Hello! Today, I want to share a fantastic story about R.J. Weiss. He took my course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, back in 2017 and has since built an incredible website. His blog now earns six figures and attracts around 500,000 visitors each month.
Before starting The Ways To Wealth in 2016, I read through the income reports of several blogs, including Making Sense of Cents. This research was invaluable and taught me what works and what doesn’t in building a profitable blog. Armed with this knowledge, I set a goal to create a blog that could replace my full-time job. Fourteen months later, I achieved that goal and felt comfortable leaving my job of 10 years. At that point, I was making about $3,000 per month, and with a solid emergency fund, I decided to go full-time with blogging.
Fast forward to today, and The Ways To Wealth is thriving. It reaches about 500,000 visitors monthly and has exceeded my goal of building a six-figure blog. Over the years, I’ve met many bloggers with similar aspirations—whether they wanted to leave their job, travel, be their own boss, or work from home. They all sought the freedom and financial independence that blogging can provide.
Setting goals is crucial because it helps us determine what we want in life. But achieving those goals comes down to the actions we take regularly. Looking back at my journey, I can pinpoint the habits that have led to success. These habits have helped me consistently reach my goals for the site.
### Daily Habits for Building a Six-Figure Blog
**1. Track Daily Revenue and Expenses**
Every day, I start by recording the previous day’s income and expenses. I use a bookmarked folder to open all my affiliate dashboards with one click and log in automatically using LastPass. Tracking daily net income helps me stay motivated and make better strategic decisions. As the site has grown, managing cash flow has become more complex, so I keep a close eye on both current and future income.
**2. Creating Content**
I dedicate the first big chunk of my day to writing. I set a timer for 90 minutes, close all my browser tabs, and focus. Since the site’s content is its product, improving it adds value. Most days, I create new content, update old posts, write email newsletters, or guest posts. Publishing new content regularly helps build an online presence, much like compound interest.
**3. Outreach**
The Ways To Wealth gets a lot of traffic from search engines like Google. My SEO strategy is simple: create content people are searching for and build links. I spend time daily on link building, mainly through Help A Reporter Out (HARO). My goal is to respond to three HARO requests each day. While the success rate is low, it’s a great way to build backlinks. The key is to find what works for you and turn it into a habit.
### Weekly Blogging Habits
**1. Track Weekly Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)**
Every Monday, I review additional KPIs to stay on top of trends. I track various metrics like organic search traffic and Pinterest traffic. If something seems off, I dive deeper to identify the cause.
**2. Update and Fill the Content Calendar**
I have a weekly call with my editor to discuss content strategy and the upcoming week’s calendar. We use Trello to manage tasks, from drafting outlines to publishing posts. Using Trello has been a game-changer, and I highly recommend it for task management.
**3. Batch Create Pins and Other Graphics**
I work with a freelance graphic designer to produce Pinterest images and other graphics. We share a Google Drive folder for easy collaboration. I’ve found that creating multiple images per post can be beneficial, depending on the content’s fit for Pinterest.
**4. Test and Review**
I make time each week to test various elements like SEO titles, landing pages, and email capture forms. I track these tests in a Google Sheet and always keep a copy of the previous version for comparison. Small tweaks can lead to significant improvements over time.
### Monthly Habits for Running a Blog
**1. Track Monthly KPIs and Revenue**
At the start of each month, I record the revenue and clicks for each affiliate. I also track metrics like revenue per visitor and average daily revenue for the year. This helps me make informed strategic decisions.
**2. Set Monthly Objectives**
With a clear understanding of the site’s performance, I set monthly objectives. I focus on what truly matters by asking, “What’s the one thing I can do that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?”
**3. Bulk Keyword Research**
Once a month, I spend a few hours on keyword research and content planning. I use tools like AHREFs and Google Trends to identify keywords with increasing demand. This helps in planning content that will drive traffic.
**4. Guest Post**
I aim to publish two guest posts each month. This involves outreach but becomes easier with established relationships. Engaging in Facebook Groups, emailing other bloggers, and attending conferences can help build these connections.
**5. Learn Something New**
I try to complete one new course each month to improve my skills. Even if you don’t have a budget for courses, you can learn a lot by reading income reports or blog posts in your niche.
### Final Thoughts
These habits and routines have been crucial for growing The Ways To Wealth. Identify the tasks that need to be done regularly for your site and turn them into habits. Whether it’s guest posting or sharing your story on a podcast, the right habits, done consistently, will produce great results.
R.J. Weiss is the founder and editor of The Ways To Wealth, a Certified Financial Planner™, husband, and father of three. He has spent over 10 years writing about personal finance and has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, MSN Money, and other publications.