Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

7th Annual Pet Blogger Challenge

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Join the Pet Blogger Challenge Jan 7th, 8th and 9th

Many thanks to our friend Amy, at the Go Pet Friendly Blog, for hosting this annual challenge. I think this is the 4th or 5th year we’ve participated. Not sure what it’s about? It’s sort of an evaluation of your blog, a sharing of dreams, and the opportunity to ask your fellow bloggers for advice.

So let’s get to it!

1) When did you start your blog and, for anyone who is just seeing it for first time, please provide a description of your site. Would you say your blog focuses more on sharing stories with your readers, or providing a resource for your audience?

I started this blog December 1, 2010. Initially, I had no idea what I was blogging about, but within a couple of months, I’d settled on my dogs. Mostly I share stories about the dogs. The trials and tribulations, the good and the bad, and I try like hell to find the humor in whatever it is I’m writing about.

2) What was your proudest blogging moment of 2016?

2016 wasn’t the best year for me, but I did agree to co-host the Pet Blogger Showcase. I can’t say I’m a great host, but it does make me accountable, and keeps me blogging and visiting other blogs

3) Which of your blog posts was your favorite this year and why? (Please include a link.)

I love Urine Luck. It was funny (IMO), informative and I think I SEO’d the shit out of it. I think they (the people that say such things) call it Evergreen Content.

4) Year after year, one goal that we all seem to share is that we want to reach more people. What one tool did you use or action did you take this year that had the most impact on increasing traffic to your blog?

When I was actually working on the blog, I tried to be more interactive on my Facebook page. Honestly, I can’t keep up with the Social Media, and I think that was one (of many) reasons, that I struggled so much this year. I decided to focus on just one medium and it seemed to work.

5) Which of your blog posts got the most traffic this year? (Please include a link.) Have you noticed any themes across your most popular posts?

You know…I suck at the stat thing, but when I check the one that STILL gets the most traffic is one I wrote to Sampson on his 8th Birthday. “Happy Birthday My Love.” The post I wrote this year that got the most traffic was the Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop.

6) What blog do you find most inspirational and how has it influenced your blog? (Please include a link.)

I don’t visit nearly as much as I used to, but I love Life at Golden Pines. Kim and her husband Carl foster Golden Retrievers. Most of Kim’s fosters are older dogs, who through no fault of their own, find themselves looking for a home. Kim and Carl provide a safe place until a forever home is found, and sometimes…well sometimes they find that Golden Pines is their home.

Kim and her blog inspire me to be a better person, and to try and write my blog with as much love as she shows in her writing.

I’m also a big FAN of My GBGV Life. She posts five times a week, runs Nosework trials, has amazing photos, and just added a third GBGV to the pack. Oh, and did I mention, she works too? Honestly, I’d like to know how she does it all, or maybe she has a Time Turner, or doesn’t sleep. I’m not sure. All I know is she inspires me to try harder.

7) What is one thing your readers don’t know about you or your pets that would surprise them?

Guys, I pretty much lay it all out there. If there’s something you don’t know, odds are I don’t know it either. 🙂

8) What is something you’ve learned this year that could help other bloggers?

Self-care is important. If you aren’t enjoying your blog or blogging, it’s okay to take a break.

9) What would you like to accomplish on your blog in 2017?

I honestly have no idea. I think I’d really like to figure out if I want to keep this blog going, or if it’s time to let it go.

10) Now it’s your turn! You have the attention of the pet blogging community – is there a question you’d like answered, or an aspect of your blog that you’d like input on?

Literally, I’m lost. I can’t seem to find the energy to blog lately. Don’t get me wrong, stuff is still happening. Sampson’s still struggling with his CCL tear, and he’s had Dr. visits. We’ve had DADO encounters, I mean life is still happening here.

The trouble is, I can formulate the posts in my head, but when I sit down to write, I just can’t. So what do you do for that? Is there a way to get past the block? How long does it go on before you just pull the plug? Those are questions I’d like answers to.

Welcome to the 7th Annual Pet Blogger Challenge.

It’s Only My Opinion

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We interrupt your regularly scheduled FUF post, for this important announcement.

Today we are taking the Pet Blogging Challenge hosted by Go Pet Friendly and Will My Dog Hate Me?  This is the 4th year this challenge has been offered and if you’ve taken it before, you’ll notice the format is slightly different this year.

But who cares about format?  Let’s get right to it.

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 originally started blogging to gain an online presence for my writing.  I had written a children’s book about Sampson that I was looking to publish, (I’ve since decided it’s rubbish.)  As we know, those really sweet, good dogs don’t really generate a lot of stories.  I mean, how many times can you post about him looking up at you sweetly, or snuggling contentedly?

Me and My SamMan1

It’s hard for me to pinpoint what my blog is about, I tend to focus on the entertaining aspect of having dogs, the trials and tribulations.  It’s more of a personal blog about how I feel dogs should be raised, trained and treated.

Oh, and to answer the first part of the question, my third year anniversary was December 1, 2013 and I completely forgot it!

2. Name one thing about your blog, or one blogging goal that you accomplished during 2013, that made you most proud.

Along with my friend Julie from the Daily Dog Blog we held a Calendar Contest in August and in doing so raised over $1,200 for one of our blogging friends in need.

3. When you look at the post you wrote for last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge, or just think back over the past year, what about blogging has changed the most for you?

The last half of last year I struggled with where this blog was going.  How I could attract sponsors and advertisers and how to “brand it.”  I have very strong principles about products I use and how I use them, which really narrows the field for me.  One of my blogging friends Flea suggested I read Pro Blogger and honestly, within the first couple of chapters I decided, that’s not what I want for this blog. 

So to answer the question, what has changed for me is the need to have this blog ‘branded.’

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

 Jodi Chick always tells me to “Follow my Bliss” and Julie once told me, “People give a shit about people who give a shit.”

I give a shit about my dogs and my bliss is making sure the relatively short time I have with them is the best it can be.  If I can share that on this blog and in doing so make a difference for a dog, that’s Amazeballs. 

I would tell you, to care about what you are doing and follow your bliss whatever that might be.

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

Guys, I’m still stuck with the technical side, if you know of any “Dummies” books, send them my way. 🙂

5. What have you found to be the best ways to bring more traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content?

The best way I’ve found to bring more traffic to my blog is network with other bloggers.  The best months I had this year in terms of traffic, were when we did the Blogville Calendar fundraiser and working on the Advent Calendar for Dog Lovers.  Now whether that traffic hangs around, well it’s hard to say.

6. How much time to do you spend publicizing your blog, and do you think you should spend more or less in the coming year?

This I suck at.  When I think of it, I post it on Facebook, but I’m not religious about it.  Tweeting eludes me, so my basic publicizing is Facebook.

7. How do you gauge whether or not what you’re writing is appealing to your audience?

I still mostly gauge that by the comments, it’s not just a comment but the detail involved.  When I get some good conversation going, I know my audience is interested.

How do you know when it’s time to let go of a feature or theme that you’ve been writing about for a while?

I guess it would be when there is no joy in writing about it, when I sit there dreading a post, theme or feature, then it’s time to let it go.

8. When you’re visiting other blogs, what inspires you to comment on a post rather than just reading and moving on?

I know blogging is all about engaging your audience, but I won’t comment just for the sake of commenting.  I only comment when I feel I have something to contribute to the conversation, or something really moves me to comment.

9. Do you do product reviews and/or giveaways?

I have done a few, but in general I do not.

If so, what do you find works best, and what doesn’t work at all?

If not, is this something you’d like to do more of? What hurdle is getting in your way?

I’m combining the above two questions because I think they are relevant.  Originally I was gung ho on doing product reviews, I mean who doesn’t want free stuff for their dogs.  BUT product reviews are a lot of work and I’m very particular about what types of treats/products I use with my pups. 

Then you get to payment.  What is fair payment for a post?  Is a post that is read by hundreds of people and promoted in online media worth a bag of biscuits?  Do you ask for the product AND a fee for the post?  I’m just not sure how to manage it, so for right now, I don’t do it.

10. When writer’s block strikes and you’re feeling dog-tired, how do you recharge?

That’s hard.  I’ve actually allowed myself not to post.  But anyone who reads this blog knows when I’m looking for inspiration I usually get it by walking my dogs.

11. Have you ever taken a break from your blog? How did that go?

I haven’t taken a ‘break’ per say, but I have cut back my posting.  I used to post daily and now I’m basically giving myself the weekends off.

It’s working out pretty well.  But there are more changes coming to this blog in 2014 and we’ll see how that works.

Have you ever thought about quitting your blog altogether? What makes you stay?

Twice a day and twice that  on weekends. 🙂  I stay because of you.  Because of your friendship and support.  You are amazing. And because Jan said I wasn’t allowed to stop blogging without getting her permission first. 😉

12. What goals do you have for your blog in 2014?

I have one goal and that’s to be true.  To be true to my blog, true to my readers and true to myself.  Anything above that is gravy.

Many thanks to my friend Amy from Go Pet Friendly and Edie Jarloam from Will My Dog Hate Me?

Pet Blogger Challenge Jan. 10

Pet Blogger Challenge

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Today I’m taking part in the Third Annual Pet Blogger Challenge Blog Hop, created and hosted by Go Pet Friendly.  I found out about this challenge too late to participate last year, so this is the virgin tour folks.  My very first time. 🙂

Here are the first timer questions.

1. When did you begin your blog?

December 1, 2010

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

I originally started the blog to gain an online presence.  To have enough people interested in what I had to say, to make myself and my children’s book desirable to an agent/publisher.

3. Is your current purpose the same?

I’m pretty sure it’s not.  I’m pretty sure (at least for the moment) I want to focus on my blog.

If not, what’s different?

First I feel like the book isn’t really that good and second I think maybe I’m not cut out to write a book.

If so, how do you feel you’ve met your goals?

4. How often do you post?

I post every day.

5. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?

I’ll start a post when the spirit moves, but sometimes it will sit in the dashboard for months before I finally finish it.

If you publish on a schedule, why? How strict are you about your publishing deadlines? What do you do for inspiration when it feels like you’ve covered every topic?

I’m afraid if I don’t keep to a schedule, I’ll lose interest and not post at all.

I usually write my post the night before, if I love the post, I’ll schedule it for early publication in the morning, if I think it could use a bit of tweaking, I’ll publish later in the morning, but it has to be up by 10:00 am.

When I’m totally lost with nothing to post about there are a number of things I do:

  • I sometimes go see what my fellow bloggers are writing about, sometimes one of their posts will inspire me.
  • I look through the dashboard to see if there are any posts in there I want to work on.
  • I look through pictures of the dogs and see if one of those sparks a story idea.
  • I google dogs and see if any stories pop up that resonate with me.

If you don’t publish on a schedule, why? How do you think your decision affects your audience? How do you know when a topic is “post-worthy?”

6. How much time do you spend writing your blog per week?

I spend an enormous amount of time every week working on my blog.  If I had to put it in terms of time I’d probably say two to three hours a day, between thinking about it and actually writing.

How much time visiting other blogs?

I probably spend at least 12 to 15 hours a week visiting other blogs.

Share your  tips for staying on top of it all? 

It’s hard staying on top of it.  I used to respond to every comment that people left on the blog, but lately that has fallen by the wayside. 

I decided if I was going to be serious about blogging then it had to be a priority.  I make the time to blog, it just has to be that way.

As for keeping up with others, I have all of my subscriptions in my google reader.  When I sign in I usually hit my favorites first, then start working my way down.  I’m a very fast reader which helps tremendously, but when I’m really crunched for time there are many days when I don’t comment on a post I’ve read.

7. How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)?

I’ve never been good at measuring my blog’s success and I will be the first one to tell you I have no idea how all that works.  I will sometimes look at the stats to see how many daily views I had.  I think more often than not I look at the comments.  When a post has a lot of comments, I feel pretty good.

Okay,yesterday I did look at my subscribers and it’s still stuck on 54, even though the stats show at least twice that in terms of views.

Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions?

Like I said, I’m not big on looking at the numbers.

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

What can I do to make this a better blog that would attract more subscribers and sponsors?

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?

I want this to be a great blog, to be one of the first blogs you go to.

Whew, that wasn’t as bad as my first time at certain other things!. 😉

Holy woof woman, can you sensor your mouth once in a while?

Holy woof woman, I’m so tired of your feeble attempts at humor.

 

Thanks to Go Pet Friendly for hosting this awesome event.  You can hop along using the link below to see what my fellow participants have to say.

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