How This 4-Year-Old’s Blog Earns Up To $60k/Month From Content Marketing & Courses

Seth Williams used to have an 8-to-5 job that left him feeling unfulfilled. He tried just a few actual property ventures, however none of them labored out.

Someday he got here throughout land investing. After a profitable first deal, he realized the potential it needed to be a really worthwhile enterprise mannequin. 

Desirous to share his discovery with others and present them the way to do it, he began his weblog, REtipster. At this time he additionally runs a YouTube channel, sells a number of programs, and hosts a podcast, and Seth is incomes as much as $60k per 30 days.

Hold studying to search out out:

• What Seth did earlier than he received into land investing
• How land investing works
• Who impressed him at first
• The place he will get concepts for content material
• What different tasks and areas he is ventured into
• The place his earnings comes from
• Which advertising works for him
• What the remainder of his staff do for the enterprise
• His ideas on key phrase analysis and hyperlink constructing
• What sort of content material he creates
• How he grows his electronic mail record
• The sources and instruments he makes use of essentially the most
• His greatest problem
• His best accomplishment
• His major mistake
• His recommendation for different entrepreneurs

Meet Seth Williams

I’m at present 40 years previous. I’m married with a spouse and two youngsters. We dwell in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and life is nice.

I’ve been an actual property investor for over 15 years and a web-based content material creator for just a little over ten years.

After I graduated school in 2006, I received married and began my profession within the business banking trade. It was a good profession (so far as W2 jobs go), nevertheless it wasn’t really my ardour.

A couple of 12 months into this profession, after making an attempt to flip homes and purchase rental properties (and failing at each pursuits), I found the land investing enterprise (a little-known actual property investing area of interest) and located it was an unbelievable alternative that required far much less threat and startup capital. 

After doing my first deal and realizing how achievable and scalable it was, it modified my life eternally.

The land investing enterprise mannequin I adopted allowed me to search out and purchase vacant parcels of land round the USA at an excessive low cost (normally, wherever from 20% – 30% of their full market worth). 

This was doable as a result of I discovered the place and the way to discover off-market properties, owned by individuals who didn’t need their land anymore, and since I discovered them and made it straightforward for them, they had been keen to promote me their land, free-and-clear, at an enormous low cost.

Because of this, I used to be shopping for properties that had been instantly price way over I paid for them, with out me having to carry a finger to make enhancements… It was like flipping homes, however a lot simpler. 

This enterprise mannequin allowed me to show round and record these properties on the market at the next worth, and they’d promote at a considerable revenue inside a matter of months, if not weeks.

Why He Created His Web site

After working as a land investor for just a few years, in 2012, I found Pat Flynn and Good Passive Revenue. 

After being attentive to him for some time, I acknowledged I might observe his instance and create the same on-line group for actual property buyers, making epic content material instructing all the things I knew. 

What I appreciated about Pat’s method was that he was an actual individual and he supplied insane quantities of worth with out charging hundreds of {dollars} for the knowledge. On the similar time, he was additionally managing to make an important earnings, despite the fact that it by no means felt like he was promoting something.

After I began REtipster, it was purely an experiment, as a result of I knew I wanted to discover the concept of beginning a weblog.

I by no means realized how a lot I might get pleasure from writing content material till I attempted. 

After writing my first weblog submit and making my first video, I spotted I beloved the method. After I was writing about issues I cared about, I had a newfound ardour and appreciation for the content material creation course of.

Most of my content material concepts come from my very own experiences in the true property enterprise. 

Each time I encounter an issue that must be solved or an ingenious answer (whether or not I considered it or another person did), I’ll clarify the answer and provides credit score the place credit score is due. 

It additionally helps to concentrate to the questions, solutions, and dialogue in our community forum and Facebook group. As our enterprise continues to vary, these are nice locations to search out the place others are struggling and to search out inspiration and concepts about the place others need assistance.

Being a content material creator and “influencer” of types has given me a variety of different alternatives to work with nice individuals and pursue thrilling new enterprise concepts. 

In 2021, I began designing my first self-storage facility, which is now up and operating.

Self-storage is a enterprise I’ve wished to pursue for years, as a result of storage amenities enable the proprietor to generate earnings from a whole lot of models, as an alternative of 1 or two, like a single-family dwelling or duplex. 

With a whole lot of models, it’s straightforward to extend everybody’s lease by $3 – $5 per 30 days, and every particular person tenant received’t care, despite the fact that this may have a big effect on the worldwide earnings from the property as a result of $5 multiplied by just a few hundred models makes a noticeable distinction to the property proprietor’s earnings.

Storage amenities are additionally easier to handle than a typical rental property as a result of there are not any individuals residing within the models, and tenants received’t name you at 3:00 am to repair their rest room.

My self-storage facility isn’t instantly related to REtipster, nevertheless it offers me a variety of alternatives to create content material and clarify to my viewers why self-storage investing is a superb enterprise mannequin, the upsides and disadvantages of proudly owning a facility, and what it takes to construct one from the bottom up!

I used to be additionally ready to make use of my modifying and storytelling abilities to begin a youngsters’s podcast known as Storyland, the place I write and inform quick tales, that are very immersive, with music and sound results. 

It’s geared toward youngsters between the ages of 4 and 12, and it has grown rather a lot. Surprisingly, it’s about 10x extra widespread than my authentic podcast (The REtipster Podcast). 

It’s been fascinating to see the distinction in attain between a really niche-specific podcast (like REtipster) vs. a podcast that’s related and fascinating to a really massive section of individuals (Storyland). 

It’s additionally fascinating to notice that on the time of this writing, Storyland generates $0 in income, whereas REtipster generates 5 figures per 30 days, despite the fact that the sizes of every viewers would recommend the alternative.

Storyland has at all times been a ardour undertaking that I’ve performed simply because it’s enjoyable. A part of me is apprehensive about turning it right into a money-making enterprise, as a result of I don’t need the pressures of monetization to show it right into a job as an alternative of a life-giving interest. 

Nevertheless… I’ll be the primary to confess, with the next it has garnered, it’s exhausting not to consider methods to generate income from it.

I want to attempt publishing one or two of those tales as a printed e-book within the not-too-distant future. With how straightforward it’s to generate AI artwork lately, I’ve already put collectively a full, illustrated model of one of many tales, and it was surprisingly straightforward to do. 

Even so, so as to publish a children’s book that appears legit {and professional}, there are a number of extra steps I nonetheless have to take (market analysis, editorial, format, cowl and inside design, printing, and many others.), so I’m not fairly there but, however I hope to make it occur within the subsequent 12 months. 

If for no different purpose, it will likely be fascinating to check the market and see what sort of demand there may be for a e-book like this.

How A lot He’s Incomes

REtipster’s earnings has fluctuated a bit through the years because the web, site visitors sources, social media, and the methods we monetize the positioning have modified.

As of late, our gross earnings fluctuates between $30k and $60k per 30 days. About 50% of this earnings is from the programs we promote, 30% is from affiliate gross sales for varied services we assessment and suggest, 10% is from promoting income (YouTube, the podcast, and many others.), and one other 10% is from varied one-off digital merchandise we promote in our on-line retailer. 

Right here’s a screenshot displaying the previous a number of months from our Stripe account, which collects a lot of the income from our programs.

So far as site visitors goes, we get round 40k guests per 30 days.

At one level, we had been getting near 200k per 30 days, however our site visitors took an enormous hit when Google up to date its algorithm just a few years again. 

I believe it has additionally been impacted by new competitors from different content material creators who’ve entered our area. At one level, I used to be one of some individuals on the earth publishing a variety of good, free details about land investing, however many new voices have been added to the combo lately.

Apparently, although, this drop in site visitors hasn’t had a lot of a noticeable impression on income. It appears essentially the most related guests who want our content material are nonetheless capable of finding it.

I don’t suppose I’ve ever spent greater than 45 hours engaged on REtipster in a single week.

A median week might be 30-35 hours per week, and I’ll spend the opposite 5-10 hours engaged on my land or self-storage enterprise.

Seth’s Important Advertising Technique

Content marketing is our one and solely advertising technique. We don’t pay for advertisements on any platform. We tried this on a few events, however the advert companies we employed to do it didn’t know what they had been doing and we ended up losing some huge cash.

I take some delight on this, however the reality is, it additionally leaves us susceptible to no matter adjustments Google decides to make, and that may be a harmful place, too.

The massive benefit of being 100% natural is that REtipster generates income with out requiring any advert spend, and it appears to come back in by itself. 

I do that with the assistance of my staff. I Have one full-time worker and a number of other contracted staff who deal with sure duties on a part-time foundation:

• Full-time editor primarily based within the Philippines (all the written textual content printed on REtipster and associated channels)
• Graphic designer within the US (weblog photographs, infographics, PDFs, and extra)
• Podcast editor within the US (all the audio-only content material for our podcast)
• Video editor in Pakistan (all the long-form movies on our YouTube channel)
• One other video editor in Nepal (all the shorts, reels, and movies on TikTok)
• Thumbnail designer in Japanese Europe (all the thumbnail photographs on our YouTube channel)

His Ideas on search engine optimization

It’s crucial, however I can’t fake I’m an search engine optimization knowledgeable. I do know sufficient to be harmful, however there are many issues I don’t perceive and don’t implement. 

Our focus has at all times been on offering the most effective content material—info so beneficial, it’s price paying for… nevertheless it’s free—and that has been very efficient at attracting a number of consideration and respect.

Granted, if I spent extra time making an attempt to grasp and implement search engine optimization, it will most likely make a distinction, however with my restricted time and psychological vitality, I’ve to watch out about the place I spend it, and I normally decide to place it into creating extra useful, related, relevant content material reasonably than making an attempt to maintain observe of Google’s ever-changing qualification requirements.

Key phrase Analysis

On some events, I’ll test Google Developments, and I’ll normally do just a few completely different searches for the subject I’m pondering of writing about to see what sort of competitors exists and the way a lot demand there appears to be, together with another associated keywords.

At one level, I used to be subscribed to each Ahrefs and SEMrush, and I spent a variety of time making an attempt to determine the way to make it work, nevertheless it felt like a endless labyrinth the place I might spend all day with out making a lot progress.

There was a time after I geeked out on SEO tools, and it was useful to grasp them… however I discovered that after I spent a variety of time with these instruments, they overwhelmed me and drained my vitality. 

I wasn’t in a position to spend my vitality deciphering these instruments and taking the required motion to make a distinction. I understood how they labored and what points they had been stating, however I don’t rely closely on these to run my enterprise. 

They’re a secondary focus, not the very first thing I take into consideration when deciding what content material to create.

Hyperlink Constructing

This issues to some extent, nevertheless it issues much less right this moment than it used to years in the past.

After I began REtipster, no one knew about it; and it was crucial to leverage different platforms to let the world know that our website existed. 

Over time, as we’ve created an unlimited library of top-notch content material that ranks effectively, individuals can now discover us within the common course of their searches, and inbound hyperlinks are created naturally as a result of we’re an essential useful resource that issues to individuals.

There’s nonetheless worth in having hyperlinks on different web sites, and I’ll take these alternatives after they naturally current themselves in the midst of our day-to-day enterprise, nevertheless it’s not one thing I’ll bend over backward to attempt to get lately. 

The Content material Creation Course of

We have now 570 weblog posts and 485 phrases articles dwell on the positioning. The 2 kinds of content material are a bit completely different in how they’re written, why they’re written, and who they’re for. 

Weblog posts are extra of a personally written message with the objective of instructing a lesson, just like what you’d discover in a course. They embody video content material, and they’re additionally used as “present notes” for our podcast episodes. They’re written in a extra casual, conversational tone.

Phrases articles take extra of an educational method, and every article on this part of the positioning is written to assist readers develop a complete understanding of what a phrase or a “time period” means. It’s the same idea to the Dictionary of phrases from Investopedia, however we focus solely on phrases associated to actual property investing and the true property trade. 

These don’t embody a lot private commentary or opinion, it’s only a black-and-white reporting of the info, supported by proof from different sources across the web.

We began the Phrases Library as an search engine optimization play, in an try to rank for varied phrases. It has labored fairly effectively, nevertheless it hasn’t been an enormous game-changer. 

Not surprisingly, it’s been tough to rank for the phrases with essentially the most search quantity, however after we cowl a time period that hasn’t been defined in lots of different locations on the web, we will normally rank fairly effectively for that time period.

His E-mail Listing

We have now created quite a lot of lead magnets through the years, the place we clarify the way to use a software that we’ve developed (e.g. a spreadsheet, calculator, PDF, or one thing comparable) after which give individuals free entry to it in the event that they join our email list.

Just a few examples are:

The Surprisingly Easy Math to Retiring on Actual Property: This can be a retirement calculator that we spent a variety of time creating, and it’s an fascinating manner to take a look at what it takes to plan out your retirement utilizing solely income-producing actual property.

The Quickest Option to Analysis Any Property in the USA: This can be a analysis spreadsheet I take advantage of in my land enterprise, and I made a decision to offer it away to our viewers in the event that they join our electronic mail record. I included a great explainer video within the weblog submit, so individuals perceive the way to use it and why it’s useful. So, even when individuals by no means join, they’ll nonetheless stroll away with a variety of worth.

My Self-Storage Facility Due Diligence Guidelines: I spent a variety of time making an attempt to determine what info was completely essential to make a well-educated determination about shopping for an current self-storage facility. Since I had already performed all of the work, I made a decision to make a weblog submit out of it, and I allowed individuals to obtain a PDF of my guidelines in the event that they signed up for our electronic mail record.

We have now loads of different opt-in varieties all through our website, and other people can even join via these (you’ll discover a large one instantly on our homepage at REtipster). 

All of them work to some extent, however the ones that basically give an individual a compelling purpose to enroll work the most effective.

Seth’s Favourite Assets

For video creation and inspiration, I’m at present getting rather a lot out of FilmBooth. I additionally observe a variety of different YouTubers who’re in completely unrelated niches, however I get a variety of concepts and inspiration from how they current themselves and their info. 

There are numerous nice examples I’ve been in a position to observe after which put my very own spin on what they did to make my very own model of the identical sort of video.

For instance, I as soon as discovered an fascinating video from Wired, the place astronaut Chris Hadfield defined some myths about outer area. 

This has completely nothing to do with my area of interest, however I believed the idea was nice. I noticed it had a variety of views and likes, so I made a decision to give you my very own model of that video for land buyers, which was a variety of enjoyable to make, and it ended up performing very effectively.

I might additionally suggest attending a convention or two in your area of interest yearly, the place you possibly can meet different key individuals. I attend FinCon most years, and I’ve been in a position to join with a variety of different content material creators who speak about cash, investing, actual property, and different comparable issues.

His Go-To Instruments

ChatGPT: When you’ve got a adequate creativeness and thought course of to give you the appropriate prompts and clarify precisely what you’re in search of, ChatGPT has limitless purposes. 

I take advantage of it to get enterprise recommendation (arising with concepts I by no means would’ve considered alone) and the way to implement it. 

I additionally use it to give you headlines (a vastly essential and in any other case time-consuming job), and after I’m making an attempt to jot down emails that require a variety of thought, and I do know what I need to say however I’m not fairly certain the way to phrase the message successfully.

I nearly by no means do precisely what ChatGPT says (I by no means click on copy, paste, ship), however it could do 80% of the heavy lifting for me, after which I’ll put my very own voice and taste into the content material to make it my very own and make adjustments the place wanted.

Slack: That is one other important software I take advantage of each day to speak with my staff and different key those that assist REtipster run easily. It may do all the things I want it to do and extra. If Slack out of the blue ceased to exist, it will be way more tough to run my enterprise.

Canva: As somebody who isn’t a graphic designer and doesn’t have entry to (or perceive the way to use) most picture modifying software program, Canva is a vital software that I take advantage of each day. 

Whether or not I’m making a video thumbnail, weblog submit header picture, infographic, PDF, or another visible asset, Canva can do absolutely anything I want. I even have a graphic designer who can do the super-complex issues that Canva can’t deal with, however for 95% of what I want, Canva has me lined.

His Greatest Problem

A lot of the greatest challenges I’ve confronted have been in my very own mind. 

For instance, when we now have a month the place income is down, one response is to panic and scream that the sky is falling. 

A extra productive response is to step again and take a look at what isn’t working, and begin the enjoyable inventive strategy of ideation: pondering of recent methods to earn a living from new sources, or to vary course in a manner that makes the perceived risk irrelevant. 

Admittedly, pondering otherwise takes a little bit of effort and psychological vitality, nevertheless it in the end brings us to a a lot stronger and more healthy place after we can take care of these challenges in a manner that creates a extra sustainable enterprise.

His Biggest Accomplishment

The truth that I can arrive to work late and go away early, at any time when I would like, and be obtainable as a father to play with my youngsters and serve them within the methods they want and deserve, is one thing I’m most happy with.

I’m additionally grateful for the additional margin my enterprise has given me, permitting me to pursue enjoyable tasks like Storyland, begin new companies and sources of earnings like my self-storage facility, and join with numerous different wonderful individuals… 

It’s given me a life that far exceeded my expectations, and I don’t see how this existence would have been doable if I used to be nonetheless working an 8 to five job.

What He Needs He Knew When He Began

It’s doable (possible, even) to spend an insane quantity of effort and time creating one thing no one desires or cares about. Simply since you suppose it’s nice, and put your blood, sweat, and tears into one thing doesn’t imply it should matter to anybody in addition to your self.

It’s essential to do some homework to confirm there may be ample curiosity in what you’re doing. In case your objective is to earn a living from what you’re creating, attempt to confirm that it’s one thing individuals need sufficient to pay for.

Relying on what you’re making an attempt to construct, I believe there are some circumstances once you merely can’t be 100% certain of this earlier than you begin, however it’s best to nonetheless do some quantity of homework to grasp the state of affairs. 

Don’t simply begin operating in the direction of your dream with out spending a while to grasp and confirm the quantity of demand for what you’re making an attempt to construct.

Seth’s Important Mistake

My greatest mistake is making an attempt to chase after too many issues directly. And to be sincere, I proceed to make this error right this moment (though I’m getting higher at it).

When REtipster began gaining momentum, I began getting inundated with requests from firms and individuals who wished to “work with me, “which is code for, “we wish you to advertise and promote our stuff, and also you most likely received’t make something from it”. 

For essentially the most half, you possibly can assume that everybody is out to serve their very own pursuits first. Their pursuits could align with yours, however in addition they won’t.

Years in the past, I wasn’t excellent at discerning this. I might say “sure” to everybody, and I ended up losing a variety of time on issues that went nowhere. 

As of late, I’ve a great set of standards I take advantage of to gauge whether or not these alternatives and pursuits make sense for REtipster. 

Generally, the reply is “sure” as a result of we will generate income from it, however typically, the reply is “sure” as a result of it should merely assist our viewers. 

It’s a must to clearly perceive what sort of profit you’re in search of (whether or not it’s a money-making profit or not) after which get laser-focused on pursuing these alternatives whereas ignoring the remaining.

His Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs

Get began! Make errors, study from them, have enjoyable, and benefit from the journey!

I completely love what I get to do. That doesn’t imply there aren’t exhausting days. 

There are many duties I’ve to try this are monotonous, tough, or just aren’t enjoyable… however I’m nonetheless comfortable to do these jobs as a result of they’re a small a part of a a lot bigger complete. I’m extraordinarily lucky to have a profession that I really like doing and discover a substantial amount of satisfaction in.

I used to dwell on the opposite aspect of the fence. I’m intimately aware of having a job that doesn’t pay in addition to I’d like, with the data that it’s not main wherever I need to go. This was my life for years, and it took a toll on my psychological well being and private satisfaction. 

It takes a variety of intent and a concerted effort to get there, but when I might do it, you possibly can too!