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Making Sense of Cents
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Making Sense of Cents
Finance B2C

Making Sense of Cents is a free personal finance and lifestyle blog, run by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, that earns revenue mainly from advertising and affili...

makingsenseofcents.com · Founded 2011 · 39 public sources · Updated about 17 hours ago

Researched profile. Starter Story's AI research system compiled this page from 39 public sources — the founder didn't write it. Automated research can misread or misattribute a source, so treat figures as best-effort. How this works →

How Making Sense of Cents Grew

Personal finance blog sharing money-saving and side-income tips

How did Making Sense of Cents grow?

Summary of the sourced claims below

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner grew the blog by commenting on other personal-finance blogs, writing guest articles for popular blogs, and creating Pinterest content to drive traffic. The blog has drawn traffic from Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and its email list in fairly even amounts, and Michelle Schroeder-Gardner has said that diversifying traffic sources limits the impact of any one source's fluctuations. Her main goal is to drive traffic to her email list, where her most loyal readers are, and she owns that list rather than depending on social media algorithms.

Channels

16 channels · grouped by how Making Sense of Cents grows

  • Organic social media

    · 6 mentions · 6 sources
    “I attend blogging conferences (my favorite is FinCon!), have many friends in the blogging community, interact on social media and through phone calls, and more. ... I am always looking to learn about how to improve my presence on social media, improve my page views, learn about SEO, and more.”
    high
    Show 5 more quotes
    “Facebook used to be a much bigger source for me (whereas now it’s a much, much smaller amount), and Pinterest can go up and down as well. But, because I am diversified with my traffic sources, it doesn’t impact my blog as much in the long run.”
    medium
    “I did whatever I could to get traffic to my blog: I commented on other personal-finance blogs, wrote guest articles for popular blogs, and created Pinterest content.”
    high
    “24:08 Growing Your Blog Through SEO and Social Media”
    medium
    “She began by documenting her own efforts to pay off nearly $40,000 in student loan debt. This raw, authentic narrative built a deep connection with her audience, who saw her not as a guru, but as someone facing the same financial struggles they were.”
    medium
    “Michelle Schroeder-Gardner of Making Sense of Cents represents another pillar of authentic affiliate marketing, demonstrating how personal experience can be a powerful catalyst for trust and revenue. She is a powerhouse in the personal finance space, and her journey is one of the most inspiring a...”
    medium

  • Pinterest

    · 5 mentions · 4 sources
    “One way I grew traffic before was on Pinterest. I used it for a couple of years before most financial bloggers got on there, and that helped me a ton. Now I have over 160,000 Pinterest followers, and it has been a good source of traffic for me for nearly a decade.”
    high
    Show 4 more quotes
    “Making Sense of Cents is very diversified when it comes to traffic. It’s pretty even amongst all of the areas, such as Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and those coming from my email list.”
    medium
    “Making Sense of Cents is very diversified when it comes to traffic. It’s pretty even amongst all of the areas, such as Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and those coming from my email list.”
    medium
    “I did whatever I could to get traffic to my blog: I commented on other personal-finance blogs, wrote guest articles for popular blogs, and created Pinterest content.”
    high
    “Strategic Use of Pinterest: Michelle leverages Pinterest as a major traffic driver, creating visually appealing pins for posts that are rich with affiliate links, tapping into a user base actively searching for solutions and ideas.”
    medium

  • Email List Growth

    · 5 mentions · 4 sources
    “In 2017, I did 100 podcast interviews, grew my Facebook page to 80,000 followers, grew my email list to 70,000 subscribers, and saw my blog average 500,000 visitors a month. Through my email list, I could maximize affiliate-product sales; I earned five figures from one affiliate launch alone.”
    high
    Show 4 more quotes
    “Eventually, I switched things up to become more professional and take my blog more seriously such as: ... Started an email list.”
    high
    “Making Sense of Cents is very diversified when it comes to traffic. It’s pretty even amongst all of the areas, such as Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and those coming from my email list.”
    medium
    “My main goal is to drive traffic to my email list, as that's where my most loyal and engaging readers are. Plus, I own my email list and don't have to worry about an algorithm like you would with social media.”
    high
    “Build a Community First: Before pushing products, focus on building a loyal audience through valuable content and personal stories.”
    medium

  • SEO

    · 5 mentions · 4 sources
    “I am always looking to learn about how to improve my presence on social media, improve my page views, learn about SEO, and more.”
    high
    Show 4 more quotes
    “Making Sense of Cents is very diversified when it comes to traffic. It’s pretty even amongst all of the areas, such as Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and those coming from my email list.”
    medium
    “I have had SEO traffic go up and down,... Because I am diversified with my traffic sources, it doesn’t impact my blog as much in the long run.”
    medium
    “24:08 Growing Your Blog Through SEO and Social Media”
    medium
    “Create Comparison and 'Best Of' Posts: Develop detailed, unbiased comparison posts for products in your niche. This positions you as a trusted advisor and captures high-intent search traffic.”
    medium

  • Content marketing

    · 3 mentions · 3 sources
    “Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers? Informative and fun articles - hands down! ... I publish content around one to three times a week on Making Sense of Cents.”
    high
    Show 2 more quotes
    “I spend ten hours a week writing posts, making Pinterest graphics, and filtering affiliate and sponsorship offers. I publish one blog post a week.”
    high
    “Her strategy is rooted in solution-oriented content. Michelle meticulously solved her own financial problems and then recommended the exact tools and services that helped her succeed. This created a natural, trust-based sales funnel where affiliate products weren't just links; they were proven so...”
    medium

  • Guest posts

    · 2 mentions · 2 sources
    “I did whatever I could to get traffic to my blog: I commented on other personal-finance blogs, wrote guest articles for popular blogs, and created Pinterest content.”
    high
    Show 1 more quote
    “When I’m guest posting on another website or taking part in an interview, I usually try to include a link to my email list or to my blog.”
    high

  • Facebook Community

    · 2 mentions
    “Created social media accounts for my blogs, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.”
    high
    Show 1 more quote
    “Free Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/makingsenseofcents/)”
    medium

  • Product Page

    · 1 mention
    “Comprehensive Resource Pages: She creates dedicated "ways to make money" pages that list and review various affiliate products. These act as high-value, evergreen hubs that consistently attract organic traffic and generate conversions.”
    medium

  • Advertising on social media

    · 1 mention
    “Making Sense of Cents is very diversified when it comes to traffic. It’s pretty even amongst all of the areas, such as Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and those coming from my email list.”
    medium

  • Trade shows

    · 1 mention
    “I also network a ton, and this is something that I recommend more bloggers do. I attend blogging conferences (my favorite is FinCon!).”
    high

  • Email marketing

    · 1 mention
    “Making Sense of Cents is very diversified when it comes to traffic. It’s pretty even amongst all of the areas, such as Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and those coming from my email list.”
    medium

  • Press

    · 1 mention
    “My blog and I have been featured in numerous media outlets, such as CNBC, Forbes, Oprah, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, and so many more.”
    high

  • Online Community

    · 1 mention
    “I have many friends in the blogging community, interact on social media and through phone calls, and more.”
    medium

  • Webinars

    · 1 mention
    “I attend blogging conferences (my favorite is FinCon!)”
    high

  • Leveraging existing platforms

    · 1 mention
    “Michelle masterfully weaves affiliate products into her lifestyle-focused content, particularly travel and personal finance. By showcasing how products like survey sites or specific bank accounts fund her travels, she makes the benefits tangible and highly desirable to her audience.”
    medium

  • Testimonials

    · 1 mention
    “Personal Case Studies: Instead of just reviewing a product, she shares her personal results. Posts detailing how much she earned from a specific survey site or savings account build powerful social proof and drive action.”
    medium

How 3,475 businesses grow

Of businesses with mapped growth channels, the share using each — Making Sense of Cents’s highlighted.
  • Social media
    65% ◀
  • Referral/Word-of-mouth
    62% ◀
  • Search/SEO
    58% ◀
  • Email
    47% ◀
  • Community
    37% ◀
  • Content/Inbound
    36% ◀
  • Partnerships
    32%
  • Events
    23% ◀
  • Paid ads
    23%
  • Outbound/Sales
    18%
  • Press/PR
    17% ◀
  • Marketplaces/App stores
    13% ◀
  • Podcasting
    5%
  • Building in public
    3%