My 2019 Goals & 2018 Achievements

My 2018 Blogging Achievements

• Being a finalist in the Mum and Working Parenting Blogger of the Year awards
• Social media growth:
  • Facebook grown from 1850 to 2005 (+155)
  • Instagram grown from 3400 to 3875 (+475)
  • Twitter grown from 11,600 to 13,600 (+2000)
• Spent the year in the Tots100 other than one month
• Continued to keep the blog running despite having an (amazing) baby and being seriously unwell
• Some awesome brand collaborations, a highlight for me was our new sofa from Sofology and a new pram for Bo from Quinny.
• Giving birth to an amazing little boy
• Reading 32 books
• Slowly regaining my health after a ruptured stomach ulcer, and managing to breastfeed through all of it
• Learning to manage and cope as a Mum of 3
• Getting some work done on our new home – decorating the front room, the children’s rooms and a new patio

2019 Blogging Goals

I think in 2019 the blogging well has become a tougher place as there are more and more bloggers in the space, it’s about carving out your own space and remaining consistent. I have also hidden a bit away from video as I much prefer to write, but I think I need to do at least some video, particularly on stories if I want to be successful as a blogger.

I am quite disappointed with my social media growth in 2018, so I was going to put in some monthly plans to break this down. But on reflection what I really want to look at is growing my engagement. Particularly on Instagram, which I have actually started doing and want to continue which will in turn I hope grow my following.

I am debating given that I do have a small baby, so I may outsource some admin work, budgets permitting as the year progresses – I will see how things go. But it is also important to me that I make sure I enjoy my time with him too.

• Social Media Goals
  • Grow engagement, particularly on Instagram, my engagement rate seems to sit at around 1% and I would like to ideally grow this to 3% (or more).
  • Twitter – grow to 18,000
  • Instagram – grow to 5000
  • Facebook – grow to 2250
• Skills Growth
  • Complete Moolah Facebook marketing course, which I signed up to last year and didn’t complete
  • Go on a photography course (booked for April)
  • Get to grips with Pinterest
• Other
  • Complete an SEO review of my blog
  • Grow my email database
  • Launch a 12 months of gratitude challenge (January’s is already live)
  • Be braver with video
  • Do more plus size fashion features and grow the lifestyle content of the blog, bringing back lovely things and more posts on our home
  • Bring back my monthly Lovely Things feature

My Personal 2019 Goals

• Get back to full health after my stomach rupture last year
• Fit in a little more ‘me time’ as Bo gets older, organising some Mum nights out and trips to the cinema
• Doing some more work on our home, finances permitting, to make it more of our own home. Hopefully looking at the garden and the front room
• Build up our savings account, putting a set amount aside each month and also look at our pension contributions
• De-clutter and get things around the house a bit more organised