Elna Cain: 6-Figure Freelance Writer And Blogger

After discovering Elna Cain on Medium, the running a blog platform, I requested an interview. Elna agreed. I sat down with Elna, who earns 6-figures as a blogger and freelance author, and had time to interview her about her area of interest web sites, freelance writing profession, and the way she makes cash as a blogger.

Watch the video right here: https://youtu.be/fktvJYI5KIU

While we mentioned the challenges with running a blog and as we speak’s competitors, we additionally share the numerous methods you can also make cash as a blogger that fits your area of interest. One web site may become profitable from online marketing and adverts, whereas one other may do higher selling digital merchandise, for instance.

Elna has been so profitable as a contract author and blogger as a result of she’s diversified her earnings sources. She could make a full-time earnings from her part-time enterprise by providing providers like copywriting, social media advertising and marketing, and training alongside her running a blog.

If you’re fascinated with methods to become profitable as a blogger or how you can flip your weblog right into a enterprise, this interview is for you!

In this weblog, we talked about Jasper AI fairly a bit. You can strive the AI writing device with 10,000 free credit with my affiliate hyperlink. Thank me later!

Here are the questions I requested Elna within the written portion of our interview. Enjoy the video and listen to private tales, insights, and suggestions from a profitable blogger and freelance author!

My title is Lori Ballen, and I’m a full-time blogger incomes 6-figures by means of advert income, affiliate earnings, digital merchandise, and training/talking. I even have an actual property enterprise in Las Vegas, additionally supported by Search engine optimisation running a blog methods.

1. What type of earnings does running a blog present you?

As a 6-figure earnings blogger, my earnings is available in some ways. In no explicit order, I’ve adverts earnings, affiliate earnings, product earnings (i.e., programs and printables I promote), and freelance service earnings.

With my diversified earnings streams, my husband and I do business from home, and we do that part-time since I even have twins to maintain.

2. How many blogs do you will have?

I began running a blog in 2014, and through the years, I’ve added increasingly more blogs.

3. How lengthy have you ever been running a blog, and what impressed you to begin a weblog?

I began my first weblog in 2014, aspiring to become profitable. My freelance writing service weblog has grown to incorporate programs and guides.

In 2014 as soon as my maternity depart ended, I attempted session for fogeys with kids with ASD. This is my background, and whereas I did discover households, they lived in rural areas. I’d spend most of my day touring, and I didn’t need my twins in daycare.

This meant my husband needed to cease his work to maintain the twins. I didn’t need that both. So, I made a decision to seek out one thing at house that I might do.

This led me to freelance, and I latched on to that! I used to be capable of generate my first $1k in a couple of months and land superb purchasers like Blogging Wizard, Optinmonster, Zapier, Walmart, and extra.

4. Where did you discover ways to weblog?

Since beginning a contract service, I’ve been blogs to assist market my weblog. I wanted eyeballs on my web site so individuals might rent me. The blogs I checked out have been Copyblogger, Social Media Examiner, Smart Blogger (referred to as Boost Blog Traffic again within the day), and different freelance author blogs.

5. How Many Blogs are Profitable?

The blogs I discussed are all worthwhile, and I even have three writers and one VA to assist me with my many websites. In the start, I had my Elna Cain and Twins Mommy weblog, however a author requested if I might take over Freelancer FAQ, and I did.

From there, my portfolio grew to incorporate a motherhood contributor weblog and a motherhood weblog. I needed to begin a brand new challenge and attempt to develop Smart Mom Ideas (the motherhood weblog)  by offering solely high-list put up concepts. While this labored extraordinarily effectively in producing 1000’s of pageviews within the first month, it wasn’t sustainable. 

Now my technique for my different websites is Search engine optimisation and online marketing, whereas for Twins Mommy and Elna Cain, it’s to develop my model and course gross sales.

6. Where does your weblog site visitors come from?

Most of my websites depend on Search engine optimisation or natural site visitors. Smart Mom Ideas and another websites get good site visitors from Pinterest.

7. In what methods do you monetize your weblog?

I acquire earnings from adverts, online marketing, programs, and providing freelance writing providers.

8. How a lot time per day or week do you spend running a blog?

I do that part-time M-F, so probably the most I spend each day is 6 hours or much less. In the summer time, it’s a lot much less!

9. Have you ever carried out a particular technique that generated nice outcomes?

For me, the very best technique to achieve unsolicited backlinks and site visitors is to jot down a extremely beneficial useful resource information with a key phrase in thoughts. After the put up is printed, I’d tag influencers and folks I do know to inform them I featured them or the put up is perhaps a superb match for his or her viewers.

For instance, I just lately wrote a long-form put up on 100 assets for freelance writers. I discussed many entrepreneurs and posted this on LinkedIn. While I didn’t particularly tag the entrepreneurs talked about in my put up, lots of them commented and shared my put up.

10. Do you outsource any running a blog duties?

Yes, I’ve three writers that write weblog content material for Smart Mom Ideas and different area of interest websites I personal. One author is assigned 10-15 posts a month, one is assigned 5-8 posts a month, and one is assigned 4 posts a month.

I even have a VA for running a blog and Facebook group administration, 8 hours per week.

11. Do you do backlink outreach, visitor running a blog, or outsource backlink providers?

I did these methods earlier in my running a blog and freelance profession however not as a lot as we speak. If something, I’ll do some visitor posting to assist me land a contract job.

12. How do you establish matter concepts to your blogs?

For the final three or so years, most of my content material concepts stem from key phrases in thoughts. I exploit Ahrefs to assist me discover the very best key phrases for my websites. I’ll often write posts about an issue or success I’ve or that my course college students may need.

For instance, one in all my college students is doing effectively utilizing Reddit,, so I’ll interview him on this platform to land jobs. It’s not a key phrase, however I do know my electronic mail record and followers will get pleasure from this put up.

13. What are your favourite plugins or advertising and marketing instruments that make running a blog simpler for you?

I really like utilizing Canva for my graphics, Grammarly for enhancing, Cloudflare for caching/safety, and MarketMuse for optimizing outdated weblog posts. I strive to not have too many plugins to bloat my web site. One I do advocate although is the EWWW IO plugin for photos.

14. Do you collaborate with different bloggers or manufacturers? If so, how do you discover alternatives, and what has been your expertise?

I do collaborate with different bloggers and types. I just lately reached out to the advertising and marketing director of eCamm to be on their show. As effectively, I reached out to podcasters in my trade for interviews. I just lately was on the Freelance to Founder podcast by Millo, and I additionally guest posted for them.

Many of those alternatives come from utilizing their merchandise or studying their blogs, or listening to their podcast, after which offering an electronic mail to ask in the event that they wish to do one thing like a podcast interview.

15. What do you would like you had identified when beginning your weblog?

Some issues I needed I knew earlier than beginning a weblog are that it’s okay in the event you don’t publish constantly, and it’s okay in the event you don’t become profitable to start with. Remembering to attach along with your reader and construct a readership is vital.

People who know, like, and belief you’ll purchase from you.

Elna Cain, Blogger

With each new area of interest web site I begin, I appear to neglect this and simply wish to write online marketing posts. But, I’ve to step again and understand that individuals learn a lot of these posts to grasp the issue and product, and if you can also make them smile, snicker or suppose whereas studying your product descriptions and content material, then it’s a neater soar for them to click on in your hyperlinks and purchase.

16. Are there any challenges you face with running a blog that you just haven’t been capable of overcome?

One of the largest challenges is Search engine optimisation and making certain I’m on prime of the very best Search engine optimisation practices. Another problem is simply maintaining with the content material machine. I even have two Youtube channels, a Medium profile, and two electronic mail lists, and as a substitute of simply repurposing what I write on my weblog posts, I wish to present distinctive and new content material each time. But that is exhausting, and whereas I’ll repurpose content material, I don’t wish to depend on it on a regular basis.

17. Do you understand of any secret suggestions or “hacks” that might assist different bloggers achieve success?

One hack I like is to generate long-form weblog posts and simply maintain including to them. I’d publish an inventory put up of 20 methods, and in a couple of months (or perhaps a yr later), I’ll add to that put up and make it 30 methods and so forth till I’ve a 3,000-word weblog put up.

And since Google likes up to date content material, this can assist you rank your content material over time.

18. Do you will have any recommendation for beginner bloggers simply beginning?

My greatest tip for beginner bloggers is to know what you need to your weblog. Your weblog is a automobile for earnings, rising your model, or gaining leads, and it’s greatest to determine this out to start with. Once you will have that nailed, you’ll be able to decide which technique is greatest to your objective. Sometimes providing a service is healthier than online marketing, or when you have the time and assets, gaining earnings from advert impressions is perhaps your factor. Overall, consider your viewers avatar and use your weblog content material to assist them probably the most!

As you’ll be able to see, Elna is aware of a factor or two about creating wealth as a blogger. If you loved this interview, subscribe to see extra prefer it.