Cristina Ehm Has all the time had a ardour for style. She studied it, she labored within the trade, and when she felt a little bit bit burned out, she determined to alter issues up a bit by designing and promoting t-shirts.

She created a weblog to advertise her merchandise known as ShoeTease, however not lengthy after, her weblog began to exceed her t-shirt gross sales.

Right now, monthly, her website will get round half one million web page views and he or she’s incomes $14k+ on common from advertisements alone, and $17k+ from all of her earnings streams.

Preserve studying to seek out out:

• How she received began in style
• What sort of t-shirts she was promoting
• How she began running a blog
• What enterprise she began after which deserted
• What her plans are for rising her enterprise
• The place her earnings comes from
• Her methods for advertising and marketing her weblog
• Her ideas on search engine marketing
• Her strategy to key phrase analysis
• Her hyperlink constructing and inside linking methods
• How she creates content material
• How she’s rising her e-mail listing
• Her favourite sources and instruments
• Her major problem
• Her biggest accomplishment
• Her largest mistake
• Her recommendation for different entrepreneurs

Meet Cristina Ehm

I’m a designer, stylist, and mother primarily based in Canada. I’ve over 20 years of expertise working within the style trade in each Europe and North America. 

I’ve designed every thing from plus-sized style to underwear and footwear. I studied style design and sample making in France after finishing my communications diploma to “fall again on” in Canada.

Why She Created Her Website

I began ShoeTease in 2010 after experiencing burnout from my job as a shoe designer and the style trade normally. 

I cherished the pattern forecasting and the 2D design course of particularly, so I made a decision to maintain doing the components I loved and promote distinctive t-shirts that includes shoe graphics. 

That is how I got here up with the identify Shoe “Tease,” a play on phrases to maintain my choices open in case I finished making my “tees.”

I began running a blog after choosing up Professional Blogger’s ebook, which inspired me to start out a weblog to push my product. 

I initially shared my t-shirts and shoe traits and showcased shoe manufacturers and private type in a cheeky means, placing out 5  to 7 posts per week. They are saying to weblog about what you understand, so I did simply that.

When the weblog began taking off greater than the t-shirts, I ran with it, pushing extra shoe-related content material on the weblog, together with shoe care and styling. 

In 2014, I employed an search engine marketing advisor to show me all about search engine marketing, which led me on a path to be taught every thing I may about on-page search engine marketing. Just a few years later I started my enterprise providing search engine marketing companies to fellow bloggers and small companies, till 2021. 

In 2016, I ventured into growing a line of pom-pom shoe clips known as Pombons. The thought was to distribute them wholesale. 

Sadly, my growth plans hit a snag when my intermediary association fell by. I discovered that promoting a bodily product on to prospects alone was too time-consuming for the monetary return, so I deserted the undertaking.

The weblog itself has grown from an preliminary 400 month-to-month pageviews and sharing shoe traits and private type in a cheeky solution to almost 500,000 month-to-month pageviews at its peak, earlier than being impacted by the HCU replace.

My content material at the moment covers a variety of shoe-related subjects resembling shoe styling and shoe care. I’m increasing into the capsule wardrobe and normal private styling area.

I wish to provide ladies a complete platform the place they’ll discover recommendation for every thing associated to footwear and style styling each on the weblog and by way of social media (which I deserted in 2017) and video content material.

I deserted each my YouTube and Instagram accounts, however I do plan on resurrecting each of these and including to YouTube Shorts and TikTok later this yr with shoe opinions and academic styling content material.

Final summer season, I started promoting curated capsule wardrobes on the ShoeTeaseShop on Etsy and plan to supply programs and one-on-one styling companies shortly. I even have 10 of those up in my Etsy store now.

How A lot She’s Incomes

Within the 12 months previous the HCU replace, I made wherever between $6k and $24k, the place my earnings averaged $14,450/month in Mediavine advertisements alone. 

I introduced in about $2500 monthly by way of a number of associates in that timeframe. My digital merchandise in my Etsy retailer usher in just below $250 monthly, and I’m hoping to double that quantity by summer season.

Though I began my weblog in 2010, it didn’t grow to be my full focus till 2020 and it didn’t begin making a number of cash till 2019, once I joined Mediavine. 

My earnings peaked within the final quarter of 2023, with a November 2023 earnings of $24,088.43 in advertisements alone. 

Within the 12 months previous the HCU replace, my common pageviews had been 436,380/month. I misplaced a big share of that visitors from the HCU and received hit down once more on the finish of December.

It is also price noting that, in 2023, I solely wrote 4 model new weblog posts and up to date 3 older posts.

Her Major Advertising Technique

I can’t say my advertising and marketing technique was notably distinctive. 

search engine marketing was my major advertising and marketing technique up till final September and made up the majority of my visitors. Nevertheless, I did do a adequate job of it that over 85% of near half one million guests had been organically pushed by the SERPs, with out social media or a publication.

Not distinctive, however presumably shocking? Not many impartial area of interest websites are in a position to get that a lot visitors to 1 website from Google alone. 

Pushing my content material by Pinterest was my secondary advertising and marketing technique and is now my high visitors supply. I’m at the moment wanting once more to social media to assist share my weblog’s content material, together with my guides and companies. It’s a piece in progress in the mean time.

As for the way a lot time I work on my enterprise, I really don’t know! 

Some weeks I work extra, some much less. Right now I labored 3.5 hours, which is lower than a typical day, so perhaps round 20 hours per week? I’m clearly in want of a time audit! 

The Significance of search engine marketing

search engine marketing is the one motive my weblog gained the views and cash it has, so I say it’s essential! 

On-page search engine marketing was my major technique, however now I’ve pivoted from a strictly search engine marketing/key phrase strategy to creating content material with extra of an natural circulation to it.

That’s, strolling ladies on a particular style journey utilizing my articles as a information, quite than a set of articles that one may discover from a fast Google or Pinterest search. As an illustration, I’ll start serving to ladies discover their true type identification. From there, I’ll information them from primary to extra advanced outfit combos and concepts.

I nonetheless plan to make use of Semrush to see what key phrases to incorporate in my content material, which is the majority of my search engine marketing technique. I’m not letting go of that!

Key phrase Analysis

My strongest strategy has been to see what articles convey me essentially the most visitors and use these to create topical clusters round them. I increase and exhaust each topical cluster to get a powerful authoritative grip on the topic.

For instance, if I’m rating for “the best way to clear leather-based footwear,” I’ll brainstorm utilizing Semrush to seek out related key phrases with a distinct search intent resembling “the best way to clear suede footwear,” “the best way to clear satin footwear,” and so forth.

As soon as I’ve written the posts, I strategically interlink between each utilizing numerous key phrase synonyms as anchor textual content. I work on publishing a number of clusters at a time so I don’t overwhelm the location with related back-to-back articles.

I exploit Semrush and Google itself to trace my very own knowledge and people of competing web sites to see if I’m lacking something, and for any new concepts.

After the HCU replace, I’m altering issues up. Clearly, my content material was far too keyword-driven, however I consider my extra natural strategy will likely be most useful to my customers and to develop my presence exterior of Google. 

Hyperlink Constructing

As a result of my website has been round since 2010ish, I used to be fortunate sufficient to disregard hyperlink constructing, as hyperlinks typically got here by publishing attention-grabbing content material. I’ve had a “construct it and they’ll come” mentality and like to concentrate on areas I can management.

That stated, within the final couple of years, sturdy backlinks have gotten few and much between. So I’m now seeking to create extra ‘‘shareable’ content material to extend the probability of gaining hyperlinks again to my website.

Shareable content material would appear like style quizzes, trending type guides, and checklists, together with each day and seasonal outfit inspiration.  

Perhaps later this yr, I’ll start outsourcing a backlink technique!

Cristina’s Content material Creation Course of

I just lately started eradicating older posts on my website, written within the pre-microblogging period that don’t maintain a lot worth. 

I at the moment have 770 posts left, however I’m certain one other 250 can go! So let’s say I’ve about 500 first rate posts up. 

My content material creation course of begins by deciding on one main key phrase from my listing that I created with the assistance of Semrush, then confirming reader intent and making a content material temporary (for myself or a author) with the required headings. 

I then define the visuals I’ll want to clarify my article. If wanted, I’ll ebook a pictures session with my photographer (shoutout to Bruna Rico Images!) who then edits the pictures.

For posts that don’t require pictures, I create collages from photographs pulled from my affiliate retailers and/or inventory pictures. My VA edits them in Canva and uploads them into the location’s WP media folder. 

I then create my copy, ensuring to incorporate the correct quantity of key phrases and key phrase synonyms. I additionally reply any related questions that really feel related to cowl. 

When wanted, I exploit AI instruments resembling ChatGPT 4 to assist me rephrase and make clear sections of my posts for my weblog. I are typically wordy once I write, so I discover AI to be actually useful!

As soon as I’ve accomplished my draft, I edit it with Grammarly, then copy and paste it right into a WordPress draft. That’s the place I re-read it, format it, add photographs and affiliate hyperlinks, and interlink with different posts. 

I then create pins, including them to the underside of my put up for my VA to schedule on Pinterest. 

Her E-mail Listing

I’ve an e-mail listing of about 2,000 subscribers that I started amassing by way of Mediavine’s Highlight Subscribe instrument 2 years in the past. 

Beforehand, Mailchimp determined to close down my account and I misplaced all my subscribers with out warning. My fault for not saving my subscriber listing, nevertheless it undoubtedly put a damper on my drive to pursue e-mail assortment and advertising and marketing as a visitors technique.

I’m within the midst of lastly organising and implementing an e-mail advertising and marketing technique and I plan to develop it by way of numerous freebies, Pinterest, and social channels resembling my non-public Fb group.

Her Favourite Sources

I began my journey with the Professional Running a blog books and weblog, so I’ll all the time point out them! 

Extra just lately, my high sources have been Mediavine—their Fb group, weblog posts and movies, updating us on every thing occurring within the trade. 

Their non-public Fb group has been pivotal to my success, due to the beneficiant members who impart a lot information freely. 

Different Fb teams which have been useful embody Girls in Tech search engine marketing and Sisters in search engine marketing. 

Each Jesse Cunningham and Kasra Sprint have fab podcasts/YouTube channels and Lily Ray is nice to observe Twitter/X. 

And to not be cheeky, however Area of interest Pursuits has been my most coveted useful resource for the final 6 months, notably put up HCU.

Cristina’s Go-To Instruments

The instruments I exploit persistently in my enterprise are Semrush for search engine marketing, Canva for visuals, and Google Docs/Drive for writing posts and sharing data with my VAs.

Her Major Problem

My largest problem has been organizing, outsourcing, and scaling my enterprise, particularly as a mother with ADHD.

I’m liable to distractions and/or hyper-focusing on small duties that aren’t a precedence and/or that my VA can simply do. I’m working with an ADHD coach to assist handle and manage my time extra successfully. 

Outsourcing has been an enormous problem for me. 

Not solely does it take time away from content material creation itself, nevertheless it’s been extraordinarily tough to seek out competent assist, even from those that are supposedly specialists of their area. 

To not point out that discovering sturdy digital writers who can provide up-to-date styling recommendation is uncommon. 

Final yr I did discover an amazing VA, however I’m nonetheless on the hunt for extra specialised assist. 

Her Biggest Accomplishment

Making a number of 6 figures from an sudden enterprise mannequin would undoubtedly be my major accomplishment. I used to be routinely ridiculed for selecting running a blog as an entrepreneurial route, even by different bloggers, again within the day!

I consider somebody stated that solely 5% of bloggers earn cash and I’m thrilled to be part of that group. 

What’s extra, nearly all of my earnings has been blog-driven, with out using e-mail advertising and marketing or social media. That is odd for an impartial creator within the style area of interest, who normally depends upon influencer sponsorships and collaborations by way of social media.

What She Needs She Knew When She Began

I want I had recognized how vital e-mail advertising and marketing was and nonetheless is. For some motive, e-mail advertising and marketing all the time felt overwhelming and out of attain.

As search and social media are ever-changing and algorithms can unexpectedly hit you the place it hurts, e-mail advertising and marketing is the best way to go. 

So right here I’m, engaged on it 13 years later. However higher late than by no means!

Her Largest Mistake

I really feel like I’ve made so many errors that it’s arduous to only decide one. 

I remorse not leaving the influencer world sooner to concentrate on my weblog.

As a style blogger and micro-influencer on the time, Instagram appeared completely obligatory and I had a tough time letting go. I may have made 10x the cash had I left sooner. 

I indifferent from it in 2019 and that’s when every thing began wanting up. 

One other mistake was not becoming a member of Mediavine sooner. I used to be eligible 4 years previous to becoming a member of, however didn’t know that such advert firms even existed!

Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs

Dive in, attempt completely different approaches, and take up area. 

Community digitally and in-person to be taught from others. Had I performed this extra originally, I’d have discovered about Mediavine and different earnings alternatives a lot earlier.

And most significantly: consider in your imaginative and prescient whereas surrounding your self with individuals who consider in it too and share related aspirations. Mindset is every thing!