Let’s break “taking your blog to the next level” into actionable steps that won’t make it seem quite as daunting. We all start somewhere and I am helping you go from where you are, to where you want to be. First things first!

Know where you want to go 

This is huge. How can you possibly know what the next level is when you don’t have a goal in mind? Honestly as food bloggers it’s so easy to get one track minded with your only goal being to qualify for ads. But then, you qualify for ads and what’s next?! Maybe the next goal is to make six figures in income from your blog. But then what’s next?

You’ll always be able to go for higher traffic amounts, higher income levels, but what is REALLY the next level for your blog?

I remember one time sitting around the table at a food blogging conference with my blogging mastermind. Someone posed the question of saying your most scary goal for your blog. 

Out of the 7 of us, not a single one of us had the same goals. Isn’t that incredible? For one blogger, it was to have a line of groceries within her niche, another wanted her own TV show, another wanted to publish cookbooks and buy a horse for her family (which she was able to do!!) For others it was to earn enough money to retire a spouse from a stressful job, be a household name blogger, and reach 10 million pageviews a month. 

So where do you want to go with your blog? What goals do you have that are almost too scary to say out loud? Those goals should be in the back of your mind as you are making decisions about where to spend your time and energy. 

Spend time analyzing where you’re held back

Once you have an idea of where you want to go, you have to start thinking about why you’re not there yet. This isn’t a place for shame or feeling bad – but a place to take action! 

Where are you held back right now from reaching that crazy goal? Do you need to map it out, take the next step or take a BIG step?

Some examples: 

• If you would love a TV show but right now you’re not getting in front of your audience on Instagram stories, then start there. 
• If you’d love a cookbook, but right now you’re drowning in sponsored content work, how can you shift that priority? 
• If your blog growth is stagnant because your website is broken, outdated or too slow, how can you start prioritizing a website redesign in the coming months?
• Do you need to learn more about a specific topic or hire someone to help you?

The point is that it’s important to realize where you need to step things up and which areas might be holding you back from growing even more. 

Invest in what you need to take your blog to the next level

I read this incredible book as part of a coaching program I’m in called Who Not How. This book is all about changing your perspective and instead of asking how you’re going to solve a problem, you start asking WHO can help you. 

So if you need to know more about SEO to be able to take your blog to the next level, who can you hire to help you with that? 

If you need to improve your photography skills, who can you hire or what course can you take to improve? 

If you need to up your game with a new website, who can you hire to help you with that? P.S. You can always reach out to us and we’d love to help build your website to take your blog to the next level! 

Knowing where you want to go is a huge next step. But if you are not even sure what that next step might be, I want to invite you to join us for round 3 of The Food Blogger Summit. 

In round 3 of this virtual event we are focusing on helping intermediate to advanced bloggers figure out their next best step for their business and having an action plan to make it happen. We’re covering advanced topics like marketing, monetization, SEO, food photography and going from blogger to CEO of your business. We have speakers lined up like Ty Kilgore, Allea Grummert, Chelsea Cole, Pete McPherson, Jenny Melrose and Andrew Wilder… just to name a few! 

The summit is free to join and access presentations for 24 hours after they go live. There is also an option to upgrade to the all access pass to get lifetime access to all presentations. Presentations will run from October 25 – October 29, 2021. Sign up for your free ticket and access to the upgraded pass at thefoodbloggersummit.com – I can’t wait to see you there!