52 Ways to Take Your Blog to the Next Level

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):

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