In case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s that time of year again! Time to shop online deals, avoid political arguments with relatives, and think about goals, goals, goals.
By this point, you’re probably making a final push to hit your 2017 goals, but I’m sure you’re also thinking about 2018. You’re in good company! That’s where we’re at, too.
The new year is coming—is your online platform ready for 2018?
When you’re planning your goals for 2018, don’t leave your Platform out of the picture. After all, building an online platform takes time and effort, but once you’ve done it you’ll have opened the doors to an entire new world of possibility.
You need to set goals for your platform, to achieve any measure of success—but what goals should you set? That’s a great question, and one we get at this time every year.
To answer that question, I’d love to share a resource with you that’s normally reserved for Platform University members:
In this timely video, Michael Hyatt dives into 10 examples of areas where you should consider setting a goal for your online platform this year.
One year later, every one of these categories is still relevant and important (though in relation to goal #10, our Platform University forum has moved to a Facebook group).
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Try Platform University for Just $1Here’s a summary list (though the video goes into much more detail):
- Reconnect With Your Why. What is the impact you want your platform to have on your personal life, family, or the world-at-large? It’s easy to start out enthusiastic and let that motivation burn out over time. Make time to reconnect with why your platform matters.
- Publish Consistently. Are you publishing new content on your blog at least once a week? How could you increase consistency in the coming year?
- Dial-in Your Messaging. Is there anything unclear or confusing about what you offer right now? Set a goal to revisit your messaging, perhaps updating your tagline or about page on your website.
- Refresh Your Branding. Do you still look like your headshot? If not, it’s time to get some new photos—while you’re at it, make sure your website design matches the brand image you’re trying to build.
- Increase Website Traffic. I haven’t met anyone who enjoys writing blog posts that nobody reads. If you can increase your traffic, you’re getting your content in front of more people that you have the opportunity to influence.
- Build Your Email List. Above all else, the quality of your email list determines the success of your online platform. Is growing your email list a priority? If not, consider making this your main focus in 2018.
- Develop a Social Media Strategy. There’s posting on social media … and then there’s social media strategy—not the same thing. How does social media fit into your strategy to grow and engage with your audience?
- Pursue Guest Posting. A few years ago, everyone was talking about guest posting strategies. Now, it’s less popular—but it still works! Where could you get published to reach a new audience this coming year?
- Outsource Something. If you’ve never done this before, start now. Start with something you’re not good at or don’t enjoy doing, and you’ll free up more time to focus on content creation or other projects you truly enjoy.
- Engage in the Community. Our community is made up of thousands of Platform University students, all with different talents and expertise. How could a community of like-minded platform-builders help you reach your goals?
I hope you appreciate the value of this insight and inspiration, as well as a sneak peek behind the curtain of Platform University (if you’re not already a member inside).
If you’re not already a member of Platform University, you’re invited to apply to join our membership site.
Our entire community is gearing up for a killer year in 2018, including a new start-to-finish core curriculum we’re about to roll out for existing members. More on that soon!
