Best of May 2019 + Powersheets Progress

Hello June!

In addition to client work, I spent most of May working on creating new content and updating old content. One of my biggest focuses recently has been optimizing my blog for SEO. I've started diving deeper into keyword research and creating content around my findings as well as updating existing content.

So far, I've seen a spike in my daily traffic and page views so I must be doing something right!

I plan to keep focusing on SEO in June, too. Other than that, I'm working my butt off to get ahead on some projects because I will be taking almost two full weeks off this month! That means I have to really be focused and productive.

First, I'll be visiting my family for 4 days. Then, I have plans to leave the country for the first time ever! One of my best friends is a flight attendant and she finally has a few weeks off so we're planning a trip. The only problem? We can't decide where to go! Right now it's between Portugal and Greece. Which would you choose?

One thing is for certain, I wouldn't be able to do either if I hadn't taken the leap into freelance writing full-time. It's created the freedom that I only ever dreamed about and I have NO regrets.

Because of it:

I can take trips on a whim
I’m able to prioritize how I spend my time and who I spend it with
I can work from pretty much anywhere
I feel happier and less anxious

If you’ve been dreaming of turning your side hustle into a full-time gig, don’t let anything stop you. Even if you’re balancing a full-time job while you do it, it is so worth the extra effort and time you put into it! Are you feeling inspired yet? I hope so!

Anyways, enough of the endorsement for starting a freelance writing business! Let's get into the May roundup, shall we?

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May GOAL REVIEW

I had a very productive month! I didn't hit all of my goals but I'm still pretty impressed by how much I actually got done in May. There's always room for improvement, though. 🤷🏻

TOP PRIORITY

Create a newer, better Resources Library ✅ – I've been working so hard on this and I'm happy to report it's almost done! I can't wait for you to see it!

MONTHLY ACTION ITEMS

Update 3 old blog posts (content, titles, SEO, and pins) ❌ – I updated 2 blog posts in May, rather than the 3 I had planned.
Read Atomic Habits by James Clear ✅
Send 2 (warm) pitches ✅

WEEKLY ACTION ITEMS

Publish at least 1 new blog post each week ✅
Update 1 blog post ❌
Send 2 emails to my list in May (bi-monthly) ❌ – I had actually switched from MailChimp to Mailerlite in May, so I only sent one email while I was setting up my account and developing landing pages, email workflows, and forms.
Invite 1 person to participate for Creatives in the Spotlight ✅ – You'll get to read her interview this month!

DAILY ACTION ITEMS

Daily gratitude list ✅
Start working by 9 AM (during the week) – ❌ I maybe did this half of the month…so I definitely need to work on this!
Read from a personal development/nonfiction/business book ✅ – I just finished Atomic Habits by James Clear and I loved it! I heard about it through another blogger I'm subscribed to and I knew I needed to read it as soon as I read the preview on Amazon.I highly recommend this one if you want to learn how to develop good habits in both your business and personal life. Next up, I am debating between Get Scrappy by Nick Westergaard and Content Inc by Joe Pulizzi.

Have you read any of these yet? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so let me know in the comments!

BLOG POSTs I PUBLISHED IN May

All in all, I published three new posts, two Creatives in the Spotlight interview, and two updated posts.

FREE TOOLS I’VE BEEN LOVING

MailerLite – After the whole MailChimp debacle, I decided to be preemptive and change email services while my list was still on the small side. I heard awesome things about MailerLite so I opted to switch to them and let me tell you, it was SO EASY. MailerLite has a MailChimp integration set up so transferring my subscribers was a piece of cake. I'm utilizing the free plan for now but they're plans are super affordable and they're not trying to scam their users like MailChimp decided to do. (P.S. If you don't know what I'm talking about in regard to MailChimp, you should definitely read this. Especially if you use their platform!)

Moz Keyword Explorer – This has been a lifesaver when it comes to finding keywords and phrases. It shows you how difficult a keyword or phrase is to rank for, how often the term is searched for, and relevant keywords. In addition, it pulls a SERP analysis so you can see the top sites ranking for that keyword. The only downside is the free version only gives you so many searches a month. So, you either have to be selective about you 10 “credits” or upgrade to the paid version of Moz.

Grammarly – Grammarly still continues to be one of my top tools. It saves me so much time with editing and I really love the built-in thesaurus feature! If you haven’t checked it out yet, you definitely should!

MY FAVORITE BLOG POSTS FROM May

I didn't have as much time to check out posts from other bloggers in May, but here are a few I found really helpful.

9 Social Media Templates to Save You Hours of Work (Hootsuite)
Hit Send: The Case for Following Up as a Freelance Writer (The Write Life)
15 Clever Way to Get More Email Subscribers Every Day (Kate Doster)

BOOKS I LOVED IN May

While I read 8 books in May. Of the 8, these are my top three:

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang*
Circe by Madeline Miller
Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak*

*These were my Book of the Month choices for May. Interested in getting a FREE book? Use my link to sign up for a Book of the Month membership and you’ll receive a free new release hardcover book of your choice! I always look forward to the first of the month when the new selections are released for Book of the Month. Check it out here!

MAGIC MOMENT OF May

I made “The List!” Which list you ask? The one developed by House of 334, a creative services agency based in LA. They curated a list of female entrepreneurs offering services in a variety of industries. I was lucky enough to be one them! You can check it out here.

June GOALS

Okay, I'm almost half a year into using my Powersheets planner and I have to say, I'm enjoying it. It really forces me to break down my goals and be intentional. If you're curious about Powersheets, now is the time to check it out here!