One Month In: What I’ve Learned from Launching My Own Website
A month ago, I quietly launched my website. There was no fanfare, no big announcement, just a quiet press of the “publish” button and a whole lot of hope.
I didn’t just want a place to sell my teaching resources. I had bigger ideas I wanted to get off the ground: creative writing boxes (both physical and digital are coming very soon), a daily writing prompts membership, and a blog that let me write more freely again. So I built a home for all of it.
Here’s how the first month has really gone - the good, the frustrating, and the little moments that made it all worth it.
The Launch Was Anticlimactic
I expected that first day to feel like fireworks. But in reality, what happened was I was ready to go a few days earlier than planned, so I pressed publish and then sat for a while thinking ok, now what?
I dropped the link in my family group chat, and everybody visited. Then I googled my website. I didn’t show up. It was then that I learned about Google Search Console. In my unprepared and naive mind, I thought I pressed publish, and I was out there for the world to discover. Except that isn’t the case.
I didn’t realise how much final behind-the-scenes set up there actually is with things like Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster, or how long it takes for them to index your site so you can start showing up and ranking in their searches.
Real People Are Finding Me
I’ve had steady traffic for my first month. Sure, it’s not viral level - but it’s real, and growing every day, and I see that as a huge win.
The biggest surprise though? The countries my visitors have come from. I expected the UK, US, and Canada. But I’ve also had visitors from France, Denmark, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India. Meaning my blog is being read in places I’ve never even been.
And people are actually signing up for my blog mailing list, my daily writing prompts waitlist, and my creative writing box waitlist. Not just friends and family (although my mum was the first to subscribe - hi, mum!)
Sales? Not Yet. But…
So far, I haven’t sold anything directly through my website, but my creative writing freebie, The Atlas of Lost Places, is proving popular. And over on TpT and TES, I’m having a very strong month. That might be a coincidence, or it might be the website launch coupled with the fact that I have been more active over on Instagram and Pinterest, too.
The growth is happening, just not necessarily in the way I expected it to.
The Best Moments So Far
The first non-family email address landing on my subscriber list gave me a proper buzz. It’s a tiny thing, but it said to me: somebody out there liked what I’m doing enough to want to see more of it.
And even though I haven’t shouted about it, the friends and family who have found my website have been seriously impressed by the look of the site, the blog, and the writing boxes in June. It’s nice to feel like I’m building something real.
What’s Been Hard, and What Hasn’t
The hardest part of this all? The slow growth. Watching the stats creep up instead of soar. But weirdly, I’ve enjoyed it. I check my analytics daily, and I love seeing the numbers tick upwards. I know the foundation I’m currently building will make everything else easier later.
And surprisingly, the juggling act of website, socials, and content hasn’t been overwhelming like I thought it would be. Maybe when you love what you’re making, it’s easier to stay consistent.
The Big Lesson: Consistency > Overnight Success
Some people go viral. Most don’t. And that’s okay. I’ve learned to take things one step at a time and actually celebrate the small wins: one more page view, one more signup, one more product finished. It all adds up.
My Two Month Goals
Here’s what I’m aiming for next:
➤ Double my traffic
➤ Grow my email list
➤ And most excitingly, launch the first Creative Writing Boxes in June.
If you’re thinking of doing something similar, starting your own site, selling your ideas, putting yourself out there, my advice?
Just go for it. It’s still early days for me, but I’m genuinely proud of what I’ve built already. Even the quiet wins feel loud when you know they’re yours.
