Blog Goals: Answering a call (and only in English)

I’ve been thinking about this lately, - how much my blogging life has changed since I started to work my way trough 31 days over at Problogger.

Then came this call for entries that focus on Blog Goals.
(I'm too late, but still feel for writing this.)

Yes, setting my goals for this blog and my blogging made a change in how I put “pen to paper” in my blog these days.

I’m not that into blogging for life, for an income, but I do see the benefits from putting ads on the site and making a living out of it.

Without Darren Rowse putting so much into his posts, I wouldn’t have made any goals at all.

At first, - where am I today?
And second, - where will I be in a year? Or in three years?

I had to make up a status and really look hard into my understanding on why I like to blog. What do I get from it. And if this is something I want to go on with.

Since I do not (right now) make a living from blogging (and want to use ads) why not just make all my posts “private” (as we can here at LiveJournal)?

I like to make my posts public. Mostly because of the communication I then get with other readers of blogs and journals. I have already made great friendships by having this blog. Friends and family have a chance to read and see what’s going on in this part of my life.

Coming this far in my thoughts, I realized that now was the time to bring the goal setting on the table. Using a simple tablet with boxes I stared to think about what I like when I visit other blogs and journals:

- the first view.
- the colors used.
- the ability to navigate on the site/ the blog.

In other words: What it is that make me come back over and over again?

If that is what make me want to read a blog, - how do I set up and make my blog an interesting place to visit for people who come looking for the same as I do?

I stated to look at my own blog, - what do I like about it today? And if I were to change anything, - then what?

At a restaurant we look at the place and the room, then the menu, and then we eat. If it tastes good, then we’ll come back another time.

What kind of “room” do I want to welcome my guests into?
What are on today’s menu, - something special and something ordinary from earlier days?
Will my guest easily find and have a taste of what’s on today’s menu?
And the big question, - will they be back for more?

Next, - the content of my writing: What do I focus on today? What is my main subject? And is that what my friends, my readers come by for? Or not?

Looking at the comments on earlier posts of mine I found out that what I like to focus on, is the same as what people say they like to see and to read.

So my goal setting would have to have to focus on these points for the next year:
- the look of the website: an overall look, the navigation, updating scedule.
- the content: how the writing look, how to present the main subject, my writing habits and writing styles, what the main subject is from my point of view.

I’m starting to get there. I’m working towards my goals. When making up status next month, in six months and next year at this time, I hope that I’ll be closer to this dream that I have today.

The best part is that this goalsetting for my blog (and journal) gave me an eyeopener and time to focus on my artistic goals.
You will take part in that if you read my writing in the year to come.

I'm too late to submit this as part of the Group Writing Project.
Ending this, I’ll go and read the other entries submitted to ProBlogger.
~

Edit: Five I'd like to study some more :
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Blogs, Habits? What Habits?, How to Keep the Blog Machine Running, The 1 Requirement of Effective Bloggers

and I love this Frank Lloyd Wright’s words on effective blogging when "building a room for you, too".