Setting Your Goals: What is Your Blog’s End Game? Posted on November 6, 2018November 15, 2025 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... You guys know I don’t talk about my hubs much. However, he is a big reason why I blog about travel and the military lifestyle. He is in the military and he and I travel together– a lot. But honestly, he doesn’t get the blogging thing. He is totally supportive but doesn’t understand why I don’t have a show on the Travel Chanel yet. Does he want to know— what your blog’s end game? What is Your Blog’s End Game?Establishing Blogging Goals You’ve been doing this awhile and you aren’t really making much money or have a huge following like some of the bloggers I see on YouTube? I don’t get it, you are just as good if not better than they are. I know people read your blog because I see it and hear it. What’s your plan to get to the next level? Aside from comparing apples to oranges. Because I am not a vlogger and that’s not the same as a blogger. My first instinct was to get defensive. Luckily, I thought about what he was saying before I answered. Going into the New Year, I am already thinking about my goals for 2019. Goals are important. And I do have them. They are small and mostly involve increasing engagement on all my platforms. I am also making a greater commitment to marketing, affiliates, and sponsors. And finally to increase the number of freelance clients. He was showing interest and giving me a compliment. The only other times he said anything about my blog as if he felt I spent too much time on it. And some of my responses to readers. For Fear of Offending Someone He thinks I shouldn’t answer so honestly for fear of offending someone. Of course, I don’t want to offend anyone. But honesty and helpfulness are why people ask questions, right?. And both honest and helpful are equal. One without the other is pointless. It’s Not About Money or FameOffsetting Expenses, Monetizing & SEO It’s really about SEO, right? Let me explain. I didn’t start a blog because I wanted fame or fortune. If this blog didn’t sustain itself, I’d have quit long ago. The maintenance is pretty expensive. And don’t get me started with how much time I spend on writing, rewriting social media, and SEO, etc. Speaking of SEO, if you learn anything from my mistakes, this is it. My friends, if you plan to start blogging learn all you can about SEO. I didn’t understand it until recently. And this month, I finished making every article on my blog SEO compliant. My freelance clients keep me going. I Stuck my toe in, monetizing the blog a few years ago. But I am hesitant to jump all in. I want to write about the things I enjoy and not what is trending at the moment. Can you do both? Don’t Fear Failing Failing as a travel blogger or writer is really not the worst thing that could happen. Set your goals, but if you don’t meet all of them, be happy. And congratulate you on doing something a lot of people would love to do. Because the real reward is the travel itself. Also, remember to keep at it. Many of the most well-known writers and bloggers simply outlasted a lot of people who gave up and got a 9-5 instead. Blog Goals All this to say, he was right as usual. I started this blog to keep in touch with family and friends while we traveled. Then it became an outlet for my creativity and addiction to travel. And although, I’d be happy with duffelbagspouse travels staying that way. I love being a blogger, but I have the skills and ambition to do much more with it. So where to now? I love sharing stories, lessons from abroad, and tips for curious travelers. If my work has inspired you or made you smile, please buy me a coffee. Your support helps me keep the blog running—at no cost to you. My articles are available as mobile apps for offline reading and GPS-assisted directions. Download my articles on GPSMyCity. This post contains sponsored and/or affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission. WELLNESS ON THE ROAD community
I am not a full time blogger and just dapple in it for fun. I guess I have never really thought about my end game with it but will have to now. Reply
While I am a fulltime blogger, It never feels like enough and I always find myself wondering what next. Your husband’s question was right on time. Reply
Blogging takes alot of work! It’s important to have a plan with goals. I enjoy the creative outlet and learning new things about how I can grow. Reply
I truly understand your position and you can’t imagine how similar to yours is my situation! with the added difficulty that blogging is not as recognized activity in my country as it is in other countries like the US, for instance, where brands and stores count on social media as marketing tools and a blogger can live from blogging. Here it isn’t the case (yet) most blogger assignments are “in exchange of visibility” or “you can keep the product” kind of thing. I can’t pay my bills with nail polish, can I? So, for the time being, I blog because I am passionate about it. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make a living of it. Reply
Going into the New Year, I am already thinking about my goals for 2019! This was a great way to bring awareness to those goals! Reply
i think going into blogging with a clear mind and game plan is vital. it can be so easy to get lost Reply
Loved this refreshing post. I’m not making any money from my blog yet, and I know exactly why. My own end game is to have it pay for itself, but I know that won’t happen without a lot more effort from me. Reply
Such a very honest and refreshing post. It is so important to have goals and setting it is one way of trying on achieving it. Reply
It is very important to have goals and a purpose behind everything that you do. P.s. Your photo bomb comment made me smile 🙂 Reply
Commitment is one of my goals in blogging because blogging requires time and effort. If you don’t have the desire to do what you want, you won’t reach that goal. Lovely post and an eye opener. Thanks for sharing! Reply
Goals are so important in anything we do! I need to take a look at my blog and figure out how to grow it soon… I’m stagnant at the moment. Reply
Great post! Very straightforward. I can’t agree more, end game is what matters most, set goals and objectives and run with them. Reply
This was a very honest post. I created mine just like you for family and friends and it has developed into a creative outlet and so much more now. Reply
There is freedom in acknowledging this, so you aren’t disappointed if it doesn’t go viral or lead to greater things. Reply
It’s true, if you set out to make some quick cash through blogging, it’s probably time to stop now! Reply
Glad to learn about the honest you in this page. I share few similarities with you and usually blog on travel topics. This is not about making money, about learning and hope to help others and providing more value added details to the future travellers. Reply
True, but it’s not about losing money or giving away money either. And if I didn’t have a few freelance contracts, that’s exactly what I’d be doing if I added fees, maintenance– and I put a dollar amount on my time. I agree with him, I need to put a chip in the game. Reply
A refreshing and honest post. I enjoyed reading this a lot!! You are so right! Setting goals is important, and not having too high expectations either. Do it as something you love first. Reply
Thank you Alexandra, I appreciate your support. So true and you are right though, if I wasn’t having fun I wouldn’t do it. Reply