HOW TO GROW YOUR BLOG THROUGH GOALS + BLOG PLANNING SHEETS

monthly goals planning sheet, action plan sheet, and stats tracking sheet

How does one truly grow a blog?  It is not an easy feat as some others would like you to believe.  It does take some work, planning, writing content that you enjoy to write and is of value to your readers, oh yeah, and a little bit of luck.  I started this blog in September on WordPress but have been slowly growing for 2 years.  Not crazy big growing just hobby blogging growing.  I did try to set goals last year Blogging Goals for 2015 and in looking at my post again well I guess somethings worked and others I still have a lot to learn. Here is a review of 2015 and a look ahead to 2016. This post does contain affiliate links but I only share links that I have used myself.  You can read my full Disclosure Policy Here.

A review of what worked in 2015:

1. I did write more consistently last year and I even had 2 posts featured over on BlogHer.  Both posts were about my blogging experience What a Mouse Can Teach About Overcoming Writers Block and Tips for the Summer Blogging Slump.  This was very exciting for me!  Keep Calm and Write On! Blogging is popular topic as more and more people try it out.  I will have to do more blogging posts.

2.  All of my social media channels have grown over the last year and the key with any of them was engagement.  One channel I particularly focused on was improving my Pinterest account.  Its no secret the kind of numbers Pinterest can bring to your blog and increase page views.  It can become your number 1 referral so in order to help me understand how to do that I took the Pinning Perfect e-course .  In the course you learn about rearranging, renaming, and the advantage of secret boards pin boards plus how to analytics of your pins.  How to create compelling pin images and descriptions and how to optimize your blog for Pinterest.  The course also offers a private Facebook group to help you trouble shoot problems as you are learning.  With any social media channel it is all about engagement, helping and sharing with each other.

Blog Clarity Courses

3.  I held my first couple of giveaways.  I had one for my 2nd blogiversary as well as for books I reviewed.  And that was a lot of fun!  Definitely would like to hold more of those this year.

4.  It wasn’t on my list but improving my picture taking for the blog and photo editing was something I worked on a lot last year.  Last January I splurged for the first time on my blog and bought the Royal Upgrade to PicMonkey.  I use them for all of my photo editing as well printable/sticker creations. Such as my Halloween Planner Stickers and Free Printables.  This whole page was created using PicMonkeyplanner stickers erin condren

What didn’t work in 2015:

  1. I didn’t really work on growing my email list or subscribers last year,  not until I switched over to the WordPress blog in September.  But even since then I haven’t had a clear plan on how to grow email lists and according to those in the blogging know they say your email list is everything.
  2. Hosting a linkup didn’t work either.  I did figure out how to technically hold one just no one added their link.  I most likely didn’t promote my linkup very well as no one really knew about it. I will have to try again this year.  If you are reading this and are interested in also beginning to host a linkup where we can share posts on a certain topic then just send me a note saying hey, I’m interested in growing my numbers as well and maybe we can work together to help each other out.

It is not a easy transition hobby blog to professional blog to make some money.  Don’t let anyone kid you that it is super easy.  You will be working but if you are like me and love learning how to do anything better then getting into blogging for the long haul might just be for you.  Ask yourself what and where do you see your blog going? I asked myself where I want the blog to be in 3 months? And then in 6 months? 9 months and then 1 year, by 2017? A 3 month plan I’m hoping will keep me focused on small goals that are attainable.  As I come from a teaching background I know that my goals are there to keep me motivated, growing and learning. If I don’t reach a goal I must reassess the goal and how it is measured or how to help  successfully achieve it.

In order to help me with creating and planning my goals I of course scoured the blogging sites for those tips or tricks.  Here are some great posts to get you started on setting your own blogging goals for a year.

+Setting Attainable Blogging Goals Over on The Sits Girls

+5 Steps To Stick To Your Blogging Goals on The Sits Girls

+New Years Resolution Blogging Tips found over at Coschedule.com

MY VISION FOR MY BLOG

My main vision for this blog is to be a source of inspiration for anyone who would like a space to hang out to find encouragement for their life. I would like to support and encourage women or men in whatever shape or form that may take. I have chosen this as it is the same journey I am currently one as well. I’m beginning to navigate my mid-life waters now that I’m turning 40 and believe I have a lot to discover about myself and what I still have left in me to accomplish. Do you feel the same? But don’t know where to start? I have always had a passion for helping people and sharing my knowledge. But where does one start in reigniting their life, soul or purpose? If you are like me and have wandered off your path and are beating back the underbrush to get back to where you need to be then you are in the right place and that will be my overarching vision.

This year and beginning in January I would like to focus on building more of a community of like minded individuals who find themselves at a point in their life where you would like to revive, or reignite your passion, your house, your creativity, your relationships, your style/wardrobe, or some other aspect of your life. You can read about my word ReViVe here. I hope to provide tips and tricks or just encouragement along the way as I also travel the same road. And don’t forget about books. Writing and books are my life and passion as well so I will continue to share my love of children’s books as well as more of the books I read that are companions on my journey. My intent is to grow my email newsletter subscribers and it will be those individuals who I share my journey with on a more personal level as well as goodies I create that newsletter subscribers will only have access too.

Where do I want my blog to be in 3 months?

1. A healthy start to a newsletter subscriber list. I’m not really sure what is achievable so I will set 25 email subscribers as a goal by the end of March.
2. Grow my monthly page views each month. Currently I’m at about 2,000 page views a month.  End of January 3,000. February 4,000 and March 5,000. *Most ad networking groups look for at least 10,000 page views a month*

Here are my January’s Big 5

  1. Increase email subscribers by 5 this month to begin.
  2. Write More Consistently (2 posts a week)
  3. Grow Social Media Numbers (focus on 1):  Twitter will be my focus for January – Currently 2,744.  Goal is to reach 3,000 by end of January. Go ahead follow me at @adalinc3
  4. Create 2 youtube video posts this month. One being the channel trailer. You can find my Youtube Channel here.
  5. Create 1 post tutorial with affiliate link.

Now the tricky part, how to accomplish and make these happen.  Gotta have a plan!

Action Plan:

  1. Engage more on Twitter and participate in twitter parties.
  2. Create More Home Printables or Planner Stickers.
  3. Create a tutorial/youtube video post about organizing/reviving my house.
  4. Participate in linkups/bloghops and comment on blogs more.
  5. Create an editorial blog calendar to write more consistently.

Phew….  Oh yeah, and to keep me on track I created these monthly blogging goals, action plan and tracking sheets to help me out.  If you sign up now for my email list I will send you these sheets for each month.  I have the monthly goals sheet for the whole year ready to go each with a different quote.

how to grow a blog with a monthly goals sheet
how to grow a blog with a action plan sheet

how to grow a blog with a stats monthly tracker

 

 

blog planning sheets

So if you like these and want them sent directly to your email each month don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter.

Cheers,

Bonnie New Signature

 

 

 

Bonnie Dani

Educator, Writer, Blogger, Mom

Contact Me: [email protected]