How Chas Greener’s DIY Blog Earns $5k/Month Through Pinterest, Email Marketing & SEO

Chas Greener has always been drawn to DIY projects. After contributing to a well-known DIY platform because she loved the idea of sharing her expertise, she decided to strike out on her own with a blog, Chas' Crazy Creations, and a YouTube channel.

What initially started out as a side hustle has become a lucrative business, thanks to a unique combination of tools and resources. Today Chas earns $5k per month from her blog, which has expanded to include topics related to repurposing, upcycling, crafting, organizing, cleaning, hacking, cooking, and more. 

Keep reading to find out:

• What inspired her to start her website
• What inspired her to start her consulting business
• Where her income comes from
• How she markets her website
• Her thoughts on SEO
• How she approaches internal linking
• Her keyword research strategy
• Her link building approach
• How she grows her email list
• The resources and tools that she uses
• Her biggest challenge
• Her most noteworthy accomplishment
• Her main mistake
• He advice for other entrepreneurs

Meet Chas Greener

I grew up in Minnesota and my family moved to Colorado when I was 14. I went to Colorado State University (Go Rams!), where I had a band and dance scholarship, graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts with an emphasis in dance, and met my husband. 

In 2019, I had 2 hip surgeries and breast cancer, so I retired from being a dance teacher and former dance artistic program and company director of Mountain Kids after 24 years! 

I run my websites Chas’ Crazy Creations and Site Consulting Services and I create video content for the website Hometalk. 

I have 2 amazing kids, I’m a little kooky, and I’m a kid at heart. I love spending time with family and friends, watching movies, being outside, and getting back to the simple life.

Why She Created Her Site

I stumbled upon a website called Hometalk and I loved what they had to offer, so I started contributing to their website in 2015. 

Before I knew it, I found myself at their headquarters in New York City doing a Facebook Live on site. 

From there, I was hired by them to do Facebook Lives on their channel, which then evolved into creating video content on Hometalk TV as an independent contractor.

During that time, I realized that what I was creating wasn't as crazy as it seemed. I decided I should probably start my own website and YouTube channel.

Initially, it was a side hustle alongside my dance directing job. However, in 2019, after my health issues, I needed to retire from the dance industry. This prompted me to dive headfirst into developing my website. 

Around the same time, I encountered a peer group of bloggers who encouraged me to venture into coaching and teaching other bloggers. This led to the creation of my consulting business.

On my DIY website, Chas' Crazy Creations, I focus on various DIY projects, repurposing, upcycling, crafting, organizing, cleaning, hacking, cooking, and more. I create both blog posts and video content, and they complement each other seamlessly. 

When it comes to generating ideas, I can't quite explain it, but I often visualize the concept. Sometimes inspiration strikes while browsing the internet or shopping, and challenges presented to me fuel my creativity to come up with ideas, concepts, tips, tricks, and solutions. 

Many times, I envision what I want to create or the problem I aim to solve.

Through Site Consulting Services, I now offer online classes, mastermind groups, one-on-one coaching, website audits, email marketing services, and content priority reports. I've also had speaking engagements at conferences and participated in numerous podcasts.

In essence, I've always been a teacher, whether it's through dance, creating, or assisting others.

My DIY business continues to flourish, with increasing traffic that generates ad revenue and affiliate sales. I've also diversified into offering products such as printables, planners, and e-books. Notably, the primary source of revenue comes from the ads on my website.

Additionally, I maintain a YouTube channel that complements my DIY website and contributes to my income through monetization. This channel enhances my tutorials by providing not only written instructions with images but also accompanying videos.

With my coaching business, I coach several clients one-on-one, and I currently oversee four mastermind groups. 

I consistently conduct content priority reports for clients, guiding them on where to focus their efforts when improving older content that may have lost traction or needs a boost in rankings. I'm frequently engaged for audits, including recent corporate coaching and consulting opportunities.

How Much Money She’s Making

I started Chas’ Crazy Creations at the end of 2017, and have grown to $60k per year in about 6 years. I earn money from the following sources:

Chas’ Crazy Creations: 

• Ads via website (Raptive) and YouTube
• Affiliate Links

Site Consulting Services: 

• Audits, masterminds, coaching, content reports, online classes, Handygal work, retreats, speaking engagements

I also earn from UGC videos.

Past income streams come from the creator funds through Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok. Those aren’t reliable, as they come and go. 

I have also received some brand deals in the past, although my current experience with those is that they only want to give free products.

I’m averaging about 100,00+ pageviews a month.

I am well aware that I am currently putting in a minimum of 40 hours a week. It's quite likely that I'm even exceeding that, although I'm actively engaged in adopting the "Who Not How" concept and striving to reintroduce balance into my life.

Who Not How is a book by Dan Sullivan. He talks about how we all think about what we need to do and how to get there, when in reality we need “whos” in our life to get where we want to go. 

Hire the whos to help us achieve our goals so that we can keep our business growing. This will free us up as entrepreneurs to use our time to spark new ideas and implement them into our business.

Chas’ Top Marketing Strategy

I definitely use Pinterest and email marketing. 

I have done social media, but my ROI hasn’t been that great so I’ve let it go to the wayside right now. 

I’ve also used platforms like Hometalk’s blogger traffic program. You can earn 1 direct feature in their newsletter to drive traffic to your website in exchange for 3 tutorials on any of their platforms (Hometalk, Foodtalk, Upstyle, Simplify, and Redesign) 

The Importance of SEO

Oh my gosh, SEO is huge. 

When I first started, I had no idea what keywords were, what SEO was, etc. I was just writing my tutorials and launching them out into the world. 

Eventually, I had some website issues because I wasn't optimizing my images, which then prompted me to start doing research and led me to a few people who guided me in the direction I needed to go. 

I started implementing good SEO in my blog posts, but I was still lacking in the keyword search. Eventually, I began to grasp the big picture.

Initially, I enrolled in MaAnna’s (BlogAid) SEO course. This taught me a ton about SEO, and I also hired a blog coach who met with me once a week who taught me in my learning style. 

I ran my website for 1 year before I was introduced to MaAnna for a blog audit and then I enrolled in her course after that. I started understanding it, but it was when I hired the blog coach who could break it down even more that helped me understand because we walked through blog posts together. 

After that, I joined a group of bloggers for a weekly mastermind and we help teach each other all of the time. We’re always learning and growing together.

From that moment forward, I wrote new blog posts and focused just as much on updating old content with good SEO and keywords. Some things weren't worth fixing, but many I knew should've been ranking. 

Internal linking is also very important! And I'll admit, I made a few missteps in this process while learning. 

Initially, I didn't do them at all. Then I tried using a plug-in, but that turned out not to be the most effective method either. 

Now, I focus on attempting to incorporate keywords specific to the post whenever possible. 

I also ensure that I revisit those previous posts and establish links back to the article I'm currently writing. 

It's equally crucial to include an outbound link to a higher domain authority and a credible resource page that's relevant and relatable.

Thanks to Spencer's Link Whisper, I'm back on the right track. It ensures that I engage in both internal and external linking, checks for broken links and orphaned links, and provides a fantastic tool.

Furthermore, I recognize that not everyone comprehends the internal linking process visually, which is why I often incorporate a section of related posts. 

I include visual elements such as photos, accompanied by the blog post titles and keywords within the links, so that when users click on them, they understand that it will take them to another post.

Keyword Research

I have two methods for developing a keyword strategy, and I'd say one surpasses the other. 

At times, I've crafted the project first and then sought out the keywords afterward. This can pose a slight challenge, but inspiration occasionally strikes, compelling you to create the item or undertake the project and subsequently contemplate the post. 

The alternative approach I employ is to first search for keywords using a keyword tool.

Initially, I began with KeySearch but I have since transitioned to Ahrefs. Additionally, I'm affiliated with Raptive, which offers a specialized keyword tool that I also utilize.

Furthermore, when composing the blog post, I often turn to ChatGPT and inquire about 10 long-tail keywords for the post once I've identified my main keywords. I then incorporate these into my post.

Link Building

For backlinks, I look for websites that offer the opportunity for you to post on their platform with a backlink to your website. 

I have been asked by bigger companies if they could reference a post on my website, and I ask for a backlink. 

I’ve participated in blog hops where a group of bloggers get together to create a cohesive subject that makes sense together and we backlink to each other. 

I’ve written for magazines that have a digital version and I’ve asked for a backlink as part of the negotiation. If you write good content that ranks well, backlinks tend to happen organically as well.

Her Content Creation Process

I keep up with seasonal DIY projects and explore the latest trends using Pinterest and Google Trends. I’ve used ChatGPT to give me a list of content ideas. 

Additionally, if I'm inspired to create something, I go ahead and pursue it. Sometimes, while searching for current keywords, I stumble on other relevant keywords. I make a note of these and add them to my calendar for future posts.

I handle the entire process, from creating the video content and capturing photos to editing the video and uploading it. I ensure that I include relevant keywords, develop a comprehensive outline, cross-reference it with others who are ranking for those keywords on the first page, and then proceed to write the post. I also address any Google questions that are pertinent to the topic.

I do almost everything by myself. I have just started to think about hiring some help here or there. I have hired a VA to help with updating some old content and I have hired someone to help create some Pinterest Pins. 

I admit, I’ve hit my limit though so I feel like I’m at a crossroads and it’s time to figure that next step out.

Her Email List

I'm an email enthusiast. I believe that email is highly underutilized. 

I've experimented with various platforms and extensively beta-tested different strategies for sending out emails. 

At one point, I had a complex web of emails flowing through ConvertKit, with messages dispatched every single day of the week, all aimed at driving traffic to my site. However, I eventually decided to conduct a test with a solitary email dispatched once a week. 

To my surprise, this resulted in an increase in open and click-through rates, without any decrease in income or traffic. Following this discovery, I transitioned to Flodesk and currently send out a newsletter every week. 

Alongside this, I've established several workflows, enabling individuals to optionally subscribe to additional emails based on specific topics. I have used these additional workflows to gain traffic from other sources in several ways.

My newsletters encompass my most recent blog posts, directing traffic not only to new content but also back to older, revamped blog posts. I also share affiliate links and direct readers to the products I have available.

I'm fully aware that simply urging readers to "sign up for my newsletter" is not an effective approach, as most people are hesitant to subscribe to yet another newsletter or email. 

Instead, I provide an alternative by offering a sign-up that grants them an initial freebie containing valuable information. This content is tailored to their needs based on insights from my Google Search Console results, revealing the reasons people are visiting my site. 

Following this, I offer them an additional bonus, consisting of more content delivered through five subsequent emails. Once they complete this series, I inform them that they are now part of my subscriber community and will continue to receive similar emails once a week moving forward. 

My intention behind this approach is to introduce them to who I am, acquaint them with my writing topics and style, and highlight the value I can offer them. The emphasis is largely on their needs and preferences.

I currently have 8,800 subscribers.

Her Top Resources

The main resources I use are:

Niche Pursuits, Matt Diggity, Niche Site Lady, BlogAid, Blogging Millionaire, and my peers, as we’re always researching and learning more.

The mastermind group I belong to likes to divide and conquer things together.

Her Favorite Tools

I use the following tools to grow my business:

Ahrefs - Ahrefs is my keyword research tool. I can look up keywords and see their keyword difficulty and search volume. I can also see who is already ranking for those terms and what their posts look like to help me write a better article or know when to avoid a topic.

Raptive’s content briefs - These are briefs where you can run a report on your keyword. It then gives you suggested information like title, meta description, words to implement, questions to answer, etc.

Email marketing - This helps drive the traffic to your website, you can bring them in as little or as much as you like, and you can really get to know your audience through this platform, so you can give them what they want. You can implement affiliate marketing into the email itself by sharing your favorite products, sales, and more.

Mastermind groups - I’m lucky as my group loves to dig into topics, research them, and share with each other what they learn. We grow together, support each other, encourage each other, and these ladies have become my best friends.

Chas’ Main Challenge

My biggest challenge is time and balance. I’m a list checker, so I always want to get everything done on the list, but with blogging, the list never ends. 

So I’m currently working on better balance, and at this point, I am at a crossroads where I’m investing in hiring to continue growth and create balance in my life. 

I’ve also realized I don’t have to do all of the things. I can focus on a few things and do them well and let others that are not giving me good ROI go.

Her Most Noteworthy Accomplishment

My main accomplishment is getting into Raptive after 5 years of blogging and being able to teach other aspiring entrepreneurs.

When I started my blog, I knew my goal was to make it a business. I had a business mindset from the start and I immediately signed up for Google Adsense. 

A year later I made it into Mediavine, which was a huge goal. This is when Mediavine had a lower threshold to get into their program. 

My next goal was to get into Raptive, which meant I would have 100,000 pageviews a month. More pageviews mean more income. 

Now, after my journey of learning, I’m now able to pass my knowledge of the good, the bad, and the ugly with others to help them achieve their growth goals. 

I have always loved teaching and building a community. I’m so excited to share and watch all of the people I’m coaching grow. 

What She Wishes She Knew When She Started

I wish I would’ve invested in a coach. In the beginning, we all look for free stuff and justify it by saying once I make money, I’ll start investing. 

This is what I did, but then after I hired someone I had to do a lot of work to fix all the mistakes…

Her Biggest Mistake

My biggest mistake was listening to my husband and building my initial website based on a YouTube tutorial, which was quite an experience. 

He was confident in my ability to handle the technical aspects with some guidance, but what the tutorial failed to impart was the knowledge required for effective blogging and website management. 

It lacked insights into essential elements like image optimization, site security, and other crucial components necessary for a proper and successful start.

Her Advice for Other Entrepreneurs

I think a lot of people go into blogging thinking that they can make money doing that. They don’t realize there is a lot of work that goes into it. You start learning that it’s not just about writing what you love and then people and money will come. 

You have to invest in learning and tools, as you would any business. Everything takes time to grow, and it doesn’t just happen overnight. 

It’s worth the money spent to get a coach and do it right from the start. Otherwise, you might think you’ll figure it out and then suddenly you have so much backlog that’s not working for you, you have to go back and fix it, and you’re pretty much starting over. 

Join a group that supports you, that you can learn from, that grows together and brings out the best in each other. I look forward to that call every week. 

I call and text them anytime I have questions or just need to vent and they do the same to me. Your blog or website is a business, treat it that way.

Set your hours, invest in your business, know your goals, and strive to achieve them.

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