Setting (and Achieving) Your Blogging Goals: The Dos and Don’ts
If you’re a blogger, then you likely have some goals that you are hoping your blog will help you reach. But what about your specific blogging goals?
Many bloggers make some common mistakes when it comes to goal setting, which can lead to them not meeting their blogging targets.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the dos and don’ts of setting blogging goals so that you can achieve success in 2023 and beyond!
Not having any goals at all (Mistake #1)
One of the biggest blogging mistakes you can make is not having any goals at all. It’s important to set both long-term and short-term goals so that you have a roadmap for your blogging journey. Without goals, it will be difficult to measure your progress and know whether or not you’re on track.
Some examples of long-term blogging goals could be to hit a certain number of page views or to earn a full-time income from your blog.
Short-term goals could be things like writing and publishing one blog post per week or increasing your social media following by X amount.
No matter what your goals are, make sure that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART goals). This will help you to create tangible goals that you can actually work towards.
More on SMART Goals
Creating a goal-setting plan is a great way to get started on the right foot. Here’s a quick guide on how to set blogging goals the SMART way:
– Specific: Your goals should be clear and concise. For example, “I want to double my blog traffic within six months.”
– Measurable goal: Include metrics in your goals so that you can track your progress. In the example above, pageviews is a metric that can be measured.
– Achievable: Make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable. Trying to achieve an unrealistic goal will only set you up for disappointment.
– Relevant: Your goals should be aligned with your overall blogging strategy. For example, if your goal is to make money from blogging, then your individual goals should be focused on things that will help you to achieve that, such as writing sponsored posts or growing your email list.
– Time-bound: Set a timeframe for each of your goals so that you can stay on track. The example goal above includes a six-month timeframe.
Once you’ve set your blogging goals, it’s time to start working towards them! This brings us to our next point…
Mistake #2 Not breaking down long-term goals into short-term goals
If you only have long-term goals, it can be difficult to know where to start or what blogging milestones you need to hit along the way. This is why it’s important to break down your long-term goals into smaller, more manageable short-term goals.
For example, let’s say your long-term goal is to earn $100,000 from blogging within the next five years. To make this goal more manageable, you could break it down into short-term goals like earning $500 per month from blogging within the next year.
Then, you can further break down that short-term goal into even smaller goals like writing and publishing three blog posts per week, pitching to three sponsors per month, and growing your email subscribers by 500 subscribers within the next year.
By breaking down your goals into smaller chunks, you can better focus on the individual steps that you need to take in order to achieve success. Plus, it will be easier to measure your progress along the way.
So, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you only need long-term blogging goals. Make sure to set both long-term and short-term goals so that you can track your progress and know whether or not you’re on the right track.
You can use tools like Google Analytics to help you track your progress and make sure it’s an effective goal.
Mistake #3 Setting unrealistic or unachievable goals
One of the biggest mistakes that bloggers make is setting unrealistic or unachievable goals. This can lead to frustration and disappointment, and it can cause you to give up on your blogging goals altogether.
Some examples of unrealistic blogging goals include things like earning a full-time income from blogging within six months or getting one hundred thousand pageviews per month within a year.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with setting big goals for yourself. But it’s important to make sure that your goals are achievable and realistic. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
If you’re not sure whether or not your goal is realistic, ask yourself if other bloggers have achieved similar goals. If the answer is yes, then it’s probably a realistic goal for you to set.
Another way to tell if your goal is realistic is to consider the amount of time and effort that you’re willing to put into achieving it.
For example, if you want to earn $100,000 from blogging but you’re only willing to write one blog post per week, it’s probably not a realistic goal.
To avoid setting unrealistic blogging goals, make sure to do your research and set goals that are achievable and realistic given the time and effort that you’re willing to put in.
Mistake #4: Not taking action on their goals
One of the biggest mistakes that bloggers make is not taking action on their goals. If you’re not taking steps to achieve your blogging goals, then it’s unlikely that you’ll ever achieve them.
There are a few different reasons why bloggers might fail to take action on their goals. For example, they might be overwhelmed by the task at hand, or they might not know where to start.
If this is you, then don’t worry. There are a few things that you can do to help you take action on your blogging goals.
First, break your goal down into smaller steps. This will make it easier for you to take action and it will help you to feel less overwhelmed.
Second, create a action plan. This should include things like what you need to do, when you need to do it, and how you’re going to do it. Having a plan will make it easier for you to take action and it will keep you accountable.
Finally, make sure to set a deadline for yourself. This will help to keep you motivated and it will ensure that you don’t procrastinate.
Taking action on your blogging goals is essential if you want to achieve them. So, make sure to break your goal down into smaller steps, create a action plan, and set a deadline for yourself. Doing these things will help you to take action and achieve your blogging goals.
Mistake#5: Not revisiting and adjusting goals as needed
Another mistake that bloggers make is not revisiting and adjusting their goals as needed.
There are a few different reasons why you might need to revisit and adjust your blogging goals.
For example, your blogging niche might change, or you might find that your original goal was too ambitious.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to revisit your blogging goals on a regular basis and make adjustments as needed. This will help to ensure that you’re still on track to achieve your goals and it will help to keep you motivated.
So, make sure to revisit your blogging goals on a regular basis and make adjustments as needed. This will help you to achieve your blogging goals and it will keep you motivated.
Mistake #6 Changing their goals too often
Changing your blogging goals too often is another mistake that bloggers make. If you’re constantly changing your goals, then it’s going to be difficult for you to achieve them.
There are a few different reasons why you might be tempted to change your blogging goals. For example, you might get bored with your current goal, or you might find that your goal is too difficult to achieve.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to resist the urge to change your blogging goals too often. If you find that you’re constantly changing your goals, then take a step back and rethink your strategy.
It might be helpful to set a longer-term goal and break it down into smaller, more manageable goals.
Mistake #7 Giving up on their goals too easily
Giving up on your blogging goals too easily is another mistake that bloggers make. Successful bloggers know, that it takes time to hit your goals and sometimes it takes longer than you think it will.
If you give up on your goals, then you’re never going to achieve them.
There are a few different reasons why you might be tempted to give up on your blogging goals. For example, you might get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately, or you might find that your goal is too difficult to achieve.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to resist the urge to give up on your blogging goals. If you find that you’re tempted to give up, then take a step back and rethink your strategy and what you want to achieve long term. By doing this, you’ll be more likely to stick to your blogging goals.
Now that we’ve gone over some of the most common mistakes bloggers make when setting blogging goals, let’s take a look at some dos and don’ts to keep in mind.
Mistake #8 Setting Goals Over Things They Can’t Control
Setting goals over things they can’t control is another mistake that bloggers tend to make. It’s easy to fall into this trap because there are so many factors that go into achieving any given goal.
If you try to set a goal without thinking about all the variables involved, then you’re just asking for trouble.
The good news is that you don’t have to worry about everything that could possibly happen. You only need to focus on the things that you can control.
For example, if you want to start making money from blogging, then you should focus on how much traffic you can drive to your blog each month. Setting a traffic goal isn’t something you can fully control but you can set goals to write SEO focused posts, have an SEO strategy, and to do marketing.This is something that you can control.
Blogging Goals – Dos & Don’ts:
Setting blogging goals can be a great way to help you stay focused and productive when creating content for your blog. However, if you’re not careful, you can quickly fall into some bad habits when it comes to goal setting. Here are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind when setting blogging goals:
Do:
- Set both long-term and short-term goals
- Make sure your goals are achievable and realistic
- Do your research before setting any goals
DON’T:
- Don’t set too many goals at once
- Don’t make your goals too vague
- Don’t set unrealistic or unachievable goals
Following these dos and don’ts will help you set blogging goals that are both achievable and realistic. So, take some time to sit down and plan out your blogging goals for the year ahead.
Make Sure to Celebrate small wins along the way
One final tip for achieving your blogging goals is to celebrate small wins along the way.
Every little accomplishment, no matter how small, is something to be proud of. So when you achieve a small goal, take a moment to celebrate your success.This will keep you motivated and help you stay on track.
When you hit a snag or make a mistake, don’t let it discourage you. Just pick yourself up and keep moving forward. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your blog won’t be either. So take your time, enjoy the process, and celebrate your small wins along the way.
Bottom Line
Bloggers who set blogging goals and then take action are more likely to achieve their goals than those who don’t. So, if you want to achieve your blogging goal, make sure to set realistic and achievable goals for yourself and then take action. And don’t forget to revisit and adjust your goals as needed. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your blogging goals.
Do you have any blogging goals? What tips do you have for achieving them? Share your thoughts in the comments below.