A new year means new goals.
Yesterday, I mentioned three goals regarding my blog: write five posts per week, write no more than 500 words per post, and share at least one personal story each week.
Continuing my look at last year’s annual review by Jetpack, my attention now turns to the effect that Wednesday Wallpapers have had on the blog. To remind you, the overall increase in views last year nearly quadrupled since January. Each week was better than the last (all things considered), but there was one thing that remained true—Wednesdays were the strongest days.
It became evident early on that my Wednesday Wallpapers were leading the way in popularity, sometimes by a large margin. This was never my intent. In fact, I didn’t expect people to welcome the wallpapers at all. They were made for me. I like wallpapers, and it gave me an extra post in the week—as well as an extra exercise in commitment. But the wallpapers proved to be more. So much more, they drive the majority of the traffic each month.
Today, they continue to be the most popular posts. And, they boast far higher feedback results than traditional posts. I’ve received more encouraging comments through social media and email regarding the wallpapers than other post types—a key component in motivating me to press on with designs.
They do, however, present a challenge. Unlike traditional posts, these wallpapers have associated costs. Stock photography is often purchased (usually from LightStock.com) and the files require sufficient hosting to lug the load—about 300 downloads per day at the moment.
After consulting with a few people of wisdom, I think I might have a plan to conquer the challenge and maybe monetize the opportunity. But, I’m still fishing for ideas—hint, hint.
Goal #4: Harness the reach of wallpapers. This goal is a little open-ended on purpose. There are several ways to really capitalize on my wallpapers, and I have a few plans already in the works. Goal: Create a fanciful wallpaper section on the web site—as the least I can do.
Goal #5: Recoup the cost of wallpapers. Since wallpapers already have costs associated, the challenge of paying those costs in the future will climb. Goal: Create a donation module and accompany it with a call-to-action post and email.
Goal #6: Revisit the focus of wallpapers. By this, I mean I need to hear from you all. I need to know what you like and dislike, as well as what resolutions and devices you most often use. Goal: Seek feedback through an online poll and email.
I’ll continue my blog goals tomorrow as I consider how ebooks played a role in the annual report and overall stats of the blog. Subscribe so you don’t miss out.
A New Discipleship Resource
Creative Content for Christian Men
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