Can you believe we only have a few weeks left until 2018? Woaaah! It’s just about time to start getting ready to conquer the new year & I’m here to help! Here are some ways to clean up your blog for the new year!

Analyze Your Statistics

See what worked and what didn’t. Go to your Google Analytics and look at your top visited posts in the last year, visit those posts and make sure to give them a quick clean up- updates images, fix typos, include some affiliate links. You don’t necessarily need to post new content in order to improve your blog. Instead, make sure to check out these 10 ways to improve your old blog posts.

Looking back at your stats can also help you create a new schedule for the upcoming months. January is usually pretty great traffic wise and you might want to consider writing up a few posts that you know your audience is going to love for this.

Re-think Your Goals

I’m absolutely fine to admit that things do change and it’s ok to swift your ideas and original blogging goals. New Year is just perfect for that!

Setting achievements for yourself and your blog helps to streamline your focus and efforts, so you’re making the most of your time creating your online brand. It will also help you stay motivated along the way!

If you feel lost at the moment or actually feel like you don’t have a goal for your blog at all, read Find Your Ultimate Blogging Goal and let me know if you finally set yourself one.

Go Self-Hosted

If you’re taking your blog seriously- self-hosting is definitely the way to go for the new year.

End of the year is just the perfect time to get your own space on the internet & invest into a trustworthy web hosting package. No free wordpress.com blog or a blog built on Blogspot can compare to having your own self-hosted blog.

This might sound a bit technical, but with the right resources, you can even launch your self-hosted WordPress site in minutes! Read more about the benefits of migrating to WordPress over here or if you trust my word- go ahead and start a profitable, self-hosted WordPress blog in 5 minutes here.

Get Professional Blog Design

I’ve been saying this over & over again, but I just want to make my point clear- your blog design matters SO MUCH. It’s the first thing your readers see when they visit your blog & that’s how they get the first impression of your blog and well…you. If you haven’t invested in a proper design yet, you have to do it!

You see, even if you write the best content out there, but the readers visiting your blog will be greeted with one of those default themes with no character, they most probably will leave your site without even giving it a proper chance. You definitely don’t want this to happen!

Designing your blog also doesn’t even have to be expensive, you can purchase a premade blog template & this way, you can have a professional looking blog in super quickly without any huge investments. All you need to do is choose your theme, download it and upload to your blog. That doesn’t sound that scary, right? Read: How To Choose The Right WordPress Theme?

Make A Schedule

This is not as crazy as it sounds! I’m not telling you must schedule every post, every promotion or every picture at this very moment. However, setting up a topic for each month of 2018 is a great way to see your whole year in perspective.

The second sheet of my Make It Happen: New Year Plan printable is all about that. List down the main topic for every month of the year & think about some suitable blog posts ideas.

By doing this, you will be able to get ready in advance & be more professional. You can also use this plan & get in touch with potential sponsors to let them know which topics you’re currently working on and ask for collaboration opportunities.

Update Your About Page

My about page is actually one of the most visited static pages on my blog and I make sure to clean it up every once in a while, especially before the new year.

Go ahead & take new headshots, read through your about page & make sure to keep all the info up to date. Link your most popular posts, inform your readers about your achievements, your hobbies & even your secrets. A killer ‘about’ page is a must for any successful blog, don’t ignore it!

Think About Yourself

No matter what you do, don’t forget to prioritize your needs first. If you love yourself and are constantly growing in your interest fields, this will definitely show on your blog & your readers are going to admire it.

Make sure to analyze your own, personal wishes for the new year, even if they are not closely related to your blog. Planning a few trips, finding interesting reads or simply trying to explore more mindful living will definitely help you grow as a person which always makes a huge influence on everything that you decide to do.

Read: Daily Wellness Habits That Help Me Keep Growing As A Person + Business Owner

A Final Word

I feel extremely positive about 2018. I feel like 2017 has been a bit harsh on everyone in the world and we all just need a new start to be a little better, a little smarter and a lot more motivated. When it comes to the blogosphere, I also feel like 2017 has only brought more understanding that only those that really do proper work online can make it out there and we need professional creators more than ever. Blogging is not an easy job, but if you’re ready to do it right- it can be the best thing that has ever happened to you.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this post, friends! Let me know if you’re currently working on re-launching your blog for the new years and what steps you’re taking to improve it!