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Hey hey! Happy New Year…again! If you were on here yesterday then you know that I set five New Year’s Resolutions for myself. Those were my personal resolutions and today I wanted to share my bloggy related resolutions with you. I usually just lump all of my resolutions (personal and blog) into one post but I wanted to separate them this year and maybe they will seem more attainable? We shall see!
I feel like 2017 was a good year for blogging. I completed my third year as a Central Arkansas McDonald’s Brand Ambassador, I got free BOTOX, I got to work with a lot of different brands, I delved into “fashion” blogging (quotes because I’m not sure it was fashion blogging, maybe more like style blogging??), I made a little money and I met and got to work with some amazing people!
I have always had “goals” for my blog but I have never actually sat down and defined them before. I know one thing bloggers always hear at conferences is to “define your end game” and “define your blog’s mission statement” and to work to “define your niche”, blah blah blah…but I have never really done that. I have always called myself a lifestyle blogger and thought I had no niche and therefore didn’t think I needed a mission statement or goals for my blog. I have just blogged about whatever, whenever and that has worked so far for me but this year I want to really pinpoint where my blog will be in the future and I think in order to do that I need to set some true blog “goals”/resolutions and try my best to work towards them!
So let’s see my what my blog resolutions for 2018 are…
…warning, this list may get long. HA!
ONE. Work on more fashion/style posts. I love seeing what other people are wearing and I got really good feedback from the couple of fashion/style posts I did this year so that’s something I want to do more of in 2018. I actually have a series I am working on that I can’t wait to share with you!!
TWO. Video. Yep, just one word, video. I don’t know why but video intimidates me so much for some reason?! I got the iPhone X right before Christmas and I am obsessed with the camera quality on it so I may just have to force myself to get over my irrational fear of video and make a few for you guys!! Fingers crossed!
THREE. SEO. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is something every blogger needs to work on in order to get noticed by Google and I have made it a priority to work on optimizing my site this year. I already purchased a course on SEO optimization and now I jut need to do it! Again, fingers crossed!
FOUR. Google Analytics Certification. If you know anything about blogging then you know that Google Analytics is the gold standard in blog statistics. I feel like I know a lot about it already but I want to get better and I think that challenging myself to get the certification will be fun! We shall see…
FIVE. Headshots. I am HUGE fan of selfies and have always used selfies as my blog and social media headshots but I think I want to step up my game and get professional headshots done. For someone who loves a good selfie as much as I do for some reason I feel super awkward in front of a camera (not held in my hand) so this will be interesting. Luckily I have found an amazing photographer and talked to her so I need to get on this soon!!
SIX. Repurpose old blog posts. I have already been doing this some but I really want to get on it and finish it up. I’m not rewriting any old posts but just going in and cleaning them up…getting rid of crappy pictures, resizing photos that are too small, creating “hero” images and Pinterest images, taking better food photos for old recipe posts and rewriting old recipes with my recipe plugin, etc.
SEVEN. Instagram. I want to really grow my Instagram account this year. I have already been working on this a little bit this year, Instagram is complicated with all of it’s algorithm changes!! I did a couple of loop giveaways, I cleaned out bot followers and started using my stories more (I keep forgetting about that feature! HA!) but I want to really up my IG game in 2018 and hit at least 10K followers!!
EIGHT. Facebook. Y’all. WHY Is Facebook so hard to grow?? I feel like I have really good engagement from most of my posts but I really want to hit 3K in 2018.
NINE. Pinterest. I LOVE me some Pinterest and I took an online Pinterest course this past year and I really need to implement the things I learned. I have all of these notes that I took during the course and now I just need to carve out a little time and really do them!
TEN. Pageviews. My goal for 2018 is to double my pageveiws for my blog. I tried last year and didn’t quite make it but I have been on an upswing lately so I know I can’ do it if I put my mind to it!!
So there you have it, my blog resolutions for 2018. A long list but it all can be done if I put my mind to it!
Do you have any resolutions for your blog??
What is one blogging goal that you want to accomplish this year??
I need to go back and retake photos, etc of some of those first posts – talk about embarrassing! As far as social media, I want to grow my Instagram more this year. You have some great goals and I hope you meet them all.
I don’t do selfies, but I really do need a good head-shot done. I am going to try to get one done a little later this winter.
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions but I do believe in goals. I have a lot of seo work to do on my site as well.
I don’t do resolutions but goals. Most of these blog goals are for me too. Videos are at the top of my list – along with growing page views.
Sounds like you have a really good map to follow for this year. I am not a big fan of videos myself and I know I need to get into them.
I am so with you on video it really intimidates me as well – I have no idea why. If I try I suddenly get a stutter and my mind goes blank. It is something I would love to work on though perhaps one day.
Good luck with all your goals.
Happy New Year Ricci. I have a few blog goals this year and the primary being making the jump from blogger to self-hosted. I’ve had my blogspot blog for nearly 10 years and I’ve tossed around the idea of making the jump before but didn’t do it thinking I’d want to change my blog name or this reason or that reason. However, this is the year. I also want to connect with fellow bloggers in my state. Yep, I’m here in Central Arkansas and we’ve never met. There are quite a few of us and we definitely need to get together to support each other and network.
I am right here with you on these goals. I know video is the thing that is taking off in blogging and it intimidates me too! I have to figure it out and lay out a game plan for it. Last year my blogging took a back seat because we moved twice….this year, it needs to take off or I need to find something else to do with my life! LOL! Happy New Year!!
Setting goals is a wonderful thing to do. Just don’t set so many you can’t accomplish all of them. Sounds like you really want to learn more about how to make your blog all that much better.
These are great goals. I have a lot of projects I want to do with my blog, but it is mostly a matter of time as far as actually getting around to them. That’s great you have done so much with your blog and are taking courses and certifications.
Facebook is so hard to grow! I agree. I also heard that they will take all business and blog posts and put them in a new section, like the marketplace, making it even harder to reach our audience.
I too am so bad at setting bloggy related goals too but this year I am working heavily on my Pinterest, good luck with your goals
I have been saying for ages that I want to get into doing video. I really need to set up some plans for it this year.
You have done a great job with your blog in 2017. Nice to see that you have set ambitious goals for 2018 too. I am sure you would be scaling new heights in the new year.
I’m with you on 2, 3, 4 (ultimate dream), 6, 7 is a constant for me, and 9. I’d like to grow my Pinterest following more.
I love your blogging goals. I’m currently going through and refreshing old posts and deleting old ones that I don’t love. I never knew that it would take so much time!
I don’t understand the algorithm with IG period. I do enjoy posting . I have been trying to reach 2 thou followers but seems impossible. Good luck on your plan.
The more interaction you receive on your social media the more traffic you receive on your blog. But it required so much of your personal time and energy. It is good if you don’t have a full time job outside home. This post makes me open minded about it.