*This post is sponsored by New Day Creative. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support bgbychristina. Some links might be affiliate links
Happy New Year!
Wow, it feels incredible to have a fresh start after a super turbulent year!
There’s something so riveting and beautiful about a blank page. I always get butterflies in my stomach around this time of year, because I love dreaming of all of the possibilities that are to come.
I want to start the New Year off on my blog by sharing some of the things that I’ve learned along my blogging/content creating journey so far. My hope is that you’ll walk away from this post with confidence to embark on another year of creating. If you are not a creator yet, but you want to be one, hopefully this post will help you feel ready to take that leap of faith!
These tips that I’m going to share are not strictly for January. They are relevant whenever for any fresh start, new project, or new side hustle!
Now let’s jump into the heart of this post!
Here are my best tips for paving the way for a successful year:
Have A Clear Vision
Clearly define what your vision is, so that you know what you’re working for and so the right connections can find you
Having a clear vision as a creator is imperative for your growth and success.
The online world is a saturated place right now, so it helps to have a unique vision that resonates with your brand. However, don’t feel rushed into choosing a niche and don’t settle into one too soon if you’re unsure. I say play around by posting on a few different topics for a while and then make your decision!
Once you have your vision, it’s time to clean up your branding.
Having a clear brand image will really help you stand out online! This can be hard to do all by yourself. New Day Creative is an amazing tool for this part of your journey! As an advertising agency in Columbus OH, they help creatives create consistent and dynamic branding for their blogs/websites and social media platforms.
An advertising agency can help you stay focused and consistent with your business goals!
Plan, Plan, Plan
Plan out your posting schedule, posting calendar, blog posts and social media captions
I’m not an organized person by nature. Planning and organizing are two skills that I have to work very hard at. Over the years, I’ve learned that when I plan my work out I’m more proud of what I create and I’m less stressed!
I like to create a posting schedule for Instagram for each month and then I create an even more specific, detailed schedule for each week of that month. In a dream world, I’d have all of my Instagram posts ready a month before they are to be posted. However, I often fall behind and don’t stay a month ahead of the game, but it still helps me stay afloat by shooting for that goal!
It’s so empowering to have posts saved as drafts so that they’re totally ready to go for when you want them to go live. Have you ever found it hard to caption a photo on the fly? I have! That’s one of the reasons, planning out content helps so much. It allows you to create more meaningful captions and start better conversations with your followers.
Planning your content will also help you stay consistent and consistency is key!
Set Strategic Goals
Be specific & timely about the goals you want to achieve
I like to set weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly goals for my business.
That might sound like a lot, but it’s actually more manageable that way. If I set 12 goals for the year, I can zero in on 1 each month, instead of focusing on 12 things each month. I think the scary thing about setting goals, it the thought of not being able to achieve them. There are so many goals that I don’t achieve by the set time I had initially thought and that’s totally okay! I just re-access those goals and set a different date for them.
Believe In Community Over Competition
Support your community and peers as much as you can
We will always rise by lifting others! Don’t ever be afraid to support other people in your industry, because you’re afraid it will hurt your growth. The world and this online world are big enough for every soul that’s in it. By following and supporting like-minded creatives, you will only help your business growth. Research and reach out to local businesses that have a similar style as yours and ask to collaborate with them. Search for other creatives in your area and reach out to collaborate with them too! Take part in a group giveaway to gain more exposure to different audiences and gift your own followers in the process!
Listen To Advice, Not Opinions
Take into consideration what others say when they are trying to help you constructively, but let opinions slide off your back
This one is important to remember, because it can help you stay true to yourself and your voice. It can be really helpful to get advice, or constructive criticism from someone who has experience in your field.
However, opinions are often just noise that end up clouding your vision. I would consider an opinion to be a statement that doesn’t really have a purpose. So if someone doesn’t like your style, or your blog niche, it doesn’t matter!
Their opinion isn’t factual.
What steps are you taking to help set yourself up for success this year?
I’d love to hear some of your best tips!
Love,
Christina xx
