Business, Social Media
& Online Marketing

I started StGermaine.ca at the end of 2008 to try out new marketing strategies that I could implement on my major income earning sites – BCjobs.ca and Albertajobcentre.ca. Once I began, I found myself completely enthralled in this world of blogging. It gives me great pleasure to share my expertise and contribute to the social web.

Over the holidays, I reflected on the year and started putting my goals down on paper. From this, I decided to turn StGermaine.ca into a business (StGermaine Marketing) and I’d like to share my simple business plan with you.

Why am I sharing this?

I believe that if you want to make money blogging online, you have to treat it like a business. By planning and developing an overall strategy you will increase your chances of success. I want to demonstrate this by sharing how I plan to grow my blog this year. Stay tuned throughout the year to see if I can accomplish my goals.

StGermaine.ca Goals for 2010:

• Develop new revenue streams
  • Join more affiliate programs for products I like and recommend them to my readers
  • Build more services into my site to help entrepreneurs set up their business infrastructure (more on this in the coming weeks)
  • Generate $25,000 in revenue. Revenue generation isn’t the primary focus for StGermaine.ca, but if I’m going to show others how to make money online, this blog should serve as an example.

• Build a loyal following of one thousand readers who regularly follow my posts

• Write quality content regularly
  • Post a minimum of two new articles per week
  • Develop higher level content on blog/business strategy as well as useful “how to” posts on technology
  • Improve anchor content to create a better foundation for my website
  • Write my own e-book
• Increase my social media presence
  • Develop 25 video tutorials for YouTube, Vimeo & Viddler
  • Share content of other bloggers as well as my own with my social network
  • Reconnect with one new person per week, either online or face-to-face to strengthen my network

• Build a network of 5 guest writers who have expertise in public relations, online marketing, branding, web design and social media

Create your own plan

If you want to create your own plan (and I highly recommend you do), you should consider adding shorter and longer term goals into the mix. Start by just writing down whatever comes to mind. Then, once you have a rough draft, review it by asking yourself questions like “how many?” “by what date?” and “is it really important?” Try to be as specific as possible and always try to place a value on your goals. You’ll find that when you do this, it will act at a compass that keeps you on track as you execute your plan.

Once you’ve finalized your goals, share them! You’ll be surprised how often opportunities develop when you simply share with others what you’re trying to accomplish. You never know who might be there to lend you a helping hand once they know how.

What are your goals for the year? Can I help?

Related posts:

1. Developing an Inbound Linking Strategy
2. What blogging platform should you use?