Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank
I am currently setting up a few new additions to this website. Now that I’ve found and added a few features, it’s time we start using them. With any luck, they’ll help the site grow in 2023. So, what kinds of things am I rolling out soon?
I know, you’re probably thinking, “Yeah, we’ve heard that before.” I admit I haven’t been the most consistent blogger. And while I could put the blame on my clients, a lot of it is all on me.
Yes, I do have an awful lot on my plate every day. However, proper time management would have solved a lot of those issues.
Anyway, the plan is to take 2023 by storm. So, I suppose I need to start stirring the weather a bit.
What Additions Are We Working On?
Unfortunately, most of what we have going on falls squarely on my shoulders. However, after carefully examining my day and doing a bit of restructuring, I’m able to get most of it done without breaking a sweat.
It’s all about getting into a good routine and streamlining the process.
Setting Up the Podcast
At this very moment, I have downloaded the live stream from YouTube and am getting ready to edit and upload the first episode of the podcast to Anchor. Though, I’m not really sure how well our debut episode will perform.
It was kind of a weak topic, in my opinion. Still, we had fun live streaming with our viewers.
I also installed a plugin that should help me post the podcast episodes to the website. I’ve never used this particular plugin before, so, I’m hoping it doesn’t suck.
Adding Recipes
We’ve been toying with the idea of adding recipes for the things we eat. I’ve even gone so far as to install the recipe plugin a couple of months ago. Today, though, I am working on my first recipe for the Ninja CREAMi.
Though, this is only a test run as I want to make sure it tastes good before promoting it. The last thing I want to do is show people how to make a turd in a $200 appliance.
Sam should also be working on her keto version of Cane’s Chicken soon.
A Consistent Publishing Schedule
One of the things I want to do before the end of the year is getting the blog back on a routine publishing schedule. I know I keep threatening this, but it’s part of my ultimate goals for 2022.
There are a lot of things that played into why I haven’t been writing consistently. But as I said before, fine-tuning my time management is making a huge difference for the last few months of the year.
Since I am scheduling more time into Crossing Colorado as a whole, it shouldn’t be overly difficult to keep the ball rolling.
Updating Older Posts
The fun part of maintaining a blog is revamping older content. And some of the posts are exceptionally cringey from a grammatical standpoint. I’ve come a long way over the past eight years.
To be honest, I’m quite impressed that some of the older articles are still appearing on the first page of Google.
Anyway, I’m not going to worry about resharing or pushing out the updates to subscribers unless they’ve been completely rewritten. So, if you’re curious, don’t forget to follow the blog or subscribe to the push notifications on the site.
Videos in the Works
We’ve been having a lot of fun doing the live-stream videos on YouTube. And while we’ve done a few other shorter update videos, we think we can do more with the channel.
In fact, I’m going to start doing more videos much the same way I started my writing channel – by embedding them in the blog posts.
With any luck, I’ll be able to buy a decent camera soon. For now, though, I guess our phones and webcams will have to do.
A Polished Up Homepage
I actually spent some time writing down ideas about polishing up the homepage a bit. Although I like the magazine-ish appearance, I think I can make it more professional.
Of course, this is depending on WordPress letting me make changes. Ever since moving the content from Joomla to WordPress, I’ve had all kinds of oddities to fight.
In the worst-case scenario, I just reinstall WordPress completely while keeping the database intact. I wouldn’t want to lose all of the articles I’ve written since 2015.
When Will These Start Rolling Out?
So, when can you expect to see some of these changes? Well, a couple of them will be immediately noticeable. For example, I’m starting the routine publishing schedule on Friday.
I’m currently working on the first podcast episode, which should be live tonight on Anchor.
Everything else is on a case-by-case basis. For instance, I already started working on rewriting older posts this morning, but the orange creamsicle recipe probably won’t be live until Monday.
That is as long as the recipe doesn’t suck.
The bottom line is that many of these are happening within the next few days. Especially since I scheduled a large block of time to work on them on Saturday.
Rebuilding a Dead Blog
Putting in the effort to revamp this website is part of a case study I’m doing for WriterSanctuary.com. I want to see if it’s possible to revive a dead blog and how much effort goes into doing so.
Sure, traffic is kind of picking up after Google’s latest round of algorithm changes. But the site is nowhere near where it used to be. Is polishing up the site, fixing old content, and creating a publishing schedule enough to reclaim some of its former glory?
Out of everything I’m doing next year, this project probably has me the most excited. Well, outside of publishing my next book, that is.
This isn’t to mention how I’m just simply tired of not hitting my weight loss goals. I need something that will inspire me to put in the effort to become the best version of myself. And focusing more time on Crossing Colorado will help.
It’s all about finding something that motivates you to put in the effort to reach your fitness goals. And finding that part of you that cares about what happens is vital to success.
In other words, I’m putting in the same effort and mindset that made me a successful freelance writer.
Looking Forward to an Epic Year
There’s no doubt that I have my work cut out for me. This website is a shadow of its former self, and I’d love to see what I could turn it into if I actually put in the effort to make it happen.
I hope you’re as excited to see these changes as I am for implementing them. All I have to do now is keep my head in the game and maintain my damn work schedule.
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