After my semi breakdown in last month's Behind The Blog post (more on that below), this month I've gone back to the classic format, sharing some of my most loved posts. I've had the freedom to create more "off piste" posts, rather than doing review after review after review, and I've been thinking a lot about how to make my posts a little different.
MOST LOVED POSTS OF MAY
MAYBELLINE SUMMER 2016 NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES
My most read post this month is this one I knocked up pretty spontaneously about some of my favourite budget makeup brushes and tools. I realised I hadn't really mentioned brushes all that much, so wanted to dedicate a post to them and show a bit of love to those I use every day. I was really surprised to see this become one of my most viewed posts of all time!
I actually wrote this post back in February when I managed to get a sneak peek of one of The Body Shop's latest skincare releases. The post managed to get another hit of consistent traffic via Google since the range launched officially in April. This has really made me consider SEO and what works in terms of getting a post to appear high in a Google search.
I've wanted to join The Perfume Society ever since I came across their site last year. I finally did it, and decided to review their Discovery Box that comes free with the subscription. The box contains 8 fragrances (plus a hand cream) in scents from some of the key perfume groups, along with helpful prompts to kickstart your fragrance education. They also launch themed discovery boxes throughout the year, so I'm definitely going to grab the next one when it comes out!
Last month I began to feel uninspired with writing so many reviews and I just wasn't excited about the content I was putting out. I decided to completely avoid the structure of the Behind The Blog concept and turn the post into a brain dump about my thoughts as a fuck you to how I felt about blogging. I was a bit worried about publishing it, but it was surprisingly popular. These posts aren't always the best in terms of views, but I love writing them as they help me to reassess my priorities and grow as a blogger.
When Maybelline got in touch a few months ago, I thought I might receive a couple of products maximum, and the last thing I expected was their summer collection in its entirety! There are so many cool products coming out with really exciting concepts. There are liquid lipsticks, contour sticks, a gorgeous summer bronzer and jelly nail polishes, amongst so much more!
THINGS THAT ROCKED DURING MAY
I feel like I've really improved on Instagram this month. I've really upped my engagement, leaving comments rather than just likes, and I feel like this has really benefited me. I've stepped away from the all white feed as I found it so hard to maintain, so now I'm loving all the bright colours. I feel like I have a much better quality feed, and I'm not restricted when it comes to photographing my lunch. Cheeky plug: follow me here.
FINALLY FEELING LIKE A LEGIT BEAUTY BLOGGER
Going back to that one heck of a Maybelline parcel, I just wanted to express how much it meant to me to receive something so amazing. Despite being branded as a beauty blogger for the best part of 2 years, I was rarely offered makeup samples. After seeing other blogs that started at the same time begin to work with some of my favourite brands, it kinda sucked to be left behind, and this was one of the reasons why I wanted to rebrand into something more than a beauty blog. So to be finally be recognised by one of my favourite brands means the world and it was probably one of the best days of my blogging life to date.
GUEST POSTING
I collaborated with one of my favourite people in the blogosphere, Fiona from Wishes, Hopes and Dreams, and we guest posted on each others blogs, chatting about our miracle skincare products for when we're having crap skin days. You can check out my post on Fiona's blog, where I'm talking about my problem solvers for Combination skin, and Fiona's post, sharing her favourites for dry skin on my blog. I definitely want to start doing more guest posts over the next few months!
DID I ACHIEVE MY GOALS?
I finally invested in a tripod, so that's one to tick off my list at least!
GOALS TO SMASH NEXT MONTH
RESHARE OLD CONTENT
I've said this in the last few posts, but scheduling tweets for old content, Bloglovin' etc. I tried Hoostuite this month but didn't find it the most user-friendly platform and I really don't want to have to pay for a bigger Buffer plan. Ah the dilemmas!
UPDATE MY BLOG HEADER
I'm getting a bit bored of my header and I want to add in some illustrations to give a visual representation of everything I blog about. I've seen so many blogs with similar headers but I really want something unique. I'm tempted to try doing it myself, even though I have zero artistic capabilities. This could be interesting...
UP MY ORGANISATION!
I've had so many ideas but this past week or two I've been a bit disorganised. I usually know exactly what I'm posting and when for at least a week or two in advance, but I've been playing it by ear. I need to organise myself better, particularly where photos are concerned. It's been a bit dull this week so hasn't been the best lighting for photographs, so its affecting my upload schedule (or lack of one). I'm looking forward to a brighter day so I can take a ton of photos in advance for times like this!
BE MORE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
I feel like I've been absent from Twitter especially lately. I used to be on Twitter 24/7 and always joined in with chats but its not something I've done for ages, which kind of makes me sad. I'm definitely trying to make more of an effort to connect with people and make sure my timeline isn't just promo post after promo post.
BUSINESS CARDS
Nuff said.
What are your goals for the next month?
Post a Comment