Cristina Ehm Has all the time had a ardour for style. She studied it, she labored within the trade, and when she felt slightly 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.
At this time, monthly, her website will get round half one million web page views and he or she’s incomes $14k+ on common from adverts alone, and $17k+ from all of her revenue streams.
Preserve studying to seek out out:
- How she acquired 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 revenue comes from
- Her methods for advertising and marketing her weblog
- Her ideas on search engine optimization
- Her method to key phrase analysis
- Her hyperlink constructing and inside linking methods
- How she creates content material
- How she’s rising her e-mail record
- Her favourite assets and instruments
- Her important problem
- Her biggest accomplishment
- Her greatest 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 part from plus-sized style to undies 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 Web site
I began ShoeTease in 2010 after experiencing burnout from my job as a shoe designer and the style trade typically.
I beloved the development forecasting and the 2D design course of specifically, so I made a decision to maintain doing the elements 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 tendencies and showcased shoe manufacturers and private model in a cheeky method, placing out 5 to 7 posts per week. They are saying to weblog about what , 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 optimization marketing consultant to show me all about search engine optimization, which led me on a path to be taught every part I might about on-page search engine optimization. A number of years later I started my enterprise providing search engine optimization providers to fellow bloggers and small companies, till 2021.
In 2016, I ventured into creating 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 mission.
The weblog itself has grown from an preliminary 400 month-to-month pageviews and sharing shoe tendencies and private model in a cheeky solution to practically 500,000 month-to-month pageviews at its peak, earlier than being impacted by the HCU replace.
My content material at present covers a spread of shoe-related matters akin to shoe styling and shoe care. I’m increasing into the capsule wardrobe and normal private styling house.
I need to supply girls a complete platform the place they’ll discover recommendation for every part 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 12 months with shoe evaluations 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 providers 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 anyplace between $6k and $24k, the place my revenue averaged $14,450/month in Mediavine adverts alone.
I introduced in about $2500 monthly by way of a number of associates in that timeframe. My digital merchandise in my Etsy retailer herald slightly below $250 monthly, and I’m hoping to double that quantity by summer season.
Though I began my weblog in 2010, it didn’t turn out to be my full focus till 2020 and it didn’t begin making numerous cash till 2019, after I joined Mediavine.
My revenue peaked within the final quarter of 2023, with a November 2023 revenue of $24,088.43 in adverts 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 acquired 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 Most important Advertising and marketing Technique
I can’t say my advertising and marketing technique was significantly distinctive.
search engine optimization was my important advertising and marketing technique up till final September and made up the majority of my visitors. Nonetheless, 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 unbiased 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 prime visitors supply. I’m at present trying once more to social media to assist share my weblog’s content material, together with my guides and providers. It’s a piece in progress in the meanwhile.
As for a way a lot time I work on my enterprise, I really don’t know!
Some weeks I work extra, some much less. At this time 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 optimization
search engine optimization is the one motive my weblog gained the views and cash it has, so I say it’s crucial!
On-page search engine optimization was my important technique, however now I’ve pivoted from a strictly search engine optimization/key phrase method to creating content material with extra of an natural circulation to it.
That’s, strolling girls on a particular style journey utilizing my articles as a information, relatively than a set of articles that one would possibly discover from a fast Google or Pinterest search. As an illustration, I’ll start serving to girls discover their true model id. From there, I’ll information them from primary to extra complicated outfit mixtures 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 optimization technique. I’m not letting go of that!
Key phrase Analysis
My strongest method has been to see what articles deliver me probably the most visitors and use these to create topical clusters round them. I increase and exhaust each topical cluster to get a robust authoritative grip on the topic.
For instance, if I’m rating for “easy methods to clear leather-based footwear,” I’ll brainstorm utilizing Semrush to seek out related key phrases with a special search intent akin to “easy methods to clear suede footwear,” “easy methods to clear satin footwear,” and so forth.
As soon as I’ve written the posts, I strategically interlink between each utilizing varied key phrase synonyms as anchor textual content. I work on publishing a number of clusters at a time so I don’t overwhelm the positioning with related back-to-back articles.
I take advantage of Semrush and Google itself to trace my very own information 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 method might 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’re going to come” mentality and like to deal with areas I can management.
That stated, within the final couple of years, robust backlinks have gotten few and much between. So I’m now trying to create extra ‘‘shareable’ content material to extend the probability of gaining hyperlinks again to my website.
Shareable content material would appear to be style quizzes, trending model guides, and checklists, together with every day and seasonal outfit inspiration.
Possibly later this 12 months, I’ll start outsourcing a backlink technique!
Cristina’s Content material Creation Course of
I not too long ago started eradicating older posts on my website, written within the pre-microblogging period that don’t maintain a lot worth.
I at present 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 choosing one main key phrase from my record 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 mandatory headings.
I then define the visuals I’ll want to elucidate 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 photos pulled from my affiliate retailers and/or inventory pictures. My VA edits them in Canva and uploads them into the positioning’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 take advantage of AI instruments akin to ChatGPT 4 to assist me rephrase and make clear sections of my posts for my weblog. I are typically wordy after 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 photos and affiliate hyperlinks, and interlink with different posts.
I then create pins, including them to the underside of my publish for my VA to schedule on Pinterest.
Her E mail Listing
I’ve an e-mail record of about 2,000 subscribers that I started accumulating 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 record, but it surely positively 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 varied freebies, Pinterest, and social channels akin to my personal Fb group.
Her Favourite Assets
I began my journey with the Professional Running a blog books and weblog, so I’ll all the time point out them!
Extra not too long ago, my prime assets have been Mediavine—their Fb group, weblog posts and movies, updating us on every part happening within the trade.
Their personal Fb group has been pivotal to my success, due to the beneficiant members who impart a lot information freely.
It didn’t simply assist with rising my information base however has had a big impact on my mindset, the place I freed myself from limiting beliefs on cash and success.
Different Fb teams which have been useful embrace Ladies in Tech search engine optimization and Sisters in search engine optimization.
Each Jesse Cunningham and Kasra Sprint have fab podcasts/YouTube channels and Lily Ray is nice to comply with Twitter/X.
And to not be cheeky, however Area of interest Pursuits has been my most coveted useful resource for the final 6 months, significantly publish HCU.
Cristina’s Go-To Instruments
The instruments I take advantage of persistently in my enterprise are Semrush for search engine optimization, Canva for visuals, and Google Docs/Drive for writing posts and sharing data with my VAs.
Her Most important Problem
My greatest problem has been organizing, outsourcing, and scaling my enterprise, particularly as a mother with ADHD.
I’m susceptible 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 set up my time extra successfully.
Outsourcing has been an enormous problem for me.
Not solely does it take time away from content material creation itself, but it surely’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 robust digital writers who may give up-to-date styling recommendation is uncommon.
Final 12 months I did discover an awesome VA, however I’m nonetheless on the hunt for extra specialised assist.
Her Best Accomplishment
Making a number of 6 figures from an sudden enterprise mannequin would positively be my important 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 a living and I’m thrilled to be part of that group.
What’s extra, virtually all of my revenue has been blog-driven, with out the usage of e-mail advertising and marketing or social media. That is odd for an unbiased creator within the style area of interest, who often 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 simply choose one.
I remorse not leaving the influencer world sooner to deal with 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 might have made 10x the cash had I left sooner.
I indifferent from it in 2019 and that’s when every part began trying 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 totally different approaches, and take up house.
Community digitally and in-person to be taught from others. Had I achieved this extra initially, I’d have came upon about Mediavine and different revenue alternatives a lot earlier.
Don’t spend an excessive amount of time within the analysis part. Be imperfect. Every thing might be spruced up later! Diversify your revenue streams. Concentrate on what you’re good at, and outsource the remainder.
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 part!
Add Comment