Today is the 3rd annual Pet Blogger Challenge, hosted by the wonderful, inspiring, and adventurous Amy Burkert of GoPetFriendly.com and GoPetFriendlyBlog.comThis is my first year participating in the Pet Blogger Challenge. It sounds like a great idea for bloggers to exchange ideas and help each other out since we are a friendly community and not competitors! I am excited to see what I can learn from other fellow bloggers. My answers to the first time participant questions are below. Just so you know mom had to help me out a little bit with these things, I am responsible for blog content but she handles this kind of thing for me.
- When did you begin your blog? I started my blog on Nov. 8, 2011
- What was your original purpose for starting a blog? The main reason I started my blog was to promote my breed, the GBGV here in the USA as we are fairly new here and still trying to get full AKC status.
- Is your current purpose the same? If not, what’s different? If so how do you feel you’ve met your goals? I guess my purpose is still to promote the GBGV breed but also just to have fun and show my readers what a fun pup I am and what I can do.
- How often do you post? I post normally twice a week, once and a great while 3 times a week.
- Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you? If you publish on a schedule, why? How strict are you about our publishing deadlines? What do you do for inspiration when it feels like you’ve covered every topic? If you don’t publish on a schedule, why? How do you think your decision affects your audience? How do you now when a topic is post/worthy? I blog on a fairly regular schedule. I like to have a post on Mon., Tues., or Wed., that goes with the corresponding blog hop since I like those blog hops and then I post on Friday or Saturday for the second post of the week. I think my readers know roughly when I post and I put it out on twitter and facebook as well as available blog hops. My posts either have to do with a specific date such as a birthday or holiday, or some fun idea that I come up with that I think readers will enjoy. My inspirations is really Emma (the dog writing the blog) She is usually sitting with me when I write and just looking at her inspires me to write what I believe to be her thoughts with her personality. When she is not present, I have a hard time writing.
- How much time do you spend writing your blog per week? How much time visiting other blogs? Share your tips for staying on top of it all. I probably spend a couple hours a week for both posts including the photo shoots and writing. Every morning I go through all the blogs that I subscribe to and read their posts and make my comments. To stay on top of it all, I try to keep at least 1-2 blog posts on hand for times when I am pressed for time and I try to read all the blogs I subscribe to everyday so I don’t get a huge backlog. I am one of those over organized types so things usually get done as they come up.
- How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)? Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions? I measure success by the number of views and then the comments and likes.
- If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one issue you’re having with your blog, what would it be? The thing I would like to figure out is how to get more and new readers. I have gotten my twitter, facebook and pinterest working but I would like to expand and don’t know how.
- What goals do you have for your blog in 2013? I hope to keep gaining readers and subscribers and I hope to keep coming up with fun topics. I would like to start writing a book which I could blog about as it progresses if I get it started.
Click here for a list of the blogs participating in the Pet Blogger Challenge!
Great challenge! I like this question in particular “The thing I would like to figure out is how to get more and new readers. I have gotten my twitter, facebook and pinterest working but I would like to expand and don’t know how.”
Getting readers usually takes time…are you on Twitter? Google+? I know you visit and comment on other blogs and that helps. You can participate in Blog Hops. Also I think you are a member of the BlogPaws Community…if not…DEFINITELY join! There are TONS of blog posts and groups that can answer that question. Be sure to tweet your blog posts!
Also I would suggest blogging NO LESS than 3 days per week…that is really preferred. If you are going to blog on limited days, in my experience Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are the heaviest traffic day!
I have two blogs…my cat blog has thousands of followers, my dog blog is much newer and has less. Be patient! Don’t give up! Barks and licks and love, Dakota
Thanks Dakota, great advice. We are not giving up, just want to ramp up a bit. Our problem with more than 2 posts a week is finding fun interesting content. Maybe I can add Wordless Wed since it is just a photo. Appreciate your input!
Emma, you are made to post for wordless wednesday!! With all your great modelling skills and your moms great props! Do it!
I think we may have to make that a must do, thanks, Kirby 🙂
Hi Emma and Dakota–Thanks to both of you…Emma for actually asking the questions I’ve been wondering about and Dakota, for answering. You know, I’ve learned so much from other bloggers on this ‘challenge’ and knowing that so many of my problems are the same as other is so comforting! Good luck in 2013.
I enjoy your blog very much and try to visit once a week through one of the blog hops. I think readers will come in time. I too am looking to expand my readership and noticed that it did not start growing until this last October. Your site looks great and is easy to navigate. Best of Luck for 2013
Thank you, I know we are growing but sometimes when we see others skyrocketing we feel like we must be missing something.
Hey Emma, Jet here. Hi Miss Katie.
Thanks for sharing, we appreciate knowing your human’s thought process. You sure seem to have the time balance mastered!
Thanks, Jet, I know mom has balance mastered since she was a flight attendant for many years which comes in handy on walks (she usually remains upright through anything), but time balance I am not sure of.
Emma I am pretty sure you are the best dog blogger out there 😉 love ya girl!
Sent from my iPhone
Oh, you are so sweet and possibly my #1 fan! Thank you so much!
Very interesting! I think you’re doing a great job with your blog and you sure sound organized. I always seem to be behind with reading and commenting on blogs.
Mom is overly organized, sometimes it makes life rough but we deal with it.
Love it, you and my Mom have the same Idea’s
Thanks Elvis and your mom 🙂
You are so organised!
Thanks, but mom always says I am a mess, maybe she means my fur?
Really great post – it’s great to see what goes on behind the scenes at the blog and what drives you to make such fun content. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading 🙂
Me and Nellie like to hear of your adventures, especially about your modeling career but maybe We could hear more from our cousin Kati. Love Nellie and Jasper, two very hot maremmas.
I guess I could do a bit more with her, good idea. She just hates being silly or having her photo taken but I will look into some ideas, thanks!
Thanks for joining the PB Challenge! I think your question of how to find new followers is one we all deal with. I think blog hops are a great way to meet new people. Reading and commenting on other blogs often opens up a dialogue, and I frequently follow people who follow me. I also use various social media networks to share my posts – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Linked In, StumbleUpon and ScoopIt. You never know where someone will see your post and share it! You may also want to consider joining Triberr. You can join a pet-related tribe, and the tribe members will share your posts on Twitter! Best of luck with your goals in 2013!
Thank you for the advice. I am on most of those social media sites but Triberr sounds interesting, I will have to look into that!
I’m wondering, wondering what GBGV stands for 😉
You’re very organized! I just read Dakota’s helpful advice. Sounds like you’re on your way!
Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen – a French scent hound 🙂
I think gaining and keeping new readers is something that everyone wants the magical answer too. I am still trying to figure that one out my self. I’m glad I hopped over. I look forward to reading more about you.
You can never have enough of an audience but I figure here and there I can pick up tips from others about more places to place myself for more exposure.
Hey Emma,
I think my Mum wishes she was as organized as your Mum, very impressive – I so love all your photo shoots you do on your blog and of course your cooking is awesome – just wish I could taste it! 🙂
So looking forward to your book buddy 🙂
Big wags,
Your pal Snoopy 🙂
Thank you for the compliments! We will see how long it takes to get a book together, mom never seems to have enough time to help me out like I hope she would but we are not quitters, so it will happen in time.
If you figure out how to reach a larger blog audience, please share your knowledge with us 🙂 I would love to know!
I know, that is a lame question but every small tip helps I figured. Right now we just work on all the social media outlets we can find.
Emma, you’re mom sounds very organized. I’m going to try and do the same this year and have a few posts on hand just in case something comes up. I’m also hoping to get a lot of my blog writing done one the weekends.
One thing I might mention for getting lots of readers at once is also really difficult to replicate and that is having a viral piece of content. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to create viral content I just know it’s happened a few times on my blog. I usually see a huge spike in traffic and a handful will usually stick as regular RSS or email subscribers.
Good luck with your goals in 2013!
I would love something to go viral but I am not sure about that either, good idea of something to look into!
Rooo Emma, I just had a pawsome idea – do you want to join my Triberr tribe? We share each others blog posts on Twitter and I get lots of extra readers from my friends’ tweets *Waggy tail*
I will look for you. Mom has to find some time to find Triberr this weekend. Thanks for asking me, we will have to figure out how it works and then join your tribe 🙂
Thanks so much for joining the Challenge – it’s very nice to meet you! Building an audience is definitely an interesting proposition and I think the advice to join the Wordless Wednesday hop is a good one. I also highly recommend Triberr – put together a good group of bloggers that you trust and it will definitely pay off. I’ll look forward to following your blog and seeing where 2013 takes you!
Thank you! We have lots of advice to read on other blogs still but so far we have decided to change our posts to Mon, Wed and then Fri or Sat, so 3 a week. We are going to look into Triberr as well. Thanks for having this Challenge, it is a great idea!
Great responses! I think you have a perfect niche for blogging, and such an amazing dog!
Thanks, mom and I really have fun with my “online” life and my real life as well 😉
Hi Emma! We think you should join the Wordless Wednesday blog hop cause you have the bestest pictures ever!!!!! My mom wishes we would pose like you but that is never going to happen! Tee Hee! Your blog is awesome and we love to visit and read about what you are up to!
Mom and I are going to try to post 3 times a week now including the Wordless Wed Blog hop. So happy you like my pics, we love creating them 🙂
Wonderful responses! I truly enjoy your blog and think you are doing a fantastic job! Wish I was organized as you!
Thank you for all the kind words that you leave on our posts, your comments always make me smile!
Thank you, we are still pretty new but we are learning and enjoying all the time. We are just worried a bit about you and your pups, hope things get better for their health.
You’re doing a great job with your blog! I’m so envious that you are so organized. I just can’t get a handle on keeping up with the blogs I follow. Right now Googlereader is telling me 277 posts to read, not to mention all the blogs that participated in this challenge (and I want to read every one of them!) I need a timeturner.
We ALL need a Timeturner! I WISH I could get my feed reader down to 277! I’m usually over 1000 and I never catch up
I know what you mean about trying to engage a readership. I have a Twitter and Facebook (I have a personal Pinterest, and I’m only dabbling there at the moment), but it doesn’t seem to help. That being said, I could probably use my Facebook more… If you work out the secret, please let me know!
It is hard because it all takes so much time but I kind of found a system use facebook the most, some twitter and pinterest quite a bit. It is almost a full time job!
Fantastic post! Thanks for sharing the secrets behind your blog. I was able to increase readership by connecting with people on social networking sites. I sometimes just spend time in Communities and Groups just chatting – when people see your name and valuable contributions enough, they’ll check out your site and recommend you to friends if they like what you see.
Good SEO is great too and if you’re ever interested in a cool eBook that offers easy to understand SEO tips (I credit this book for the success I’ve had in my first year), then let me know or check out the Blogging Tips page of my site 🙂
Kimberly
Thank you. I know if I spend time chatting on twitter or fb it does seem to help, it is just finding the time for it all. Thanks for the SEO book tip, I will check it out!
Nice information.Keep sharing more information.
Online pet shop ,
Dog Grooming Products
I really love your recipe posts. Adding those to Pinterest with a close up of the food on Pinterest is a huge traffic driver for me. Guest Blogging can be good as well, it allows you to introduce yourself to someone else’s readers and maybe meet some new folks. We’d be happy to share one of your recipes over at Kol’s Notes as a guest post!
I have to do some more baking posts, getting ready to start again for this year. I am also working on Pinterest building boards and posting from other blogs as well as my own. You were actually the reason I started on Pinterest because you said it was a great traffic builder. That would be wonderful if you would do a guest post. I am working on a few things for my site right now so I am not sure when, but I will definitely be in touch. Thank you so much!