How to Get Your Blog Ready for the New Year

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SHOW NOTES: Episode 103

Is your blog ready for the upcoming year?

It’s Jennifer here and I’m sharing tips with you as we head into 2024 on getting your blog ready! When thinking about your blogging business, you’ll have 3 different areas that you want to think about – blog preparation, financial management, and goal setting. I share the areas you need to focus on and what is important to empower you to feel prepared and in control for the new year!

The first step in preparing your blog for the new year is making sure that it’s functioning properly. One way to do this is with a plugin audit. This means determining which plugins are still necessary for your blog and removing any that are no longer needed. It’s also important to update your plugins and themes regularly.

Another important aspect of getting your blog ready for the new year is checking if your backup plugin is still working and optimizing images in your media library.

You should also delete any unnecessary drafts. You also want to remove any users who no longer need access. Another important thing would be to check your storage usage and consider upgrading your hosting plan if necessary.

The second part of getting your blog for the new year involves managing your blog’s finances.

Even if your blog doesn’t generate significant income yet, it’s so important to keep your financial statements up to date.

Make sure you are collecting W9 forms from independent contractors you’ve hired throughout the year. This will help you report your expenses accurately for tax purposes. Review your expenses for the year and cancel any unnecessary subscriptions or services.

The final part of getting your blog ready for the new year involves setting goals and staying organized.

It’s important to determine your financial and personal goals for the next year. Be realistic about the time you can spend on your blog and set attainable goals that align with your schedule. Once you’ve set your goals, create a high-level content plan. This should include the amount and type of content you want to create, and the platforms you want to focus on. To stay organized and on track throughout the year, check into using a project management tool like ClickUp.

We want to empower you to feel in control and prepared for the upcoming year with your blog. I hope that implementing these strategies will leave you feeling confident and ready to take on the new year. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can find us on Instagram @sparkmediaconcepts! Here’s to a successful blogging year ahead!

IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVERED:

• Tips for bloggers to prepare for the upcoming year
• Ensuring blog functionality by doing a plugin audit, updating plugins and themes, and optimizing images
• Deleting unnecessary drafts and reviewing user access for site security
• Checking storage usage and considering upgrading hosting plan if necessary
• Keeping financial statements up to date and tracking expenses
• Reviewing website functionality from a user’s perspective
• Setting goals and staying organized
• Empowering bloggers to feel in control and prepared for the upcoming year

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Check out episode 63 with Kaci Ackerman where she shares more about ClickUp!
• We have a goal to reach 100,000 downloads by December 31 and we need your help! Share an episode you love with a friend and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would be so grateful!
• 3 bonus episodes on the private podcast! Click here and put in your name and email address to check them out! 
• Join the Ultimate Blog Bootcamp!
• Check out last week’s episode here!
• Connect with us on Instagram at: @sparkmediaconcepts

MORE ABOUT THE ULTIMATE BLOG PODCAST:

Welcome to The Ultimate Blog Podcast! This podcast is for you if you’ve ever wanted to learn blogging basics so that you can start your own blog or if you have been a blogger for years but are struggling to grow or need inspiration and community.

Every Tuesday we will be sharing a new episode where we will cover topics from the basics of starting a blog, monetizing and growing your site, to finding the inspiration you need to keep going. You will also find guest interviews with experts on different blogging topics as well as interviews with bloggers who’ve been in your shoes.

Amy Reinecke and Jennifer Draper are bloggers themselves who want to encourage you to believe in your potential, step outside the norm and step into a life where you create your own schedule, your own success and your own story.

We’d love to connect with you on our other platforms so please visit us at www.sparkmediaconcepts.com or follow us on Instagram at @sparkmediaconcepts

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