End of year review of the digital front.
Note: This article started in 2023.
I have to be honest; my blog has not had its first birthday yet. May 30,2024 we will celebrate our first birthday. I am so proud of myself to have made a blog and continued to upkeep everything that goes along with it.
What does go into making a blog?
The desire to start one.
What do I need to start?
The desire to start.
Before you start you should know that domains are not free, hosting platforms are not free. The security is not free. Please be aware blogging is a long-term game.
Which should you choose?
Whichever fits best for you. I am the type of person who researches all I can learn before making the plunge into anything. Depending on who you ask, depends on the answer. And the only answer I can give you is make that choice for you and only you.
Whatever you choose, figure out a way to track it. You will see growth, over time. It will help you figure out what is working and what isn’t.
My 2023 in review:
I started my first blog post May 30, 2023. You can read it here. In my almost 8 months of blogging, I have reached 18 different countries and 41 different states in the United States of America. 2.8 thousand visitors with 2.7 thousand of those being unique. Meaning 99 of those were returning IP users, why not 100?…because I am not using myself in the numbers. I open my website to copy useful links to share with others.
How did I get 2.8 thousand visitors to my website? Organic growth through communities and collaborations. Organic growth is just a “fancy” term to say I did not pay for lead generations. I didn’t pay someone to say… “hey check out this website”. Basically, I did legwork of passing out flyers in the digital world. Think Spamly on Ralph Breaks the Internet. But in a not icky way. I joined Facebook groups (tons of them honestly) and advertised my website on days that were allowed. And was an active participant in the community. There was one day that my website received an unusual amount of traffic that day and the only thing I did was tell the community that “the offer” was something people could get for free if they just went directly to the source.
End of Year in Review for 2024!
MY BLOG TURNED ONE!
Did I do anything to celebrate with my community? No. But I did make plans to get a celebratory coffee. I wanted to make it a cute party event, but life was BUSY. Do I want to do something? Yes, however it will probably another celebration coffee because we are moving.
Did I complete my state map? No. I still have WY, SD, and DE to fill in. Maybe 2025 will be the year I get to fill in my map. Check it out below. If you want numbers keep reading.
My map that I have drawn in based on visits between May 30, 2023 through November 24, 2024.
By the Numbers-Device Type
Data Image showing top devices by visits.
To reiterate, the image information above. Each device has its own viewing experience. What you see on the desktop computer will vary from other devices. Knowing how your community interacts with your content helps make a smoother experience. I for one do not like tons of pop ups or ads…if I can’t read your information. I will leave. This impacts your ranking in Search Engine Optimization or known as SEO. Please be aware that there are other search engines out there…not just Google. I can literally go on a tangent on this.
By the Numbers- Visits
Data showing sources by which people found me.
Why is this information important?
Did you know that I am also on Instagram and Pinterest? I know that I spend most of my time in the world of Facebook. So, it is no surprise that I received 996 visits from Facebook. This graph shows that I grew in Google searches. That number used to be 3 AND Bing use to be a higher traffic source. The Step Up Bundle I participated in this year drew 55 people into my website. Some opportunities are paid, and some are free. By tracking this information, I can determine if “costs” (whether it be money, time or energy) is worth the outcome. This may also be known as Return On Investment/ ROI.
By the Numbers- 2023 vs 2024
A plain image showing visit numbers of 2023 vs 2024.
Why is this important?
Bottom line for me this year was to focus on growth. I try to have every interaction to be a positive one. Even if that means not working with me. I love to network and there is no competition from me, we can all succeed. Seeing these numbers shows me that I am doing something “right” and I can continue moving forward. Tracking your numbers can help show what you are doing. It can help show returns on investments, it can show if your marketing is hitting where it needs to be. I can go on another tangent on this topic. But I am going to go eat lunch and attempt to make my pumpkin bread again.