Blogger Confessions #14: Rachel from Adventures in Mobile Homes
Happy Saturday and welcome to the 14th episode of the 'Blogger Confessions' interview series on the blog. Today, I'm bringing in Rachel from Adventures in Mobile Homes to talk about blogging and how they've managed to keep everything straight as a personal finance blogger.
Rachel, take it away.
Blogger Confessions with Rachel from Adventures in Mobile Homes
1: In at least 100 words, describe the target audience of your blog.
The target audience of my blog is new and experienced real estate investors looking for alternative methods of achieving passive income through real estate.
Since I write primarily about a specific niche (mobile home investing), it is a subject that is not talked about very much in the real estate community.
Many of my readers are either brand new to real estate investing or somewhat experienced having done a few deals in other areas of real estate. Those who are experienced have expressed an interest in mobile home investing due to the possibility of greater cash flow compared to other real estate investment vehicles they have tried in the past.
2: What makes your blog different from other blogs in the PF blogosphere?
Since I have over a decade of experience as a real estate investor and blogger, the stories and adventures I've shared over time make my personal finance blog different than others.
If you look online, there are not many real estate investing blogs that have stood the test of time. Many have come and gone over the years. There are a few, like mine, which offers readers a chance to learn about the ups and downs over an extended period of time.
Due to my extended background, I've also been able to share my experiences as a real estate investor starting from single-family homes to mobile homes. Many readers appreciate the time I take to share how I found my niche through mobile home investing including what worked and what did not work to achieve success.
3: What’s the thing that you’ve struggled with the most since starting your blog?
The thing I've struggled with the most since starting my blog is the social media aspect. Over the years, people have told me I need to sign up for this service or that service. And I did. It was overwhelming.
I was on so many social media platforms. And that made blogging hard.
Soon I found myself overwhelmed trying to keep up and share my content (and those of other fellow bloggers) with my followers. Posting and replying. Over time, it became tedious. And I soon became burnt out.
About a year ago, I decided to get off social media and take a break. I wanted to focus on writing. And so, I turned to put my content into books and continue to share my stories through blogging. I still keep in touch with my readers through my email list which I continued to build.
I maintain my presence in a few real estate investing forums and have also become a top contributor in the real estate investing category on Quora. Eventually, I decided to focus the majority of my time on things I enjoy: writing.
4: Do you publish your net worth on your blog? Why or why not?
No, I do not publish my net worth on my blog. I'd rather not.
Personally, I do not like the idea of others comparing themselves to me. Or me comparing myself to others. I believe everyone has a different path and different goals.
What one person may want to achieve in life (whether monetarily or not) may be completely different from another person. I don't think you can really measure success. Your success should be your own. And measured by you. Not determined by what others think.
Net worth goals can be different for each person depending on their situation. Same thing goes for cash flow and/or passive income goals. Some may only want to achieve a specific cash flow goal to cover one expense (i.e. car, mortgage, etc.) but not all of their expenses.
And that's perfectly OK. To each his own.
5: Have you monetized your blog (ads, affiliate marketing, etc)? Why or why not?
I've done some monetization on my blog including ads, affiliate marketing, consulting and books (via Amazon).
Over the years, I've had to be careful about who I choose to work with in terms of advertising. I still want to keep the best interest of my readers in mind. I have not done much with sponsored posts but have received a lot of requests from various companies and individuals to do them. Right now, my main focus is on books, which I continue to build up.
I write a series on real estate investing about the realities of being a real estate investor. I also plan to write more books about the topic of mobile home investing. Many of my readers have asked me to write more books on the subject.
6: Would you rather be loved, hated or controversial? Explain, please!
I'd rather be loved and somewhat controversial.
As for being loved, I think we all desire some form of being liked whether offline or online. As bloggers, we encounter the game of being liked or not every day. Whether we interact with others via social media, email, or blogging, the reaction we receive from others can make or break how we feel that day.
But as I've learned from being a blogger and now an author, there will always be people who do not like what you say or do. And they can be vocal about it online. Over the years, I've learned how to handle different types of situations and slowly grow a thick skin.
I like the idea of being somewhat controversial. It sparks conversation. And proposes new ideas and perspectives. Some of the most memorable posts I've read are from other bloggers have written about controversial topics.
7: Who would you be horrified to know read your blog?
There's not a particular person I'd be horrified to know reading my blog. But a group of people.
Any real estate investing guru I've heard who has scammed others of their hard earned money. Over the years, readers have told me their stories of how they spent a lot of money on these so-called real estate investing gurus.
If I knew a particular one of these gurus read my blog, I'd be horrified.
And shocked. But I would also wonder, "Why?" Would it be to better themselves and their business? Or to be more competitive? Perhaps it's the entertainment value of my stories? Who knows!
Whatever the case, I'd be absolutely horrified but curious if any of these real estate gurus read my blog.
8: What’s your most favorite, least favorite and most embarrassing post on your blog?
My most favorite post on my blog is the one where I talk about the most important deal: my first deal.
Most readers gloss over the first deal and want to hear about the big deals...which come later. Though my first deal has been one of the smallest in terms of cash flow, it's been the most memorable.
My least favorite post is this one where I come up with a list of things to do to get started in mobile home investing. Though readers enjoy these types of articles, list posts are not my favorite to write. They tend to be a bit repetitive and tedious to write. But I do them occasionally.
As for my most embarrassing post on my blog, it has to be "My $2000 Nightmare." The title says it all. Enough said.
9: Explain your writing process
Usually, my writing process will consist of a topic or idea I've been thinking about. It could be controversial, a book or course review, or what I've been up to lately.
Since I've been blogging for a while (over a decade), I have some category type posts I write about already. Honestly, it all depends on my mood.
Now that I'm focusing the bulk of writing in my books, I'm very selective on what I decide to write in my blog. I don't blog as often as I used to. So I make sure each blog post is detailed and good.
Before I write, I may do some brainstorming on paper. Then I start writing on the computer. As a published author, I'm familiar with the writing process. I have my process down. Usually, I'll just start writing at my computer getting my ideas down. Then, I'll break for a day or two. And come back to it for editing.
I don't usually write an entire post in one sitting. I've learned to break it up in steps. Just like writing a book.
10: What is your favorite blog in the PF blogosphere (other than your own!)?
My favorite blog in the PF blogosphere is Afford Anything by Paula Pant. I enjoy her writing style and unique perspective. To me, she's one of the best writers in the personal finance blogosphere. I like reading her work and the topics she writes about.
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