My 2016 blogging goals

Happy new year!

I can not believe it is 2016, where did last year go? I hope you all had fun celebrating New Years Eve last night. Oli and I had a curry, drank prossecco and watched a film. I passed out on the sofa at 11.45 but Oli woke me up in time to see the new year in.

January 1st is usually the day where I write a list of new years resolutions. You know, eat less chocolate, exercise more, be more positive, the usual stuff. I rarely ever stick these though, I eat healthy for a week or two or whatever but it is not long before I just give up and slip back in to my old ways.

So, this year, instead of wasting my time writing a list of resolutions that are doomed from the start, I am going to write a list of what I want to achieve from my blog in 2016.
I think I am more likely to stick to these as I really want my blog to do well this year. I put a lot of my time in to blogging and having this list of goals to achieve will help me focus and make my little blog a success, hopefully.

My 2016 blogging goals…

1. Take better photographs – I love taking pictures for my blog and would love to learn more about framing and other photography techniques. I need to stop using my phone and instead use my camera, there is only so much you can do with a camera phone and sometimes my pictures look a bit blurry. The blogging world is more visual than I first thought and I don’t want my images letting my posts down.

2. Grow my audience – This applies to my page views and followers on my social media channels. My twitter account seems to gain followers with very little effort which is great, one less thing for me to do. However, my Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and G+ accounts only have a small following and I am struggling to boost my audience here. I need to set time aside each week to focus 100% of my online time on my social media channels. Hopefully, as these accounts start to grow so will my blog page views.

3. Work with other bloggers – I would love to help co-host a linky, collaborate on a series with another blogger or write a guest post on one of the blogs I love. Since starting my blog last March I have got to know so many amazing people and would love the chance to work with some of them this year.

4. Comments – Comments make me so happy. If you have ever commented on any of my posts, thank you, it means so much. I am pretty rubbish at writing back, I always do but sometimes it takes me weeks to get around to it. From now on I am going to write back to someone as soon as I see their comment, that way I won’t have to spend whole evenings trying to catch up.

5, Reach out to brands – So far I have only written two sponsored posts on my blog. This is fine as I don’t desperately want or need my blog to be making money. However, I really enjoyed writing these posts and a bit of extra cash never hurt anyone. The 2 companies I worked with contacted me initially, I am yet to make the first move. This year I plan to put myself out there, reach out to some brands I love and just see what happens. The worst thing they can do is say they are not interested.

6. Be more organised – At the minute I have no real blogging schedule. I blog when I want, sometimes only once a week and other times I blog every day for a week. I have bought myself a diary, specifically for my blog and I am going to plan and write posts in advance and publish posts on the same day each week. I am hoping to manage my online time more effectively so I don’t find myself frantically typing the night away when I realise I haven’t published anything in over a week.

7. Do what makes me happy – My final goal is the most important. Yes I want more people to read my blog and all the rest but I don’t want my blog to take over my whole life. Sometimes I worry I spend too much time on my phone/laptop and that is time taken away from Leo. Although I mostly blog while he is sleeping, sometimes the list of jobs can’t help but overlap with the hours while Leo is awake. I need to know it is ok to take a break, if trying to keep up with social media as well as writing posts is stressing me out and making me unhappy, then I have lost the true reason why I blog. Blogging is a hobby I love because I love to write, if all the other things start to dwindle my passion then I want to make sure I take a break. Yes stats are important to me but keeping my love of writing and spending uninterrupted time with my family is more so.

Do you have any blogging goals for 2016? Or are you happy with your blogging life as it is? I would love to know. I am hoping I will be able to achieve all of mine.

A Cornish Mum

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38 Comments

  1. Kay MummysBlog
    January 1, 2016 / 11:57 am

    Great goals, especially number 7, I think it's far too easy to get wrapped up in blogging, but it's so important to find a good balance. Happy New Year! x
    #The List

  2. January 1, 2016 / 1:09 pm

    I nodded along to all of these we have many shared goals and I agree totally with 7 it has been good to have a break over Christmas and put down the iPad and focus 100% on my family. I tend to get a bit carried away at times. I am also trying to be more organized and have scheduled a lot of my regular posts up front as I want to focus more on my posts about autism awareness I know this is the direction I want to take now. Happy New Year!

  3. January 1, 2016 / 7:19 pm

    I totally agree. Finding a blog/life balance is actually more difficult than I thought it would be. Definitely going to try and stay away from the phone a bit more this year. Happy new year to you too xx

  4. January 1, 2016 / 7:21 pm

    I think lots of us bloggers share similar goals. Yes! Having a break over Christmas has been so good, I have hardly been online at all, back to it now though. It is good you know where your blog is going and what you want to focus on. Happy new year!xx

  5. Leandra Bramham
    January 1, 2016 / 7:53 pm

    Fantastic list, good luck in 2016 🙂 #thelist

  6. January 1, 2016 / 10:49 pm

    Fab list!
    With the comments I find that if I plan it in for when I post then I remember, so every time I publish a new post I go back and reply to every comment I've received since I last published if that makes sense?
    AliceMegan

  7. Baby Isabella
    January 1, 2016 / 11:10 pm

    Great list. We blog for a hobby and try not to let it take over our lives. It's nice to get comments and we'd like to increase our FB following as we seem to struggle in that area x #TheList x

  8. January 2, 2016 / 10:58 pm

    yep, your goals pretty much sum up everything I want to achieve in 2016 too. Hope we both get to tick them off. #PicknMix popping over from Mummy 2 Monkeys xxx

  9. One Dizzy Bee
    January 4, 2016 / 4:37 pm

    Love this list! Mine is very similar except the first six tire me out so much I had to add another – Napping! 🙂 Wish you all the best in 2016 and beyond.

  10. January 4, 2016 / 5:04 pm

    Great goals. I need to do most!
    The last one is great.
    All the best for 2016 x

  11. January 4, 2016 / 9:03 pm

    Thank you 🙂 xx

  12. January 4, 2016 / 9:05 pm

    That's a good idea, I will have to try it. I have just been commenting back sporadically and it is not really working, I find comments months later that I have forgotten to reply to. I think I am going to try it your way for a while and see if that helps xx

  13. January 4, 2016 / 9:07 pm

    It is so hard to get likes on Facebook isn't it?! Yes, I agree, I definitely don't want my blog to take over my life xx

  14. January 4, 2016 / 9:07 pm

    I hope we do too. Good luck 🙂 xx

  15. January 4, 2016 / 9:08 pm

    A good nap never hurt anyone :). Thank you and good luck with achieving your goals too, you can do it!xx

  16. January 4, 2016 / 9:09 pm

    Thank you. Yes the last one is my favourite one, there is no point blogging if it stops making me happy. Happy new year xx

  17. A Cornish Mum Blog
    January 6, 2016 / 12:15 am

    Pretty much all of these are my blog goals this year as well 🙂 Good luck with them all! Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix lovely,

    Stevie x

  18. Aby Moore
    January 6, 2016 / 10:09 pm

    Fab goals huni, being happy is the most important thing. Thanks for linking up to #TheList x

  19. January 7, 2016 / 4:57 pm

    Good luck to you too! Thanks for hosting xx

  20. January 7, 2016 / 4:58 pm

    Thanks Aby 🙂 xx

  21. Mudpie Fridays
    January 8, 2016 / 7:55 am

    Great goals … I still need to write mine! I know what you meant about comments but I get so far behind I don't know where to start. I wanted to catch up over Christmas but ran out of time. Wishing you all the best for 2016 I am sure you will achieve everything you have set out to do.

  22. January 9, 2016 / 8:05 am

    That was my plan too! I feel bad not writing back to every when they've gone to effort to comment but sometimes there just isn't enough time to get all the blogging jobs done, is there? Hope you achieve all your goals too!xx

  23. January 10, 2016 / 9:29 am

    I am always trying to be more organised with my blog! I'm with you there 🙂 I have found a separate blog planner does help. Comments can be really hard to keep up with some days, I know the feeling, but as a blog reader I love getting replies to my comments so I know they are important. Good luck with your goals 🙂 #kcacols

  24. Mudpie Fridays
    January 10, 2016 / 9:38 am

    I have not yet done my goals for 2016! I know I want to grow my social media although Ive not written down targets yet. I also think getting more organised is a must. I am rubbish with comments. Good luck with your goals and blog in 2016 #AnythingGoes

  25. January 10, 2016 / 10:15 am

    Great list 🙂 I want to make my social media a bit more attractive and try and up my numbers too. My other resolution was to do some guest posts; I've written a few this week and they've been really fun. x #KCACOLS

  26. January 10, 2016 / 10:42 am

    Great goals! I haven't really made any blogging goals this year… I'm just going to take it as it comes and enjoy! Best of luck with your goals! #KCACOLS

  27. January 10, 2016 / 11:45 am

    Great list of blogging goals. I hope you manage to achieve them all. Finding a balance between blogging and everyday life can really be a struggle. I often find myself wondering how all these great bloggers find the time. *Do they have a magic wand or something?* hmmm. As for writing a post up in advance gosh i even struggle with that.lol Good luck hon and make sure you stick to number 7 as that's really important. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday. xx #KCACOLS

  28. January 10, 2016 / 10:58 pm

    Great post. Definitely important to have a balance as time issues can be a nightmare. Well done on working with 2 brands. Id love to do that this year. I've liked your twitter & instagram to help your goals. Just for info your Google + button wouldn't connect. #kcacols lifeinthemumslane

  29. Angela Milnes
    January 11, 2016 / 5:38 am

    These are fab goals to have and i think working with other bloggers would be great! it can really help you. Angela popping over from KCAKOLS

  30. January 11, 2016 / 3:01 pm

    Yes, I am all about the blog planner, I don't know how I coped before I started using a diary to help keep things organised. I hope you manage to feel more organised this year too. I love it when other bloggers reply to my comments too, that's why I want to make sure I always write back. Thank you for the good luck!xx

  31. January 11, 2016 / 3:02 pm

    Thank you! Good luck with yours too, lots of people seem to want to improve their social media stats and get more organised it seems, glad I am not the only one who struggles with this. Hope 2016 is a great year for you xx

  32. January 11, 2016 / 3:03 pm

    Go you, well done on your guest posts. I would love to write some too but don't even know where/how to start! Any tips? :). Good luck with your goals xx

  33. Scandi Mummy
    January 12, 2016 / 9:00 am

    Great goals for 2016, and I can relate to so many of them. I would also like to collaborate more with other bloggers. Wishing you good luck with them all! #KCACOLS

    Nadia – ScandiMummy x

  34. January 12, 2016 / 7:38 pm

    Taking it as it comes is a great approach to blogging, I just know if I don't have any goals to work towards I won't stay organised or keep working hard. I love to be able to tick stuff off a list and see what I have achieved. Thanks for the good luck, I hope you have a great year xx

  35. January 12, 2016 / 7:40 pm

    Thank you lovely. I often think that too, all these bloggers who blog every day and have thousands of followers AND work full time..how the hell do they do it? The blog/life balance is really difficult, if I only achieve one goal I want it to be number 7.xx

  36. January 12, 2016 / 7:41 pm

    Hopefully you will get the opportunity to work with brands this year. Thank you for following. Eek, I better try and fix my G= button, that is going to be fun! Thanks for letting me know xx

  37. January 12, 2016 / 7:42 pm

    Thank you. I really hope I get the chance to work with other bloggers, I love the blogging community and want to get as involved as I can.xx

  38. January 12, 2016 / 7:43 pm

    Thank you. Good luck to you in 2016 too, hopefully we will both get to collaborate with other bloggers xx