As of Sept 18th, 2020 I have made over $250,000 this year alone. That’s right I’m a quarter million dollar baby y’all! No… I don’t have a million followers on Instagram or even 40 thousand on my YouTube Channel but there’s a lot of money in this world and I’ve found the formula that makes a lot of it for me by simply doing what I love. These things that I actually did for free for several years and never made me a cent, now pay my rent and bills. Now I’m not putting my salary out there to gloat. I’m not that kind of person. I’m also well aware that I am privileged to even have a job during this unprecedented time and am very thankful. I’m also pretty sure there’s tons of content creators who’d laugh at this amount because they are actual millionaires but I really just want to show people what is possible with hard work and dedication. I’ve never worked as hard as I have this year. Even in this pandemic I am consistent with creating content, even though about 75% of it was done without pay. I have 3 tips for bloggers, influencers and content creators to make the money they desire. So let’s get into it!
FIRST THINGS FIRST, I LAUNCHED MY TEACHABLE SCHOOL!!!!
I’m happy to announce that I just launched my Teachable School: The Business of Blogging — Where I teach aspiring bloggers, new bloggers, seasoned bloggers, influencers, content creators and entrepreneurs how to level up their social media content and land brand deals. I currently have 2 Masterclasses: From Pitch to Paid in 10 Easy Steps & How to Clone Yourself with 1 App (no photoshop needed).
From Pitch to Paid in 10 Easy Steps is a masterclass in video format where I quite literally walk you through every step of a campaign from pitching to a brand or being pitched to by a brand, to negotiating, to contract details, to creating the content, to invoicing and securing future collaborations with that brand. I talk you through the entire process step by step and include supplement course documents for you to refer to. Yes, you don’t even have to take notes as I created the notes for you! I also include more supplemental information including my own Media Kit and Rates Sheet, a sample invoice, a sample pitch letter, important forms to keep handy for brand campaigns and even a demo video of me using my favorite photo & video editing apps. Once you go through this course you will never wonder how to calculate your worth or what you have to do next when it comes to brand campaigns. ENROLL HERE for the reduced rate. Rate will increase on October 1st 2020.
How to Clone Yourself with 1 Free App (No Photo Need) is a quick video course where I show you exactly how to clone yourself in photos in less than 10 minutes! Yes, in less than 10 minutes you will be a pro at this skill and can charge brands more for this specific service…believe me I know, I got a few extra thousand dollars this year to do this very thing! Cloned photos like this one and this one also helped me to increase my followers on Instagram. I gained anywhere from 100-200 new followers on every single photo where I cloned myself on Instagram. ENROLL HERE
For all those looking for mentorship or just someone in the industry to tell you how these things work, this course if for you. If you don’t know how to create content that’s engaging and that will have brands hopping in your inbox to collaborate, then this course is for you. Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the business of blogging is in this course. Now let’s move on to my 3 Tips for making the money you want as a blogger, influencer or content creator.
CREATE WITHOUT EXPECTING ANYTHING IN RETURN
Many people get into the game of blogging and content creation for the money or the popularity but the ones who are most successful are the ones who have a real passion for it. When you are passionate about the content you are creating whether that’s writing blog posts, styling outfits, filming YouTube videos, creating Instagram reels… it shows. It’s almost tangible. It has to be something you’d do for free, because trust me, most of the work one does as a content creator is work they aren’t getting paid for. There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes. You should be writing blog post because you’re excited about what you’re writing about and can’t wait to share it with your audience. You should be filming videos because it’s fun for you and you love it. I have over 1500 blog posts on my website. Less than 50 of those posts are sponsored. But I still keep writing and publishing because I can’t NOT do it.
I love sharing with my audience and this is how I organically built an engaged following that is independent of all the social media channels that I don’t own. I create Instagram styling videos knowing full well they aren’t sponsored or that I’ll get much money from it but it’s not about the money, it’s about sharing knowledge. The more you give, the more you will receive. That’s the law of the universe. So instead of focusing on only doing things you are paid for put your energy into creating content that gives, teaches and inspires. All of the things you do for free are usually the things that land you the paid campaigns. When brands see how engaged your audience is, how masterful you are at story telling, not only will they become consumers of your content, they will be invested in your success. Even though you will create a lot of things for free, still put in the work as if you’d be paid for it.
STAY UP TO DATE WITH WHAT’S NEW IN SOCIAL MEDIA
As much as I hate to include this tip, it’s absolutely true. Get on board with what’s new or get left behind. When TikTok hit the scene, I was one of those people who just didn’t get it. I still don’t. I enjoy watching the content immensely but I’ve realized my target audience isn’t on TikTok. So I focused my energy on what works well for me: My Blog, Instagram & Youtube are my 3 most engaged platforms and my bread and butter when it comes to streams of income. I wish I would have gotten on board with TikTok sooner because it’s definitely one of the top platforms that is indeed monetizable and a place where you can quickly grow.
When it comes to Instagram, use all the new latest features as soon as they drop. Teach yourself how to do everything because you are rewarded for your efforts with more organic reach. Keep your Instatories interesting by learning tips and tricks to keep people engaged. I wrote an entire ebook with my 10 Favorite Apps for Instagram & Instastories that you can check out. You can also just do a quick app search every few months to see what’s new. Stay up to date with app updates and social media updates so that you’re always one step ahead of the general population. Subscribe to tech websites to stay in the know.
MONETIZE ALL OF YOUR TALENTS
Most millionaires have at least 7 streams of income. I will hit my 6th in less than a month! Stay tuned for that. But I don’t solely depend on brand campaigns although they are where the bulk of my quarter of a million dollars came from this year with YouTube, Blog and Instagram Campaigns. I made enough money to live off of with my other streams of income that include: Affiliate Link Sales, YouTube Ad Revenue, Ebook & Template Sales and my newly launched Teachable School — The Business of Blogging. My Youtube Revenue and Affiliate Sales revenue per month pays my rent and all my bills with thousands left over.
I monetized my knowledge by creating eBooks. I monetized my life by showcasing it on Youtube. I monetized what I already wear and buy by using affiliate links. There are so many ways to monetize your knowledge and your talents. For content creators there really no limit on what you can do from podcasts, to books, to merchandise, to online stores, to consulting and more. Many creators just don’t think enough outside the box to know that people will pay for that knowledge and know how. People will pay for your advice when you build a brand based on your authentic self and the trust of your audience.
Zara Tee | Self Portrait Skirt | Gianvito Rossi Sandals
So those are my 3 Tips for making the money you want as a content creator. Like I said, I don’t have a million followers but I plan to make a million dollars by this time next year…so stay tuned. Until then don’t forget to check out my newly launched Teachable School: The Business of Blogging and my Etsy Shop for tons of affordable Ebooks & Pitch Templates to pitch to brands, work with brands, make money with affiliate marketing, and create the best content with my favorite apps.
Head to my Instagram this evening at 6pm EST where I’ll be hosting an instagram live and answering any questions about content creation.
Sincerly your quarter of a million dollar baby
Monroe
Shop my Pitch Templates & Ebooks to Work with Brands
Enroll in my Teachable School: The Business of Blogging
Fantastic content queen. Many bloggers need to read this. Most bloggers on IG claim they do it because they love what they do , but then question the algorithm change on IG, which may have caused their post to not circulate more views. If you really enjoy what you do, I say don’t be concerned about the views and continue algorithms and just werk!!!
Yass queen so inspiring!!
I’m speechless Dr Steel. I’m going to definitely share this with my daughter. You’re just a strong brilliant black woman and I’m proud of you. Thanks for everything. Your parents mush be so proud of you.
Great read and thanks for sharing such good te with the world. Congratulations
Hey Best To Do It (right now, but I will debate ever)! Excellent read, fit and advise. I really wish people read more because they are missing out if they only watch you YT. I am definitely a supporter and student of yours. I can’t wait to get the templates and ebooks to help me maneuver in the social media world with my business and ideas. Please do not ever change anything you are doing. The GOD gifted formula is working. GO(o)D Work!
This was an absolutely awesome read! And congratulations on becoming a quarter millionaire! These days it’s so important to have multiple streams of income…especially living in NYC! Again…congratulations!!!!!
So inspiring hon!! Way to go. You are always inspiring me to push further with my own content. I think after reading about your experience with LTKit I’ve concentrated on using it more and have noticed I’ve gone from 200 followers on the app to over a thousand, and am slowly noticing the increase in sales and commission.
Thank you! xx Jenelle | inspiringwit.com
I am SO happy for you! Your hard work and commitment have definitely paid off. I’m a 65 year old African American retired school psychologist who has been inspired by you to do something meaningful in my life…not sure what that is but I know there is something more to do. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Congratulations to you!
I originally started watching you on YouTube the last six months and became immediately intrigued. Your hustle is like no other and style very unique in every way. The last time I’ve seen fashion presented like this was in SUEDE Magazine. Suzanne Boyd a young editor and chief brought new and fresh eyes to fashion. You gave me back that type of love for fashion. Show up and show out. Go get um STEELE!
First of all.. congratulations girl. Own that. Secondly, these are really great tips. I just quit life coaching because I no longer enjoyed it and started lifestyle blogging once again and I love it. I’ve created more content in 1 week than I have ever, just by having fun with it. Thanks for sharing these. Wishing you another 3/4’s of that million soon.
xx Menellia || Bonjourtolife.com
I’m new to your blog page but its very interesting very intriguing young lady love your hustle. I’ve been watching utube channel but glad I clicked on here much
Congratulations on all of your endeavors. Your grind is breathtaking. You are correct when you do what you love and help others along the way, you will be Blessed beyond measure. I can’t wait to apply these principles to my next side hustle. I was watching your YouTube channel at work thinking there is much more to working than this. It will take hard work at what you love but look how happy we all could be. The money would just be an added plus. Hey multimillionaire. Best wishes.