Do You Have a Blogging (Business) Plan? - Poll!
6 October, 2008 - Blogging, Polls - 13 Comments
Photo by Kagey B
Today, I’m introducing a new feature to the community. Every Monday from this point forwards I’ll be publishing a poll. The poll will be related to blogging or self improvement, and on the Saturday of the same week I intend to collate the results and analyse them in a blog post. Here is today’s poll…
Loading ...Over the last week I’ve been diligently writing my blogging plan. It’s not quite as extensive as a business plan, but it does take a look back at the past year of my blog to identify the strong and weak points, and it also lists my goals and my methods and paths for achieving those goals. While I’ve been writing, I’ve also been wondering how many other people have a blogging plan and if so, how that plan is published. Maybe it’s just in the persons head and there to be picked from their brain when they need it, or maybe it’s a 10 page document that is reviewed on a regular basis.
When you first started blogging, or when you started your latest blog, did you have a plan or did you just buy the domain, create a design and start writing? If you had a plan, was that a plan in your head or was it something you wrote down? Please cast your vote at the top of this post. I’d also love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Blogging, in its very nature, allows people to quickly jump in and start writing. It’s actually no different to other Internet industries in that sense (that’s the reason so many young people are found amongst the realms of Web hosting and design companies… because those type of companies are easy to start. Not easy to actually run, maintain and make successful, but certainly easy to start).
When I started blogging, I jumped straight in to the writing. I didn’t really need a plan because my blog was pure personal for nobody other than myself and my friends. A “Mom and Pop” blog, I suppose. But even when I moved my blog from personal ramblings to something a little more structured and serious, I never had a plan that was anything more complex than “I want lots of readers”.
But now, I’m sat here writing quite a lengthy plan. Carefully defining what my blog is, what I want it to be, and what goals I want to achieve.
Why Have a Plan?
Once I finish my plan, I intend to open it up for your careful viewing. Maybe it will act as a template for other bloggers to write their plan. At that time, I’ll go in to the importance of a plan for your blog.
Do you have a plan for your blog? How complex is your plan? Is it an agreement inside your head that you just know is there, or is it a defined set of goals on paper?
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Posted on 6 October, 2008 by Jamie Harrop
Filed Under Blogging, Polls |
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I kind of have one very loosely conceived in my head, targets, stages thought out, but nothing written down as such - I suppose I normally view a business plan as somethign you need to go to a bank and borrow money and as such I’ve not had to do it for my blog.
Zaths last blog post..LG Plasma TVs
Hey Zath,
I think that’s what most people tend to have. A plan, of sorts, in their head.
Unfortunately, I have a memory like a Goldfish so if I just had a plan in my head, it would probably change each night when I forget it.
Heya Jamie! I have a plan for my blogs. In fact, I had written them down and had kept it in a pdf. But when goals come along the way, I’d normally just keep them in mind. Prolly I should write them down too.
Daniel Richards last blog post..4 Simple Ways To Let Your Blog Run RIOT
Hey Daniel,
I think writing them down would be a great idea. They seem so much more “real” once they’re down on paper, in my opinion.
I don’t have a plan. I have always just blogged as and when I felt like it but since your twittered about it I have thought more and more that I ought to have something.
I am in the process of realigning all my sites and have a renewed purpose. After that will come the plan proper.
Hey Andrew,
I’m glad my 140 character messages are having an impact.
I’m looking forward to your realignment. I’ve gone through that a number of times and I’ve always come out of it better than I went in to it.
After admitting my own failure at the haphazard blogging, I started my current blog, Yes to Me, with clear mind and a plan. First, the niche is clear — I can blog about more things but I only write about entrepreneurship and personal development as a foundation of entrepreneurship. I post about twice a week — in the beginning stage when my business was slow, I felt like I could post more often, but paced myself so my readers have the right expectation. I also have planned for interviews and guest posts ahead of time. Etc.
Hey Akemi,
Thanks for the excellent comment.
I imagine it must have been very difficult to pace yourself when you had so many great ideas at the start. Well done for managing to do so.
Hi Jamie - I didn’t start off with a plan. I began mostly as a hobby to see how it went. But I do have a lot of plans for my blog now. I’ll share them with you eventually. -:)
That makes two of us, Cath. No plans at the start, and plenty of plans now.
I was planning to share my plans eventually. I’m sure all your readers would benefit from seeing yours, or at least the template that you have used to produce them (assuming they’re written down).
I’m the same here. When I started my first blog I just jumped in but I now have a plan and full exit strategy all mapped out. Whether I’ll stick to that is another matter
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An exit plan would be a good addition to my own plan. Thanks for the reminder, Al.
[...] further ado, here is the first poll, conducted way back in [...]