My Blogging Goals for 2018

At the end of last year, I wrote about my plans and goals for 2018 but without one important aspect. That’s because my blogging goals are so long this year, I figured they deserve a post all to themselves. Maybe it’s that reinvigorating blast of cold air from the New Year but I’ve never been more motivated to work on Wander with Laura and make it the best it can be! So without further ado, let’s dive into my goals for 2018.

Write only about things I’m passionate about

This resolution is completely down to an amazing bunch of inspiring women who have transformed the way I think about blogging. During a couple of months where I’ve been feeling really unsettled in life, this has been the thing getting me excited about creating content again. My half hour drives to and from work had become a time where I regularly burst into tears over my steering wheel and panicked about where my life was going. After a few horrendous weeks of this, I knew I needed a distraction from my worried thoughts: enter blogging podcasts. But what started as a simple distraction has turned into something much more: I’ve completely rediscovered my love for blogging.

It’s so incredibly exciting and fulfilling to remember everything I love about my own little home on the internet and in the last few weeks, my head has been so buzzing with ideas that I’ve been excited to get home each evening and get stuck in. Compared to the Laura a few months back that would open a new post and sit for hours, procrastinating and praying for inspiration to whack me over the head, it’s such a transformation. When you can open up that blank page and feel the words effortlessly flow from your fingertips, I think it’s a sign that what you’re doing is finally starting to work for you and I really hope that in 2018, this will shine through in every single post I write.

Looking for inspiration? These great blogging podcasts have totally changed my outlook: Hashtag Authentic by Instagram guru Sara Tasker, What She Said by writer / blogger Wanderluce and Twin Perspectives by Claire and Laura of Twins That Travel.

You may also like – Things I’ve Learned about Blogging in 2017

Work hard to improve my photography

As beautiful and spellbinding as your writing is, the truth is that photography is always important especially if you’re writing about travel. I love taking photos but upon transferring pictures to my computer for editing, I’m regularly disappointed with how they come out so developing a consistent style and improve my technique is top of my agenda for 2018.

To help me in this quest, I’ve just splashed out on a new lens for my battered DSLR (the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM in case you’re wondering) and I’m SO EXCITED for it to arrive! It’s meant to be great for street photography so here’s hoping that it arrives in time for my trip to Berlin in a few weeks time. PLUS, it’s tiny compared to my other bulky lenses so hopefully I’ll feel less self-conscious about getting my camera out everywhere I go. For years, I’ve also really struggled with taking photos of myself – the pictures for this post alone sent me into a spiral of annoyance and self-doubt – so I’d also love to work on my confidence here.

Embrace Instagram stories

Yes, I knowww…I should be using Instagram Stories. It’s something I’ve just let fall by the wayside, especially with a few different social platforms to juggle, but I know that it would be great to share a more ‘uncurated’ look at my travels. If anybody has any tips for creating great Stories on those days where I’m either in the office or curled up under a blanket, I’m all ears!

Add value to every collaboration

Okay, confession time: this is ANOTHER goal that’s come from advice in the podcasts listed above. It sounds majorly fan-girly but it would be a huge disservice to those awesome ladies if I didn’t give them due credit! I’ve been lucky enough to work with brands in the past but the vast majority of my collaborations have been one-off sponsored posts and this is something I’d like to alter slightly.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve started to realise that I have more to offer than a quick post-payment exchange. Not that there’s anything wrong with these of course, but in the year ahead, I’m really hoping to focus in on what’s unique about my blog to help make brand relationships more lasting and meaningful – how exciting would that be?! Skyscanner, if you’re reading this (you aren’t) I’m on your site every day so…. a girl can dream right?

Grow my following: unique visitors and social media

My blog isn’t the biggest, the most polished, the most focused – well, quite frankly, it just isn’t the best out there and it’s pretty small. But it’s okay to admit that because I’m hoping that the hard work I’m planning to put in will lead to growth. As much as we start blogging for the sheer love of writing and sharing experiences, it’s a really special feeling when somebody contacts you to say that something you’ve written – that’s come out of your own brain! – had a huge impact on them. Through sharing more real, comprehensive accounts of my travels, as well as continuing with the personal lifestyle posts, I’m hoping that the readers will naturally follow. Well, maybe with a bit of self promo too. If you can’t blow your own trumpet, who else will?

I feel like I could go on forever but this post is already getting pretty damn long and you haven’t got all day, have you? Basically, I want to convey this excitement bubbling up inside me in everything that I do and that leaves me with an incredibly positive outlook for the year ahead. I hope that looking back in twelve months time, this feeling has stayed with me and brought incredible things in its wake. So, I guess now it’s time to get started!

What are your blogging goals for 2018?

Laura x

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