After her wedding and honeymoon ended, Julianne Buonocore was searching for a creative outlet to fill the void. With an English minor in college and a lifelong passion for reading and writing, she naturally gravitated toward reviewing books.
“In terms of why books, that was just what I was doing at the time,” Julianne explains. “I’ve always been a very avid reader and writer. But I never did it as a career. I did it always more as a passion and a hobby.”
Before launching her blog, The Literary Lifestyle, Julianne had been writing book reviews for herself in note apps or posting them on Goodreads. She estimates she had “a couple hundred at that point” that she knew she could transfer to a blog.
Learning the SEO Game
Julianne’s introduction to blogging came from an unexpected source—her legal career. While working as an attorney, one of her clients (who later became her husband) owned an e-commerce business based on search engine optimization (SEO).
“I didn’t even know what SEO meant at that time, but because I was representing him, I thought I really needed to dig in and learn about this,” she recalls. “So, I got into listening to podcasts and talking to him about it. I really enjoyed learning about it.”
This knowledge proved invaluable when she decided to launch her own blog. Rather than focusing primarily on social media, she chose to build her audience through SEO strategies.
The Traffic Battle of SEO vs. Social Media
When asked about her traffic sources, Julianne doesn’t hesitate to identify her biggest driver:
“Definitely on my website to this day. Bookstagram is really something that I just do for fun.”
The numbers tell the story. Through search engines like Google, her blog receives anywhere from 200,000 to 800,000 views monthly. By comparison, Instagram (Bookstagram) might bring in around 2,000 views in a good month.
“Bookstagram is a platform that wants its users on its platform,” she explains. “I don’t really know anyone who is getting a ton of blog views from Instagram.”
Navigating Google’s “Unhelpful” Content Update
Despite her SEO success, recent changes to Google’s algorithm have created significant challenges. The “Helpful Content Update” released in late 2023 has been particularly problematic.
“In our industry, the Helpful Content Update has been the absolute worst thing that has ever happened in 20 years of the industry,” Julianne states.
The impact has been so severe that she’s spent the past year and a half rewriting all 600 articles on her site—content that took her five years to create originally. Even with SEO experts helping her, the path forward isn’t clear.
“No one really knows what Google wants right now,” she admits. “I’ve been basing it on user experience. I try to do everything for my users first now.”
Despite the challenges of algorithm changes and AI competition, Julianne remains hopeful for writers and content creators:
“Keep going through it and push through it. Believe in yourself and your writing, keep working, and keep being consistent.”
Diversifying Website Traffic Sources
With the challenges of SEO, Julianne has been diversifying her traffic sources. Pinterest has become her second-largest traffic driver, particularly for trending book series like A Court of Thorns and Roses and Fourth Wing.
“Pinterest is also great for me. It’s not as good as it is for food bloggers, but especially if you’re writing about those really trendy books… those get really good traction on Pinterest.”
Email marketing has also become a significant focus.
“I have about 150 emails set up for different blog posts, and now it’s automatic. When someone joins my email list, every Thursday, they get one new helpful post.”
Her Multiple Revenue Streams
Julianne has developed several revenue streams for her blog:
- Affiliate Marketing
“Affiliate came first because anyone can sign up for an affiliate program (to share affiliate links).”
She uses multiple programs, including Amazon, shop style, and skim links.
- Display Advertising
After building sufficient traffic, she joined ad networks. She started with a “lower-end” network before moving to Mediavine and eventually Raptive. These networks handle all the ads on her site, making it “completely hands-off.”
- Printable Guides
Recognizing readers’ struggles with complex book series like Fourth Wing, Julianne created printable guides and digital products that help readers keep track of characters, locations, and plot elements.
“I did a chapter-by-chapter summary. And every time she said a last name, I would also tell people: This is the first name. This is who it is.”
- Patreon Membership
Most recently, to her income streams, she launched a Patreon membership focused on her popular “Rory Gilmore Book Club.” Members receive benefits like episode guides listing books mentioned in Gilmore Girls episodes, detailed reading lists, and unfiltered book reviews.
Building an Email List of Thousands
Julianne has built an email list of approximately 30,000 subscribers. Her most effective lead magnet? A printable version of the Gilmore Girls reading list.
“By about 8 to 1, the Rory Gilmore checklist is the one that converts the most,” she explains.
She also offers other freebies, such as a list of 100 questions that can be used for any book club discussion.
Current Reads and Recommendations
Currently, Julianne is reading Everyone is Lying to You by Joe Piazza, a local Philadelphia author who writes “dark comedy” about traditional wives.
Her most recent favorite book is Broken Country, a Reese’s Book Club selection that she believes will achieve massive popularity.
“That book just has a little bit of everything for everyone… It’s historical fiction, it’s a love triangle. The writing is very beautiful and feels very literary. It’s also short, quick, and easy to read.”
