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5 Nov 2012

Make Up For Dolls Blog is One Year Old!

Make Up For Dolls Blog is One Year Old!!!

I made it!

When I started this out, a year ago, I decided that I'd blog "whenever I could".  I thought I'd give it a year, and see how it went.  I had some rough targets in mind, I figured (nominally) I'd try to aim for:
  • 100+ Facebook likes
  • 250+ Twitter followers
  • 2-3 posts a week
  • An average of 1,000 blog pageviews per month (ie 120,000 pageviews for the year)
So how did I do?

Well, I should pre-empt this by saying that I know these figures would be considered small targets by some, but I haven't bothered much with advertising, or promoting the blog all that much (I probably should do it a bit more).  It's not really my thing, to be honest;  I am happy enough to blog and to bore anyone who wants to listen/read on the subject of the Bits And Pieces I Know or Have Learned.  In addition, I have neither had the time or the financial means to pursue PR/Marketing to any extent.  So I have been extremely gratified to have reached a reasonable sized audience of people who I haven't asked to follow me, and my targets after a year (at time of post) are more-or-less there:
  • 122 Facebook likes
  • 237 Twitter followers (nearly at my 250 target!)
  • 102,611 pageviews overall
  • 123 published posts (over 12 months that averages 10 a month, or 2-3 week; although I've stepped it up to 4-5 a week (M-F) where I can)

Somewhere along the way I have tumblr, pinterest, model mayhem, folio24, IFB, iFabbo, Bloglovin', Google Friends Connect... accounts that I try to dip in and out of, but all of this stuff takes time and I confess I am a bit social-media overloaded and don't get around to many of them at all.

Besides all of that, other than blog, I have a day job (completely unrelated to blogging and makeup, but one which pays the bills and enables my Completely Healthy Handbag Fetish ;-)).  I have a freelance makeup job.  I teach Bootcamp courses.  I also do all the other normal stuff; cooking (I love cooking), cleaning (I hate cleaning), paying the bills (what do you think), DIY (yuck), sewing/dressmaking (love it), occasional jewellery making...


Fun making jewellery!

I have helped a friend to edit her very first book, and I'm so proud of her, and her achievements, and the tiny part I played to get it published.




I change my hair colour (a LOT).  I experiment with makeup and skincare (sometimes my skin even thanks me for it).

Demon Cat

In my spare time I own and train demon cats*.  It's great being a girl!

OK that part is not strictly true.  She's not an actual demon, she just acts like one.

So after a year, it's time to take stock and answer some questions.  Will I continue with the blog?  Yes, I believe I will.  What do I like about it anyhow?  I enjoy the creative process and the discipline of writing (sometimes, it has to be said, more than others!)   What direction will I take it in, if I continue?  I guess I would like to get in touch with more PR reps and look at more content provision as well as trials and reviews.  I am considering looking into affiliate programmes and starting to try to monetize the blog, even in a tiny way (don't worry, if I decide to do this, I will be very transparent about it).

What are my goals/aims/targets?  I would like to have another 100 Facebook likes, another 200-ish Twitter followers, and another 100k pageviews by End Of Year Two.  I realise that these would be considered low enough targets by some seasoned bloggers, but given that the blog is really only a tiny part of "what I do", I would be happy enough with that.

Meet Dolly Parting,
my hair styling practice head

What about other forms of social media?  I would like to "grow a pair", get over my Extreme Aversion to being in front of the camera and record some YouTube videos.  I may start by introducing you all to Dolly Parting, my hair styling practice head, rather than being on camera myself ;-)  We shall see...

Overall, what have I learned?  I love the blog.  I also do find it incredibly hard work, and it takes serious discipline sometimes, when I'm knackered tired, to sit down and compose a post.  But I love it.  I am not hugely involved in the "blogger scene" but I enjoy those blogger/twitter relationships that I have (very slowly and gradually) built up with a (very small) number of people.

There's lots I "should" do more of.  But "should" is a dirty word.

This is not a "boasty post", it was something I wanted to do to review, regroup, and say thanks - if you've stuck with me over the last year, I thank you profusely!  I hope you've enjoyed the journey with me over the last year, and I look forward to sharing the next with you :-)