People ask me all the time about the business of blogging, and how I decided to start Empty Nest Blessed. Today, I’m going to give you all the scoop on blogging as a business and take you behind the scenes of my little venture into empty nester entrepreneurship. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, there are two very different types of blogs out there on the interwebs. You may have friends that are bloggers and share their thoughts and feelings about anything from politics and movies to faith and family. Then there are the blogs like mine that are actually small businesses and are regulated by the FTC.
All my life, I’ve been involved in speaking, teaching, and encouraging other women, and Empty Nest Blessed really is an outgrowth of that. I noticed so many of my peers struggling with the transition to the empty nest, and when our nest emptied, I knew I wanted to challenge myself to live fully as I entered this new season of life. I started researching the blogs out there for empty nesters and found that most focused on the pain associated with the transition. It is a transition to be sure – but I was convinced that this next season of life could (and should) be one of growth, service to others, and, well, JOY. It occurred to me that maybe we all just needed some encouragement and well, permission, to shift our focus from childrearing to other aspects of life and womanhood. I purchased the domain name and then spent about 8 hours a day for the next two months trying to learn the technical aspects and working to find my “voice.” It took a lot of courage to put myself out there (in both photos and words) and be vulnerable with you, but since we were on this journey together, I knew I had to be myself and overcome those fears. I knew I needed to be an example of everything I was encouraging other women to be by growing and learning in the empty nest years. Also (and this may sound weird), but, I really wanted my kids to be proud of me and how I was spending my time in this season of life. (If you want to read more, I wrote a blog post about how Empty Nest Blessed was born.)
It became apparent to me early on that if I was going to talk about all of the things I felt like were a part of the empty nester years (travel, health & fitness, aging, beauty, fashion, marriage, parenting adult children, cooking for two, etc.), I needed to be able to resource my readers if they wanted to explore whatever I was talking about in greater detail. It was important to me to produce a high-quality blog with beautiful images and a warm and lovely aesthetic that you would want to visit and recommend to others. I also wanted to house static content like resources to support women who may be struggling with the adjustment to the empty nest. You may not realize it, but when you come to EmptyNestBlessed.com and shop the links I share, it actually supports my business and enables me to do both of those things! (Thank you for that, BTW!)
My blog is monetized in a few different ways: affiliate links, collaborations with companies, and advertising. Affiliate links are the pink links you see in the body of a post. Sometimes they link back to older posts or outside information on whatever I am discussing. If they link to a product, sometimes I receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. If you click on the images in the body of a post (called “widgets” in blogger speak), they will also connect to an affiliate link. Collaborations are partnerships in which a company pays me a fee and/or gifts product in exchange for me covering their item or business. If this is ever the case, you will see me thank ________ company for sponsoring the post. (That’s required by the FTC.) Any opinion I share is my own, and I only cover items that I would have purchased on my own or companies that I love. If it is not in keeping with the mission of Empty Nest Blessed, or it is not right for our demographic, I always turn it down. (I say “no” to collaborations way more than I say “yes.”) As you may have noticed, I have ads on the sidebar of my website. I think of them as additional resources for you if you want more information on topics that I am writing about or companies that are timely and relevant to our lives as empty nesters. If you click through on them and make a purchase, I receive a small commission. I always want to be sure that you know where you can get more information on anything I tell you about and I only share links to products or resources that I love or use myself. Being authentic and real with you is at the core of my mission. We are on this empty nester journey together!
The more pages you visit on my blog (called “page views” in blogger speak), as well as visitors (new and returning) that Empty Nest Blessed receives, the more opportunities I have for advertising and collaborations. Social media stats are important too! That means that when you share Empty Nest Blessed with your friends, follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, or “like” and “follow” my Facebook page, I’m truly grateful and it helps me so much! Thank you for supporting Empty Nest Blessed and for sharing it with your friends. (Which is one of the most important things you can do to help my business, so thank you so much!) I spend a lot of time thinking (and praying) about how to bless and encourage you all, whether it’s with posts about how to strengthen your marriage, build up your kids, find just the right gift, keep up-to-date on the latest fashion trends, or figure out where to go on your next getaway.
If you have any questions about the business of blogging, I would be happy to answer them. Please leave me a comment below! Know that I am truly grateful for each of you and your comments mean so much to me. If there is ever a topic that you would like me to write about, please reach out to me and let me know.
Have you started a business in the empty nest like me? If so, I would love to hear from you. Maybe I’ll feature you in an upcoming post!
Blessings,
P.S. One last thing…I have to share a recent exciting, surreal, “pinch me” moment that just happened! I recently applied for and received the trademark rights to Empty Nest Blessed! It was truly a dream come true for me. Thank you, again, for your support. I am so grateful to you for sharing the journey and for spending time with me in my little corner of the web. xoxo
Suzy, this post is so interesting. Thanks for explaining how a blog works. It has been fascinating to watch your blog grow and become more and more sophisticated. I’m so proud of all you have accomplished. You are a delightful woman of God and I pray he blesses your endeavor.
Gail, thank you so much for your sweet comment. It really means the world to me to have your support and love! I’m grateful for the fact that you and all my Theta sisters have been cheering for me! Thanks for the part you’ve played in my growth. xoxo Suzy
Congratulations, Mom! I’ve watched your blog grow from idea to trademark, and I’m so glad that you’re doing what you love and being a blessing to others.
Connor, thank you, my precious! I love you! You have cheered me all along the way, and I am so grateful! No matter what happens with this little endeavor, being your mom was what I was created to be and I’ve loved every minute of it. YOU make ME proud! xoxo Mom
Hello Suzy! I recently found your blog with an Empty Next Google search. My 4th and 5th children are leaving simultaneously this summer (out of 5 total) and I’m feeling just fine about it, since I “know the score” from children 1-3. My oldest (daughter) is married with two children (yes, grandkids are the best :).) We are planning a down-size move from Tampa Bay to the Dallas-Ft. Worth area (hi, neighbor!) as soon as my youngest graduates from HS and we can get the house ready. My husband of 35 yrs. and I are looking forward to living the “rest of our lives.” I looking forward to getting to know you better through your posts. It sounds like we have many shared values/interests. Thanks for letting me use this space to introduce myself. Blessings, Kim
Oh, Kim, I am sooo glad to meet you! It sounds like you have so much you could teach me! I am excited that you are coming to Dallas! Please stay in touch and let’s meet in person once you get here! Empty nesters always need new friends!!! Thanks for your sweet comment! Xoxo Suzy
CONGRATULATIONS on your trademark!!!! LOVE your blog!!! So happy to have “found” you!!!
Trish, oh goodness, thank you so much for your sweet encouragement and kind words. You made my day! Blessings to you, Suzy xoxo
I am so proud of you!
My two pre-retirement, empty nest, businesses are cabi stylist and accounting consulting.
Angela, Thanks for your sweet comment! Isn’t it fun to start a new career in the empty nest? I’ve loved it and women like you continue to inspire me! xoxo, Suzy
Hi, and thank you for what you do for women.
Regarding affiliate links, do you check the websites of the retailers that you love, looking for affiliate info? Or is there a central site where you can apply for access to affiliate links? I’ve researched a little, and saw somewhere that retailers want to see a lot of traffic on your blog before they allow access. Is that correct?
Best,
Margie
Margie,
Ahhhh! I am so sorry, but I just now saw your comment. Somehow I didn’t get notified like I usually do when someone leaves a comment. I am with rewardStyle (rewardstyle.com for more info) and I do most of my affiliate links through them. You have to apply and be accepted and the competition is pretty tough! (I can’t believe they said, yes to me, TBH!). If you are still interested, I’d love to visit further about it with you and I would be willing to sponsor you if you think you are serious about it. If you don’t want to get that serious, the next best options are probably Amazon Affiliates and ShopStyle. Please email me at [email protected] if you want to continue the conversation. xoxo Suzy
This is a very concise piece. I’m working on Connie rooms between my social media sites. All the time required with tech devices in hand can leave me feeling I need to lay it all aside and get back to living real life looking around at this glorious world. Then I remember I’m a writer and a storyteller who enjoys photos to accompany the stories. I’m once agai. Thankful that I can write and send it out into the world at my own whim. I don’t have to wait for magazines to publish my work. I’m my own boss. It’s all about balance. A difficult thing to manage but wonderful when you get a handle on it. Looks like you’re doing a wonderful job. As a fellow empty nester who loves to write about universal topics and life stages, I’m happy to make your acquaintance. I’m going to the Charlotte Writers’ Club meeting tonight to hear a panel discuss what this blog is about. Advancing through social media. I’m looking forward to to some new info. It changes every day. Write on. Lisa
Please ignore all the typos. My phone has a mind of its own. Hopefully you understand what I meant without having to play Madgab to figure it out. Ha Lisa
Lisa,
Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement! Yes, I love to write too, but with blogging, I purposely write like I am having a conversation with my readers. (My friends tell me I write EXACTLY the way I talk – which is the highest compliment since that’s what I’m aiming for!) One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that I need to be consistent with my posting schedule, both with my blog posts and with social media. I write on such a variety of topics, I don’t expect that every post will appeal to every person, and that’s okay with me. I still want my readers to know that I’m going to be here on a regular schedule for them. When it comes to social media, the algorithms work against you if you don’t publish fresh content often. People wonder why their social media engagement is down, but they don’t publish often enough to push through the algorithms and get to the top of people’s feeds. Finally, I’ve discovered that people want to follow a PERSON, not a blog, per se. The more I share of myself, in images, thoughts, and opinions, the more they like it! It’s so good to connect with another blogger. I got on your blog and read some of your funny, funny stuff. You are such a talent, and I’m honored that you want to read Empty Nest Blessed! Have a great time at your Writer’s Club meeting tonight! xoxo Suzy