What are the goals for your blog?

Whenever I have a workshop or a presentation on blogging, someone asks how you know if you have a “successful” blog. And my answer is always the same: you define your success.  You set the goals for your blog and if you reach those goals, then you have success.

Start with having SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) goals, emphasis on measurable and specific.

Goals could be:

• Get a certain number of readers each day
• Get readers to click on links or go to a certain page on your website
• Get readers to subscribe to your newsletter or to your RSS feed
• Stimulate discussion or get comments
• Get shares on social networks

Once you have goals, you will track these using an analytics program such as Google Analytics. There are many resources out there, but I found this post by Jeff Sauer very helpful: Google Analytics 101 for Bloggers. Although I use Google Analytics, there are other programs out there (some free, some not). There may be a better choice for you, as Tom Ewer writes: Why I Use Clicky Analytics.

What are the goals for your blog? Are you actively tracking them?

Do you want to improve your blogging? Attend my How to Write Your Blog workshop next week on November 12 in Washington, DC. Learn more and register today!