Blog | Elite Blog Academy

Introducing….The EBA® Product Launch Playbook (Now Available for 5 Days Only)

I‘ve never been shy about sharing what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to my own business. I’ve been blogging since 2010, and in the seven years since I first founded Living Well Spending Less®, I’ve somehow managed to build a thriving 7-figure business, as well as become the New York Times bestselling author of five books, create an online course called Elite Blog Academy™, and create the Living Well Planner®. And while saying it like that, all in one quick sentence, makes it sound like it was all easy, and even like I knew exactly what I was doing all along the way, the reality is anything but! You see, when I first started my blog, it couldn’t even be considered an onlineRead More

The Biggest Blogging Mistake You Might Be Making

“What do you do?” Am I the only one that HATES that question? How do you explain, to someone who isn’t a blogger, that blogging actually IS a job? But is it? Because here’s a little secret about blogging that you might not know: If you’re making money through your blog, you’re not just a blogger. You are an entrepreneur. Now, understanding that you are an entrepreneur–not just a blogger–probably won’t solve the dilemma of knowing what to say when someone asks you that dreaded question, but it is an important mindset shift all the same. In fact, I would dare to say that this simple mindset shift separates the average earners from the superstars, but believe it or not, 99% of bloggers never getRead More

Create Your First Online Course

Online courses seem to be everywhere these days, don’t they? Regardless of your interests, it’s hard to scroll through Facebook without seeing at least one opportunity to enroll. From Teachable to Udemy to Lynda and a million options in between, self-paced learning has literally exploded in the past few years. So what does this mean for you? Well, if you are a blogger, it’s possible you’ve already benefitted from at least a few of these online trainings, and perhaps you are beginning to see all the value that online courses have to offer. And maybe you are at the point where you’ve moved on from the basics. You’ve started building an audience of engaged readers, and you’ve created a ton of really valuable content. PerhapsRead More

Riding the Blogging Rollercoaster

Has your day ever started in a way that makes you close your eyes and think, “Yep… It’s going to be one of those days”? Maybe you go to wake your kid up for school and they immediately throw up all over you. Maybe your cat knocks over your cup of coffee and it spills all over your laptop. Maybe you log on to your blog only to find your server is down, or worse yet, you’ve been hacked. Maybe your Pinterest account gets accidentally flagged for spam, or your ad account on Facebook gets suspended. Or, if you’re me, maybe your daughter goes to give you a hug before leaving for school, and on the way up, headbutts you and splits your lip open.Read More

When to Monetize Your Blog

One of the most common questions I hear from our EBA students is this: When is the right time to monetize my blog? And my answer to that question is always pretty simple–as soon as possible….as long as you’ve laid the groundwork first! After all, blogging is hard work, and I tend to believe that the sooner you are getting paid for your efforts, the easier it will be to stay motivated to keep going, especially when the going gets rough (and it will, at some point!) Now, of course, making money from your blog doesn’t always happen on day 1, or even on day 100, especially because a lot of bloggers are hesitant to monetize at all. They worry monetizing will make them lookRead More

Facebook Advertising Basics

There’s no denying it: Facebook ads are absolutely EVERYWHERE. And if you’ve been paying attention, it probably seems like everyone who’s anyone is touting the wonder that is Facebook ads. And I’ll be the first to admit–I think advertising on Facebook is pretty amazing. I meant, think about it–in the “old days” of running a business, you had to pay $5,000 for an ad in a magazine or the Yellow Pages and hope for the best. But with Facebook ads, you can spend $20, test an ad, see how it performs, and decide if it’s worth investing in. The truth is, Facebook ads are a hot topic for a reason. They can be pretty awesome and an incredible tool for building your business… when they’reRead More

Avoid Getting Stuck

You know what feeling I really hate? That feeling at the end of the day when I know I haven’t done my best work. Instead of feeling great about everything I did, I feel frustrated, defeated, deflated, and just plain stuck. And that feeling of knowing I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to get done? I just can’t shake it. It follows me around — to dinner with my family; during quality time with my kids; in those few precious moments a day when I get to relax and take care of myself. Instead of finishing my day and leaving it “at the office”, I continue to ruminate on all the things I didn’t get to do. I can’t focus on the good stuff becauseRead More

Dare to Break the Rules

I want to remind you of something you learned when you were just a little munchkin. Rules are important. Using proper etiquette, minding your manners, treating people with respect, and carrying yourself in a way that reflects your values – these are all important things… but only up to a point. And just like anything else in life, it’s about balance. It’s knowing when to follow the rules, and when to break them. It’s about understanding that sometimes rules can help us, and sometimes, when we get too caught up in all the “supposed to’s,” rules can paralyze us. “Okay, Ruth… What does this have to do with blogging?” Well, just like there’s a set of rules and social norms for real life, there’s bloggingRead More

Find the Courage to Execute

There’s a fine line between planning and over-planning. Don’t get me wrong: I’m all about planning. I love planning so much I created a planner! But planning doesn’t actually get anything done. It might feel like you’re getting things done, but you’re just planning to get things done. If you really want to make big things happen in your business (which I know you do) at a certain point, you have to stop planning and start executing. Execution is the only way to hit your goals and turn your blogging dreams into a reality. The only way you’ll get your blog up and running is to actually start blogging. The only way you’ll ever launch your own product is to actually create one! All ofRead More

Measure Your Success as a New Blogger

Metrics! I don’t know about you, but just hearing that word can send shivers down my spine. Is there anything more tedious….or anxiety-inducing than crunching the numbers? When most people think of metrics, they think of confusing numbers and analytics that make your head spin. And I totally get it! I was completely metrics-averse in the beginning. And quite frankly, as a new blogger you probably already have a TON of stuff on your plate and so many things to figure out. Before you think about how many people read your blog, you have to get a handle on what your blog IS. Before you get caught up in numbers, focus on the basics. Take the time to get to know yourself, what you wantRead More