Pet Blogger Challenge 2015

Today I’m participating in the 5th Annual Pet Blogger Challenge hosted by the fab Amy from Go Pet Friendly! For those who are not familiar with this challenge this is a chance for pet bloggers to look back over the last year and see how far they have come and to spend some time thinking about where they want to go in the new year. This is always a post I look forward to doing so let’s get straight to it! Here’s my post from last year–>2014

1. How long have you been blogging? Please tell us why you started blogging, and, for anyone stopping by for the first time, give us a quick description of what your blog is about.

• I’ve been blogging for 5 years! This year I’m super happy to hit that milestone! We’ve had our blogging ups and downs and I’ve wanted to throw in the towel more than once but we’re still here! I think the title of the blog explains what my blog is about? I hope?

2. Tell us one thing that you accomplished on your blog during 2014 that made you proud.

• I set my goal pretty realistic last year and that was to keep the blog going. I struggled greatly in 2013 and the first half of 2014 with this blog but I found my groove again late in the year which is thanks to the awesome community that we have here. After Leroy’s Fund I owe it to you, myself and Sherman and Leroy to keep this blog alive.

3. What lessons have you learned this year – from other blogs, or through your own experience – that could help us all with our own blogs?

• Your community is what you make of it and it can be the key to your success. The sooner that you realize that you have a community the better. I just realized I had a community a few months ago. I remember always hearing about bloggers talking about communities but I never considered that I had one. I had readers, yes but a community? Community-“a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.” Yep that’s us. Proof that I’m not the only hot mess out there 😉 There are hundreds of you! You are my people. O.k. I’m getting a little off track here. Having a community and understanding your community is key. <—–Point I was getting to and then got distracted. Sometimes your community may be the only people who you can ask for help without judgement.  Treasure them and be good to them because they are awesome to you.

4. What have you found to be the most successful way to bring traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content?

• Not only do I post on the blog but I try to post frequently on other social media sites also which often leads to more likes which leads to more traffic to the blog. I also do my best to share the work of other bloggers especially when it’s unique post or something that is of interest to me or something I think would be of interest to our community.. Bloggers LOVE to have their work shared so it’s great when I can do this and in most cases they will return the love.

5. What was your most popular blog post this year? Did it surprise you that it was your most popular?

• My most popular post this year is still 5 Tips For Taking Your Pet’s Poop Sample To The Vet. The post had 36,119 hits for 2014 but was written in 2012. My most popular post for 2014 was Do You Know To Properly Put A Dog Harness On?Which wasn’t even written by me but it had 25,120 views last year and was my #3 post viewed.

6. What was your favorite blog post to write this year?

• My favorite blog post to write this year was actually my last one of the year. I had a lot of difficult posts to write about Leroy over the past few months and perhaps a more serious tone altogether on the blog so to be able to write this post was super fun, super real and super fuck ‘ya. This is what it is and if you don’t like it fuck off. This is your out. You should try one yourself one day. It was refreshing and reviving.

7. Has your policy on product reviews and/or giveaways changed this year?

• Nah. I’m going to keep doing some but I will be very selective. I will look to do product reviews on products that I’m intrigued because that means you most likely will be intrigued by it also. Products that may benefit Sherman and Leroy and reviews of products that I have used in the past. Nothing gets me more excited than when a company or PR rep contacts me to try out a product that I have purchased  loved!

8. What’s your best piece of advice for other bloggers?

• I don’t think I’m one to really give advice to anyone on this subject but if I have to I would say my advice would be to be as real as you can be. One thing that I have been told over the past when I meet other pet bloggers or people that I have connected with through this blog is that I’m exactly the person that I am here. I swear, I trip over my own feet, I wander, I laugh, I cry and when I get really excited or mad I blink a lot which I guess isn’t something you would know but I’m giving you a heads up. If I’m writing a post that I’m fired up about my eyes are blinking a hundred times a minute. This is not a good thing when I’m in a heated discussion with someone, like my husband, who then mocks me. Not cool husband and it only makes me blink more. So keep it real even it means you have to blink a lot.

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2015?

• Geesh Amy. Do we have to discuss this every year?Ohhhhhhhhh. I don’t know! I feel like if I set goals I’m going to disappoint myself again. I feel like I’m the type of person that does better if I don’t have a specific goal because then I’m limiting myself to working on that one goal and my mind is just not that stable. As soon as a set a goal I’m bound to go way off track because I don’t work that way. Let’s just say my goal is to keep it real.

10. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one challenge you’re having with your blog, what would it be?

• Why do the questions get harder as we go along Amy? Why? (That’s my question to Amy) I guess my question to all of you would be: “How do you choose which way to go?” Like if you have so many ways that you think you could take your blog, how do pick just one or do you have to pick just one?” Hmmmmmm???? Does anyone have that answer?

Thanks again to Amy from Go Pet Friendly for continuing the Pet Blogger Challenge! Now be gone onto the blogs and see what they had to say!

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