We once again asked you on Facebook to send questions for our blogiversary celebration (the personal side, not the decorating side). Just like we did in past years, we enjoyed answering many of them. We had about 20 minutes to record, so we couldn’t get to every one of the 80+ submissions, but we packed as many answers as we could into that time. Here are a few topics we cover:
- Our favorite and least favorite qualities in each other
- What our neighbors think about the blog
- Whether the previous owners of our house read the blog
- Our strangest fan interaction
- Who our daughter Clara resembles more
- How we handle negative criticism
- What we wanted to be when we grew up
- What will happen to our blog name as we get older
- Whether we ever fight or spend time apart
- And, most importantly: John’s take on the new Twilight movie
There are many more questions in the video, a cameo from Burger, and John cycles through soda shirts just for fun. If you’re at work you can watch muted and try to guess what I’m wildly gesturing about — or save it for later with popcorn and take a sip every time John changes shirts. Our rule for videos is that we don’t re-answer questions, so the conversation stays unscripted and mostly one take (we later edit for length and to trim pauses so we can fit in more answers). We don’t even read the questions until the camera is rolling, which helps keep things spontaneous — and occasionally we over-share.
(Video available in the original post)
Because we talk a lot, we also included three bonus business-related questions this year. Below are concise answers based on our own experience managing a growing blog and the sponsorships that support it.
Q: How did you find sponsors? Do you solicit advertising? What’s the secret?
We didn’t start out trying to land sponsors. We wrote about 200 posts and had been blogging for a long time simply because we loved it. At first we didn’t realize that sponsorships were even a thing for blogs — it was just a creative diary. As traffic increased and we began posting daily, we thought some local businesses or small online shops might want a sidebar button in exchange for a small fee. We added a “want to advertise?” button mostly as an experiment and were pleasantly surprised when a few small companies and Etsy sellers reached out to try it.
We’ve kept our approach simple: a flat monthly fee (with a discounted quarterly rate) based on comparable sites’ pricing. There are more complex models — per click, per view, or tiered rates — but starting simple let us test the waters without overcomplicating things. We share basic traffic stats and adjust pricing if sponsors tell us it’s too high. That straightforward method has worked well, so much so that we haven’t raised our rates in nearly two years even though traffic has continued to grow.
For ad management we use Google Ad Manager to serve placements and track expirations so John can send renewal notices and invoices. There’s paperwork involved, but sponsorships have become an important and sustainable part of the blog’s revenue. Blogging isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme in our experience; focusing on consistent content and readers first tends to attract sponsors naturally over time.
Q: Do you need to post a set number of times each month for sponsors?
No. Sponsors pay a flat monthly fee, so we don’t promise a specific number of posts or traffic levels. Our regular rhythm — typically one to two posts per day — has worked well for us: a mix of substantial projects, lighter updates, and personal content keeps things balanced. Maintaining that consistent posting schedule helps keep creative momentum going, which is more sustainable than stopping every time we hit a rut.
Q: Aren’t you worried about the lack of job security when your family relies on the blog’s income?
It’s a valid concern, and we’d be lying if we said it never makes us nervous. To manage that risk we’ve built up a recommended safety-net savings fund before John transitioned to working on the blog full-time. We also have other income streams — freelance columns, magazine work, and projects such as the book we’re writing — which help diversify our earnings.
We left previous advertising roles on good terms, so returning to client work is an option if needed, and John still takes occasional consulting projects to keep that door open. Ultimately, predicting where we’ll be in five years is difficult, so we focus on producing quality content, saving responsibly, and adapting as opportunities arise.
So that’s the short version: twenty minutes of video proof that we’re dorks, plus three practical business questions. What surprised you most — my habit of inventing silly sayings, John’s enthusiasm for the Twilight franchise, or the cameo appearances and shirt changes? We enjoyed answering everything and appreciate all the thoughtful and fun questions you sent our way.
Update – We frequently get requests for information about blogging professionally: how we built the site, grew an audience, and monetized the work. We shared those details in a separate post covering how we started a blog, increased traffic, and turned blogging into a full-time job.