5 Things I Learnt About Blogging and Making Money Online in 2017 + My Goals For 2018
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I’m going to be very open and honest in this post, and share with you the things I learnt about blogging and making money online in 2017.
It’s not been the easiest year for me, due to personal reasons, but overall it’s been a massive learning experience. Along with that, this year has also been a learning experience in regards to blogging and using that platform to make money online.
So, I want to openly share with you what I’ve learnt and also the goals I have for the coming year.
I believe that setting goals and having them written down makes you more likely to achieve them. And I feel sharing them with you will make me more accountable and more willing to accomplish them.
2 Things I Learnt About Making Money Online in 2017
There are NO Shortcuts
To be honest, I always knew this was the case, but for some reason, I’ve still always been drawn to quick fixes.
For years, I’ve been trying to find shortcuts to success, trying to find the next product that’ll help me make more money online. But over the course of this year, it’s hit home more than ever, that there really are no shortcuts.
Making money online is the same as an offline job. You have to work hard if you want to be successful. Any results/income I get now has been from 2-3 years of study and hard work. However, there were times when I “gave up” because I didn’t get the results I wanted in a shorter space of time.
But coming to the end of this year has put it all into perspective, and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I can’t take shortcuts if I truly want to be successful online.
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Simplicity
It probably sounds cliche, but Simplicity really is key. I spent too much time overcomplicating my income goals. The saying “Less is more” is very true in this situation.
I learnt that spreading myself to so many different opportunities at the same time was actually stunting my growth in any them.
3 Things I Learnt About Blogging In 2017
“Less is More”
I’m so used to trying to be on all platforms at once, learning how to promote on all social media, forums etc, but that wasn’t helpful for me. Instead of growing and building, I would get overwhelmed and left with feelings of inadequacy and doubt.
Similar to the lesson above, towards the end of this year I came to the realisation that I needed to do less in order to get more results.
For example, focusing on one social platform at a time, rather than trying to grow all at the same time, and by doing this I allow myself the chance to become a master of it.
You Don’t Have To Be Perfect
I definitely don’t claim to be perfect, but the way I work on my blogs and content, I feel like I have to be perfect in order to be successful.
Thankfully, these last few months have really helped me learn that I’m not going to please everyone. There will be people that will not like my posts or want to subscribe to my newsletter.
But that’s ok…because I don’t need to please everyone. My content is for people like you who are looking for ways to earn an income online and start an online business.
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Just Because One Thing Works For One Person, Doesn’t Mean It’ll Work For You
Last, but not least, I also learnt this important lesson.
I’ve come across tons of advice online about blogging and ways to make it successful that I actually feel like it’s hindered my progress to some extent. I’ve jumped from one advice to another just implementing different strategies without really allowing myself time to begin mastering any of them.
So I’ve had to teach myself to drown out all the noise.
I learnt that it’s more important to test things out for myself and see what works and what doesn’t.
There’s nothing wrong with listening to the advice of others, but it’s vital not to feel compelled to follow the advice of everyone. Cause what has worked for one blogger may not work for you.
For example, a lot of bloggers recommend using Pinterest to get blog traffic, however, Pinterest may not be where your niche audience spends their time. As a result, you could end up spending weeks/months trying to master Pinterest when it doesn’t fit your niche.
My Goals For 2018
So, based on the things I learnt about blogging and making money online this year, I’ve created some goals which I aim to implement in 2018 to further grow my blog and my business/income.
I don’t plan on sharing any real specific goals here, such as the number of page views I want by the end of the year, the number of Pinterest followers or the amount of $ I want to earn. My goals are more about my intentions for the coming year.
Goal #1: Be More Focused
One of my top goals in 2018 is to be more focused. And to be honest, this doesn’t just apply to my blog/business, it also applies to my life in general.
I’m the kind of person that jumps from one thing to the next. Even in my offline job, I’m jumping from one pharmacy job to the next. Don’t get me wrong, I like being able to work in different pharmacies and meet new people, and I feel it’s really developed my skills as a person. But as you can see, there’s an overall lack of focus.
So this coming year, I will actively work on developing a more focused mind, as well as a more focused schedule to build my blog and business.
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Goal #2: Create specific goals for the year
If you’ve had some experience setting goals, then you’ve probably heard about SMART goals. This is a really popular way to set specific goals to help achieve an outcome.
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-bound
I plan to use this guideline often to help achieve my goals. You can also learn more about SMART goals from this article.
Additionally, I’ve made it an intention of mine to invest in a planner this year. I personally find it easier to have specific goals and tasks written down, compared to reading them online. So after a bit of research, I went ahead and actually purchased 2 planners on Amazon and I’m looking forward to using them to effectively work on my goals.
Why 2?
Well, Planner 1 is specifically geared towards bloggers and solopreneurs, so a lot of the content will be very useful to me. I had a chance to look inside before purchasing and I could already see the value in a planner like this. (My order is currently on it’s way to me).
It’s not just a planner either, there’s actionable content available to read through to further help you conquer your goals. Complete with 246 pages, so definitely packed full of the value.
It’s also a planner created by one of my favourite bloggers Meera Kothand. She always provides value, and this planner shows it.
Planner 2 is non-blogger specific, and better suited to life goals. There’s a lot of motivational aspects in this planner too which I feel will give me much needed boosts. It’s a bit more expensive (now currently on sale!), but in my opinion, I think the investment is worth the value I will get out of it by the end of the year.
Both planners are available to purchase on Amazon, and of course, you can always purchase digital planners online, but my personal preference is paperback.
If you’re looking for online digital planners then you may want to check out:
Slay Your Goals Planner by It’s All You Boo (+ FREE eBook)
2018 Blogging Goals Planner by Redefining Mom – (Free download when you join the list)
Ultimate Blogging Planner for 2018 by The Social Media Hat (+ Bonuses)
Goal #3: Create a blogging schedule
This is a task which I’ve generally found difficult over the past year, as there are some days when I really lack the motivation to write. But, just like a “regular” job, I need to get things done, even if I’m not in the mood…otherwise I’m limiting my growth and my success.
Using the planners above, I will devise a more consistent blogging schedule. And my blogging schedule won’t be specifically about creating/publishing new posts only, it could also be updating previous content, creating social media posts, learning new skills etc.
Goal #4: Quality Over Quantity
As much as I feel it’s important to stick to a regular blog posting schedule, I also believe that my content should be of value.
I don’t want to create something for you just for the sake of putting out content. I’m all about giving value to my readers. Not just through my blog, but through my emails as well.
Goal #5: Stay Organised
There are a few tips I’ll be using to stay organised in 2018.
Planners – As mentioned above, I have planners which I will use to stay organised with my blogging/MMO schedule. ==> Here’s a list of my Top 3 Best Planners for Entrepreneurs
Folders/Binders – I find that I work better when I have paper and notes in front of me, rather than on a computer screen. This was the case when I was studying at Uni too. So I’ve currently got a few folders which I’ve labelled for specific topics. When I come across PDF downloads worth printing, I’ll add them to their corresponding folders. I feel this will allow me to keep my notes and resources more organised.
Gmail Labels – Gmail allows you to separate/organise your emails using Labels. So, recently I started creating labels for my favourite bloggers, and for any courses/free downloads I signed up for. This way I can stay up to date with my favourite bloggers, and also keep an eye on the emails that are most important for me.
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Goal #6: Solve Real Problems
I want to work on providing solutions to real problems that you’re facing and to tackle topics which may not have been discussed enough elsewhere.
This also ties in with the goal of creating more quality content.
Goal #7: Find New Bloggers/Blog posts That Inspire Me
I want to be more present in the community and one way to do that is by interacting with new bloggers and sharing the posts that inspired me to achieve/do something.
I even plan on sharing my favourite bloggers/blog post of the week in the newsletter, to share other quality content that’s worth reading. Hopefully, that’ll become useful to you too.
My Final Thoughts
Thanks for taking the time to read my honest perspective on the things I learnt about blogging and making money online in 2017, and my outlook regarding the future ahead.
I don’t claim to have it all figured out yet, but this past year has been an excellent learning experience for me, especially as it’s the year I decided to really focus on my blog.
Creating this blog post has also really helped evaluate the things I have accomplished so far, as well as the things I’d like to improve on. And I hope it’s also given you some tips and tools to help you work towards achieving your own goals.
So for now, I’ll close this post by saying “bring on 2018!”
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What did you learn about Blogging or Making Money Online in 2017?
Have you set any goals yet for 2018?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this post too.
Leave any comments or questions you have in the section below.
