5 mistakes that stalled my Passive Income—and how I fixed them
I’ve been building passive income for several years now. I’ve been blogging and using Affiliate Marketing to promote products I was using when i was a Scrapbook teacher. I built online courses when I was doing Scrapbooking AND Network Marketing with Young Living. I’ve been creating digital products that I’ve been selling online. I failed and succeeded and in 2024, I wanted to dive into this world fully again and, who knows, quit my 9-5.
My blog has been generating steady income, my Pinterest traffic keeps growing, and I’ve got a thriving community on Instagram. Life is good.
But let me tell you: it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
Last year, I hit a wall. My traffic plateaued, my blog revenue stagnated, and I started questioning everything I was doing. As a full-time Social Media & Content manager in a tech company, I had always believed that as long as I kept blogging, improving my SEO, and cranking out content, even with the very little time I had left in my calendar, everything would fall into place. I thought I didn’t need social media, a community, or even a content strategy.
Spoiler alert: I was dead wrong.
Today, I want to share the key mistakes I made during that time, why my passive income growth stalled, and how I finally got back on track by making some critical shifts. Grab a coffee, a notebook, or just settle in, and let’s talk about how to avoid the mistakes I made and grow a thriving passive income stream.
The Set-Up: when blogging and SEO weren’t enough
Picture this: It’s 2022, and I’ve been blogging for years. My SEO game was solid (or so I thought), my site traffic was consistent, and I had built a few small income streams through content creation, pinterest and affiliate marketing.I took a break. Why? I found a new job. A VERY cool one. A position as a Social Media & Content manager in a tech company. I couldn’t let that opportunity pass but I knew I’d have less time for my own stuff.
I tried to be as consistent. But from being a 100% freelance to full-time employee didn’t help maintaining the momentum. I wasn’t growing anymore. My income plateaued, and every time I checked Google Analytics, I saw the same numbers staring back at me. It was frustrating. I was putting in the extra hours after my day job, writing new posts, optimizing my old ones, and tweaking keywords—but nothing seemed to work.
That’s when it hit me: blogging and SEO alone weren’t enough anymore. If I wanted to grow, I needed to rethink my strategy.
Why my passive income stalled
After doing some soul-searching (and a lot of research), I realized there were three major reasons why my income growth had stalled. If you’re struggling with something similar, here’s what you need to know.
1. I had no plan
When I first started blogging - and I’m talking back in 2003 when I moved to Montreal and was looking for a way to share my daily life there to my family in France - I thought I could wing it. Fast forward around 10 years, my strategy was to “write a lot, optimize for SEO, and let the money roll in.” And for a while, it kind of worked. But as my blog grew, I realized that my lack of a plan was holding me back.
I didn’t have a clear content strategy, I wasn’t targeting a specific audience, and I didn’t have a roadmap for how my blog would generate consistent income. Instead, I was just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something would stick. Spoiler alert: It didn’t.
The solution
I sat down and created a real plan. I defined my niche, mapped out my ideal audience, and created a content calendar with clear goals. Instead of writing about random topics, I focused on creating content that aligned with my audience’s needs and my long-term goals. Oh! And did I mention picking ONE main language? Yep. I used to write both in french and english, which was tough as I had to maintain 2 webspaces within one website (one for each language). I decided to only write content in english.
Another thing I did: I invested in VERY GOOD online coaching programs:
Ivory Mix: for images, videos and an incredible number of the BEST online classes I took
Content Calendar System by Conversion Minded: BEST investment EVER
The Digital Vault: education and online products for sale
Tools to analyse and skyrocket my traffic on my blog : SEOsquare and AI Copy Club
If you’re struggling to create a plan for your blog, check out this guide to creating a content strategy. It’s a game-changer.
2. I wasn’t really building a community
Here’s the hard truth: blogging in isolation doesn’t work anymore. While I was busy writing blog posts, I completely ignored the importance of building a community around my brand. I did build a community for my Young Living business, but just like blogging, I was overwhelmed.
I thought I didn’t need an email list. I figured as long as I ranked on Google, people would come. But I missed out on the power of connecting with my readers, engaging with them on social platforms, and building relationships. I did have an email list but still. I wasn’t consistent.
The solution
I have started prioritizing community-building. I became active on Instagram and Pinterest, sharing valuable content, engaging with followers, and showing the person behind the blog. I also revived my email list and started treating it like the invaluable asset it is. And that’s my number one goal for 2025.
Building a community doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s worth it. Your readers are more likely to buy your products, share your content, and stick with you for the long haul if they feel connected to you.
3. I wasn’t consistent on Social Media
Consistency is key—especially when it comes to social media. But let me tell you, I wasn’t consistent at all. I’d post on Instagram once a week (if that) and pin sporadically on Pinterest, thinking it didn’t matter as long as my blog content was solid.
But here’s the thing: Social media is where your audience hangs out. If you’re not showing up consistently, you’re missing out on a massive opportunity to grow your brand, drive traffic to your blog, and connect with your audience.
The solution
I have created a social media content calendar and been committed to posting regularly on Instagram and Pinterest. Instead of treating social media as an afterthought, I made it part of my overall strategy. The results? My Pinterest traffic doubled, and my Instagram engagement soared.
4. I wasn’t focused on my niche
Here’s another big one: I was trying to write about too many topics. I thought casting a wide net would attract more readers, but it had the opposite effect. My content was scattered, and I wasn’t building authority in any one area. So 2025 is all about FOCUSING. On blogging, maling money online, passive income, and using Digital Marketing to increase your
The solution
I took a hard look at my blog and narrowed my focus to FIVE core topics. By focusing on my niche, I was able to create more valuable, targeted content—and attract the right audience.
5. I expected instant results
I’ll admit it: I was chasing overnight success. I thought that if I just put in enough effort, I’d see results right away. So when my income plateaued, I got discouraged and started doubting whether passive income was even possible. I’m the kind of person that dives into a new project 100% and hustle til it works. That’s what happened with my Young Living business: it only took me a month to get $1000 paycheck and 4 months to become a Silver member. Same for other projects I totally dived into. BUT that doesn’t mean it works for everything, especially when i’m not consistent! ah ah!
The solution
I shifted my mindset from “instant results” to “long-term growth.” Building passive income is like planting a garden—it takes time, patience, and consistent effort before you see the fruits of your labor.
Perseverance pays off
The good news? Once I identified these mistakes and made the necessary changes, my passive income streams started growing again. Today, I’m building not just a blog, but a brand—a community of readers, followers, and customers who trust me and support my work.
If you’re feeling stuck in your passive income journey, remember this: it’s not about doing everything perfectly from the start. It’s about learning, growing, and adapting along the way.
Join the conversation
Have you ever hit a wall in your passive income journey? What changes did you make to get back on track? I’d love to hear your story! Drop a comment below or connect with me on Instagram.
And if you’re ready to level up your passive income game, download my free guide: “Generating Passive Income With Blogging ebook”.
