Halfway there!
Day 15 of the 30-day blogging challenge
Half Way Recap
Alllllllright! Its time for a recap as promised to see where I'm at, its officially the halfway point of the 30-Day Blogging Challenge (or as my kids call it the blogging marathon- more on that later). I haven't peaked at the Google Analytics once since taking a screenshot on Dec 31st, so I'm dying to see the results! But before I dig into the numbers, I thought we should touch on why I'm doing this in the first place. I mean, why bother if you don't have a goal in mind, right?
First, I wanted to push myself to do something that makes me uncomfortable. Writing is not easy for me. I would hop on Instagram Stories and do a live video any day over writing a blog post. I'm not sure why it's hard or uncomfortable. I'm sure it has something to do with the perfectionist in me. By the way, my new motto is, "Done is better than perfect." Anyways, I wanted to try something unpleasant because that's where the growth happens!
Second, I'm hoping to increase my brand awareness online. I'm a business after all, and why wouldn't I want people to see my website and learn more about what I do? Other than being time-consuming, it's free, so why not give it a shot! I hope my readers will get inspired, start following me, and will eventually turn into a client or be a referral source. It sounds corny, but I would help everyone for free if I could find the time and resources. The blog is the best way I can provide free advice and feel like I'm helping more people.
So what are the results, my thoughts on the whole thing, and is it worth it?
Read on my friend.
The Results are in:
I pulled the Google Analytics for my website from Dec 1-14 of 2019 (exactly 1 month ago) to compare against Jan 1-14 of 2020.
Pageviews have increased 3.5x
New Users have increased more 4x
Instagram followers have gone up faster than ever, I hit 1400 followers and growing daily!
Tons more engagement on Instagram Stories and Direct Messages
New projects starting up and inquiries for upcoming projects (
Not bad, huh?! I'm excited to see where the numbers land at the end of the month so I can continue to be a valuable resource for my followers!
Now for my thoughts on the whole thing, and is it worth it? Well, I can say that I have a new respect for blogging- girrrrrrlll, this is a time-consuming endeavor! I love that it's forcing me to try something new, but you're not going to hear me say I Love Blogging anytime soon. And that's ok. There's been a lot of early morning writing and research sessions, and late-night editing and uploading. Each post takes about 2+ hours; I couldn't believe it! I had to explain to my kids that mom was doing a challenge for work when they asked if I won, I told them it's like a marathon- it's not about winning it's about finishing, thus, why they call it the blogging marathon. Pretty cute.
Because the numbers are encouraging AND I've committed to this 30-Day Blogging Challenge, I will continue to have blog posts on the regular through the end of this month. But going forward, I don't expect to post every day unless I can find more hours in the day (or hire more help). The numbers tell a story for themselves. Time will tell if that translates into new business or opportunities- fingers crossed!
Looking for more info on blogging?
Also, for anyone who might be looking to increase their website traffic, they should read this great article from Ochre & Beige on why you need a Blog. She wrote a very timely post this week all about blogging, and why it's essential to your business, you can check it out here if you're still on the fence about blogging.
What do you think? Do you like the posts, what's your favorite so far? My post on How to translate your Personal Style into your Home Style has been a huge hit, I had no idea people would respond to that topic so much. It just goes to show you never know. Which is why I want to hear from you! Comment below I want to know your thoughts!