John and I often ask ourselves this question. How did we go from blogging-about-our-impending-kitchen-remodel-to-our-friends-and-family-as-a-hobby to writing-to-thousands-of-people-about-interior-design-and-home-improvement-every-day-as-a-bona-fide-job? And since this same question seems to be popping up in our inbox more and more lately (and even in Tuesday’s reader survey) we wanted to take a stab at answering it. So for all of you aspiring professional bloggers or curious readers out there, here goes nothin’…
In a nutshell: we attribute our blog’s growth to a combination of lots of good old fashioned hard work and a series of lucky breaks (of which we’re eternally grateful). We didn’t start the blog with hopes of creating a business, we just wanted to share our kitchen renovation with our friends and family without constantly filling their inboxes with photos and stories. We figured a blog was a nice way to allow them to drop in on us whenever they liked, and because we’re never ones to do anything half-heartedly we excitedly jumped into telling our story and breaking things down into tips and tutorials for our friends and family from the start (even though we were learning as we went). Soon our family-&-friends-only readership turned into friends-of-friends and then (surprisingly) strangers-welcome. And with each encouraging comment, inquiring email or complimentary mention on another blog we got a little boost to keep going. Even if they were few and far between at that point.
Our first mega-boost came in December 2007. John had entered us into a home improvement blogging contest on a whim in the hopes that we’d make some new blog friends and gain two or three more readers along the way. So when we got a call congratulating us on winning the grand prize (to the tune of $5K, no less) we looked at each other and realized that maybe we had a knack for this blogging thing… and maybe someday it could be more than just a hobby! Consider us insanely flattered and immensely inspired at that still-surreal (and heavily photoshopped- yes, we added the crowns and the flowers and the sashes) moment.
We think blogging as a couple has been a huge help to us a well. Not only because John stands out as one of the few husbands in the home blog world, but because it means we can blog as a team. We’re able to divvy up the tasks of writing (in the beginning we alternated writing a post each night). We’re also able to support and motivate each other. When writer’s block hits or projects seem endless, at least we each have a built-in cheerleader of sorts (although John would want me to clarify that he doesn’t actually jump around with pom-poms). And because it’s a shared hobby, spending hour upon hour blogging together seems to strengthen our relationship instead of neglecting it (which may have been the case if only one of us was involved and the other had twiddled their thumbs and waited to be included).
By the time we reached the end of our blog’s first major home improvement project in January 2008 (the big kitchen reno), we started noticing some pretty steady growth in our readership. So we decided to keep writing. And as our post topics expanded – design dilemmas, reader redesigns, house crashing – we saw our names pop up in some pretty amazing and unexpected places. The Washington Post included us in their “blog watch” feature, big time blogs like Real Simple and Apartment Therapy began to mention us and local glossies like Richmond Magazine and national ones like Do It Yourself Magazine started calling us to author our very own columns with them! We even lived to see our mugs on the cover of a national mag this spring! We never solicited these mentions or paid for advertising; people just heard about us through the grapevine of friends, blogs, Google and who knows where else. And it seems as though they truly enjoyed our blog and our writing, which still has us blushing to this day. All of it still feels quite miraculous, meaning we still pinch ourselves quite frequently.
Why did these writers and reporters care to talk about us? You guys are probably better suited to answer that than we are. All we know is that we’ve never plotted a business plan or hunted for a blog niche to fill – we just write about what we care about: our home, our relationship and, okay, our eight pound chihuahua. That’s not to say that we don’t put lots of time into figuring out how to keep things fun and interesting around here, but when you’re writing about things that you’re crazy interested in, it’s not hard to do and it tends to come naturally. Heck, we can’t even go on walks or long car rides without ending up brainstorming projects to do or topics to blog about. It’s a sickness. We just feel so blessed that what interests us also interests so many of you, and that you keep dropping in to see what we’re up to.
We’d like to believe that some of what keeps you coming back has to do with our writing style. We’re both writers (I used to be an advertising copywriter and John did lots of creative writing in college) which means we both enjoy finding the words to narrate the regularly occurring adventures (and misadventures) here at Casa Petersik. And since writing is half of the fun for us, we have no trouble churning out over ten posts a week. Plus, we’ve been lucky that our inherent love of creative and unexpected projects that are doable for cheapskates like us (ex: using cheap Ikea tables to make a headboard or wardrobes to create bedside built-ins) seem to line up well with these times when being budget conscious is all the rage (and being a cheapskate is actually something to be proud of!).
We also realized pretty early on that good content and photos are important, but if people can’t find things easily then you’re doing yourself a disservice. So we’re constantly trying to make it simple for you guys to hunt down your favorite posts. From the How To tab full of tutorials to our House Tour page so everyone can easily see our home’s transformation in one fell swoop, we trying not to let things collect dust in our archives. Hopefully you find these features helpful, and hopefully we’ll stumble upon more ways to make our site user friendly and easy to navigate.
We also try to learn as much as we can about the technical side of blogging. John designed our entire site (which is nothing that he learned how to do in school) so that meant lots of library research, googling when things went haywire, and general nail-biting while we waited for things to load (we’ve been known to chant: “please make it centered, please make it centered, please make it centered” from time to time). John also whipped up our Young House Love logo in about two hours (he wouldn’t let me look over his shoulder while he worked, so when he finally said “ready” and revealed his little sideways heart thing, I squealed with excitement) and is also in charge of video editing and a lot of other technical things that keep YHL humming. Needless to say it’s great to have a self-trained IT guy as 50% of the staff.
We’re not gonna lie- it’s the hardest job we’ve ever had. The biggest misconception is that our blog is a part time thing that we spend a few hours a day on. When friends and relatives picture me out on the patio with a magazine and a cocktail I snort with laughter. It’s hard to put into words how we manage to spend every waking moment working on the blog, but we’re essentially writing over 45 posts a month AND taking and uploading photos AND running an online shop AND offering design services AND coordinating giveaways AND answering up to 100 email and comment questions a day AND making & editing videos. Not to mention actually doing the projects on our home that we then photograph and write about. It’s pretty much a never ending to do list! In all honesty, I’m a million times busier than I ever was in my old New York City 60+ hour a week job. We work nights, weekends and on vacation (after all, the internet is 24/7!) so sometimes it can all be very exhausting. And I don’t make as much as I used to. I actually took a pretty hefty pay cut to see this full-time blogging thing through.
But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I feel nothing but thrilled and honored to get to do what I love every day – and to do it with John right by my side (at least when he’s not as his 9 – 5) is truly a dream come true. This little old blog really is our passion and we feel so fortunate to be able to turn a hobby into a bona fide career- and we’re so thankful for the support and enthusiasm that you guys provide every single day.
So our advice to anyone who’s looking to grow their blog or turn it into a career is to: 1) work hard, 2) do it because you love it and 3) be patient. It probably won’t happen overnight (if it does, please share your secret!). You may feel like you’re talking to no one for ages (we had about zero point zero zero comments after our first few months of posting). But if you’re dedicated to it (long-term, not looking to get rich quick) and passionate about the subjects you cover, you’re bound to slowly but surely attract people who can sense your enthusiasm and get excited right along with you… and they’ll love what you’re putting out there enough to pass it on. Then after about a year or so (which is when we really started to see a lot more growth) you’ll hopefully have an expanding readership and lots of lovely people stopping in more and more frequently.
And speaking of lovely people, we can’t possibly talk about how our blog has grown without recognizing how amazing our readers are. You guys have helped spread the word about us and have encouraged us to keep at it from day one! Many of you are the reason YHL has grown since you’ve personally told your friends and family about us and even emailed us with kind words to keep us going after a long night (or a soul crushing how-did-those-posts-erase-themselves? moment). So thank you, thank you, thank you for dropping by and making our day for the last 730 of ’em. Here’s hoping we have many more years to share the goings-on of our crazy house with each and every one of you!
Update: Big announcement! Check out how our blog baby grew even more nearly a year later right here.
Christel says
thank you for the entertainment and inspiration!
Marcy Tate says
I think part if why you have been so successful is b/c you are humble and honest and love what you do- plus you both are very good at what you do:) M
Jaime @ Simply Arizona says
J+S+B,
Great post… Love to hear about the “history” of your blog!
Cash says
Keep up the good work!! I stumbled across your blog as I basically was on a bored internet search at work! I’m pretty sure it was your feature in the Nest Magazine that led me to your blog and I LOVE LOVE LOVE you guys! Thanks for your creative (affordable!) and very intertaining posts!! :) Say hello to Burger for me too! He’s a cutie!!
A Southern Accent says
Great information and thanks for the tips! I often wondered how you guys got where you are today. Looks like it all came from lots and lots of hard work – so you totally deserve all the praise, love and millions of dollars thrown at you! (what, no millions????) Congrats to you guys and keep it coming!
Kasey at Thrifty Little Blog says
I think your writing style definitely sets you apart from other similar blogs. You make it fun to read… so much so that I even find myself reading through the giveaway and advertisement posts. Keep it up :)!
Jennifer says
You guys are the best! You served as a huge inspiration to me when I first started my little blog, and you continue to be one as I embark on my first big home renovation. (I’ve visited your How-To section more than a couple of times already)It’s so great to see people who are making a career our of something they love, and I can only hope that the same will be true for me one day :) Thank you thank you thank you!
Lauren says
You guys are fantastic. Completely genuine, FUN, funny, smart, talented people who totally deserve blogging success!
Keep up the good work…and I’ll always be back for more :)
kelly says
i was curious as to what your backgrounds were and how you got started. it sounds like you guys have had a lot of fun along the way! (by the way, i can totally relate to john’s quest for computer blogging knowledge. there was quite a learning curve for me just to get my blog up and running when i started it a couple of months ago. i still have no idea how to do the most basic things!)
kelly
http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com
Karla D. says
I think your writing really makes the blog fun, and of course all the amazing photos too! I think it’s something many people can relate to. Some may not tackle full on renos but even on a small scale (like making a headboard) or getting some ideas for their own home, I can see why your blog is such a hit!
I have to agree with an earlier comment, you both seem incredibly humble, honest and down to earth which is what keeps me coming back. :)
Katy says
I visit a lot of design blogs, but hardly ever read the actual text (I’m a picture kind of girl), but I read that one in its entirety. I adore your blog! I’m so glad you guys made it and stayed so positive….now get started on that basement!
Jacci says
That’s so wild, guys. I love going back and reading some of your early, early blog posts. Neat to see how things have evolved in such a short time!
xo,
Jacci
p.s. Sam has been reading more lately. A few times this week I’ve started to mention a YHL post (like your great video!) and he says, “Yeah, I saw that” :) He’s reading at work!!! Now he understands ;)
Bree says
Your blog will always be special to me because it is the first real blog I ever visited. Now home design blogs are a total addiction!!! :) I never even knew they existed until I was vacationing in Mexico a while back and “googled” some sort of phrase about remodeling an old house….your blog was one of the links listed…and the rest is history! Thank you for doing what you do and inspiring us each and every day. Happy Anniversary month! :)
~Bree
micah says
Great story… Thanks for all your hard work. Reading your blog is something I look forward to every day. You guys are awesome!
Christine says
Seriously! You two are naturals! Congratulations again on everything!
Jen Z. says
Great story. You both deserve what your blog is today and what it will be in the future. You are such an inspiration and you will see the inspiration once we are done with our Family Room Remodel. ;-) It is an IKEA room basically. ;-) Helped us save lots of money but still have a stylish room. ;-) Thank you for all your ideas and inspiration. Keep them coming.
aimee says
John and Sherry–You guys simply rock. One of the best things on this site is that I love that no one is hardly if ever snarky on the comments boards and you guys are just so easy to relate to and fun and inspiring too. :) Thanks for all your hard work on this site. It has helped me in so many home improvement projects and HGTV is stooooopid for not signing you guys up right away. You 2 are better than 90% of what is on the channel right now. For reals. hugs and high fives!!
Rachel says
I started reading your blog about a month ago. I found y’all after doing a Google image search on bamboo blinds. I have since been motivated to paint my living room- Sherwin William’s Kilim Beige- and am in the process of a redecorating blitz. Thanks for sharing your lives/projects with us!
Ps. Your wedding was magical!
katie says
On my drive into work this morning I had a great idea for you guys. I know you said that you’d rather not host a TV show because it will detract from the blog format…and I agree with that.
So here is my idea.
Get your sponsors to fly you out to a handful of lucky readers and help them face to face with a design dilemma or small project. Video tape the whole thing and post the videos once a month here. You could do the whole thing like one of your freebies but what they’d be winning is the three of you!
It’d be a great way to enhance your connection to your readers. I bet people would LOVE it.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Katie,
Love the idea! Unfortunately our current sponsors provide a bit less support than anything that would cover a plane ticket but here’s hoping as we continue to grow that’s something we can pursue! You know we love to travel…
xo,
s
Liz Futch says
Thanks for the advice! Wow, blogging is WORK – I whole-heartedly agree with you. I need to dedicate more time on mine, but can’t seem to find it – time can be an elusive little bug! If you need just one more thing to do, you could start up a ‘blog consultation business’. You know, helping people like me with readability, blog design, blog marketing…etc. Just a thought!
Sherri says
Just found your blog this week and I’m hooked!
One question…I wouldn’t normally ever ask this of strangers, but I know you’ve mentioned kids before from one of the (hardwood flooring?) posts I read. So, assuming that’s in your future, have you thought about what/how you’ll do it when you have little ones running around? I have 2 (3 years and 3 mos) and I can do a few hours a day but that’s my max these days. Unless I want to get 4 hours of sleep a night. And I like to sleep… ;-)
It’s inspiring though! I would LOVE to do what you guys do as a job!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sherri,
We definitely see little ones in our future but we probably would need to get to a place where we could both work full time on the blog before realistically believing things would be uninterrupted by bringing children into Casa Petersik. Gaining the 40 hours a week that John currently spends at his 9-5 would really help us keep things going with wee ones running around, although we’re sure even with that extra time and assistance we’ll still be busy little bees. Luckily we’ve learned that we don’t need much sleep and our enthusiasm is like a nice strong shot of espresso!
xo,
s
Meredith says
Doing a blog-on-the-side is a lot of work–I can only imagine how difficult it would be to run a blog full time.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, kudos to you guys for finding a way to get paid for doing what you love!
Tashia Doyle says
I was wondering, since the holidays are rapidly approaching, how you decorate your home. I know I am curious how you incorporate holiday decor into your everyday home decor and I’m sure other would be interested too. It can be hard to not make things look like you just set them out without thought or plan. It would be fun to see pictures as well! Thanks for all of your inspiring ideas and creating such a fun blog!!
Tashia
P.S. Do you dress Burger up like Santa?! : )
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tashia,
Good question! If you swing by our How To page you’ll see a slew of links at the bottom under “Festive Holiday Fun” which will lead to all sorts of decorating posts from years past. Of course we always like to do some fun new things, so stay tuned for more where that came from this holiday season!
xo,
s
Deb says
You do an AMAZING job on your house and your blog. It takes a lot of work to do all the projects and write about it well. You completely deserve all the recognition you’ve received and I’m sure it will keep coming.
Jocelyn Stott says
I really loved this post. I am so happy for you two. I know that I don’t always comment, but I do read and love your blog on a very daily basis. Keep up the great work!!!
Danielle says
GREAT tips for blogging!
Thanks for all your efforts to blog as much as you do!
Kevin M says
Enjoyed the history lesson, particularly the part about the long hours and hard work. I think that’s important for potential pro-bloggers to read.
You guys certainly deserve the success, it is a great blog full of good stuff. It must feel really rewarding to do what you love for a living.
A couple questions:
1) Have you ever had second thoughts about the pay cut you talk about and the long hours?
2) Any idea how you’ll keep up the schedule when (if?) a little one comes along? I can tell you from experience it’s hard to just get projects done, much less blog about them full-time.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kevin,
1. Nope. I wake up every day and I love my job. Of course we have to live on less, but we’re ok with that. Seems like a fair trade, you know?
2. We definitely see little ones in our future but we probably would need to get to a place where we could both work full time on the blog before realistically believing things would be uninterrupted by bringing children into Casa Petersik. Gaining the 40 hours a week that John currently spends at his 9-5 would really help us keep things going with wee ones running around, although we’re sure even with that extra time and assistance we’ll still be busy little bees. Luckily we’ve learned that we don’t need much sleep and our enthusiasm is like a nice strong shot of espresso!
xo,
s
Jules says
You two are great and deserve all the success you’ve received thus far. :)
xo
J
Jennifer says
It is so nice to know how you guys came to be! I am so glad you did, I love your blog and must get my daily fix! I think part of how you guys became so popular is because your house looks real. You have furniture that I can see someone plopping down on, soap by your kitchen sink, cereal on the counter, laundry detergent in the laundry room, and (gasp!) a dirty clothes hamper in the bedroom! Your house isn’t 45,000 square feet, with 15 ft ceilings, heavy silk curtains, and rugs handmade in Persia(!?) and flown in on a private jet. You go to Home Depot, Lowes, Ikea, and Target and make your house look gorgeous with things that I can actually afford. On top of all that, you tell us how we can do the same and don’t charge us a dime! Also, your writing style is completely engaging. It is both highly informative and entertaining – you guys were meant to blog!
Alaina Kaczmarski says
Thank you for this was oh-so inspiring post. My blog is just a few months old, and while I have a handful of loyal readers, it is somewhat discouraging to see little rise in traffic (especially considering the amount of time I put into it). Fortunately, I do love doing it, so I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Yours is always a fun blog to read. Congrats on all the success!
Carol says
I noticed you didn’t mention houseblogs.net. I’m sure a number of your earlier readers came from that site like I did.
Jamie Lee says
This is so helpful! Thanks as always for your inspiring words. As my fiancé and I start our blog we’re really looking to you guys for inspiration. I’ve constantly wondered about the designer of your blog. Congrats to John for successfully figuring it out.
John–do you have any user friendly web design books that you’d recommend to a novice?
Thanks again!
JL
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jamie Lee!
I learned some basic HTML back in high school thanks to (this will sound cliche) HTML for Dummies. Plus a few others I don’t remember the names of (I worked in a library, so I came across a lot of books). These days I usually Google what I’m looking for, since most of the coding I’m doing is changing something that already exists, rather than starting from scratch. Probably my most frequently online resource is http://www.w3schools.com/. Hope that helps!
-John
PS: Carol, you’re totally right that we got ourselves on houseblogs.net as one of our first orders of business. Glad you found us and thanks for the reminder that they deserve a shout out!
Tasha says
Thanks for keeping up on your most difficult job ever! You have really inspired me to do some work on our house. I check in at least twice a day to see what you come up with. Keep it coming! You have great taste and are great writers – thoroughly entertaining. Even the other blogs you list as resources aren’t nearly as satisfying to me. Thanks again!
jbhat says
Huh. But you make it look so easy! Thanks for the back story. So happy for you and proud of you!
leah says
okay,
so what i really want to know, what i have been coming back again and again for, {multiple times a day} is where is that dawg-gon nursery!?
seriously so anxious/excited!
can’t wait.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Leah,
It’s on the way. Promise! We’re shooting the after pics this weekend. Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Carrie says
Life happens when you are busy making other plans, doesn’t it?! so cool!!
Janae says
Great story! Your enthusiasm for all of this absolutely shows through and is fairly contagious. After reading your blog I find myself jonesing for my own diy fix. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of the hardworking man & woman (& pup) “behind the curtain.”
Brandy says
Love it! You guys are too cute and I think it is wonderful that BOTH of you are so passionate about your work.
Here’s to many many more wonderful years! Keep up the good work!
Nicole says
I stumbled upon your blog about a year and a half ago when I was searching for a diy project description – of course! Your blog came up in my search engine and I have been hooked ever since. It’s great to hear the story of how you got started and I wanted to say congrats on your blogiversary!
Jill says
Best blog out there. Keep up the good work. You guys just get better and better with age!
Shawna says
You have such a wonderful blog! I’ve been a YHL follower since your post on Style Me Pretty!
Christina says
It’s crazy to see all you guys have done and been through with this blog and you should feel so proud and accomplished! Definately the best blog out there! Ooh and you know what I thought of something I’d like to see more of in the years to come! More pictures of your house in your house tour! Like in the one guest bedroom – show off your adorable wrapping paper station! Or that little corner in the living room with the folding bookshelf! Of course I’ve seen every nook and cranny of your house through your posts but it’d be great to see it all together with your house tour! Because your house is so stylish it’s insane! Keep up the good work!! :)
Ann says
You two and Burger are just way too cute for your own good! Keep up the great work, love your blog!
katie says
Hey Sherry ;)
Thanks for these posts. You are too cute. I think it’s funny how nosey people are about when you’re going to have children and find time to blog, etc…lol. You do not have to put your lives on hold for us and we can totally sacrifice a few blogs a week for you guys to raise a little one. Promise…we won’t be mad ;)
I’m an avid reader, not an avid commenter, and you’ve stopped by my blog a few times to check out my own little re-models around the house–and I so much appreciate that you do that. I know you dont have time, but you do it anyway- and well, that makes you awesome.
xoxo
Katie
Jessica J. says
And you deserve it all! You blog is so fun, your dog is so cute and your sense of style makes me jealous.
:)
Sarah says
Hey there – I actually have a question. Bold, I know. I realize that you have monetized your blog in order to be able to do it full time. Aside from your design services, what advertising method has been most profitable for you? Your shop? Google ads? Sidebar sponsor ads? Affiliate shops? Hopefully this isn’t an inappropriate question, I’m just really curious. Thanks and keep up the great work!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sarah,
Good question! Ad revenue is certainly nothing that we’ve come by easily and still only makes up about 30% of our blogging income (we have found that we have to work much harder to generate money than slapping up ads, like spending hours doing Design Dilemmas and running our shop). We have had some pretty ok success with google ads and have had less success with affiliate stuff (in this economy everyone’s budgets are limited). We have really enjoyed working with small independent sidebar sponsors but we have basically learned that to make ends meet we have to diversify and implement many different approaches to make a modest living, which is why we always have so many things going on (but we honestly wouldn’t have it any other way). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Katie says
I came across your blog a few months ago. It seemed that everyone was talking about it on the D & R board on The Nest. I’m so glad I did…you are the best! =)
Barbara says
Jennifer @ 12:13PM said it perfectly. You’ve got a great house that we all can picture ourselves living in and you did it at a price that we all can afford. I foresee you, not only supporting yourself by your blog, but employing others to make it bigger and better. I love that it is a drama free zone.
Keep it up and here’s to many more blogiversaries.
Whitney says
I found your blog from The Nest and have been here almost everyday since. I even spent hours going back to your very first post and working my way to the present. I have told all my friends about you and my boyfriend is used to me dropping “john and sherry” and “younghouselove” in my everyday conversations. Keep up the good work!!
Lemon Tart says
Ummmm, as much as hard work, lucky breaks, organization and great photography contribute to your success, I think what separates you from the other zillion bloggers doing the same thing with less success boils down to one thing and one thing alone. Your personalities. They shine through and that’s why we keep coming back. We like you. We really, really like you!