6 Things I Did To Improve My Blog

It's almost been two years since I started GirlGoneDreamer and it's safe to say I've learned a lot since then. What was good enough back then just doesn't cut it for me now. Blogging is no longer just a hobby. I'm building a brand, pushing forwards every single day to create the life I have always dreamed of. As such by Christmas 2016, I felt that my blog needed to up it's game. Here are six things I did to improve GGD.

1. New Layout/Template

A new layout can make all the difference. It can bring life back into your blog if you're bored with how it looks. And the more user friendly it is, the more it will encourage your readers to return.
When I chose my original template I wasn't thinking about how user friendly it would be. It was more about how pretty it looked and to be fair it was perfect for me at the time. I'd dabbled with various templates but none were really cutting it. Then Fiona from WishesHopesDreams kindly uploaded my latest template (designed by KayLuxeDesign.)
I love it because it's much more user friendly for starters. And I love the 'You Might Also Like' feature at the end of every post. (Apologies if you're reading this on a mobile phone rather than a computer as you won't be able to see what I'm on about. I do plan to add this feature to the mobile view in the very near future.)

2. New Logo

Along with a new layout I felt as if I needed a new logo to represent GirlGoneDreamer. Some might say it's too 'young' but I really love it. I've always been young at heart anyway and the unicorn represents the dreamer side of me. It couldn't be more perfect. Anyone after a new header should check out Dorkface. It was indeed Dorkface creator Jemma who created mine.

3. Posting Quality Content And Doing So More Frequently

When I made the decision to take my blog up a notch I realised that I also needed to up my own game. Posting sporadically wasn't going to cut it. Ever since New Year I've tried to post content three times a week. The most important thing for me is the quality. I won't publish anything that I haven't put 110% into or I feel is sub standard. And I've definitely found my numbers have grown since posting on a more frequent basis.

4. Finding My Niche

People go on about finding a niche don't they? I honestly didn't have one up until - ooh I don't know, maybe yesterday? Don't get me wrong, I thought I did but after posting several book reviews, mini hauls and various other 'unsatisfactory' posts I just wasn't feeling it.
Then it occurred to me that this was all supposed to be fun, and I was trying too hard to be like other bloggers. So much so that I wasn't even enjoying the content I was creating. This was the moment I decided that no matter what, I would always write posts for my enjoyment first and foremost. And hey presto. Three months in I think I might actually have found my niche. My advice to you all is to write for yourself, because if you do, your personality will ultimately shine through. Stick with it because over time maybe your niche will also reveal itself.

5. Working On My Social Media Growth

Okay so item number five isn't about improving my blog as such but it still counts. Writing quality content on it's own just isn't enough. You can't expect the readers to flock to you of their own accord so self promotion is hugely important. Now more than ever I know this to be true. I've spent a lot of time networking, scheduling, sharing content written by others. It does pay off if you work at it. My 1k growth in just one month alone is proof of that. If you want your blog to go places you need to up your social media strategy.

6. Going Mobile Responsive

One of my blogging pet hates is clicking a blog link to find it's not mobile responsive. I will always leave said blog in a nano second. If you haven't already gone mobile responsive then pleeeeease go do it now. People do not want to try read a blog in 'website view' on a teeny tiny phone screen. Trust me when I say it's losing you readers. And if you're not sure how to do this, then ask Fiona from WishesHopesDreams. She's a dab hand when it comes to all of this tech stuff! Who do you think helped me with all mine? :)


Finally, if you missed my blog post on 'Learning From Others' then do go take a look. Anyone who thinks DA stands for District Attorney definitely needs to read it.  ;)


How have you improved your blog? Do you have any tips to share?


Until next time...



Justine xxx




Image via Pexels