Published in March

ParentMap

The theme for my ParentMap stories published in March is inspiration. I feel like a better person just for having talked to the women I got to feature for ParentMap’s Superheroes issue. And the moms who hustle made me feel both validated in my choice to freelance and inspired to kick things up a notch – or not, as life and times dictate. I also finally went to the Moisture Festival, which was just entertainment for me. But the 15-year-old contortionist made my teen wonder, “What have I done with my life?”

Superhero Mahnaz Eshetu – The Helping Hand

Superhero Natalie Walker – The Rock Star

From Side Hustle to Small Business

Moisture Festival is Old-Fashioned Fun

Earth911

I did a lot of research on the most eco-friendly dishwashers to put together a buyers’ guide. I followed up on my earlier buyers’ guide for pillows with a list of the greenest ergonomic pillows. If you’re not sure where to put your money can make the most difference, it’s helpful to know how to evaluate charities and understand the differences among fair trade labels.

I reported on new science that validates the old practice of soil solarization for chemical-free weed control.

Avvo

Did you know that most of the sales calls you receive are actually illegal? Congress is trying to make it harder to get away with robocalling.

On the Blog

Traffic

I had 742 page views from 466 visitors in March, which is more than the 671 page views, but less than the 491 visitors in February. Average session times increased by 6 seconds each month so far this year, and page views per visitor were a little higher, which is supposed to be a good thing. My bounce rate was only a little bit lower, but I still haven’t figured out what’s up with page speed, so it’s a work in progress.

Demographics

Still fairly evenly split between female and male readers, my audience is overwhelmingly American. A quarter are 35-44 years old, with the decades above and below that age bracket each at 18% of readership. I don’t know how to use that information.

Income

AdSense claims I earned 60 cents this month, but my balance is $5.15 – the same as last month. I don’t understand how that works. But since you have to earn $100 before they will pay you, I’m not putting “advertising income” into my budget any time soon.

All those blogging advice articles that say you should use ads forget to mention that it’s a waste of time for small blogs. Oh well, you live and learn.