Damn, 2017 was a rough year. I think it was a rough year for everyone. I can’t tell you that 2018 will be any easier, but maybe I’ll have a better game plan to achieve all my goals.
What I did this year:
This year was a big year of firsts for me. When I decided in the summer of 2016 to start taking my blog seriously and actually investing in myself, there was a steep learning curve. Even though I’m still learning, 2017 was a huge year for deciding where I want my blog to go. I fell off the path a few times but, by the end of the year, conceived a solid plan for the future of the blog.
Biggest Achievements of 2017:
At for accomplishments this year, I went on two sponsored blog trips – my first ever! One trip was to Torrance, California and the other was to Rocky Point, Mexico! I’ve long aspired to go on blogger press trips, so this was probably my biggest accomplishment of the year.
I also made more income from my blog this year than I ever have before. Thanks to BossPitch, an online course from Erica over at Coming Up Roses, I even scored my first four-figure partnership! (Let me know if you’d like a full review on her course!) I worked with Neutrogena, Fossil, Kendra Scott, and may up and coming smaller brands!
I finally began collaborating within the Tucson community, which has been so fun! I honestly can’t figure out why I didn’t start doing this before. Working with Natalie from Happily Pink at local events has been so much fun and beginning to work closely with other small business owners has quickly become one of the most rewarding parts of blogging. I can’t wait to do this more in the upcoming year!
Blog Goals for 2018:
In 2018, I plan on continuing to work closely with the Tucson community. I’m hoping to get several new restaurant reviews up as well as local hotel reviews to create a fully comprehensive Tucson travel guide. I also hope to work with several city tourism boards to go on 3-4 domestic press trips this year and create a few more travel guides.
As I continue down my path for a travel-focused blog, I also hope to frame all my fashion posts from a travel perspective. This means more posts about fashion companies with ethical and sustainable practices, companies that focus on artisans around the world, and packing and outfit guides for specific locations.
I also want to collaborate with more bloggers. I’m hoping to have one guest post a month and maybe one collaboration every other month to celebrate community over competition. (Interested? Shoot me a DM!)
Growth Goals for 2018:
- 50k on Instagram
- 2k on Twitter
- 5k on Pinterest
- 2k on Facebook
Brand Goals for 2018:
I’ve been debating changing my blog name for a long time now. Should I decide to stick with The Wandering Brunette, I will continue working toward the overarching theme of “lifestyle for the woman on the move.” However, should I decide to change the name, I want to have a fully cohesive brand by the end of the year. This will include a brand new logo and site design!
This is by far, the hardest part of blogging, since I want to blog about everything. But, travel has and always will be my number one passion and it will continue to always be a prominent theme on my blog. Decisions, decisions.
So, what are your goals for the year? I’m excited to meet and support more bloggers on their 2018 journeys!
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