Why I Started a New Blog When I Already Have 4

Elna Cain October 16, 2020 37 Comments

Many of you may not know that I own and manage four blogs and I recently started a new one.

As a mom to twins, a freelance writer, coach and author of a freelance course, you can see I’m pretty busy.

Why would I even fathom starting a new blog when I already have 4?

I don’t know a lot about other freelance writers except the ones I hang out with (hey Lorraine!) but I like starting new projects.

And other bloggers feel the same way!

Cori Ramos of Not Now Mom’s Busy started a new blog called CorinaRamos.net.

Freelance writer Alicia Rades, has her freelance site, author site and blogging guide site.

I’m creative and love exploring the creative and passionate side of freelance writing.

If you’re considering starting another blog, but just not sure you can handle it or really think it’s a good idea, I’m here to tell you go for it! There are a ton of benefits to having more than one blog.

But, before I get into that, I want to let you in on why I created TwinsMommy in the first place.

What? Another Mom Blog? (Not Really)

About a month ago I was sitting around talking with my hubby about the idea of starting another blog.

See, currently I have four blogs:

Innovative Ink – my professional writer website for my freelance writing business
FreelancerFAQs – a multi-author site for freelancers. I own, manage and contribute to the blog
LifeStyleBody – a multi-author lifestyle blog. I try to contribute to this blog when I can, but I mainly manage the content schedule and the guest contributors
ElnaCain – this site!

You see, this blog here is the only one I consistently have to write posts for. All the others either don’t have a blog or have multiple authors.

So, the idea of having another personal blog like ElnaCain, didn’t seem like a huge jump. I write one blog post a week for this blog, I knew I would have time to write another post, so I went ahead and started TwinsMommy.

I wanted a broader site about moms, blogging and freelancing. While I touch a little bit on being a mom and a freelance writer on my ElnaCain site, that is not my focus; my focus is on providing tips for new and budding freelance writers.

With this new site, I would talk more about my life with twins, but also speak to moms who are or thinking about working from home.

And that’s what TwinsMommy is about! But, as I started writing posts and attracting an audience, I learned that I wanted to do more than just talk about being a work-at-home mom, I wanted to help these mamas go from being a mom to being a mompreneur.

I decided early on that I wanted to try monetizing a new blog in a new niche.

I’m happy with how TwinsMommy turned out – both visually, branding wise and content wise – and can’t believe how some of my posts have had tons of shares and over 50 comments already!

Some of my popular posts are:

I’m also shocked by how generous mommy bloggers are. I’ve already been asked to contribute on three blogs and I belong to several private Facebook mommy blogger groups that are highly supportive.

Besides the generosity and supportive nature, what other benefits are there to starting a new blog?

1. I’m Reaching a New Audience

I was a bit worried that I would be attracting the same audience as I have for this blog, but I’ve met so many new people that I know I’m reaching a new audience.

One thing you can do for your freelance career is to network and extend your reach as far as you can online. By “e-meeting” new bloggers and networking with other people, you start joining new inner circles, which just gets your name out there more.

2. I’m Sparking My Creativity

I love designing and branding things. Visuals are my thang! So, when I have the opportunity to extend my creative wings and design, I’m all for it.

I designed the TwinsMommy logo and tried something new by using a gradient to incorporate pink and blue to signify my boy/girl twins.

I created a visual brand for each of my TwinsMommy images, which is helping me form a brand with my images on this blog.

And, the best thing about starting TwinsMommy was the flood of blog post ideas! Because I had a broader list of topics to write about (work from home, productivity, mompreneur, twins life and blogging) I came up with dozens and dozens of blog post ideas in under an hour.

This creativity extended to generating ideas for clients and for this blog too.

3. A New Income Stream

One of the best ways you can always ensure a healthy income as a freelance writer is by diversifying your income.

My plan for TwinsMommy is to grow that blog so that I can eventually monetize it. Whether it’s with affiliate marketing or designing another course, this is a nice way to generate more income.

And who doesn’t like more money, right?

Although TwinsMommy isn’t generating any income – unless someone clicks on a link back to my site and buys my course – I’ll be gearing up for that in the next few months.

4. It’s Helping Me Build My Design Portfolio

In my 2016 goals post I mentioned that I’m planning on opening up a website design/development company called Ink&Link.

While I’m hoping this service will be up and running soon, for now I’m growing my portfolio whenever I create a new site.

This will help once I launch Ink&Link and give customers some ideas of what types of sites me and my husband design.

5. It’s A New Marketing Strategy

I mention this blog and my course several times in my TwinsMommy blog posts. This isn’t a mistake; rather, it’s a calculated effort to grow a new audience and get my course to these new people.

Because of TwinsMommy, I’m focusing my efforts on Pinterest marketing and even signed up for Tailwind to help me grow my following and traffic – which is totally working!

When Do I Have Time to Do This All?

Currently I’m writing two blog posts a week over on TwinsMommy! And, like I mentioned, one blog post a week here.

I also have a full plate of client work during the month as well. So, I really don’t have a lot of time to spare, but why am I writing two posts a week when I have about a ba-jillion projects due each month?

For starters, it’s a new blog and it needs content to grow authority and ranking in Google. I’ll do my best to post twice a week, but I know there will be a time when I will have to drop it to once a week.

Another reason I am doing two posts a week over there is because I can do it. Writing in this “freelance/work at home/blogging” niche is in my wheelhouse and I can whip out posts in under an hour no problem. Especially if they are about me.

I’m crossing my fingers that I can keep up with this content schedule, especially since summer is usually slow online, I feel I can keep it up until the fall at least.

Have I scared you or inspired you to start a new blog? Tell me in the comments and remember to Pin me!

37 Comments

Thanks for the encouragement. I am looking to start a new blog soon, and I am still not sure if it is a good idea. Thanks for the push!Reply to Jordan

Hello Elna I found your blog today, and it’s been immediately added to my Feedly. 😉 Apart from sharing valuable, informative content – you are such an inspiration! I’m definitely going to work through your content – and get my ass back in the game. I’ve become a bit stagnant in my freelance career – so it’s time for some big changes and challenges. Thank you again,Reply to Anneke

Hey Anneke! Thanks so much. If you ever need help getting your ass back in the game, you know where I am!Reply to Elna

Hiehie, thanx Elna I’ve been busy stalking your blog(s) since yesterday – and I don’t plan on stopping soon. I think what I find hard, is working at the same pace regardless of the amount of work and deadlines. When I have less to do, I take days with small projects – but if I’m fully booked then I manage to do a week’s work in a day. So I need to find structure and routine. 😉Reply to Anneke

Hey Anneke, Thanks so much! For me if I have less work I tend to focus on non-essential things my personal blogs or webinars 🙂 And then, by then end of the month, I’m scrambling to make up my work! So, I may not be the best model. I always say that I’m not the best with time management. AT. All. But I’m still running a successful biz and have several blogs!Reply to Elna

They say timing is everything. I’m glad I found your blog when I did. You’ve inspired me. Been going through a creative block thus my blogs are paying the price. Your tips and suggestions sparked a fire and I’m running with it. Thank you Elna.Reply to Abby

Hey Abby! Thanks so much. I know keeping up with blogging can be a challenge. If you lose your creative juices or motivation, it can be super hard. But, even if you touch one person, then it’s all worth it! Thanks for stopping by!Reply to Elna

Wow…I didn’t know you had so many blogs! I can’t even begin to imagine how you do it. I’d love to start a 2nd blog….geared more towards bloggers. There are so many blogging blogs out there, but not so many in the UK, so maybe there’s a place for me. Just haven’t had time to go for it yet. But your post encourages me that it can be done!Reply to Joanna

Hi Joanna! You crossed over 🙂 ha. Yes, this is my first baby..uh..blog I mean. My passion really is helping freelance writers, but my niche is digital marketing and I also love talking about it over on Twins Mommy. That’s great you want to start more blogs! I find it a bit addicting myself and I enjoy designing new blogs. Be sure to let me know when you have your new blog up and running! Thanks for stopping by!Reply to Elna

I have 2 blogs and a newsletter with a standalone site – all for different audiences/niches. 🙂 And I’m so segmented for a lot of the same reasons as you! The first blog I started outside of my main one is about book blogging and romance novels. I was already talking and writing about them on Facebook/Goodreads, but I wanted to build it into a full/brand or blog. Partially so I could monetize it, but mostly so I could play with new website optimization and growth hacking strategies (I feel about these the way you do about visuals!) without any potential or lasting damage to my main brand. And since I talk about book blogging, it’s easy to also promote my main brand, which is about blogging and marketing. And all of my “endeavors” are kind of branded under the same umbrella – same look and feel, there’s a little overlap in the colors and they all have the same initials, which also happens to be my initials. 😉 Super branded! haha I *will* admit I’m not juggling them well at the moment. The more one takes off, the less time I have to work on the other. My main blog supports my biz, so it has to take priority. And since the book blog is so reliant on reading and finishing whole books, it’s more complicated than finding a few hours to write. :/ I’m trying to figure out a way to change things up over there, though!Reply to Brittany

Hey Brittany! I love your Blog Bolder site! Awesome colors. Yeah, having four blogs is hard to focus on. This site, ElnaCain, is what sustains my course sales and coaching (and a little with acquiring freelance writing gigs) so I have to always be on top of this site (which is hard since I really love writing over on TwinsMommy!). I’m actually considering hiring a VA to help me juggle everything I have on my plate!Reply to Elna

My goodness, you ARE busy! I used to have several blogs going at once, but I cut down to just three…and then two..and now I only really blog for my freelance business site. I’ve been toying with the idea of having a personal blog again, since I really miss writing about video games, comics, and other fandom-related topics. I like the point you made about having several blogs going at once creates a wider audience to market to. I initially cut down on my number of blogs, because I felt the audience that would want to read about comics wouldn’t really be interested in reading about ways to maximize their retail space. However, upon reading your post here, I see there could be some beneficial overlap. Thanks for sharing this great post! – AlexiaReply to Alexia

Hey Alexia, Yeah, I’d say go for another blog! 🙂 It’s so fun and liberating for me. I love writing for TwinsMommy and it just gets me all excited to write for all my blogs. It is a little hard fitting everything in, but I’m managing for now. Thanks for stopping by.Reply to Elna

Hi Elna, Wow! Congratulations with your new ventures. I’m so happy to see how well you’re doing. And, managing 4 blogs. I’ve got 3 and have been complaining that I can’t keep on top of them. But you’ve really inspired me because you also have twins to manage, plus writing for clients. I will definitely take a leaf out of your book and focus. When I’m not writing for clients, I tend to spend my time procrastinating – not good at all. I just signed up for your email course. I can never get enough knowledge. Looking forward to starting it. Enjoy the rest of the week.Reply to June

Hey June! Thanks so much for stopping by. Yes 4 blogs is a lot but two of them don’t need my whole focus. I just have to manage the content schedule a bit. This blog and my new blog I have to write content for and that can be a challenge, but so far it’s working out. Thanks for signing up to my course and enjoy it!Reply to Elna

Welcome to the 5-blog owners group. 🙂 I also have 5, and I’ve said the same thing as you, that being the most important blogs have a specific schedule whereas the others I can diversify with, help spread my influence, and potentially make a little chump change on the side with. Way to go!Reply to Mitch

That’s so great to hear. Though I’d probably not be visiting your new blog often because I’m not yet a mommy, I liked this post. I’m able to relate to it because I was running two blogs on Blogger and I just recently migrated both of them. Just relaunched the first one, and the second one is still under works. I suddenly decided to start a new travel and food blog that’s going to be a community for travel bloggers so I’m looking for contributors. But I think one of the reasons why I decided to add another blog is because I love to write, which is why I started on freelance blogging, and I want to learn more. By writing on another blog with a totally different genre, I think I’ll be able to learn more about writing and blogging. Good luck on your new blog.Reply to Heide

Hi Heide! Thanks for keeping it real 🙂 ha. TwinsMommy isn’t ALL about my twins, although I’m self-indulgent only sometimes. Most of the content is for working at home and getting your entrepreneur side on. But yeah, it’s geared for mamas. Your food and travel blog sounds like a great idea. And I totally get your love of writing! I’m the same way 🙂Reply to Elna

Pretty inspiring! A few months ago I needed multiple blogs to achieve different things, and I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle it… and I was right. I don’t post consistently on either of my blogs, but I’m still doing pretty cool things with them. I created LittleDogTips.com just as a way to showcase my dog-related writing, but it’s taken a life of its own since it’s become more than just a portfolio page. It’s starting to generate revenue through product reviews. At the same time, it wasn’t attracted what I really wanted, more pet-related freelance writing clients, so I started writing about pet industry content marketing on my LindsayPevny.com blog. On either side, I’m connecting with different kinds of people, but it flows together swimmingly. I went to a pet expo last week, and soon I’ll be featuring some of the vendors I met on both blogs in different ways.Reply to Lindsay

Hey Lindsay! That’s great. Yeah, starting multiple blogs is challenging. That’s why two of my blogs rely on guest posters. I don’t post on those sites as much. I just have to manage them. So I really just have to concentrate on this blog and my new TwinsMommy blog. So far it’s working out. I still can write for my clients and for my personal projects 🙂 That’s great you are getting traction for your pet writing biz! You are on the right track.Reply to Elna

Elna, I love how your TwinsMommy website looks, and I can’t wait to see Ink&Link when it goes live! Your graphics, choice of visuals and consistent branding are some of my favorite bits when it comes to your blogs, so honing those design skills and creating such great content is definitely a win-win scenario. I’m planning to launch one blog in June-July (currently in its early development stage) and another one scheduled for September as an extension to my (by then hopefully redesigned and updated) writer’s website. Always inspirational to hear and see what you’re working on, Elna, thanks for sharing!Reply to Ralitsa

Hey Rali! Thanks so much. Happy to hear you are blogging away! You’re a true entrepeneur! Thanks so much. I’m loving the audience over at TwinsMommy and am shocked at how gracious and supportive the mommy blogging community is!Reply to Elna

Wow, I’m impressed. I don’t have twins and just a job. I haven’t even started on blog number one, but I see now that I can just start a blog for every interest instead of trying to narrow it down. Get started would really help :). Thank you for the inspiration. I’ve been lurking and thinking of jumping into freelancing. So having the blog (or 2) could really help with being consistent with my writing. Thank you ?Reply to Jamila.

Hey Jamila, Thanks! Yeah it’s important to niche down with each blog, but you can have different blogs with different niches. It’s a creative thing and I love it! Thanks!Reply to Elna

Power to you, Elna! I know you’ll do well no matter how many blogs you’re working with! I recently closed the chapter on my MGP series and was going to focus solely on my business site, however, how boring is that? I have the gift for rants and need an outlet. So just this morning, I launched a new FB page and the blog will launch later this month. This is a “hobby” fun blog and will stay as such. This time, I’m walking to my own beat. 🙂 You’ll be seeing me here again! Happy Monday!Reply to Brenda

Hey girl! That’s great. Beat to your own drum, that’s what I say. Ha, yeah, just focusing on your business site is sooooo boring 🙂 I love your rants btw and think this new blog is perfect for that. Can’t wait to go to it.Reply to Elna

Congrats Elna! As always, you never cease to amaze us with your creativity and productivity! Your twinsmommy.com site really shows off your branding and design skills. I’m glad I read this post today, as I am about to embark on the start of my writer site blog (I’ve finally niched down). Also, I feel a bit like you as I also own several sites. A few months ago, I purchased an expired domain, the freelancewritersblog.com and two others, sidehustlewriter.com and sidegigwriter.com as an attempt to chronicle my journey specifically as a side hustle writer. I’m going to put the “side” ones on the side now, but think I might launch the FWB to highlight existing freelance writers and their stories as a way to motivate other rising writers. I think we can agree reading about successful writers (like you!) is motivational. That’s what got me interested in pursuing this path. I plan to feature them like case studies, and make sure each has a message, words of wisdom for other writers. Most sites I see are with tools, tips etc, but not 100 percent stories on other writers. I am not sure if there is interest, but at any rate, it will force me to start writing! I surely didn’t mean for this comment to be about me, but I am curious to know your honest feedback on my site/ blog idea? Also, this might be a good place for a guest posts too, your thoughts? Thanks Elna!Reply to Michelle

Hey Michelle! I like it all! I would be careful not to have all the sites being similar. That’s a lot of content about the same topic you have to come up with. But, having guest posters and case studies would totally work then! Oh, and focusing on only one is a great idea. I would totally do that. Focus on one blog and build an audience before you venture on doing another blog. Ideally, wait a year in between launches! If you have the time and passion then go for it! I love blogging 🙂Reply to Elna

Thanks Elna! I tend to get excited about ideas and website names, then realize my focus is better served in another niche. As someone with four blogs, I trust your judgement! I just need to start writing. After designing my entire WP site, it’s time to fill it up with great content. My writer’s site blog will be focused on a specialized niche: inbound/content marketing writing and strategy topics relevant to B2B professional services firms. That’s the target audience in my current job, so I can relate best to this niche. I don’t intend to really ever use the “side” sites, and will probably just let them expire. It’s so easy to get caught up in the idea stage, but producing blog content is time consuming, so I’m giving myself time to add content before I start pitching. Thanks for all your words of encouragement!Reply to Michelle

I mean, obviously what you’re doing is working, but how much is too much? You could coach mommies of twins in how to deal with their mischief. 🙂 Also, if you’re looking for sites for your design portfolio, there are easier ways to do it – offer to design some other bloggers’ sites for a really low rate. That’s what I’d do – seems a lot simpler to me. (But I’m me, and you’re you….)Reply to chana

Hey Chana! Thanks girl! I have enough coaching clients with freelancers, but I’m sure mommies with twins could benefit too 🙂 I’ll think about it… Yeah, you definitely don’t want to do more than you can handle. Outsourcing,automating and delegating are the only ways to scale your business. It’s way too hard doing this on your own! I can’t wait until Ink&Link is official! Once it’s up though, that’s definitely something I will probably do – ask bloggers if they want a re-design.Reply to Elna