Top 5 Blog Goals via Alice de Sturler

My Top 5 Blog Goals for 2014 by Alice de Sturler

A New Year is always a good point to reflect. There are things we can improve and there are things we should stop doing.

I spent a good chunk of the Holidays trying to find out what I want to achieve in 2014, where my blog fits in those plans, and how my blog can help meet my goals. After I created a road map for myself, I set some blogging goals for 2014.

Here is my Top 5:

1: Consistency in Writing

It remains my goal to blog often. I picked up the pace in 2013 but did not manage to produce the same number of posts I did in 2010-2012. Despite posting less often, my readership grew so I am still on the right track.

Consistency in writing does not mean that I will blog every day. I do not think I will be able to do that so I did not set that as a goal. However, I set as a goal to be writing every day. The difference is that the writing can be a draft blog post or, an outline for a case that interests me or, a preparation for a talk.

I hope that if I write every day, I will be able to express myself better. That should cut the time I spend blogging and tweaking drafts.

Some bloggers who blog daily set a limit on their word count (approx. 500 words). The idea is that if you blog daily your posts should be manageable e.g. short for your readers. Word count is not part of my goal because I am afraid that it will somehow hinder my blogging.

I also intend to write more guest blog posts that can be published by other bloggers. My tour fits in here (more here).

2: Host More Guest Bloggers

Paying it forward or collaborating in the blogosphere is crucial if we want to advance our visibility and expand our readership together. In 2014, I will be hosting monthly carnivals. These carnivals are meant to give bloggers an opportunity to blog about something completely different than their usual blog theme/topic, it enhances the visibility of new bloggers and, I will host three guest bloggers each month for the carnival post. So, if you wanted to blog but never set one up for yourself, take part in a carnival. Test the waters and see the reactions to your writing.

3: Mewsletters

This is new territory for me. Many bloggers have newsletters. I intend to put announcements, case updates, and information about blog conferences, and more in those newsletters. I signed up with MailChimp for this purpose. Since I do not want to flood my subscribers’ email inboxes, I will have a maximum of four newsletters this year. It can always be adjusted for next year.

4: Comment More on Other Blogs

I try, I try, I try but here’s what goes “wrong.” I see the announcement for a new blog post on Twitter. I click and I read. If I have two cents to add I usually add that to the retweet of the link so people see why I RT that post. Any discussion about that post then usually continues on Twitter.

Of course, I should copy my two cents in the comment box below that post. It is not a habit yet but, I want to make it a habit in 2014. I cannot expect people to post comments on my blog if I never comment on theirs. So, if I discuss your blog post on Twitter, LinkedIn, G+ or anywhere else but your blog … kick me!

5: Expand my Services and Products

Of course, I will keep blogging about unsolved homicides and help victim family members get renewed media attention for the cases. However, I found that there are even more options and possibilities for me in my area. They range from guest lecturesabout the cases to working with authors who use timelines of a true crime for their book’s plot development. My goal for 2014 is to define exactly what I can offer and to adjust the services page on my blog.

Note that I have not set as a blog goal to expand my reach on other social media platforms. Last year, I tried. However, one of my life’s principals kept me from expanding my reach on SM platforms:

“If you are going to do something, do it right. If you suspect you will do a half job, decline and move on!”

I know myself. I have been with me for the past five decades and I know a thing or two: if I am not immediately enchanted I may learn to use it but I will not love it.

That is how I feel about many SM platforms. Maybe they all work for you. If so, that is great! It just doesn’t for me. I am a reluctant user and as a result, those accounts will be kind of static, inactive.

I prefer to be active on a few SM platforms and engage there than to have an account on many SM platforms but all I do is post links.

Accepting who you are should always be part of your New Year’s resolutions or reflecting period. This is me. Take it or leave it.

Please let me know what your blogging goals are for 2014.

Happy Blogging!

Alice de Sturler is a Dutch lawyer whose blog Defrosting Cold Cases recently won in the ABA 2013 Top 100 Blawgs in the category “criminal justice.” She is interested in cold cases, historical mysteries, blogging and networking. You can follow her on Twitter.

 Are you setting any blog goals this year? Leave us a comment and tell us yours!