Happy November, this time next month I’ll be thinking about getting my Christmas tree up :). October was a quieter month on the blog in general, but that’s ok as I had a lot going on in my personal life with my son’s birthday and my husband getting a new job. I’m still really pleased with how things are going, and just generally enjoying being part of the blogging world. I’m starting to plan for Christmas, which is awesome as it’s one of my favourite times of the year.
Top Posts
- Children’s Book Review & Competition: Through the Fairy Door by Elaine and Laura Nelson
- Lovely Things October 15
- My Daughter Still Doesn’t Sleep Through The Night – Is It Time to Change Things?
- Hello Party Personalised Party Decorations Review and Giveaway
- Banish the 5p Carrier Bag Blues With These Fab Shoppers
Top Things That Have Made Me Happy
- I went to my first every blogging conference – Blog on Win. Which was awesome.
- I had been having a drop for the last 2/3 months in my page views, but they went up again last month – hurrah.
- I am really pleased with the growth in my social media once more following has grown from 460 to 520 on Facebook, from 4000 to 4400 on Twitter and by another hundred to 700 on Instagram – which has been a hundred per month for the last two months, which is rather exciting.
- I have moved up 9 places on the Tots100 after a couple of months of drops in score.
- I have had a lovely Christmas banner designed for the blog – you will have to wait until December to see it though! And some snazzy social media buttons too, which are now live. What do you think?
- My new project with Angela from Daysinbed.com has now gone live. Kids Love to Read which is a monthly linky about encouraging children to read, if you haven’t already it would be fab if you linked up (3rd Monday of every month).
- I have finally got my guest post written for Donna from What The Redhead Said, I shall let you know when it’s live.
- I’ve worked with some lovely brands once more, Scholl, Hello Party and Povey bags.
- Finally I have booked my ticket to go to Blogfest and I can’t wait! I am particularly looking forward to chatting to some of the lovely bloggers I chat to regularly.
- Actually in retrospect maybe it wasn’t that much of a quieter month?!
Things To Focus on in November
I have decided to be realistic about what I can achieve over the next couple of months with Christmas approaching. So I am only going to focus on a couple of things, and make sure I enjoy the awesome time of year with my family at the same time.
- Carry on growing my social media following.
- Organise some lovely festive content for the blog.
- I have started to get a little bit ahead with content and I would like this to continue so in particular Christmas is an organised and not a stressful time.
How about you, how was your October and what are your blogging plans? xxx
I really like reading other people’a progress and plans for their blogs. I’ve written myself my first weekly blog to do list to try and make tiny steps to grow my blog. My achievement this month was sorting my theme – thank you for the advice that made it happen!
You’re so welcome and it looks great! x
I want to see the christmas banner now!! You are teasing us lol!!
You’ve done so well growing your following, well done lovely 🙂 I can’t wait to read your festive posts 🙂
Gemma xx
Thanks you Gemma and I’ll send it to you for a peak 😉
Well if that’s a quiet month, I dread what a busy month is like ???? can’t wait to see the Christmas banner! What a fab idea! I like the round up posts, I may have to start doing one too! I bet it’s great to look back on xx
Ha ha I know I thought it was a quiet month until I started writing it all down 🙂
This sounds like a good month. Our #KLTR linky went well 🙂 I’m glad your going to blogfest- do enjoy and i hope to hear all about it when you return! Fingers crossed you have a great November!
I think it went well too 🙂 I will do a post after Blogfest and let you know x
I love reading these and writing my own goals. I’m glad things have picked up again for you. I’m looking forward to seeing the Christmas banner. I’d love to do seasonal banners too but I’d get so carried away and spend hours/days making them. I love your social media buttons and the new linky with Angela sounds great, I’ll definitely be linking up with you for that. xx
Thanks Chloe – yes there is always something creatively you can tweak on the blog isn’t there? Even now I’m thinking of things to add in the new year! Look forward to you linking up 🙂
What a month!! Definitely not a quiet one!! LOL You have done a lot. Well done with all the improvement with your social media. I know how hard it is to get followers so you are doing fantastic plus your blog is amazing!! I love it!! I’m so looking forward to meet you at BlogFest. I think I’m more excited to do that than the actual event!! LOL. I can’t wait to see your Christmas banner now too!! 😉 xx
Aww what a lovely thing to say thank you Franca and I am really looking forward to meeting you too – so exciting!
Oh my goodness, what does a busy month look like?! Great news on all your social media and page view increases! It’s so great when that happens, it makes you feel like you’re doing something right! I love your social media buttons, really excited to see the Christmas banner!
Thank you Helen yes you’re right it does, although sometimes I think that it is more luck! I’m really pleased with my social media buttons too. 🙂
It sounds like such a productive month! I’ll let you know when your post is scheduled 🙂 x
I’ll look forward to it thanks Donna x
oh a Christmas banner – i am looking forward to seeing this! It doesn’t sound like October was a quiet month for you!
Looking forward to seeing you at Blogfest xx
No in retrospect I don’t think it was! 🙂
It sounds like you’ve had a brilliant month. You’ve been very busy indeed.
I will definitely be linking up with your new Kids Love to Read Linky with Angela. I am also a bookworm and did a Journalism and English Literature degree. I think it’s really important for children to read and for adults to read to them. I have a post I wrote a few months ago which I can link up on the next one, and have another one planned soon.
I love the idea of having a monthly review, especially to log things like your social media stats and Tots 100 score to see how the blog is developing. I think I may try and do something similar. Would be a great thing to look back on.
Laura x
Oh do link up that will be fab 🙂
And yes I really enjoy doing a monthly review, it makes you see what you have achieved and let’s you set a few goals to focus on
What a fantastic month, not a quiet one that’s for sure. Love these kind of posts, I’m nosey & like seeing what others have been up to. Might do something like this too xx
Yes I like reading these posts on other too, it’s rather nice to be a bit nosey sometimes 😉
Haha if that is a quiet month to you I dread to see what you class as a busy one.. Sounds like you are doing just wonderful on social media with all of the followers you are collecting. This new reading linky sound fab and I can’t wait to check it out!xx #KCACOLS
Ha ha yes I guess it wasn’t quite a quiet as I thought and it would be awesome if you joined our linky – live on Monday 🙂
Sounds like you are making great progress with your blog. Hope to see you at BlogFest. Thanks for linking up to #TheList x
I hope to see you at Blogfest too Abi 🙂 x
What a great month it sounds like you have had a good month blogging wise. I too am building up my social media with similar stats to yourself except twitter and trying to work my way back up to the top 500 on tots. Good luck with building on this this month. I will have to check kids love to read as my daughter has just discovered a love of reading x #KCACOLS
Yes I actually find Facebook the hardest one to build up, but I think it is different for everyone. Please do link up – it’s live on Monday 🙂
Sounds like a very busy month! I love the new social media icons and cannot wait to see the christmas banner! Well done for being ahead on blog posts too – I can’t see myself ever being in that position, I am always behind!!
Shame I won’t get to meet you at Blogfest (we are away that weeked) but maybe at the next one?
Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday! x
Hopefully we will be able to meet up soon Maria – thank you on the buttons 🙂 I get ahead some days and then often lose the lead my ideal would be 1/2 weeks ahead, not sure that will ever happen!
It sounds like a lovely month to me 🙂 My stats dipped for September, I think it’s a bit of a blah inbetween month after the Summer hols, luckily really picked up now. Have a brilliant November Laura!
Stevie x Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix
I hope you have a great November too Stevie. I had a bit of a dip over the summer in general and now things are going great, I guess people are more out and about doing things.
Ooh a Christmas banner? Can’t wait to see it. Well done with all your social media followings and thanks for linking to #PickNMix
Yes, I do love Christmas 🙂 and thank you so much x
Wow you have had a busy month!! It all sounds very exciting and huge congratulations on your social media growth, that is brilliant. Becky x #KCACOLS