my readers could get pleasure from through the heat season. Additionally, I write evaluations of spring-themed merchandise.
I get pleasure from evaluating services that align with my life-style. My evaluations sometimes cowl magnificence merchandise, clothes, automobiles, meals, native occasions, and journey experiences. To make sure a good analysis, I solely overview objects that I exploit often in my each day life.
I exploit social media to share my weblog posts and unique content material that’s not printed on my weblog. I desire utilizing Instagram, Fb, Twitter, and Pinterest. Social media gives a incredible alternative to attach with my followers extra personally.
Her E mail Checklist
On my weblog, I hold my readers up to date with my newest weblog posts by means of an email list. I exploit an RSS feed service to routinely share my weblog posts with those that have signed up for my e-mail record.
I hold my subscription to my e-mail record button on the aspect of my weblog close to my About Me profile, so readers can see it and enroll. I haven’t got any e-mail record signup pop-ups, so it would not mess up my reader’s expertise.
In the intervening time I’ve 1719 individuals on my record.
Lou’s Favourite Assets
To maintain up with the most recent search engine information, I depend on web sites equivalent to www.seroundtable.com. After I want inspiration for content material, I flip to Pinterest.
Her High Instruments
Probably the most useful instruments that I exploit known as Grammarly. It assists me with my writing by making certain that my spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct.
One other one in all my go-to instruments is Canva, which I exploit to create visually interesting pictures and edit my pictures with its picture editor.
Additionally, one other useful platform I depend on is Fiverr, the place I can discover net builders to help me with my search engine optimisation and any blog-related points.
Lou’s Greatest Problem
There are occasions when I’ve running a blog burnout, so I take a step again from my weblog by reposting previous content material till I discover concepts on content material to put in writing about.
Primarily, I replace previous posts with present data and new photos to maintain my weblog content material related. After making these modifications, I repost the content material with in the present day’s date. This manner, new readers to my weblog can nonetheless profit from the refreshed materials.
One other problem I face is coping with Google’s Algorithm Updates. It is not unusual for my weblog to rank extremely on their platform solely to fall within the ranks after an replace.
I just lately skilled Google’s Product Assessment Replace, which entails modifications to its guidelines. Particularly, Google now requires reviewers to offer readers with the choice to buy a product from a number of retailers as a substitute of only one. So, as an example, if I am reviewing a lipstick, I need to point out varied locations the place the reader should purchase it.
Her Biggest Accomplishment
One in all my biggest achievements is having the chance to remain at residence with my daughters.
Because of running a blog, I can actively take part of their lives and benefit from essential moments. For the reason that finish of their elementary college years, I’ve been a stay-at-home mother and have been in a position to be with them by means of all their milestones.
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
It’s normal for some people to not present assist in direction of you. Do not let the unfavorable feedback have an effect on you, and proceed pursuing your passions.
I was involved about others’ opinions, inflicting me to hesitate when sharing my content material. Regardless of potential criticism, I shared my content material and obtained gratitude for the dear data.
Growing thick pores and skin on this occupation is essential, as some could disagree together with your views. Nevertheless, it is important to do not forget that these people are usually not your target market and your loyal supporters will stand out.
Her Essential Mistake
One in all my main errors was permitting anybody to do a visitor put up on my weblog. Sadly, I used to be solely involved with having recent content material, leading to my weblog being tagged as spam by Google.
This led to a major site visitors loss, and I needed to take away all visitor posts. In consequence, I’m cautious about who I let be a visitor on my weblog.
Previously, I allowed visitor put up spammers to put up on my weblog in alternate for a backlink to their web site or their shopper’s web site. I wasn’t conscious of the unfavorable influence this might have on my weblog’s rankings.
My most important concern was having a excessive quantity of latest content material, no matter its high quality. Nevertheless, when Google penalized me, I noticed my mistake and needed to take away all of the visitor posts from my weblog. This occurred in 2013, if I recall accurately.
Her Recommendation For Different Entrepreneurs
Begin a enterprise that you simply genuinely care about and keep consistency. Even in case you do not obtain fast success, hold hope. Do not forget that beginning a enterprise is a course of that would take a number of years to see outcomes.
