Last Monday, I shared some of my personal goals for 2015 and how I plan to achieve them (well, most of them). It all started off with my going to the Archives for 2014 and I found this post that I wrote on my plans for Bloggie Wednesdays for 2014. To my horror, I did absolutely nothing on what I set out to do!
*head desk x 100*
Alrighty, no more dwelling on the past. What’s not done is … er … well, nothing. Let’s just bring those forward to 2015 and kick those butts and more!
When I was on my Christmas break, I did a lot of thinking about Beautyholics Anonymous and how I want it to be. First and foremost, it has always been very reader-oriented so it’s very important for me to think about what YOU want and not just want I want. Taking my annual reader survey feedback into consideration, here are some of the changes and new features I’ll be implementing in 2015.
1. A reduction of blog posts per week
I used to write 6-7 blog posts a week and half of you preferred less. I’ve even had unsubscription notices that gives “too many updates” as the reason for unsubscribing. To be honest, I’m actually happy for less updates because this means that I can create better content for you without the need for weekend fillers. There’ll be 5 posts a week from now on. Every now and then there may be one weekend post depending on circumstances but on the whole, there will be an average of 5 posts a week.
2. Bloggie Wednesdays will still be on BA once a week
A good number of you enjoy the series (usually bloggers but understandably so) and it’s actually a favourite of mine to write. I know that some of you aren’t fans of the series and I thank you for understanding.
3. Introduction of more non-beauty topics
I’ll be introducing more non-beauty topics and they’ll be on Fridays. BA is predominantly a beauty blog and will remain as such but I’d like to occasionally blog about lifestyle, fashion, planning and organisation (my favourite topic!), and more just to keep the content fresh.
4. Introduction of guest posts and contributors
BA isn’t a team and even with Tim joining the blog for Tim Talks, it’s still pretty much a one-woman show. However, it will be a refreshing change to have different voices on the blog once in a while. I’m highly particular in who I bring in as guest contributors because it’s vital that BA’s voice is still one that you’re familiar with. The first slew of guest posts will be coming in February and I trust you’ll like who I picked. I enjoy their writing and stories immensely and I hope you will too.
5. Bloggie Google Hangouts
I’ve been meaning to do this in 2014 but for some reason, I ended up not doing it. Heck, I even purchased a HD webcam for the Google Hangouts that I wanted to do last year! I reckon it’s the fear of having people watch me on video (which I’m very iffy about) yet I can’t see the people I’m talking to. What do you think? Would you be game for live Google Hangouts with me? (geez, could that make me sound any more conceited?? 😛 )
6. Bloggie Brekkie
This was suggested to me by Yishan ages ago and I thought I could do it in 2014 but I ended up shelving the idea instead. I’d like to do this in 2015 if possible. What Bloggie Brekkie is is a small breakfast of bloggers coming together to discuss all things blogging. There’ll be no brand involvement, no product pushing; just good ol’ chats about blogging. I have several ideas on how to get this going. If you’re a beauty blogger based in Melbourne and would be interested in joining me (and several bloggers) for breakfast, please let me know!
7. Time to bring you readers onto the blog!
I’d like to involve you readers a lot more on the blog this year. By now, a few of you would have received an email from me regarding a new series I’ll be doing on the blog. I’ll be bringing on more readers as the series progresses. It’s time to showcase your awesomeness!
A lot of readers and friends have asked me if I would be giving YouTube a go. To be honest, I really don’t know. YouTube is a great channel for self-promotion and no doubt can be a good traffic driver for the blog. My problem is that while I’m as vain as the next person who loves to have her photo taken, when it comes to video, I freeze up. I speak in this godawful accent that comes from goodness knows where and I’m terribly unnatural on screen. However, let’s never say never. I may give it the old college try. No promises though. 🙂
After going on and on about the changes and features I’ll be implementing on BA, here’s what’s NOT going to change. BA is a blog and will remain as such. I know that a lot of beauty blogs have gone down the “digital magazine” route and while they’re great, it’s not for me. Even with the introduction of non-beauty categories, it will still maintain as a blog. The layout will still remain as a blog and not, er, magazine-y.
Fingers crossed, I’ll achieve all that has been set for 2015. No more slacking off! If there’s anything you’d like me to cover on BA, please let me know either in the comments or via email. I’d love to hear from you.
I wish I lived in Melbs so I can have brekkie with you lol. I can’t wait to read your new content! I love how you’re not following the trend of some other beauty blogs and keeping true to yourself!
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Haha drats! Would love to have you with us! Aww thanks so much for your kind words; really appreciate them. 🙂 x
I for one am happy you’re not going down the digital magazine path because it annoys me. YAY to a slew of new changes 😀 A change is always good and I’m excited to see what 2015 brings forth to BA!
Gotta have changes and new things or else things get verrrryy boring. 😉
Definitely keen for a blogger brekkie! I’ve got mixed feelings about Youtube as well, I HATE the sound of my own voice. It makes me cringe. Editing would be a nightmare hehe. Looking forward to checking out the guest posts and reader series!
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Awesome; will definitely be expecting you. 😉
OMG I hate the sound of my own voice too! Even recording my voice for voicemail makes me cringe. It’s like, “euuwww I sound like THAT to people?? YUCK!” 😛
Super excited by all that! Just wish I could have breakfast with you boooooo…..but *will* make it back to Melbourne this year (am planning on taking a few extra days around my geelong dance weekend in October. ..I know. ..a loooong time from now! ) and plan on hanging out with you then, hurrah! 😀
Come back soon; I wanna finally meet you in person! 😀
A) You can always come to Adelaide and B) Is that your fancy American planner open in the picture? 😀
A) I wanna visit Adelaide! Been trying to organise a trip with Tim for ages! I’ve never been. Grr. I’ll try my best for 2015. 😀
B) Nope, not using the Erin Condren Life Planner for 2015. This is from personal-planner.com.au. Much cheaper and just as easy to use!
A) Yah! Let me know when – I’m jetting off for dance weekends here and there, as always
B) Zomg – you are BAD at enabling me…..:o
They sound like great plans, best of luck Tine!
Thanks Asha! 🙂
I love the sound of what is to come in 2015 for BA. I would definitely be up for brekkie with you if I lived in Melbourne. I hope that you have a good turn out as there are so many of my favourite bloggers who hail from your neck of the woods.
I look forward to seeing who your guest contributors are and as YouTuber I say ‘go for it’. I don’t think many of us like the sound of our voice on video, and can pick on every video that we do, but it is a really good way to get more information out rather than in a blog post.
Have a great 2015 xx
Kate from Seduced by Beauty recently posted..Best of 2014– Part 1 Skin/Nails/Body/Hair/Fragrance
Thanks Kate. Hope you’re feeling better now 🙂
I follow you on YouTube and you’re doing a great job! To be honest, I wish I could just bloody get over myself and do YouTube. Sometimes it’s so much easier to talk about a product than write about it, y’know what I mean? I’ve recorded myself many times and I was like a block of wood on screen. I wouldn’t even want to watch me let alone hoping people would. Fingers crossed I’ll push through, bite the bullet and do it!
It looks like you have 2015 all mapped out! Yay! 😀 I’d love to do brekkie but hey, if I do go Down Under, we do brekkie, lunch and dinner anyway hehe… I hope you get loads of support because I think it’s great to be able to get bloggers together not for any purpose than to just get together and learn from each other or just chat. That sort of camaraderie is quickly fading in this age of competition and locally? forget it. I thought about it, and I’m not even going there anymore.
Also yay to fewer posts. Ironic isn’t it, that it took us this long to realise that less is actually more? I have done up to 14 posts a week (burnout!!) and then 7 and then 6 and then 5 and then 0 LOL before I came back to what is now 2-3 a week and what I like is that it actually makes me a little more discerning about what I put out there. If I’m just going to write 2 posts a week, I better make them posts worth reading!
And finally, yay to not being a digital magazine. Blogs that becomes magazines soon become faceless and mainstream and honestly, a proper magazine gives me a better read, what with their feature articles and reach. I like how we have a slightly different approach to our blogs (which is great! Who wants to be homogeneous?! 😉 ) where I take a more selfish me me me approach and you take a kinder, reader oriented approach. What’s important is what works for us, and it looks like 2015 will be shaping up to be an excellent year for you and BA 😀
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Haha when you’re here (I’m not going to say IF. Ahem), you know we’ll talk till the cows come home. It’s so much fun talking blogging with you! I’d love to get together with beauty bloggers and just chat about blogging. No brand involvement, just straight on getting to know each other and talk about the nitty gritty of blogging, problems we’re facing and how to solve them together. You’re right; in this day and age, that sort of camaraderie is getting rarer, which is really sad because we should be supporting each other instead of just competing with other. Of course there’ll be competition; it would be naive to think that there absolutely wouldn’t and some healthy competition is good for us to want to do better. But all that backstabbing … sigh. One would think we’re still in high school!
Hahaha I know right? I’ve always thought that I have to blog more frequently but whaddyaknow, people actually want less! Well, less posts but good, quality ones, y’know? Good lord, 14 posts a week? How did you do it, I have no idea. And you have a full time job! I’d have thrown my hat in! 😛
I wouldn’t discount magazine-styled blogs altogether for I have seen some really good ones but I do agree; a lot becomes very mainstream after a while. And boring. Have you noticed that a lot that have gone down the digital magazine route become a lot less personable? Surprisingly, those sorts do quite well here in Australia!
Bloggie Brekkie sounds fun!! I [kinda] wish I could join, but then I’m super shy and I’m not situated in Melbs! When it happens, please make sure to do a snippet feature of it! =)
I also really like the idea of a series with the blog readers! It’s awesome how you’ve pinned out what’s happening with BA… I have no idea where mine’s going… Hahahaha.
XX
Tram recently posted..Mani-Monday: Beach Bum Blu
Oh Tram, would love to have you if you’re here! Hopefully it does happen; when it does, I’ll definitely blog about it. 🙂
Sounds like a great plan and I’ll look forward to all your changes in 2015!
Monica.
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Thanks Monica! Looking forward to them too. 🙂
Yay for Bloggie Wednesdays! I love the series. And about the Hangouts, count me in! The YouTube thing would be awesome only if you feel comfortable. The Hangouts could help you to make a smooth transition to the YT world.
I went back to blogging a few months ago and I’m still trying to be consistent with the posting frequency. I’m the most unorganized person on the planet, so no matter how many blog posts I have on my mind, only a few of them get to see the light. So my main goal for this year is moving from procrastination to productivity. I will start next week. O next next week. Who knows.
Cecilia recently posted..Maridajes: Armonía en taupe
Thanks Cecelia! I totally agree; YouTube would work only if I’m comfortable with it. I have a feeling that live hangouts would be fine because it’s just like Skype (well, just me looking at me sort of Skype). Proper YT needs a lot more finesse. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to make that transition.
I know what you mean and I’ve been there so many times. A good start would be to set one blogging goal for yourself e.g I’ll blog once a week on Monday. Once I get the hang of it, I’ll add one more on Wednesday. Consistency helps you and your readers. Good luck! 🙂
Sounds like a very exciting year ahead for BA. I’m definitely in for breakfast (depends on how early it is though haha). I agree with the youtube thing, I don’t like the sound of my voice and the thought of spending hours editing a video puts me off.
Thanks Kerri, I’m expecting you to come. 😉
Oh heeeeeeck yeah I’m down for some blogger brekkies. As long as you allow SM managers.. we’re like the uncool kids in the content arena..
You, my dear, are welcome anytime. 😉
Bloggie Brekkie sounds wonderful to me! and I’m excited to see Bloggie Wednesdays continuing this year, I always love reading them! 🙂
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So glad you enjoy it! And fingers crossed it does happen; I’d love to meet you!