1. I am fine tuning an idea for a niche. I am going to polish it, add few posts with the underlying theme and see how the readers like it.
2. I am going to post three times a week, and space them out evenly. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays might work.
3. I am going to add all the blogs that I have bookmarked to my blogroll. This way people can see which ones I subscribe to and follow regularly.
4. I am going to organize all my blog post ideas. These are all over the place at the moment and I cannot seem to find anything when I need it.
5. I am going to learn more about SEO Search Engine Optimization
6. I am going to look at more widgets to add to my blog.
7. I am going to get my own domain name for my blog – maybe upgrade with word press, just so people know how serious I am about this.
8. I am going to write a free report for new subscribers. I will also mail this report to people who have already subscribed, just to say a special thanks to them. I really do appreciate you guys. 🙂
9. I am going to network more with other writing blogs and comment more often. I will also query blogs to see if I can guest post for them. Fingers crossed.
10. I am going to learn more about blogging, and share everything with my readers.
So what are your new year’s blogging resolutions? Please share, I would love to know. 🙂
73 Comments
Welcome!
Hi, this is Marya. I am a Facebook Ad & Content Strategist. I help you to promote your program or coaching package with confidence using Facebook ads.
Together, we will create ad strategies to attract hot leads and sell your ecourse, coaching program or service package by the bucketloads .. that’s the plan.
Are you in? 🙂
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My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? « Marya writes | Blog about Blogs Says :
[…] Resolutions for 2011. Yours? « Marya writes Posted on Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 at 1:30 pm Sheldon Liber wrote an interesting post today. Here’s a quick excerptThis blog is my commitment to self […]
bookjunkie Says :
I love your list. Clearly written and things I am interested in too. It reminds me that I need to do more blog post organizing too. That always gets left aside in my rush to post new stuff.
maryawrites Says :
Thanks for that. I am actually adding two more resolutions to the list.
11. Learn more about social networking. Presently I lack information big time only understanding bits and pieces.
12. Check out each and every single blogger who posted a comment to my blogging posts.
See you later.
candid04 Says :
Thanks for sharing. I have recently just started blogging and am still trying to figure things out. Some of my goals are:
1. Leave comments at least twice a week.
2. Have at least 15 people actively follow my blog
3. Learn how RSS feeds work and set up one
4. Have each of my blogs be at least 200 words
5. Introduce 5 people to blogging
How long have you been blogging?
maryawrites Says :
Oh I still have to figure out feeds and stuff. And social networking as well.
I am fairy new myself, my blog is barely 3 months old, however I have been obsessed with web writing and publishing for a while now, so have been doing research for quite some time.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? « Marya writes « Blogging Future Says :
[…] here: My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? « Marya writes Comments […]
toniSTRINGZ Says :
Great Ideas!
My list:
01. Get more active readers: friends, family. and other bloggers.
02. Read more blogs
03. Comment more often
04. Learn how to attract readers to my blog, without spamming anyone or anything
05. Get 5 Readers a months
06. Find interesting blogs!
maryawrites Says :
Oooh I love your last one. I often sit and wonder how many awsome blogs am I missing. Its all about word of blog isn’t it?
Thanks for sharing.
toniSTRINGZ Says :
I guess the main one I would like to focus on
is attract more readers of the same interest, not just to subscribe but to interact.
Build a relationship amongst your subscribers and build mutual friendships.
Jessica Hill Says :
What a great list! I talked about resolutions at my blog today, too. I’m not making specific resolutions, because I never follow through on them, but I am going to work as hard as I can to get my writing moving in a forward motion.
As far as blogging, a lot of my goals for the new year are similar to yours. I’d definitely like to start reading more blogs more often and commenting more often, as well as finding more writers in the blogosphere.
Hope you have a great new year!
maryawrites Says :
Hi Jessica, I always love to hear what you have to say. Thanks for that.
Its been a while that I have checked out all the blogs that I follow regularly. I guess identifying that is the important first step right? Hopefully once school starts and my kids go back, I’ll have more time to stick to my resolutions.
Have a good day.:)
Sandra Bell Kirchman Says :
You are very organized, Marya. It’s soothing to read your list. My goals are not fleshed out yet.
1. Learn to use social media (Twitter and Facebook for now) to interest people in my blog.
2. Get started writing my next novel and sharing it with my readers.
3. Encourage more writers to write. I have seen in your blog that you guys don’t call yourselves writers. You should. Anyone who writes to be read by others is a writer (and I don’t mean letters and email :P).
4. Follow more blogs, back and support them, and learn from them.
5. Learn how to work with WordPress more creatively and deck out my blogsite.
6. Keep all my blog posts under 500 words.
7. Attract 5 readers a month to my blog.
8. Make sure that everything I write in my blog is useful, entertaining, and hopefully inspirational.
9. I’ve been sort of spreading my wings so far, but I want to keep a little closer to my theme of fantasy writing, so that readers who are attracted to it aren’t disappointed. Also it will keep me more organized.
10. Invite guest bloggers to my blog and hopefully be invited as a guest blogger by other blog writers.
Sandra Bell Kirchman
Wizards and Ogres and Elves…Oh My!
maryawrites Says :
Actually I totally forgot about social media. I am so inadequate when it comes to that – I really need to find out more. Maybe we both need to look at blogs that teach all that stuff? Let’s compare notes as we both get along.
Thanks for sharing your list, its very well thought out. 🙂
damonasumner
Enjoyed the list. I don’t do resolutions but I do have goals for 2011.
– write consistently. I’m not sure what that number is per week but I’ll think through it.
– Read more blogs and comment more.
-Interact with my blog readers.
– Think through SEO
-Increase followers and daily views.
Good Stuff!
maryawrites Says :
Thanks for sharing.
I especially liked that bit about having goals but no resolutions. Definitely food for thought here. Cheers 🙂
My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? « Marya writes | appleblogger.co.cc Says :
[…] the rest here: My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? « Marya writes This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged all-writers, commitment, every-single, […]
tiallarising Says :
that’s a great list! i don’t really have any resolutions for my blog…except maybe to write more interesting posts that engage the reader more.
-Tia
http://www.tiallarising.wordpress.com
maryawrites Says :
I think thats the best one. Thanks 🙂
wulanadian
Mine are these…!!
1. Blog less sporadically, but rather dedicate a full 2 or 3 hours in a week just to do all things blogging.
2. Worry less about traffic. Blog to express, not to get popular. 🙂
3. Post something not in English. 🙂
4. Blog about something I have watched or read.
http://varyfocal.wordpress.com
maryawrites Says :
I want to do the same as your number 1. Just when I was getting used to my little one going to daycare for three days a week and utilizing some of that time for writing, holidays started!
Hopefully things should be better after school starts again. Till then I’d be lucky to steal any time to post at all. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
pallasathena2007 Says :
You inspire me. I think I will drag out the old pen and paper and do some serious thinking.
maryawrites Says :
Thanks very much. Do you have a small baby to look after? If so, you have my utmost respect. Write on! 🙂
Blogging in the New Year « Knocked Up – Knocked Over Says :
[…] taking my inspiration from this post from Marya Writes. I stumbled across her blog on the WordPress Freshly Pressed section (a […]
bigyellowbus
From Me!
1. Actually leave a comment on a someone else’s blog (one for one already!)
2. Learn from others (what works for them might work for me)
3. Write for me (if others like it then bonus)
4. Actually have a non Facebook friend read the blog (even just once)
5. Maybe break the days of the week down to topic days (get more focused)
6. See if there is a blogging group out there to join and share ideas get critique and advice (suggestions anybody?)
7. Read the comments, not just the blog (I figure it will show if the readers like what they are reading and try to learn from it)
8. Stop worrying how the blog looks and just write (less tinker more typing!)
9. Realize that there will be days where nobody reads me (take it on the chin and keep a grin)
10. Improve my grammar and spelling (back to school for me!)
Ken
(Other Side Of 40)
maryawrites Says :
Hi Ken. Thanks for sharing your list, I loved reading it, its so to the point. 🙂
There are many writing websites where people critique and offer advice. To have a similar place for bloggers would be fantastic. Does anyone know?
bigyellowbus
Thanks Marya,
Another thought occurred to me so I’d like to add another point.
11. Learn more on effective tagging (I think that it could be just important in getting the word out since people tag surf as well)
As for social networking, WordPress supports status updates to Facebook, i.e. when you post here it put a brief update on your FB feed and a link for all your friends to see. If you don’t do this now and need some help it is one of the few things I do know.
If you set up a fan page for the blog it should go out to any fans there as well. I know of one blogger that does this. WordPress also will do the same for Yahoo, Messenger and Twitter (thought given the limit on tweet sizes I don’t know how that works)
The back side of this is that at first only your friends get the updates and it sometimes feels a bit like being in sales and just trying to sell to family.
Ken
knot2share Says :
Hello again Marya!
Apologies for invading this space again. I don’t intend to turn this into a discussion platform completely. I am referring to Ken’s comments below about TAGGING. I did not find the REPLY button against Ken’s reply so decided to post it here.
I think effective tagging is surely a way to get noticed by others. I tag surf too. But I have noticed that there are only a couple of TAGS, among the many that I have used so far on different posts, that presents me with a list of related posts by others. It is always posts on DREAMS and SPACE. Well, for a change today, I read something with Envy/Jealousy and Blood-test as tags. But predominantly I see posts only with DREAMS and SPACE as tags.
Is there a way to shuffle the listing of my TAGS so that something else gets a priority for a while?? I hope I am making sense here. Anybody please?
Laura Best Says :
Hi Marya, I like all of your ideas. I’ve been thinking that having a set time to write posts is a much more organized way but whether or not I’m able to stick with something like that remains to be seen. I don’t tend to be very organized.
maryawrites Says :
I used to have a lot of pride in my ability to keep everything organized. Then I had kids – everything went out the window. Nothing has been the same ever since.
Thanks for your kind words. 🙂
Samantha Says :
Those are really great goals for your blog. I think it is time that I actually start writing down some for mine. It’s a bit of a free for all at the moment.
maryawrites Says :
Do share. Thank you. 🙂
Bob Brody Says :
I’m going to get more “bloggy.” Untll now, I’ve posted almost nothing but text. So I’ll shoot for more links, photos and the like.
maryawrites Says :
Good idea. I certainly enjoy a bit of visual alongside the old fashioned text. Best of luck. 🙂
mesulli Says :
Loved your resolutions. And everyone else’s too. I want to add them all to my lists, but sadly I think I’ll have to focus on a couple, otherwise I’ll never do anything else. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, I do still require a “day job” to pay my bills. Maybe someday I won’t? Which gets back to resolutions and aspirations.
1. Write more often and more regularly.
2. Become an active participant and not just a watcher. (I want people to know I enjoy what they’re doing.)
Good luck in 2011!
maryawrites Says :
I think many new bloggers don’t realize how important it is to follow other blogs, and participate. I am still learning myself. Good luck! 🙂
aquatom1968 Says :
Marya, I thought I’d replied to this post – obviously not… sorry! What I meant to say was…
Great post once again! You have given me food for thought for my blog, and I need to get more organised and have a little more structure to things!
I told you I liked what you had to say! 😀
maryawrites Says :
Thanks very much. Have a good day! 🙂
knot2share Says :
Very impressed with your neatly organised goals. You talk about organising your ideas and thoughts about blogging. I am yet to find out how to get ideas. Search Engine Optimization – now that is something new to me too. I like it that you are getting serious about this and I have a lot to learn from you. Thank you for getting my thinking hat on about my own blog.
My goals:
* I wish to keep the site going and not wrap up one fine day and say I have had enough.
* My friends tell me that I should write regularly and it does not matter if they are good or bad. We will get better and better with each post. So the next goal of mine is to write regularly. But how regularly? I dunno. The need to sit down and write something does not happen often. I have to work on it.
* I want to improve on my writing skills. Learn from others by reading their blogs. Pick up courage to post a comment. Learn new words and usages.
* Follow other blogs sincerely. Encourage others to be encouraged in return. This may sound like a selfish attitude but my friend did say to me that this is like a boomerang. It helps both the parties to boost each other’s confidence and feel good about what one is doing.
maryawrites Says :
I think its not selfish at all to expect others to have a look at your blog as well. In fact it is a matter of common courtesy I think.
That being said, my apologies to everyone as I have not been able to look at your blogs – yet. My parents are visiting from overseas at the moment and I am also going away for a few weeks. As soon as things get back to normal, I plan to check out many, many blogs … and comment as well. Not out of compulsion, but I love to do this anyway. Long before I started my blog, I used to visit many to forums to participate. That has taken a back seat for now.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Sandra Bell Kirchman Says :
Knot2share – I came across this site (http://www.plinky.com/) that is specifically for bloggers looking for ideas. They pose a question and you answer. If you want to post your answer to your blog, it gives you that option. Just be aware that they do not repeat the question in your blog, so you might want to so readers know what you are answering.
knot2share Says :
Thank you Sandra! I am just about to have a look at that.
Ollin Says :
Great list! I want to be more consistent, too. 3 days a week for me as well. I think consistency helps, it sets a nice rhythm and tone you and your readers can follow. Plus it keeps a balance, more than 3 I think is too much, less than that is too little.
Good luck!
maryawrites Says :
Consistency is definitely the key to success ..across many many things – only if it was easy to achieve – will see how we go. Thank you. 🙂
My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? (via Marya writes) « Other Side of 40 Says :
[…] My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? (via Marya writes) Filed under: Uncategorized by bigyellowbus — Leave a comment December 29, 2010 1. I am fine tuning an idea for a niche. I am going to polish it, add few posts with the underlying theme and see how the readers like it. 2. I am going to post three times a week, and space them out evenly. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays might work. 3. I am going to add all the blogs that I have bookmarked to my blogroll. This way people can see which ones I subscribe to and follow regularly. 4. I am going to organize all my blog post ideas. Th … Read More […]
Jonathan Says :
I think if I’m going to have any kind of hope for the next year in terms of my blog, it’s going to be “content, content, content” – which may mean posting a lot less frequently.
I don’t know.
Will think about it.
Good post!
maryawrites Says :
Good to see you Jonathan. Now I know how it feels … heheh (Getting freshly pressed and finding great people reading your blog)
Content …right. Thats what it all boils down to in the end. Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Sandra Bell Kirchman Says :
I think we should all start a club called “Getting Bloggy With It” – Marya can be president 😛 We can compare notes on any new things we are learning and answer questions for newer people, assuming we know the answers.
I came across this page that lists blogs on how to start a blog which also might be helpful.
http://en.wordpress.com/tag/start-a-blog/
Anyone have any ideas on this?
Sandra (aka Raya)
Wizards and Ogres and Elves…oh my!
mesacoelsombrero Says :
I´m with you, but i have a blog in spanish, even though i want to participate in the CLUB.
My goal for 2011 is start a blog in English.
Happy new year!!!
Sandra Bell Kirchman Says :
Sure, you can participate. Just write to us in English, since my Spanish is limited to things like “vaya con dios” and “andale, andale!” 🙂
maryawrites Says :
Hey .. welcome to the CLUB
I do not understand any Spanish at all, I am afraid…
maryawrites Says :
Sandra, I am so flattered!!! *blush*
If people keep on taking the discussion forward in my comments space, I would be honoured. 🙂 Keep the good ideas coming guys.
Sandra Bell Kirchman Says :
I’m glad you like the idea. I was concerned that you might feel sort of pushed out of your own blog, so I am relieved. No wonder people like reading your stuff 🙂
Yeah, we can keep on discussing our bloggities here on your blog. What do you think about making a separate page, since we are liable to take up an awful lot of space and it would make it a little easier to find. Up to you – this is just a suggestion.
maryawrites Says :
I am intrigued by your suggesion – I think I am going to sleep on it. If you have anything on how to actually execute this idea, let me know. 🙂
bigyellowbus
Sorry to jump the line Sandra. 🙂
Add a page to the blog, call it say Marya’s Kitchen. Add a brief welcome note, rules, leave the comments option turned on (some people turn them off for pages) grab a mugga and enjoy!
maryawrites Says :
I will definitely do something like that once I get my own space. Till then please feel free to comment to posts as required. Many thanks.
Sandra Bell Kirchman Says :
My idea is similar to bigyellowbus’s. Create a new page as he suggested, but call it “Getting Bloggy With It” – a play on words for Will Smith’s “Getting Jiggy With It.”
Write an introduction on the page explaining what it’s all about. Then people can comment that they are members of the club – and then the comments can expand on their own from there…for questions, answers, suggestions. I also love the answers bigyellowbus and others are providing about tech questions. We could maybe even have a separate section for tech questions and answers.
My Top 10 Blogging Resolutions for 2011. Yours? (via Marya writes) | myhatgoesoff Says :
[…] 1. I am fine tuning an idea for a niche. I am going to polish it, add few posts with the underlying theme and see how the readers like it. 2. I am going to post three times a week, and space them out evenly. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays might work. 3. I am going to add all the blogs that I have bookmarked to my blogroll. This way people can see which ones I subscribe to and follow regularly. 4. I am going to organize all my blog post ideas. Th … Read More […]
bigyellowbus
Hi,
Sorry Marya, looks like this comment section has become a bit of a message forum. Guess its like how a really great party always ends up in the kitchen. Let us know when its time to shove off, OK!
2 things to add (again). First check this link
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2010/12/29/welcome-to-the-daily-post/
Its a challenge to us bloggers to commit to either posting once a day or once a week. Fits with what some of us have been saying about committing to writing more.
Second, wanted to say tagging does increase the chances of traffic. I changed how I was tagging (more tags) and have had the best views per day count. Not sure how yet, but will share if I figure it out.
Happy New Year Marya (and all!!)
maryawrites Says :
Hey, no worries at all. I loved your analogy, and love nothing better to have a kitchen full of happy campers. 🙂
I have also checked out the link, thanks for that. I, however, would pass for now. I have tried to post daily but with two small kids and part time study load (post grad teaching diploma), I don’t want to fail miserably – again.
I too tried to reply to your second post but gave up when I couldn’t find a reply button. Wanted to say two things .. I would definitely look into developing a facebook fan page, and secondly yes I want to know more about tagging. What changes did you end up making?
bigyellowbus
Marya,
The reply button may have disappeared because your “threaded” or “nested comments” (comments to comments to comments to …..) is set at the default 3. You can change that if you wish. Go to your dashboard and select Settings, then Discussion. The 7th check box from the top is the one that you want.
Totally understand the work load, and children. Driving is fairly easy and gives me lots of time to ponder. My boys are 14 and 18, so they look out for themselves. While I find failure hard to believe, I will quote Douglas Adams – “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” Food for thought huh.
As for tagging changes, besides re-blogging this post to my site (which got me noticed), I looked at the Tags tab on Fresh Pressed (which is how I found you BTW) to get an idea of what tags were popular and if any applied to what I was writing about. I now use those, plus I add several them to each post (not just 1 like before). Say for example – Blog, Blogging, Humor, Writing, etc. More tags means more chances for being seen.
Thanks again!
Ken
maryawrites Says :
Thanks for your help. Worked a treat. 🙂
Good idea about the tagging thing. That’s how I do it too. Always try to use broad range tagging – make it easier for people to find it.
lllemagine Says :
Thanks for these ideas! I honestly JUST started reading blogs and I have been inspired to start my own, but I feel SO LOST! I read the tutorials, but I still feel behind. How do I get people to start reading my blog? Any suggestions? Again thanks for this and Happy New Year!! ellen
fyoonambyuhlist
Well thought list there.
I am comparatively new to blogging and my blog is not a “universal” blog, in the sense, it has a strong local and personal flavour to it, so I am not sure how many readers I would be able to attract. Therefore, my only resolution is to keep my blog active till the end of 2011 i.e. atleast 2 posts every week. On the way if I manages to have even 5 regular readers I would be happy.
maryawrites Says :
Best of luck with that, and thanks for your comment.
jannatwrites Says :
I enjoyed your list of resolutions for your blog. I’ve been blogging for less than a year and my goals for 2011 are quite similar to yours.
I have no goals for number of hits or subscribers I should have per month because that’s not something I can control. I don’t pay close attention to the numbers, but I do respond to all comments and visit blogs of previous commenters (that’s how I ended up finding your blog).
I do look for new blogs to visit, but am not able to devote as much time as I would like to doing that.
Wishing you success in your blog resolutions 🙂
maryawrites Says :
Hi, what I have found so far, in my short stint of 3 months, that if your content is good, readers will come. 🙂 I write because I have things to say, its very nice to have people out there actualy reading that. Cheers 🙂
Krawford Says :
Very nice resolutions. My resolutions (or really just hopes, in my case) for this year concerning my new blog:
— Adding Relevant, Entertaining, and Worthwhile Posts
— Networking, networking, networking! And along the way hoping to maybe make a few friends and find some inspiring blogs
— Learn more about blog themes and design, as well as how media can enhance by blog and the experience of my readers
— Keep up my schedule of three posts per week consistently from week to week
If you ever get the time, you can check on the progress with these resolutions concerning my blog. ^_^
http://kuriouskrawford.wordpress.com/
I wish you the best of luck with them in the New Year, and hope all goes well in general in 2011!
maryawrites Says :
Thanks for sharing your list, they are great. So far, I have failed miserably in keeping my main resolution – to post thrice a week. Due to school holidays, my parents visiting from overseas and my upcoming visit of 6 weeks, it also seems highly unlikely in the near future. Maybe after March, on no then when my Uni study begins… Oh well ….:)
Krawford Says :
Thanks. ^^ And don’t beat yourself up — life comes first, after all. I’ve faltered slightly already thanks to a stomach bug, but I’m getting back on the horse as they say. All I can suggest is taking advantage of free time when you get it and cushioning your blog with some scheduled posts. Other than that, enjoy life and just keep trying with those resolutions. 😀
Cara Says :
I switched from WordPress.com to my own domain in November, and mostly, it went smoothly. If you use their upgrade to add a domain, they’ll forward the traffic to your domain, and anyone who subscribed under the old domain will still get everything you post. I was afraid it would be a huge hassle, but it wasn’t.
The only real problem I had was when I set up the new one on my own domain, one of the plugins that’s included was doing some wacky cacheing stuff, which was making it look like nothing was working when I tried some different templates and stuff. If you experience weirdness where things don’t work or you don’t see results when you make changes, try disabling that cacheing plugin.
maryawrites Says :
Hi Cara. Good to see you. Thanks for your advice, good to know that when I do upgrade, I will keep my readers. I do not want to lose a single one. Cheers 🙂
Susan Says :
Hi Marya,
You just posted a comment on my blog so I followed back and I really like your blog. I’m very new to blogging (3 weeks), so learning other things like what widget to use or how to make a better “about me” page has been a big challenge as it is. I’m intrigued by the idea of making resolutions and even though I’m very late to this resolution blog party, here are mine, which may change as I learn more about blogging:
1. Interview a few people and put it on my blog (I’ve never interviewed anyone before, so this is new)
2. Approach a few bloggers and do a few guest posts
3. Find bloggers in my same niche and point to their posts or blogs if relevant
4. Really learn how to use twitter and learn how to use it well (I still don’t get it)
5. Start another blog in another niche in the next few months.
6. Also going to learn about widgets (stealing from your list)
7. Actually write a preplanned series of posts (mine have been very random).
Marya Says :
Hi Susan, thanks very much for your kind words and for posting your resolutions. Sheesh, this seemed like ages ago when I did this post, and I haven’t been able to keep quite a few of mine. I enjoyed reading your list, my next thing to do is to start working on my guest post pitch. I have just started using twitter but honestly, I still don’t see the point of it – yet!.
Hope to see more of you. Cheers 🙂