Updated: November 14, 2018
Ok, I’m biting the bullet on this one. In the almost 8 years I’ve been a pet blogger, and the 3 or so that I’ve been a full-time pet blogger, this income report is probably one of the scariest blog posts I’ve written.
To be clear, the blog referenced in this income report is my dog blog – You Did What With Your Wiener? (YDWWYW), not this blog.
On a larger scale, this income report is about my business I have BECAUSE of my dog blog. Everything I do in my business is related to, or because of, it.
Below, I highlighted the income directly from my dog blog business in orange.
So why is writing this income report scary for me? Two reasons.
One: Impostor Syndrome is strong with me. My life story is pretty much obsessing over the things I didn’t do right while barely acknowledging my accomplishments.
I recognize though that being afraid, and keeping my accomplishments under wraps, is minimizing myself and everything I’ve worked very hard for.
The truth is, most people will never know what you’ve accomplished unless you tell them.
I want to thank a small group of friends (you know who you are) who pushed me to finally thisn income report for my pet blog.
By sharing this breakdown of my blog-related income, it might give other aspiring professional pet bloggers hope that it really can be done.
Two: Being vulnerable is hard.
Look, I’m going to be up-front right now, I don’t make a ton of money (yet) as a professional pet blogger. In some metropolitan cities, it’s barely enough to live on.
But I do make enough that I was able to pay my bills and turn my blog into a successful full-time business.
Sharing my income report makes me feel very vulnerable because it opens me up for scrutiny, real or imagined.
I worry that people will think I’m lying, that they will think I’m bragging or full of myself, that they will compare me to others bloggers that make more and say, “This is no big deal.” The list of fears goes on.
I know that my fears are more imagined than not and also know that I have to do me. I can’t please everyone.
So here it goes: My first (and maybe last) pet blogging income report.
A Little History
I started my blog in November of 2010. I had no idea what I was doing. I mean, NONE.
About a year and a half later, in spring of 2012, I attended my first BlogPaws Conference because it sounded fun. That was the first time I became aware that I could actually make money blogging.
I started learning as much as I could about writing and marketing a blog. I put in about 30 hours a week on my “part-time business” outside of my regular 40-hour-per-week job.
I think I received my first email to review a bag of dog treats about 6 months after the conference and I hit 500 pageviews a day in spring 2013.
Eventually, I started making a little cash too and realized that it was indeed possible for my blog to at least pay for itself.
My efforts, and my income, continued to grow. I realized that, not only could I make some money, but I could possibly turn my blog into a business that provided a full-time income.
I changed my mindset from blogging as a hobby to treating my blog like a business.
Around 2012 there was a sudden death in my family – someone that was like a mother to me – and family took priority over a stable career. The truth is, I was burned out and frustrated anyway so I wasn’t devastated.
I cashed out my modest retirement fund and, after I was done taking care of family business, I went back to school to earn a masters in Digital Communications.
Part way through my degree program, I launched my consulting business PetTalk Media.
Note: Going back to school was not integral to my success. I do think it helped me in a lot of ways. However, I know many bloggers that did not earn an advanced degree in basically, blogging, and they earn way more than I do through their blogs.
In 2017, I launched Pet Blog Biz, which morphed into what you see today – Niche Blog Biz.
Where I Am Today
The first year or so of making a living through blogging was really rocky.
I definitely don’t suggest quitting your day job like I did until you have a better idea if full-time blogging could be a viable business for you.
Luckily, I had a little nest egg to help keep me afloat.
Today, I make, on average, as much as I did from my cushy government job.
Like all of the pet bloggers out there I am aware of, I don’t make all of my income directly from my blog.
In the beginning, I offered my services to pet companies and other bloggers. I also became a dog sitter and dog walker.
I offer other services to bring in income but, except for the dog walking, they are all blog related and clients typically find me through my dog blog.
My different mix of income streams was enough to pay my bills.
Over the years, as the income I generated from my blog increased, I phased out some other revenue streams (like the dog walking).
In 2018, I started earning almost 100% of my income directly from my blog.
You will see, in 2019, I made almost exactly what I made in 2017 but I feel like there was still progress because my monthly income became more predictable.
In 2019, I focused less on my primary blog so that I could tend to other projects. Although I managed to publish 22 new blog posts – almost 2 per month average – the bulk of them were published between May and June.
In the second half of 2019, I launched a second blog – a niche site focused on quality content and SEO optimized articles. My goal is to be making $1,000 a month from this blog by June 2020 (stay tuned for updates).
I also spend a lot of time planning for the new phase of my business to launch in 2020.
My 3rd Quarter Income Reports
Why am I only including income for Q3?
I find compiling these income reports a bit tedious and find it hard to believe that anyone wants to tune into how I am doing every month.
I feel like checking in annually gives a good snapshot of how blog income can change without belaboring the point.
My first income report – 2017
Note: I mathed wrong and this one isn’t really Q3 – which runs from August to October
June 2018
Mediavine Ad Network: $3,385.00
Blog Mentoring/Coaching: $385.00
YDWWYW Brand Sponsors: $2,086.00
Dog Sitting (Rover.com): $404.00
Consulting/Contract Work: $3,885.00
Amazon Associates (Affiliate): $801.00
GROSS TOTAL $10,946.00
July 2018
Mediavine Ad Network: $2,660.90
Blog Mentoring/Coaching: $385.00
Dog Sitting (Rover.com): $214.37
Consulting/Contract Work: $1,691.00
Affiliate – Amazon $800.27
GROSS TOTAL $5,751.54
August 2018
Mediavine Ad Network: $2,980.99
Blog Mentoring/Coaching: $0.00
YDWWYW Sponsor: $745.50
Dog Sitting (Rover.com): $173.15
Consulting/Contract Work: $2,543.27
Affiliate – Amazon: $805.79
GROSS TOTAL $6,981.70
2018 income report
Well, I missed this one.
I may go back and track the information at some point but I’ll probably just move forward.
2019 income report
August 2019
Mediavine Ad Network: $6,206.70
Blog Mentoring/Coaching: $82.00
Sponsored Content: $0
Affiliate – Amazon: $1,506.96
GROSS TOTAL $7,795.66
September 2019
Mediavine Ad Network: $6,010.94
Blog Mentoring/Coaching: $0
Sponsored Content: $0
Affiliate – Amazon: $1,832.35
GROSS TOTAL $7,843.29
October 2019
Mediavine Ad Network: $5,082.43
Blog Mentoring/Coaching: $0
Sponsored Content: 1,125.00
Affiliate – Amazon: $1,513.01
GROSS TOTAL $7,720.44
The Fine Print
I want to make a few disclaimers to the above.
You are seeing merely a snapshot of my monthly income. Although the earnings are more predictable month-to-month, they can still vary by $1,000 or more.
June 2018 was my highest-earning month so far. What I made in 2019 is more the average.
Also, I’m married so I am not responsible for 100% of the household bills myself, although I do cover about 75% of them.
My hubby’s employer does provide our healthcare at a reasonable cost, which is crucial for us.
My ultimate goal is to make enough to cover all of our bills myself, and our healthcare, in 2020. The way the trend is going, I believe that is possible.
I will also note that we bought a house and moved in early 2019. While the move was more about quality of life, it did lower our household bills a bit.
My advice if you are self employed is learn quickly to live within your means – perhaps adopting a minimalist lifestyle but definitely cutting out things you don’t really need.
Pet Blog Business Taxes and Expenses
I don’t get to keep a lot of the money I bring in.
Taxes take a 30% cut of what what I make right off the top.
Then there are significant expenses related to my blog and consulting work.
These include:
- Internet
- Blog hosting and website maintenance
- Sub-contractors and virtual assistants to help me with my consulting projects (I’m a project manager)
- Computer and photography equipment
- Subscriptions and dues
- General supplies and equipment
- Continuing educations like eBooks, courses, and conferences
- Travel
- An accountant
These expenses run me $3,000 – $5,000 a month.
However, and luckily, fees for services and outsourcing primarily only reach the top of that range when my client load (and income) increases.
Let me know if you have any questions about this income report. I hope it’s helped you to see how you can turn your own blog into the business of your dreams.
You rocked it! Way to go Jessica! Your income report looks great and I hope it’s not your last. I think it’s great to see an income report in the pet niche. While income reports in other niches are helpful it’s sometimes difficult to compare to what kind of income we might hope to make in the pet niche. For instance, seeing the amount you were able to make from brand sponsors is eye opening especially if we’re used to receiving a bag of treats for a review post. One question I have is do you have any plans to add new income streams?
Well done on conquering your fears and putting together this awesome report. Congratulations to you on your hard work and all you’ve accomplished during your 8 years of blogging.
Thanks! I may do more. I like the idea of Jill’s where she is sharing what she is doing and people can watch her grow. While her and I are in different places, I do think there might be some benefit to people seeing how I expand too.
I do plan to add some income streams. Well, primarily, I want to get more efficient and focused so I can bring on additional regular consulting clients. I am working on a small eBook though and may eventually develop some kind of course or training. I would also eventually like to become a paid speaker.
In the past I’ve used my annual Pet Blogger Challenge post to share some traffic numbers, but no one ever seemed all too interested so I’ve stayed away from income reports. If I had a platform like this one I’d be much more inclined to share what I’m doing to grow and monetize my blog.
I always thought income reports would be great for accountability. I think your income reports will help you get new consulting clients. It will inspire as well as make people ask: “how did Jessica do that and how could I do the same.”
With your drive and ambition I can see you hitting on all of those new income streams in short order.
Strange that no one was ever interested in your income reports. Perhaps they are just more prevalent now so on the mind of folks in the pet niche.
I may continue the income reports. At least for a while to see how they help. Indeed they might help me get clients but what I really need to get better at the accountability thing. For as much as I’ve accomplished, I still fall victim to distraction from shiny objects. If I want to reach my business goals, I need to learn to be more focused.
Jessica, thank you so much for posting this and being an inspiration to other bloggers. Congrats on your success, and good for you for putting yourself out there.
Wow! Thanks for sharing. This was so eye opening! It gives me a lot of hope for the future. You’ve accomplished so much in your 8 years of blogging, way to go!
Thank you for putting this income report out. I have seen other income reports from bloggers but they are always in areas that you know can be high earners, like lifestyle or food. I was just contemplating asking a fellow pet blogger that I follow what her income was like and your post came up in Pinterest. Perfect timing!
Glad you found it helpful. I, too, have seen many income reports from other niches. They were interesting but my takeaway amounted pretty much to “well, I guess it’s possible to make money but most of this doesn’t apply to me.” There are a lot of pet bloggers hoping to make money from their blogs so I wanted to post something to say it’s possible and this is how it’s worked for me in the pet niche.
Thanks so much for sharing this Jessica. It’s great to see that people can make money from blogging and related activities. I aspire to get to a level like that. I’m amazed that Mediavine is as lucrative as it is. I’m not at the level where they would accept me, but I hope to be in the near future.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Mediavine definitely was a game-changer for me. With great SEO, and a solid Pintrest, strategy you’ll totally get to the traffic threshold.
AMAZING Jessica. This is amazing! Seriously it was Blog Paws that got me to shift my focus and start taking my blog more seriously. This is the first income report I’ve seen from a pet blogger and this is seriously inspirational! Thank you for sharing and being such a great motivator.
I’m glad it helped. I want others to know it IS possible to make real money with a blog in the pet niche. I don’t want to post a lot of income reports but I am thinking of doing it once a quarter along with listing the things I’ve done to improve my blog.
I so appreciate your honesty and transparency! Vulnerability and fear resonates with me as well, so it is so helpful to see someone who is! Your information is not only a huge help, but your story is very inspiring. I commend you on all that you have accomplished! Thanks again so much
Thanks for checking out my blog. I always aim to be transparent and honest so it’s a compliment that you noticed that. I think there is too much hype and sensationalism out there in the “blog help” world. I’m trying to find a balance between being excited and honest about my success while being realistic about the need to be strategic and committed.
Thank you so much for sharing your income reports with us. Having a realistic look at how much one might make being a pet blogger is very helpful. Your honesty is greatly appreciated and you have inspired me to keep working on my blog. Someday I hope to reach the level you are at.
Thanks for reading my article. I really did try to be transparent with everything. Even most of the bloggers that “make it” aren’t rolling in the dough. However, making enough to create freedom and flexibility is definitely obtainable. To some that is the ultimate wealth. Good luck to you!
Awesome accomplishment! May I ask if all this income is from youdidwhatwithyourwiener.Com? Or is the pettalkmedia.com income included in this?
Hello. PetTalk Media became my “umbrella” business name a couple years ago. All of my businesses fall under that corporation. My blog coaching income is included in this and listed as “Blog Mentoring/Coaching” in the monthly breakdown. However, I take on only select coaching clients now so it doesn’t regularly contribute – significantly or at all – to my monthly income. You can see, in September of 2019, I made $82 from it and didn’t bring in anything in November and December. The 2017 monthly reports also include “consulting/Contract Work”, which did contribute significantly to my income prior to 2017 but has since been phased out. I hope that helps.
Great article, thanks for sharing this information. It really helps to see the figures in black and white. Particularly as they are broken down by income streams, I look forward to keeping updated.
Been researching the pet industry and this has been a great inspiration to move forward. Thanks for sharing!
Very inspirational Jessica ! I just finished designing my new pet blog last week. I was literally very confused about the time and efforts putting on a pet blog but now I am confident. Thanks for sharing. I will be thankful if you share the most popular sub categories inside pet niche and care. Thank You again.