6 Blogging Goals for the New Year

Wednesday 7 January 2015

With over a year under my belt since I started blogging, and three months since I started blogging semi-seriously for anyone other than my mum, I decided over the Christmas break that I would set myself a few Follow Your Sunshine resolutions to stick to this year.


1. Improve my photography skills


A picture really does speak a thousand words, and when you're perusing a blog post, there is nothing more frustrating than beautiful prose being spoilt by substandard, poor quality photos. I have been guilty of this in the past, but now I have my DSLR, I am taking time to learn all the basics such as how to frame, focus and zoom, and what changing the settings from Auto to Manual can do to a photo. I've installed photo editing software on my MacBook, and I'm trying my damned hardest to look as though I 'have the eye' (I definitely don't, but I am enjoying practicing all the same).




2. Don't lose touch with why I started 


When you start to take blogging a little more seriously, it's so easy to lose touch with the passion and gusto you felt with your first few posts when you had no audience and were just writing for yourself, your grandma and that creepy man down the street that somehow got hold of your URL. I'm going to make it my goal to retain this feeling, and my own, unique personality throughout this year. Nobody wants to read a post that's been scraped together because 'it's what everybody else is talking about' or that sounds stilted because the writer is so aware of all the eyes on their content.

3. But do get more organised


For the first time ever, I've bought myself a diary (two actually - one for work), and written stuff in it! I've bought diaries before, which have gathered dust until I've eventually used them for doodles, scrap books or fire kindling. But I've actually managed to write in this one and I've even set up a regular blogging schedule for the first time ever!

This year, my schedule will be as follows:

Mondays: General post about anything and everything that takes my fancy (see point 2)
Wednesdays: 6 things (like this post!)
Fridays: Weekly round-up post
Sundays: Review post

Let's see how long I can keep it up!


4. Look outside of Follow Your Sunshine


It's so easy to get lost in your own little world when you're blogging. However, if you raise your eyes from your Blogger stats for just a moment, you might realise that there's a whole blogging universe out there to be discovered. Chatting with and meeting up with fellow bloggers can be very rewarding as Angie discusses in her latest post about lunch at the Mondrian (we're not all geeks, honest...OK maybe just a bit!). Moreover, if you're able to get involved in a formal blogging network such as Blogging ME or join in regular group posting, such as Kelly, Emma and Rebecca's monthly travel link-up (read my latest post on my 2015 travel aspirations here), then you can really start to feel like part of a community. As soon as I raised my head above the parapet this year, I was faced will all kinds of new opportunities such as an interview and series of guest posts with Funky Qatar Blog, and a collaboration opportunity with The Pearl, Qatar. Now I'm looking ahead to lots of exciting things to come - including a potential biggie (watch this space, it might not come off), but the most exciting thing about all of this is that I'm starting to make some very awesome and inspirational friends through my little blog.

5. It's time for a facelift


2014 was all about making the scary leap from a standard Blogger template to downloading a custom one and making my blog my own. I chose a fairly basic design so that I could customise it, and as a result I mastered some basic coding, but my page looks a little rough around the edges ('shabby chic', darlings). Although I'm rather fond of my hand-painted yellow sun in the corner of my page, I have a few ideas for a whole new, more minimalistic design for this year. I've also purchased my very own URL, I just need to pluck up my courage to get going on it all. If anyone has any useful advice on any of this, then please do drop me a comment at the end of this post! Being a complete newbie, I would be grateful for any tips whatsoever.


6. Write better content


This one is the hardest to master, and yet by far the most important. The one thing that keeps people returning to a blog again and again is engaging, emotive and beautiful writing. I haven't quite made it yet, but if I read constantly, adapt my style to my content, and continue to write only what is of value, then I think I'll be halfway there.



What are your blogging goals for 2015? Is there anything I've missed? 

13 comments:

  1. Oh thank you so much for the lovely mention! You probably saw on that post that my major goal at the moment is improved photography, with my trusty new camera I'm trying to move further and further away from auto mode!!
    Lots of love,
    Angie
    SilverSpoon London

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    1. That's my pleasure Angie! You kinda summed up how I feel about meeting other bloggers. Love the look of that hotel too! Good luck with learning how to use that gorge looking camera of yours. I still freak out when I'm off auto mode! Polly xx

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  2. Definitely need to sort out some of these too! It's so helpful to write them down

    Steph - http://nourishmeclean.blogspot.com

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    1. Definitely. I'll revisit these at the end of the year and see how many I actually stuck to. Polly xx

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  3. I love your blog design so I can't wait to see what you do next!
    Great goals for the year - I have been trying to figure out a posting schedule for myself but haven't found exactly what works for me yet. One of my goals for the year is to get better at taking pictures too!!

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    1. That's a hard one isn't it? I mean as soon as you have a schedule, you're kind of boxing yourself in a bit! Also it means you have to organise your (real) life around your posting! I know plenty of great bloggers who don't stick to a schedule and that seems to work for them! Got to do what feels right. Good luck with the photography, Polly xx

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    2. Ps. Thanks for the kind words about my blog design, I'm so pleased you like it - a lot of hard work went into that!!

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  4. I can totally relate to the diary thing. I get to use mine until February and then just forget about it. Happens every year.

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    1. Haha I'm so glad I'm not the only one whose good intentions fall by the wayside all the time! But rules are made to be broken, right? ;-) Polly xx

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  5. Nice blogging goals, but not easy! I know what you mean about looking outside the blog, I fail so badly at that. Probably it's difficult at the beginning, when you're not in a network yet. I think?
    I bought a diary too this year, actually I built a planner for myself AND started journaling. Does wonders for doing everything and not losing focus on yourself.

    p.s. if you want I just published a post about the new year...not goals, something different! Eithne on the Moon: lifestyle, books and travels!

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    1. Yes I definitely think it takes a bit of time and effort on your part. The best way to start is to find some blogs you love and comment on their posts, engage with them on Twitter, and you will have a network with similar interests in no time! Sorry to hear 2014 wasn't so great for you but sounds as though you've hit 2015 with the right attitude. Have a good one my dear! Polly xx

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    2. Yep. I also recently discovered the Twitter chats, which are amazing for meeting people and discovering new things. At the moment I tried #lbloggers and #bufferchat and I'm really happy about them!
      Let's hope it's the right attitude for the 2015 ;)

      Have a nice day too!

      Eithne on the Moon: lifestyle, books and travels!

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    3. Yes, #lbloggers is great and I follow Buffer on Bloglovin' but haven't joined in the chat yet. I'll give it a go, thanks! Polly xx

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