One of my favorite parts of blogging is the growth, change, and progress that takes place over time. I think many of us would agree we are thankful that our blogs today are not the same as they were on day one. It was not until recently that I realized just how important it is to keep track of blog growth over time.
At times I feel like this space of mine gains huge attraction, opens up new doors, and has exciting opportunities ahead. Sometimes I am filled with discouragement by slow traffic and lack of creativity. Most often I find myself somewhere between this spectrum and need to step outside my own swirling thoughts within my head. Here is where analytics and following them over time becomes important.
Keeping track of your progress on a regular basis gives you insight to reoccurring trends and helps you understand your audience better. Are most of your readers college students pulling late nights or moms who are up at the crack of dawn? Try publishing your posts at different times and see what is most effective for your blog. Do Thursdays and Fridays slow down for post readership? They do for me! Think outside the box of how to bring more interaction to your blog on these days - brainstorm giveaways, link-ups, or posts your passionate about. Watching your stats closely will share a story about your blog and what works best.
Tracking the growth of your blog is also important for partnerships and working with affiliate companies. I just stepped out to work with my first affiliate program and have found that companies like to see where you have come from and where you are going. Having an idea of this yourself helps you promote your blog better and share your strengths. Do your readers interact most on Facebook? Use that to your advantage to share posts and ads. Is Twitter not your thing? Spend time learning and developing this into a strength. Track your growth to know yourself well!
How do you track your blog growth?
What have you found helpful in following analytics?
Labels: blogging
