Tuesday, December 29, 2015

My Blogging Progress In 2015 & My Goals For 2016 ♥

2015 was a great year for me, not only in my personal life but with my blogging progress too. This was the year that I decided to step up my blogging game and try to turn this into more than just a hobby - as I wrote in a previous post "I am working for my blog, not just relying on it to work for me".

It's fair to say that my blogging stats have exploded this year, but this has been down to some serious hard work and strategy on my part. I now promote my blog on a daily basis, (not always on the weekends, but then we all need a break!) using Facebook groups designed for blog and website promotion. I was so impressed with these groups and the impact that they were having on my blog that I even went so far as to set up my own group for blog promotion - Promote Your Blog. I've shared my experience from using these groups and have documented my stat growth on the blog before. I've also shared the techniques I used to triple my blog traffic in one week. I'm a huge fan of these Facebook blogging groups and love the fact that this form of promotion is free and that it's bloggers helping their fellow bloggers. I couldn't recommend them more to anyone who is looking to grow their blog and gain more exposure.

I began the year with 600,000 or so page views on the blog and I didn't think this was bad going for a blog that was less than two years old. My ultimate goal for the year was to reach one million page views and I'm delighted to say that I smashed that goal back in September and since then my little blog has gone on to gain almost 250,000 more page views - my blog now averages a quarter of a million page views every three months and I've shared how I get these quarter of a million page views on the blog before.

My social media stats have also grown and this is something which I'm equally delighted about. My Instagram and blog Facebook page have gained over 4,000 followers each, my Twitter now has 27,000 followers and my Pinterest has grown to 1,300 followers.

I've been so fortunate and lucky enough to be able to work with some amazing brands this year too and to get the chance to review some amazing products. Some stand out ones for me have been the Cosatto Supa Firebird, Lancome makeup, Graco Evo XT Pushchair, Rowdy Roddy Vintage, Hand On Heart Jewellery, Wickey Sand Pit, Soufeel Charm Bracelets, Stokke Tripp Trapp, Urban Decay makeup and IsaDora makeup. As you can see, the products I love to review the most are baby/toddler products/clothing, jewellery and makeup and these are the types of things I shall concentrate on reviewing in 2016.

This year I also attended my first ever blogging conference - Britmums Live in London. I was sponsored by the lovely people at My 1st Years and was delighted to be able to go meet some bloggers, speak with some brands and learn some blogging tips. It was an experience I shall never forget and I hope to go to another blogging conference soon.

Finally, to end my amazing year in blogging, I was delighted and surprised to have won bronze for Best Photography Blog in the Blog Awards Ireland 2015. This was such a fantastic achievement for me, having only received my DSLR camera in December 2014. This award has spurred me on to want to further my photography skills in 2016 and take some amazing shots.

My Goals For 2016 -
1. Take more photos, have more spur of the moment shoots and take part in some photography challenges and linkys. I'm most interested in doing Living Arrows again, 100 days of summer and the black and white challenge but this may change and I might even take part in some more if I have the time.

2. Gain another million page views. This would be an amazing goal to achieve and would take my stats to 2,500,000. Plus, if I reach this goal Jacek might by me another cake to celebrate!

3. Grow my social media stats some more and engage more with my followers on there. Facebook is one platform that I'd love some more engagement on.

4. Feature more family days out, travels and more of the things I love. I don't want to get bogged down with anything to do with the blog this year so I'll be a lot more subjective to the things I take on and the things I wish to post on here.

5. Make 2016 as great a blogging year as 2015 and try to top it in some way if I can.

They're my goals, all are pretty simple and straightforward but I really do want to incorporate the photography aspect even more into the blog and make it about myself, my family and all that we love once again.

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31 comments

  1. This is so inspiring! I'm hoping to up my game this year!

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    1. Thank you Vicki! I hope you have a wonderful blogging year in 2016 x

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  2. These are some fab goals :) I want to try improve my blogging game too this coming year - I have mainly blogged as a hobby with no particular strategy, but will try some of your tips this year :) thanks for them all btw!

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    1. Thank you so much Sanna. Have a great blogging year in 2016! x

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  3. So happy to hear that you've had so much success this past year. You have a lovely blog and I wish you even more success next year :)

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  4. Congratulations on setting BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) and reaching them! It's amazing what can be accomplished when we work hard and put our mind to things. Hope 2016 is even better!

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  5. I'm glad that you've had some awesome successes this year. Good luck meeting your goals in 2016!

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  6. You're such an inspiration Fiona and all your hard work is definitely paying off. Wishing you more growth for 2016

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  7. Oh wow, one million page views is a milestone. I am not quite there yet, hopefully somday it would reach that number.

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  8. Congratulations, it looks like you had an amazing year! I hope that you reach all of your goals and beyond in the new year.

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  9. Those are amazing milestones! Congratulations! You've worked hard and it shows! I can't wait to see what 2016 brings for your blog!

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  10. I really need to put your pageview tips to work for my blog. I would love to hit one million views this year! Happy New Year!

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  11. Congrats on your success on 2015 for blogging!! Your goals are pretty much in line with mine, I need to work better at finding balance with blogging and kids a bit more!! Good luck with your goals in 2016!

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  12. It sounds like you have had a stellar year! Great that you still keep setting high goals for yourself! Good luck in the new year!

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  13. Wow! A million page views! That is definitely an exciting and accomplishing milestone! Congratulations! Hope you continue to thrive in your blogging in the coming 2016! I hope to accomplish more page views as well.

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  14. Congratulations! 2015 was definitely a great year for you - 1 million page views and a Bronze for Best Photography Blog! How cool is that! Very inspiring - I need to follow your lead and start promoting my blog more. Here's to another banner year for you in 2016.

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  15. Congratulations on your achievements. I've found PYB group really helpful and supportive - it really helps give a boost.

    I love Living Arrows and will be doing it for the 3rd year. Photography's my big one to improve again this year, but mainly around learning lightroom for the backroom stuff.

    Have a great new year

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  16. Never been to a blogging conference before. I always have issues with childcare and can't attend, one year maybe if I''m still blogging.

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  17. Loving everything you have accomplished. As a fellow blogger I completely understand all the work that goes into achieving a million page views. I never would have thought to make that beautiful cake to celebrate. Yours looked delicious.
    - Sicorra@NotNowMomsBusy.com

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  18. Big big CONGRATS for you and your fantastic achievements in blogging this year. Wow a million views! Keep going, girl your dedications are paying off and may you grow bigger in 2016 :)

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  19. Congrats on your success! I definitely used some of your trips for growing my blog as well.

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  20. Congrats on the million views and the awards. Your site is definitely growing and gaining more and more followers.

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  21. Congrats on the million page views. I love seeing your excitement it's very inspiring. I am ready to kick it up a notch in 2016, I feel like in my many years of blogging I have lost my footing and am ready to get it back! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  22. What a great year you have had! Congrats on the million page views. I have been blogging since 2007 and love it, I am hoping to kick it up a notch in 2016, because I felt like I lost a little footing this year but I know I can get it back.

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  23. Congrats on the page views. I need to sit down and make some goals. You must have goals to shape things. I've been winging it for the last three years.

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  24. I'm loving all of these end of year posts and goals for next year. 2016 will be the first year that my blog will be my MAIN income instead of just for fun. This is motivating to me, I have a lot of work to do lol. Congrats on the 1,000,000 views girl!

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  25. You have found the combination of what you like to do and what works for you! Sometimes people blog about things they think people want to read and they dont' get those awesome page views since they aren't passionate about it! We can tell you are passionate about what you write about and you have beautiful photos to keep us coming back!

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  26. Wow, you really have blown up over the course of this year! I'm totally impressed with the growth you've had in traffic and on your social media followings. Congratulations, and here's to hitting that next million!

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  27. Congratulations on your accomplishments in 2015! I am sure that you will definitely exceed your anticipated growth for 2016 and one of my goals is to be more active on social media in 2016 and grow my follower base as well :D Happy New Year!

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  28. It sounds like you had a great year and have great goals! I look forward to what 2016 brings you.

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  29. Reaching 1 million pageviews is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Congrats girl! I am excited to see where you are at this time next year! Keep chasing those dreams, you are doing amazing things!

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