My blog turns 2 years today!
Gosh. Has it been 2 years already?! It’s funny how fast time flies, but when I look back at what I’ve accomplished since my last blogiversary, I realize that I’ve been quite busy.
Aside from moving to another city and getting new exciting freelance gigs, I’ve been to 7 new countries, done a lot of solo travel, been on press trips and amassed 60,000 followers organically on social media, and omg I still can’t get over that fact!
In 2015, I explored my own backyard. I’ve been to new corners of Europe and found love for the Eastern part, especially the Balkans. In the coming year, I’m hoping to visit Hungary and Romania and maybe revisit Prague.
For now, here’s a recap of how 2015 looked in terms of blogging and traveling.
READ BLOGIVERSARY 1 AND BLOGIVERSARY 3
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SLOVENIA
So, the first country I visited this year was Slovenia, and it was also my favorite. My long-time readers know that this country blew me away. I was so, so surprised of how beautiful and absolutely gorgeous the nature and landscape was. Seriously, I don’t remember when I’ve last been this excited about a country!
My favorite posts from Slovenia:
CROATIA
After Slovenia, I spent two weeks in the wonderful land of Croatia. I was so excited to travel through the country from north to south and experience the different areas and FLAVORS, because OMG the food is absolutely amazing. Of all the places I visited, I liked Istria, Plitvice and Zadar best.
My favorite posts from Croatia:
MONTENEGRO
And then I moved on to Montenegro, which in comparison was a disappointment. It’s partly my own fault for initially having too high expectations, but the general aggressiveness and unpredictability I faced was frustrating and unappealing.
Montenegro does have gorgeous nature and scenic routes, and I’m still happy I visited. It taught me a lot about myself, and I realized that I can’t fall in love with every single place I visit. And that’s okay.
My favorite posts from Montenegro:
LATVIA
As you’ve probably heard me say a gazillion times already, I had the best intention of staying in Denmark all summer. But when the sunshine and high temperatures never came, I eloped to the Baltics, Russia and Finland. First stop on the trip was Riga in Latvia; a capital that made a great impression on me.
Since flights are so cheap and it’s one of my girlfriends’ hometown, I can definitely see myself returning soon. It’s absolutely perfect for a weekend spa getaway!
ESTONIA
After Latvia, I went to fairytale Tallinn in Estonia. And what a town! I stayed in the Old Town and really admired that traditions were kept alive although in a fairly touristy manner. I still enjoyed Tallinn and its history a lot and it had a great vibe.
RUSSIA
And then came Russia. Guys, this deserves a chapter of its own so I’ll soon write about my experience in the country and the fears I faced before my departure. For now I can say that I was positively surprised and had a surprisingly great time in St. Petersburg.
One thing is certain: Russia hasn’t seen the last of me!
FINLAND
The last country I’ve visited this year was Finland. I went to Helsinki and Nuuksio national park, and I was so happy to see Saara again. I met Saara and her husband Ilkka on my press trip to Croatia earlier that summer and just knew that I wanted to see them again. I love getting new friends on my travels! And Finland? Well, let’s just say that I’m already thinking about returning… next time to Lapland.
SOCIAL MEDIA
I’ve spent A LOT of time on social media this year. For me, it’s super important to be present there because this is where my audience interacts with me most. Plus, it’s fun! I love the talks and questions I get, especially on Instagram, and it’s a great referer to my blog. It has been super fun growing my audience and it’s so motivating and supporting to see it grow every day.
I’ve had a Facebook page for one year exactly. Facebook is important in my social media strategy and I get some referrals, but not as many as through Pinterest.
- Followers last year: 1.240
- Followers this year: 3.360
I’ve used Twitter for a year now and learned a lot in this time. My audience is quite engaging and I feel it’s a great outlet to share posts.
- Followers last year: 2.556
- Followers this year: 27.600
So, Pinterest is by far my most important traffic referer. I’m spending more and more time there and it’s a fun way to market my blog and my posts.
- Followers last year: 90
- Followers this year: 6.000
Instagram remains my favorite social media platform. My audience has grown exponentially and I’m really proud of the progress I’ve made.
- Followers last year: 559
- Followers this year: 20.700
TOP POSTS
This year hasn’t been the most productive posting wise, but I’ve realized that I would rather post less frequently than post 2-3 times a week and not be happy with the outcome. I want my travel blogs to be thorough and comprehensive – not rushed, and I do take my sweet time to write and edit photos. At the moment I’m posting once a week and I’m content with that.
On a positive note, my posts get shared a lot more now. Some of the best ones, like this or this one has been shared over 13.000 and 10.000 times. I have Pinterest to thank for that!
Most adventurous
Most confessional
Most useful
Most popular
GOALS FOR 2016
- Get more engagement
- Reach 150.000 followers on social media
- Travel to 7 new countries
- Visit one of my dream destinations: New Zealand, US Road trip, Argentina or Iceland.
You guys are the best! Thanks so much for your support.
What a year you’ve had! I feel like your blog became super professional this year, and I’m so impressed with your social media growth! It definitely makes me feel lazy, haha.
I’m so glad to hear that! Tak for det <3 You're actually one of the bloggers I know that gets the most genuine engagement, and I know it's because your own engagement always is heartfelt and sincere. There are many bloggers with a high number of followers who only get little or no engagement. But what is it worth to have thousands of followers if none of them like or engage in what you write and share? You're on the right track girl, so it's ok to be a little lazy ^^
Wow! Congrats on your two year anniversary! That’s really an accomplishment.
I’m especially impressed by your social media growth! That’s unreal that you were able to get that much growth organically. Any tips for a newbie like me?
Hey Bailey, you can read this post I wrote last year about how I have created results. https://adventurousmiriam.com/10-lessons-ive-learned-from-1-year-of-blogging/
Great stuff Miriam, an inspiration to us all, especially the way you engage with people. You don’t get followed and liked in such numbers unless you have something to say and personable ways to say it, so congratulations!
Thanks for the kind words, Jules! Blogging is seriously hard work, but it’s so rewarding in the end. All the best to you.
Congratulations on two years! It was through Instagram that we found you and we really love your photos. We found ourselves on your blog a lot this fall as we followed in your footsteps to Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Cheers to many more wonderful years!
Thanks, Alana! I’m so glad to hear that you found my Balkan posts useful. It’s really great to get feedback and get a face on the readers of this blog. Thank you for being here.
Congrats Miriam! Your stats are incredible and your travel list even more 😉 Cheers to many years to come!
Thanks so much, Maya! It’s such a happy day and I’m super motivated to keep going 🙂
Wow, congrats! Thanks for being a great inspiration to us! We loved your posts on Slovenia and Croatia especially and we are planning to visit them next year.
Oh, by the way, currently we live in Budapest, so if you get to Hungary and need tips or just want to have a coffee with us, let us know. 🙂
Keep up the good work 🙂
Thanks so much, guys! I’m really happy to know that you’re following along and enjoy my posts 🙂 It would be super fun to meet up and I’ll definitely let you know when I make my way to Budapest!