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How is it already February?! January flew by, and before I knew it the month was over, and I hadn’t yet shared my December 2015 income report so today’s the day! Better late than never, I hope.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosures page.
If you’re new to My Love for Words or just seeing one of my blog traffic and income reports for the first time, you may be wondering why in the world I’m sharing this information. Trust me, sometimes I ask myself the same thing. It can be awkward and uncomfortable to talk about money, but, as a blogger, it can also be extremely helpful and inspiring.
I share these reports to keep myself accountable, and, hopefully, to help others who are thinking about or already have their own blogs. When people used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said, “I want to do what I want when I want, and get paid for it.” I never used to believe that could happen, but now it’s my reality!
If blogging is something you’ve been thinking about, there’s no better time to get started than now. I highly recommend starting with a self-hosted wordpress blog (wordpress.org, not .com) and hosting from Bluehost, which is only $3.95/month. For more info, be sure to check out my How to Start a Blog post.
December 2015 Blog & Income Report
Income
- AdThrive – $2,869
- Adsense – $238.63
- Printables (This Organized Life printable set and my Etsy shop) – $688.40
- Sponsored Posts – $250
- Bluehost (from my How to Start a Blog post) – $160
- Amazon Associates – $545.57
- Paid guest post – $35
- ConvertKit – $29.40
- Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers ebook – $12
- Ultimate Bundle Sale: $283.77
Total Income: $5,111.17
Expenses
- Synthesis hosting – $127 (quarterly charge so this is for the next three months)
- ConvertKit – $149
- Virtual Assistant – $45
- Co-schedule – $0 (paid $108 for the year in February)
- Tailwind – $0 (paid $120 for the year in June)
- BlogVault – $9
- Instapage – $0 (paid in Sept for 12 months)
- Etsy expenses – $48.32
- PO Box – $0 (paid $62 for 12 months in February)
- PicMonkey – $5
- Gumroad Transaction fees – $21.65
- BoardBooster – $5
- Facebook Ads – $7
- Project Supplies – $16
Total Expenses – $432.97
December 2015 Profit – $4,678.80
If you’re wondering why I don’t break down my single payment expenses (like Co-schedule, Tailwind, and Instapage) and divide the payments out over 12 months of the year, I’ve explained that in my November 2015 income report.
Top Posts for December 2015
- The biggest decluttering mistake you don’t know you’re making
- Perfect Playroom
- 2016 Monthly Calendars
- Christmas Guessing Game Printables
- 3 Things You Should Never Buy
Traffic Overview
My December pageviews were the highest they’ve ever been! I had 395,740. Not bad considering last December I also had my highest pageviews, which at that time was 56,515! I’m happy with that growth.
In November of 2014, I finally decided to start treating my blog like a business, and my pageviews went from around 20,000 to almost 60,000 in just two months. I was thrilled, but I couldn’t have anticipated how much more the blog would grow and evolve over 2015. I went from daydreaming about breaking 100,000 pageviews/month (and trying very hard to do so) to almost breaking 400,000 pageviews in December. I don’t say any of this to brag. To be honest, I spent the first two years of my blogging career feeling like nothing I was doing was working so if I can do this you can too.
Email Subscribers
ConvertKit is continuing to prove itself as a great investment. Unfortunately, I forgot to record December’s numbers, but I’m averaging at least 2,000 or more new subscribers every month, which is great. I do have January’s numbers though, and those shocked me! I can’t wait to share those with you in January’s income report next week.
So that’s it! Another month’s in the books. 🙂
December 2015 was my best month for pageviews and earnings on the blog thus far (until January, that is). 😉 I’ve learned so much over the last year, and I truly never could’ve anticipated how much things would grow and change. Just six or so months ago I was lucky to make $300/month from Adsense and maybe $800 total each month. Needless to say, I’m pinching myself regularly. I feel like I’ve finally figured this blogging thing out (or at least some of it anyway). I know I still have a lot to learn, and many goals to achieve, but it’s getting there.
Now for the most important part of this income report… THANK YOU! Without your readership, support, sweet comments, and shares this blog would truly be nothing.
Click here to see all of my income reports.
Allison @ Frugal on the Prairie
Look at you go, girl!! This is awesome! You are an inspiration, 395k pageviews just blows my mind away. 🙂
Emily
Thanks, Allison! I’d love to pretend it was just another day at the blog for me, but year 395k blew me away too. Last December I was thrilled to break 50k in a month. I have no doubt your 395k days are in the very near future too. 🙂
Carl @ Blog Income Insider
Hi Emily, great results, well done!!
It’s certainly inspiring to show what can happen if you continue pushing and working away at a blog.
I have included you in my blog income round up!
Emily
Thanks, Carl!
Orlena
Hey Emily, I love your reports. (I just found them through our pinning group.) Do you have any posts on how you went from 50K to 400K in a year? I’ve just started taking my blogging seriously and am really pleased to have passed the 50K this month (slightly worried it will fall back next month!) I’d love to know any tips you have.
Emily
Hi Orlena! Thanks 🙂 I don’t have any posts yet. They’re still on my never-ending to do list lol. I do have something in the works though that will talk more about all of that. I’m hoping to share it soon.
maria
Love the colors of the new blog design:) !!!
Maria
Emily
Thank you!! I agonized over them (just ask my poor designer! lol)
Michelle
Great job on the blog income! I need to look into Adthrive. It seems like everyone does so well with them!
Emily
Thanks, Michelle! Yes, they’re wonderful to work with. I can’t recommend them enough.
Rochelle
Thank you for sharing this! In 2017, I started guest writing on other people’s blogs. Eventually, I’d like to start my own blog, and with figures like you’re showing, it’s very encouraging. Earning money is nice, but what do you do about the tax liability? Thanks!
Emily
I hate to admit this, but I’m not quite sure what you mean. I pay taxes on everything I make, but honestly, I let my accountant handle it all! lol Taxes are not my strong suit.