The Blogging Brew

Life & Blogging

Blogging Resolutions For 2016

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The new year is less than a month away, and I’m already thinking about how I want to make 2016 the best year yet! I’ve got all sorts of plans for myself, from travel destinations to college goals, but I also have a ton of ideas for my blog. I want to start the new year with a plan in mind of how to grow my blog more than ever before, so here are a few of my blogging resolutions and other ways to prepare your blog for the new year!

Preparing Your Blog For The New Year

  • analyze which topics you covered this year, and how your audience responded to them
  • write down your most-viewed posts for the year and why you think they did so well
  • come up with a list of posts you absolutely want to create next year
  • figure out which social media platforms you received the most traffic from, and how you can replicate that success on the others
  • write down anything you wish you’d changed about your blog, but never had the time to
  • think about whether this is the year to make a big change to your blog (new design? complete rebrand?)
  • reestablish who your audience is and figure out if you’re really gearing your posts towards their interests
  • decide whether your post images are grasping people’s attention, and if not, brainstorm some new designs!
  • look over your social media profiles to see if they’re cohesive and speak to your brand

Blogging Resolutions

  • invest in a great design that you can’t take your eyes off of
  • learn a new skill that can be applied to your blog (graphic design, coding, creative writing)
  • commit to a blogging schedule that works for you, even if it’s just a day a week
  • take more pictures to use on your blog in place of stock photos
  • start a big project that’s connected to your blog (write an e-book, open up a shop, design blogs)
  • create an email list if you don’t already have one (I still don’t!)
  • clean up your sidebar/footer if it’s getting cluttered by making all of your images the same width and removing any unnecessary sections
  • write more engaging posts that keep your readers wanting more
  • organize your navigation bar and remove any unnecessary links
  • update your blog/social media profiles with a more recent picture of yourself
  • set aside some time for yourself this year away from your blog!
  • start monetizing your blog, or revamp your current monetization strategy
  • update your about page (you’ve probably changed a lot over the year!)

Do you have any big plans for your blog in 2016? Share them below!

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  • http://www.sedivaabroad.com Sarah Elizabeth || SEDiva Abroad

    Great ideas xx I love doing up business plans like this for the new year. So many big things happening in 2016!!

    • http://thebloggingbrew.com jessicaslaughter

      Thank you! Me too, I love starting the new year with a plan so I don’t end up a month in with nothing done!

  • http://ellapintoo.blogspot.com Ella Pinto

    I’ve said this once, I’ll say it again: your blog is like a mine gold – you always end up finding more than you ought to.

    You’re an amazing writer, and this blogpost just comes to show that. How organized you are and how down to earth you sound when you write is an inspiration.

    I’ve had your blogging tips on my mind since I came across your blog, and I do hope to put them to work soon enough.

    Anyway – back to this post. I absolutely agree with you! I’m not actually one to make resolutions every time a new year comes around, I’m a firm believer in the ‘now’, but I like planning, and I like being organized and knowing what I’m going to do and why, and this illustrates and translates exactly to what I want to do in 2016.

    I do want to plan out more blog posts, just as I want to invest and be more around on social media. And update more often by staying on a schedule.

    Thank you for yet again, a brilliant post.

    • http://thebloggingbrew.com jessicaslaughter

      Thank you so much! I’m so glad you’ve found my blog helpful, that’s my whole intention with it! If you ever have a question about blogging that you’d like me to make a post about, feel free to message me!

      I’m kind of the same, I don’t usually make resolutions for myself, but I love getting a plan together for my blog and school! I hope your new year goes well! :)

  • http://shewhodesignsblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Sophie

    Another brilliant post!

    • http://shewhodesignsblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Sophie

      *I accidentally pressed send…*
      My blog is very new and so I’ve been really thinking about where I want my blog to go in 2016.
      P.S. Is it really nearly 2016? Gosh, I feel like it was just yesterday I was saying happy new year 2015!

      • http://thebloggingbrew.com jessicaslaughter

        Thank you! And this is the perfect time to start thinking about that! You’ll be able to start the new year fresh with a whole plan in mind for where your blog is headed :) Good luck!

  • http://www.byrosanna.co.uk Anna

    Love these tips! Looking forward to getting organised in 2016 for my blog & business :)

    Anna
    http://www.byrosanna.co.uk

    • http://thebloggingbrew.com jessicaslaughter

      Thank you! I hope you have a great new year and good luck with your blog and business! :)

  • Ois

    Wow!! I’m a ‘one month in age’ blogger and today I learned many things from reading your blog. Looking forward to making a new blog as a reflection of my self, start from the New Year fireworks.
    It was a blog of me as a teacher. Putting as many resources as I could, attempting to provide a condition in which my student can learn. Now I’m going to make one for me as a human being.