52 Ways to Take Your Blog to the Next Level

52 Ways to Take your blog to the next level #creativeblogtalk

It’s Creative Blog Talk time again – where we are taking a brief break from crafting to go behind the scenes to share blogging tips and inspiration. It’s also a NEW year and the perfect time to take your blog to the next level.

Many of the items on the list may seem common sense but unless we take action – the results are fleeting. In aggregate, the list is really overwhelming but definitely manageable if broken into smaller weekly tasks.

Challenge yourself today to knock off one item on the list every week.

If you already have an area mastered, pat yourself on the back but also review if a refresher is needed for the new year.

Weekly Challenge Checklist (pick your own sequence):

  1. Reset your blog goals for the new year
  2. Set up a tracking sheet to capture traffic and social media metrics (at least monthly)
  3. Clean your office (purge, file, label)
  4. Organize your crafting supplies
  5. Prepare for taxes – Summarize your 2014 revenue and expenses
  6. Update your blog layout
  7. Improve your photography skills – take an online course
  8. Register your DBA (Doing Business As) name
  9. Create a new routine for focused blog time (when and where?)
  10. Create a new routine for managing social media amplification (focused and finite time)
  11. Create a new routine for engaging in private Facebook groups (limited but focused time)
  12. Review your hosting plan to see if it can seamlessly scale with your growth
  13. Set up your cash flow forecast (track recurring expenses vs. timing of incoming payments)
  14. Set up your small business accounting software (see past post #1 for intro or post #2 for setup)
  15. Review your Twitter followers (follow or unfollow) and update your profile description
  16. Update your photo sharing, disclosure, privacy policies
  17. Take new headshots
  18. Schedule out relevant blog conferences to attend in the new year
  19. Develop your targeted Brand list (Who do you want to work with? Engage with them on social media to start)
  20. Schedule out your editorial calendar for the next 2 months (and set up cadence to review every month for the upcoming 2 months)
  21. Update business cards
  22. Update your Twitter lists & Hootsuite streams
  23. Set up (or update) your email subscription capture and distribution settings
  24. Create a new Freemium for email subscribers
  25. Trademark your name (or review to see if existing Trademark still covers your branding)
  26. Update your About Me/About Us page
  27. Upgrade your equipment (photography/video, lighting)
  28. Incorporate video blogging into your posts
  29. Enlist guest authors to post to expand audience and balance your time
  30. Guest post on other sites to expand audience
  31. Prepare/update your media kit
  32. Interview and engage technical consultants to be available on call when needed
  33. Set up IFTTT automation
  34. Try Elance or Fiverr
  35. Brainstorm new revenue streams
  36. Outline your book
  37. Prepare your social media policy
  38. Enlist the assistance of a virtual assistant for social media amplification
  39. Meet with your Tribe (in real life)
  40. Add or update a General Business Liability insurance policy
  41. Evaluate the need to incorporate (depending on income and asset protection needed)
  42. Focus on increasing Bloglovin’ followers
  43. Focus on increasing Facebook followers
  44. Engage in a new Brand Ambassador relationship
  45. Reeducate yourself on SEO optimization and tools
  46. Apply to blogger networks or re-engage (see sidebar of our Homepage for examples)
  47. Set up a Press Page – including ‘As Seen On’ highlights and contact information for media kits
  48. Create an ebook for sale
  49. Analyze your Google Analytics and discover what’s most popular with your audience
  50. Research the latest wordpress plugins or apps to help make your blogging life easier
  51. Set up your business checking account (or review features of an existing account)
  52. Clean up your sidebar

One goal per week. You can do this!!!

Grab your 52 Ways to Take Your Blog to the Next Level Checklist Printable. Download, print out and start checking off your list!

Each of these tasks can be expanded to a blog post in itself. Your feedback (comment below or Tweet #CreativeBlogTalk) will influence how we tackle these topics through the next year. What would you like us to do a deep dive on?  You can comment below or fill out our Creative Blog Talk Series form. We will continue the series here, but also send exclusive content directly to #CreativeBlogTalk subscribers. Sign up here for free.

Follow Up:

We tried our first Fiverr engagement (#34 on the list). Check out the results from a 10 minute investment submitting requirements and $5 base + extra $10 to add in the images and background. This was a fun fast investment and shows the power of getting a little help.

Be sure to catch up on our past posts:

Blogging Tips for Creative Bloggers

crafty is contagious

 

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