2014 was, overall, a good blogging year for me. I completely rebranded and launched Ember & March in July and I’ve been on a blogging high ever since. But, as with anything, I didn’t do everything “right” for the blog this year, and I think we can learn from what goes wrong as much as we do from what goes right.
With Christmas just (oh my goodness can you believe) three days away, we’re all feeling pretty reflective. Looking forward to 2015, these are some habits I’m hoping to leave behind.
Not taking time to brainstorm
I spent a lot of time this year going from to idea to creation and then hitting the ground running on launching. Newsletter subscribers already know the details on my upcoming e-course, I started a new blog column –Up + Out, and there’s so much more to come. But many of these things came from a longstanding list of goals…and I’m honestly running low on creative energy lately. I’m looking forward to working smarter and taking more downtime to daydream new possibilities in 2015.
Becoming numbers obsessed
I saw a lot of blog growth in 2014…and it was really nice. After a certain point, my appreciation for the increased page views and visitors definitely took a turn. I started competing, harshly, with myself to do more, see more growth, watch the numbers rise. See a trend –no time to brainstorm when you’re grinding for numbers. Putting so much pressure on myself for the sake of stats and numbers caused me to feel a separation from the blog for a few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, knowing the numbers behind your blog can definitely be helpful, but everything in moderation is the motto.
Overlooking user friendliness
It wasn’t until recently that I noticed how difficult it to navigate through older posts or search through category archives. This more of a design overlook than anything else, but definitely something I want to make better in 2015. For the new year, along with the new design, I’m working on creating a gallery archive, the breaks every posts down to make older content easier to find.
Comparison…the thief of joy
So many bloggers I follow and admire launched a lot of awesome things this year, which is exciting for ALL bloggers! Still, sometimes I found myself liking an Instagram post of a product launch or announcement and then being filled with the feeling of ‘am I doing enough?’ In 2015, I’m looking forward to celebrating more and comparing much less.
2015 is a blank slate, and I’m looking forward to filling it with awesome. What slip ups are you hoping to leave behind in 2014?
I love this post. It really makes me take a closer look at my own mistakes this year, and to see them as opportunities for growth. I think I spent a lot of this year feeling the need to please other people, not to “rock-the-boat” per-say. But, I’ve come to the idea that I don’t always need to ask permission to do my own thing. This is definitely the year I defined my own version of being an “adult.”
I made so many similar mistakes, especially the numbers thing.
If anything I hope I become less concerned.
I hope you have lovely festive period. x
Love this! I did something similar for my one year anniversary on blogging. I find that a lot of bloggers this year focused on comparison (including myself) with other bloggers. Your tips are so helpful and I’m excited to see your growth and the growth of my own blog in 2015.
Sometimes when I find it difficult to relate to a post, I’m tempted to make a superficial comment about how this or that is great, and then sign off with a link to my blog. I want to be more engaged in the blogosphere and leave more thoughtful comments that actually contribute to conversations. -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s
Well, this is definitely something I’m going to keep in mind for myself this 2015! Fortunately we can learn plenty of our own mistakes, and grow bigger and better afterwards. Wishing you a lovely new year! x
Thanks for this helpful post.
I admire people who see their mistakes and always try to improve themselves ♥
I love and admire your honesty. You are wonderful! :] xo
Hi Amber! I can totally relate to some of your blog mistakes. Ever since my friends started to know about my blog, I became quite obsessed with my blog stats. Also, I’ve been comparing my blog to others too; something that will eventually pull me away from the main reason why I blog in the first place, which is to express myself and not to compete.
I hope in the coming new year, we’ll all work on our blog mistakes and improve 🙂 Happy Holidays! <3
I don’t know any of us ever really get “there” as in feeling totally comfortable and accepting of our own work. But wow, look how much you did!
Nice to hear your honest mistakes since we can also learn from them. In my case, I would like to create closer relationships with some of my readers, a kind of community of girls with goals in common that can work together and inspire each other
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