I can't believe 2016 is half over. This year is flying by so quickly.

June was a busy month for me personally. I closed and moved into a new house. So there was a lot of packing and unpacking that took place. As a result I didn't spend much time on blogging or promotion. So I was hoping that wouldn't be reflected in my results. Keep reading to see.

(This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure for more info.)
 
I share my monthly traffic reports partly to hold myself accountable and help me keep a closer eye on my monthly stats. I’m also doing this in the hopes of helping and encouraging other bloggers who are looking to grow their online presence.

June 2016 Blog Stats

• Sessions: 2,778 (+0.18%)
• Users: 2,222 (+0.27%)
• Pageviews: 4,158 (-5.91%)
• Pages/Sessions: 1.5 (-5.66%)
• % of New Sessions: 72.28% (-0.97%)
• Bounce Rate: 81.35% (+3.14%)

June 2016 Top Blog Posts

1. My Relaxed Hair Regimen
2. Hair Tip: Pre-poo Before Cleansing Relaxed Hair
3. 10 Great Hair Products Under $10
4. How to Prep Relaxed Hair for a Day at the Beach

June 2016 Top Traffic Drivers

1. Pinterest
2. Direct
3. Google/organic
4. Facebook

June 2016 Social Media Stats

• Bloglovin: 80 (+4)
• Google+: 58 (0)
• Instagram: 212 (+17)
• Pinterest: 617 (+138)
• Twitter: 294 (+28)

How I did with My June Plans

• Continue with BoardBooster - Yes
• Create a strategy for Instagram - No
• Work to be more consistent on Twitter -No

What worked

Promoting older content
This month I really started digging into my blog archives to find posts to promote. To promote this older content I

• Used BoardBooster to loop older pins
• Scheduled a few Twitter posts using Hootsuite
• Shared posts in Facebook groups

The result was three of my four top blog posts is content that is a year or more old. It's also interesting to note that all of my top posts this month are hair posts. It seems like hair content is more popular among my readers and followers. This could also be because most of my content is hair content and that was the focus of my blog in the beginning.

What sort of worked

BoardBooster and Pinterest
By continuing to use BoardBooster I am steadily pinning to my boards and a couple of group boards I joined without having to do much other than find and add pins to my secret boards a couple of times a week. This netted me more followers, increased engagement and repins.

While the net increase in followers may look good, I did have a few days about mid-June where I had several people unfollow me. At first I was confused and scared and tried to figure out what I might have done wrong. After doing some digging I realized those followers weren't true followers. They were accounts that had profile pics of celebrity figures or stock images. They also weren't pinning much of anything much less repinning me. Basically they were spam accounts and I think since I didn't follow them back they unfollowed me. This put my freak out to rest.

Instagram
I didn't create strategy. In fact I didn't even get around to trying. June ended up being a very busy and kind of stressful month for me so blogging ended up on the back burner. I did see increased engagement (likes and comments) and followers though. This can be attributed to posting a bit more than normal and being more selective with the hashtags I used and using hashtags that have greater reach.

Facebook groups
I've joined several groups on Facebook that are about helping bloggers promote their content. How it works is bloggers share their post on a thread and are then required to comment on and share the posts of other bloggers. I tried to be active in the groups during the month of June and saw increased traffic from Facebook as a result. I also saw increased traffic from StumbleUpon (if you can call it traffic). Particularly in the last week of June. This resulted in an increase in my bounce rate. The impact to my bounce rate hasn't been significant, but it's enough that I'm now going to specify in the Facebook groups where I want my content posted.

What didn't work

Being more consistent on Twitter
For some reason Twitter had been boring me and I had little desire to spend time creating and scheduling tweets. While this didn't helped my followers increase a lot it didn't had any big negative effect - yet.

I can't believe 2016 is half over. This year is flying by so quickly.

June was a busy month for me personally. I closed and moved into a new house. So there was a lot of packing and unpacking that took place. As a result I didn't spend much time on blogging or promotion. So I was hoping that wouldn't be reflected in my results. Keep reading to see.

I share my monthly traffic reports partly to hold myself accountable and help me keep a closer eye on my monthly stats. I’m also doing this in the hopes of helping and encouraging other bloggers who are looking to grow their online presence.

June 2016 Blog Stats

• Sessions: 2,778 (+0.18%)
• Users: 2,222 (+0.27%)
• Pageviews: 4,158 (-5.91%)
• Pages/Sessions: 1.5 (-5.66%)
• % of New Sessions: 72.28% (-0.97%)
• Bounce Rate: 81.35% (+3.14%)

June 2016 Top Blog Posts

• My Relaxed Hair Regimen
• Hair Tip: Pre-poo Before Cleansing Relaxed Hair
• 10 Great Hair Products Under $10
• How to Prep Relaxed Hair for a Day at the Beach

June 2016 Top Traffic Drivers

• Pinterest
• Direct
• Google/organic
• Facebook

June 2016 Social Media Stats

• Bloglovin: 80 (+4)
• Google+: 58 (0)
• Instagram: 212 (+17)
• Pinterest: 617 (+138)
• Twitter: 294 (+28)

How I did with My June Plans

• Continue with BoardBooster - Yes
• Create a strategy for Instagram - No
• Work to be more consistent on Twitter -No

What worked

Promoting older content
Three of my four top blog posts are content that is a year or more old. It's also interesting to note that they are hair posts. It seems like hair content is more popular among my readers and followers. This could also be because most of my content is hair content and that was the focus of my blog in the beginning.

What sort of worked

BoardBooster and Pinterest
By continuing to use BoardBooster I am steadily pinning to my boards and a couple of group boards I joined without having to do much other than find and add pins to my secret boards a couple of times a week. This netted me more followers, increased engagement and repins.

While the net increase in followers may look good, I did have a few days about mid-June where I had several people unfollow me. At first I was confused and scared and tried to figure out what I might have done wrong. After doing some digging I realized those followers weren't true followers. They were accounts that had profile pics of celebrity figures or stock images. They also weren't pinning much of anything much less repinning me. Basically they were spam accounts and I think since I didn't follow them back they unfollowed me. This put my freak out to rest.

Instagram
I didn't create strategy. In fact I didn't even get around to trying. June ended up being a very busy and kind of stressful month for me so blogging ended up on the back burner. I did see increased engagement (likes and comments) and followers though. This can be attributed to posting a bit more than normal and being more selective with the hashtags I used and using hashtags that have greater reach.

Facebook groups
I've joined several groups on Facebook that are about helping bloggers promote their content. How it works is bloggers share their post on a thread and are then required to comment on and share the posts of other bloggers. I tried to be active in the groups during the month of June and saw increased traffic from Facebook as a result. I also saw increased traffic from StumbleUpon (if you can call it traffic). Particularly in the last week of June. This resulted in an increase in my bounce rate. The impact to my bounce rate hasn't been significant, but it's enough that I'm now going to specify in the Facebook groups where I want my content posted.

What didn't work

Being more consistent on Twitter
For some reason Twitter had been boring me and I had little desire to spend time creating and scheduling tweets. While this didn't helped my followers increase a lot it didn't had any big negative effect - yet.

I am so excited to share this report! After seeing slow growth in some metrics and decreases in others I have some really good numbers to report.

I share my monthly traffic reports partly to hold myself accountable and help me keep a closer eye on my monthly stats. I’m also doing this in the hopes of helping and encouraging other bloggers who are looking to grow their online presence.


 

May 2016 Blog Stats

• Sessions = 2,773 (+10.70%)
• Users = 2,216 (4.58%)
• Pageviews = 4,419 (+31.24%)
• Pages/Sessions =1.59 (+18.56%)
• % of New Sessions = 72.99% (-1.96%)
• Bounce Rate = 78.87% (-5.70%)

May 2016 Top Blog Posts

1. Hair Tip: Pre-poo Before Cleansing Relaxed Hair
2. Why I Do Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses
3. Product Review: Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream
4. 8 Great Shampoos for Summer Hair Care
5. Getting Started with a Healthy Relaxed Hair Journey

May 2016 Top Traffic Drivers

1. Pinterest (saw a 169.73% increase month over month)
2. Google/organic
3. Direct
4. Facebook

May 2016 Social Media Stats

• Bloglovin = 76 followers (+3)
• Google+ = 58 followers (0)
• Instagram = 195 (+12)
• Pinterest = 479 (+187)
• Twitter = 266 (+19)

How I did with my May plans

• Focus more on content promotion through social media
• Continue with BoardBooster -Yes
• Continue increasing my activity on Instagram - Kind of
• Tweet more consistently - Kind of
• Increase my number of blog posts per week - Yes

What worked

BoardBooster
I really don't need to say anymore. I could just stop right there. Since I blew through my 100 free pins I paid for the lower priced monthly plan to continue with BoardBooster. The plan gives me 500 pins a month. That was one of the best purchase I've made for blog (truthfully it's only the second purchase I've made for my blog).

I'll be doing a more detailed post on my experience with BoardBooster, but as you can see from April to May I saw a 61% increase in followers and Pinterest went from my number four to my number one traffic driver. I'm hoping to build on this momentum over the coming months. 


Increased number of weekly blog postings
I started my new blogging schedule in May which took me from one blog post a week to two a week. The benefit of this is I can vary the topics I'm blogging about. As well as have more content to promote throughout the week.

The starting a blog series
While this wasn't listed as part of my May plan, I had to note it. I did a five part series on how to start a blog that ran through the month of May. Sharing those posts on social media helped with gaining new followers - particularly on Bloglovin and Twitter. These posts also got more Bloglovin saves than any of my other posts and was retweeted more than I expected. 

What sort of worked

Instagram
This is a social site I really struggle with. Basically because it's all about pictures. So I have to find something I feel is worth taking a picture of and posting. Over the last month I did get better at this. While I didn't post on a consistent basis, it was more regular. So I gained more likes and followers as a result. Nothing dramatic, but I'm pleased because I've almost reached 200 followers after being somewhat stagnate for quite a while.

My Plans for June

I'm moving in June so I'll be keeping my blogging plans as simple as possible. So in June I plan to

• Continue with BoardBooster
• Create a strategy for Instagram
• Work to be more consistent on Twitter

I am so excited to share this report! After seeing slow growth in some metrics and decreases in others I have some really good numbers to report.

I share my monthly traffic reports partly to hold myself accountable and help me keep a closer eye on my monthly stats. I’m also doing this in the hopes of helping and encouraging other bloggers who are looking to grow their online presence.

May 2016 Blog Stats

• Sessions = 2,773 (+10.70%)
• Users = 2,216 (4.58%)
• Pageviews = 4,419 (+31.24%)
• Pages/Sessions =1.59 (+18.56%)
• % of New Sessions = 72.99% (-1.96%)
• Bounce Rate = 78.87% (-5.70%)

May 2016 Top Blog Posts

• Hair Tip: Pre-poo Before Cleansing Relaxed Hair
• Why I Do Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses
• Product Review: Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream
• 8 Great Shampoos for Summer Hair Care
• Getting Started with a Healthy Relaxed Hair Journey

May 2016 Top Traffic Drivers

• Pinterest (saw a 169.73% increase month over month)
• Google/organic
• Direct
• Facebook

May 2016 Social Media Stats

• Bloglovin = 76 followers (+3)
• Google+ = 58 followers (0)
• Instagram = 195 (+12)
• Pinterest = 479 (+187)
• Twitter = 266 (+19)

How I did with my May plans

• Focus more on content promotion through social media
• Continue with BoardBooster -Yes
• Continue increasing my activity on Instagram - Kind of
• Tweet more consistently - Kind of
• Increase my number of blog posts per week - Yes

What worked

BoardBooster
I really don't need to say anymore. I could just stop right there. Since I blew through my 100 free pins I paid for the lower priced monthly plan to continue with BoardBooster. The plan gives me 500 pins a month. That was one of the best purchase I've made for blog (truthfully it's only the second purchase I've made for my blog).

I'll be doing a more detailed post on my experience with BoardBooster, but as you can see from April to May I saw a 61% increase in followers and Pinterest went from my number four to my number one traffic driver. I'm hoping to build on this momentum over the coming months. 


Increased number of weekly blog postings
I started my new blogging schedule in May which took me from one blog post a week to two a week. The benefit of this is I can vary the topics I'm blogging about. As well as have more content to promote throughout the week.

The starting a blog series
While this wasn't listed as part of my May plan, I had to note it. I did a five part series on how to start a blog that ran through the month of May. Sharing those posts on social media helped with gaining new followers - particularly on Bloglovin and Twitter. These posts also got more Bloglovin saves than any of my other posts and was retweeted more than I expected. 

What sort of worked

Instagram
This is a social site I really struggle with. Basically because it's all about pictures. So I have to find something I feel is worth taking a picture of and posting. Over the last month I did get better at this. While I didn't post on a consistent basis, it was more regular. So I gained more likes and followers as a result. Nothing dramatic, but I'm pleased because I've almost reached 200 followers after being somewhat stagnate for quite a while.

My Plans for June

I'm moving in June so I'll be keeping my blogging plans as simple as possible. So in June I plan to

• Continue with BoardBooster
• Create a strategy for Instagram
• Work to be more consistent on Twitter

I'm excited to share another traffic report for A Relaxed Gal with you. I changed some things up in April in an effort to improve on my numbers from March. I had some successes and had some things that didn't go as well as I'd like.

Additionally, since the first quarter is over I'll be reviewing my where I am with my 2016 Blog goals.

I share my monthly traffic reports partly to hold myself accountable and help me keep a closer eye on my monthly stats. I’m also doing this in the hopes of helping and encouraging other bloggers who are looking to grow their online presence.

What Sort of Worked

Create and maintain consistent look and feel
I seem to have settled on a consistent look for my blog graphics which I'm very happy about. My photography could use some more work though, especially my Instagram photos.

Publishing on a consistent basis
I created a blog posting schedule of once a week on Saturdays which has been great. The once a week posting schedule has allowed me to have more time to create more quality content.

YouTube, on the other hand, has been a complete fail. I haven't posted a new video in a while and may be putting new videos on hold until I've moved to my new place.

My plans for May

• Focus more on content promotion through social media
• Continue with BoardBooster
• Continue increasing my activity on Instagram
• Tweet more consistently
• Increase my number of blog posts per week
• This is a huge change for me. I've currently been posting once a week on Saturdays. What I've found is posting once a week works if I'm not doing a series and would be great if my blog focused on only one topic. If I'm doing a series I'm only posting about one topic for several weeks and not allowing the opportunity for varied content. So I created a new posting schedule
• Wednesdays will be for Hair and Beauty posts
• Saturdays for Lifestyle and Blogger posts
• Tuesdays or Fridays will be used for more time sensitive posts (like this one)

P.S. You can now follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/arelaxedgal/

I'm excited to share another traffic report for A Relaxed Gal with you. I changed some things up in April in an effort to improve on my numbers from March. I had some successes and had some things that didn't go as well as I'd like.

Additionally since the first quarter is over I'll be reviewing my where I am with my 2016 Blog goals.

I share my monthly traffic reports partly to hold myself accountable and help me keep a closer eye on my monthly stats. I’m also doing this in the hopes of helping and encouraging other bloggers who are looking to grow their online presence.

What Sort of Worked

Create and maintain consistent look and feel
I seem to have settled on a consistent look for my blog graphics which I'm very happy about. My photography could use some more work though, especially my Instagram photos.

Publishing on a consistent basis
I created a blog posting schedule of once a week on Saturdays which has been great. The once a week posting schedule has allowed me to have more time to create more quality content.

YouTube on the other hand has been a complete fail. I haven't posted a new video in a while and may be putting new videos on hold until I've moved to my new place.

My Plans for May

• Focus more on content promotion through social media
• Continue with BoardBooster
• Continue increasing my activity on Instagram
• Tweet more consistently
• Increase my number of blog posts per week
• This is a huge change for me. I've currently been posting once a week on Saturdays. What I've found is posting once a week works if I'm not doing a series and would be great if my blog focused on only one topic. If I'm doing a series I'm only posting about one topic for several weeks and not allowing the opportunity for varied content. So I created a new posting schedule
• Wednesdays will be for Hair and Beauty posts
• Saturdays for Lifestyle and Blogger posts
• Tuesdays or Fridays will be used for more time sensitive posts (like this one)

P.S. You can now follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/arelaxedgal/