Awesome! You stumbled across my successful blogging guide. Each week, we walk through tips to starting a successful blog (that’s every bloggers dream right?). This is week 3. Check out my journey and results below. You can also view week 1, and week 2 while you’re at it!
There are amazing blogging guides out there, however, all of them are from the perspective of an established blogger. They tend to skip over some of important (and frustrating) steps and obstacles. My blogging guide details what it takes to set up a successful blog, from the perspective of someone who is doing it now. First, if you want to follow the journey to writing a successful blog, please sign up for Free blogging guide updates below.
Success!
Successful Blogging Guide Tips | Week 3
The following are steps to consider for week 3 of your blogging journey. Note that I work a full time job during the week, and thus, progress should be compared on an adjusted scale based on your effort. As it turns out, I worked on my blog for 30 hours week during week 3.
1. Try and post at least twice a week from here on out
In week 2 of our blogging guide, we challenged you have at least 10 blog posts written before week 3 (and then keep writing). It is hard to stay focused on writing when you have so many other distractions. Such as, figuring out how to get your header to look perfect, fonts, opt in forms, email lists, etc.
I am told by many successful bloggers that content needs to be our number one focus these first few weeks. It is now time to start developing a posting schedule. Monday an Thursday’s are good times for me. I’ve noticed that many other bloggers broadcast each post via email to their subscribers. At this early stage since we are writing a lot of content, a weekly email broadcast to your subscribers is recommended. Within this email, try and encourage your subscribers to click on links to all the blog posts from the previous week. If you would like an example, join my newsletter to start receiving weekly updates!
2. Focus on keywords and SEO for everything you publish
In week 3, try and focus on developing strong keywords for each of your posts. Successful blogging guide tip: Do not reuse keywords on other posts within your blog. This will decrease your ranking on Google. For this post I am using the keyword/phrase: Blogging guide. In week 2, I used the keyword/phrase successful blog. Even though they both are similar in content, the keyword/phrase is distinct.
You can use Google AdWords keyword research tool to identify what keywords or phrases (related to your post topic) that are searched the most. Duplicate content makes the SEO ranking factor decrease. Try and review 67 best SEO tips for bloggers prior this week.
I am using Yoast SEO. All of my posts have a green “good” ranking. If you focus on connecting your material to your keywords, then you are ultimately going to rank better. Remember to include alt text on your post pics.
3. Email Platform and Opt In Strategies
Last week, I mentioned that I now use ConvertKit as my email list platform. You get 1 month for free. That means I still have 2 more free weeks to get used to it. So far, I am really liking it. I am able to organize my subscribers into specific tabs for future email broadcasts. Currently, I send weekly email updates to all of my subscribers. Within these emails, I include a short story to connect with my readers, along with a brief introduction to each of my posts for the previous week. A weekly digest of sorts.
ConvertKit does not have fancy Opt In forms. As such, I decided to use Optinmonster to create enticing Opt In forms. It’s around $24/month. You can create pretty awesome forms that will help you convert viewers into dedicated readers. Remember, your email list is your lifeline. You want to earn their trust, so they will in turn buy the products you recommend.
Blogging guide Opt In tips: Use exit campaign pop ups to encourage people to opt into your email list. I embedded an exit pop up into this page. Go ahead and check it out. If you are using a desktop, move your curser to exit out of the browser. Did you see the pop up?! Did you sign up? 🙂
Mobile opt in pop ups can also be helpful. Once you scroll down at least 60 percent of this post, you will see a mobile opt in for popup! Did you see it? Go ahead, scroll further down. Please join my weekly newsletter!
4. Guest Bloggers
By week 3, you are likely getting some pretty solid blog exposure. So far, I’ve already had 4 guest blogger requests. That means, 4 people asked me to publish one of their posts on my blog. You need to be careful about accepting these offers. You’re viewers count on you to provide them with solid content that you believe in. So make sure the post is going to further your brand.
I experimented with a guest blog this week. My long time buddy Mark wrote a sweet post called the “Pathway to Homeownership”. It all begins with passion for homeownership and a loan pre-qualification. If you haven’t read it already, here it is. Once posted, Mark and his friends shared it on their social media which proved free advertisement to my blog!
5. Continue to educate yourself about affiliate marketing, but hold off…still
Currently, I am a halfway through the course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. My goal is to run a successful blog, so this course is helping me understand how to make money from blogging. In week 2, I attempted to add affiliate adds to my blog, but they are not working well, so I removed most of them.
Ultimately, it will be important to add in ads that connect with my readers. But in the first few weeks, it’s important to write content and build your viewership. You don’t want to turn your readers away with too many affiliate ads, a cluttered page, or ads that do not target your audience.
This goes with Google AdSense advertisements too. Sure, you can make 20-30 bucks a month using them, but right now, I want my readers to experience an uninterrupted reading experience (except for opt in conversion forms!).
6. Expand your social media presence and promote
I am focusing on my unpaid and paid promotions on the Facebook and Instagram audience. Experienced bloggers suggest focusing on one social media platform in addition to Facebook at first. I am most familiar with Instagram, so I chose that. Check it out below. I set up a Pinterest account, but I do not know how to use it yet!
To increase traffic to my page and convert viewers into dedicated readers, I am running promotions on each platform to direct people to the blog website. You can pay as little at $1 a day for a promotion, however, this week, I’ve been spending around $50/day to help identify which content is most enjoyable by readers. Honestly, I think I am paying way too much, but again this is an investment! The goal is to identify promotions that have the lowest cost per click to your page. Right now I am as low as 7 cents. Next week, I am going to dedicate an entire blog about how to set up effective Facebook and Instagram promotions! So sign up for my Blogging Guide!
Blogging Guide Statistics Week 3 | City for Millennials
Week 3 Cost (click here for week 2 cost breakdown): $400
Ad Revenue: $0
Net Revenue: -$1,267.00 (yikes, this is more expensive than I expected! But it’s an investment. Most of the costs are associated with FB ad placements)
Blog posts this week: 5 (17 total)
Week 3 page views/visitors: 5,183/3,562
Total page views/visitors (since April 1, 2026): 8,467/ 5,762
Blogging Guide Milestones Week 3 | City for Millennials
The City for Millennials launched three weeks ago and has reached over 8,400 page views! I guess there are a lot of us trying to DO MORE and SPEND LESS in expensive cities. As a reminder, The City for Millennials is a platform to discuss ways to have fun living in expensive cities. We know costs can be overwhelming at times. We want everyone to maximize adventures in their city, all while preparing for financial independence. With hard work, and some creativity highlighted on The City for Millennials, we will get there.
I want to thank everyone for making it this far the City for Millennials journey. I hope you all decide to continue on the journey. We added over 100 new subscribers this week. Will you join the City for Millennials crew? You will get weekly city survivor tips!
Week 3 was exciting
It started out with engagement photos, which prompted me to write a little bit about how my fiancee and I are finding fun and creative ways to spend less on wedding planning costs, while maximizing our needs. Here is it.
I travelled for work last week, which reminded me about the time when I paid off $80,000 of student loans by traveling for work. In just 3 years, I was able to use the extra income from a travel job to pay it all off.
Blogging guide tip. Review your analytics! I noticed a spike in my viewership associated with student loans posts, so I dedicated 2 new posts this week to help people eliminate student loans. Furthermore, I even developed a Student Loan Elimination Guide. It’s embedded within the post entitled 8 Student Loan Elimination Strategies. See if you can find it!
Dream big everyone. I hope you enjoyed this week’s blogging guide.
Much Love,
Thomas