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Pet blogger challenge

Tales from the Backroad Posted on by

Pet blogger challenge

I know there are two posts today, so save one for tomorrow if you like. I love the See beautiful blog hop, and I want to participate again in the pet blogger challenge, so two posts it is. 
Ok…..this is my third year participating in the pet blogger challenge. Every year I learn a little something about myself, and my fellow pet bloggers. So without further ado, the questions, and my answer to them.

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 am creeping up on my 4 year blogaversary, later this month. I started the blog originally as a way to talk about our art. That happens, but mostly it’s about the dogs, and our full time traveling lifestyle. 

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

I grew my readership, and improved the amount of visitors to my blog. 

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 time I spend seems to have increased a lot. I’m not really thrilled about this either. LOL Looking at last years post, the time issue has not changed either. 

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?

I streamlined the look of this blog because I liked the look I saw on other blogs. When I visit some blogs that are super busy, it’s hard to get an idea of what they are writing about. For me, blogging is very visual too. So I have made a concerted effort to take beautiful photos, so I have something nice to share. 

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

How on earth do you get more visitors??? I suppose that is the age old question that we all would love an answer to. 

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

I have a wonderful facebook community. Very interactive followers, and that translates into blog visits. 

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

I spend as much time publicizing as writing. More probably. The time will probably stay about the same. 

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

Comments. If I write a really engaging post and get a good conversation going, then I know that people like what I wrote. 

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

See above. LOL 

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

Yes.

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

I like to review actual product, and not really treats. There are only so many things you can say about treats. But a useful or helpful product…I love to pass that information along to other people. 

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

Take a walk, take a break, and don’t worry about it. 

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

I took a blogging break after Christmas. And it was wonderful really. I didn’t set a specific time to start blogging again, I just started when it felt good to do it again. 

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

I have thought more than once about quitting. I think I stay for the friendship, and community. 

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

Grow the readership, post about our fun adventures, and try not to give it all up completely. 

Comments

Pet blogger challenge — 30 Comments

  1. Yeah…isn’t that the million dollar question…how on earth do you get more readers???? I think I know. Give up everything else in life and just spend all of your time on the internet reading and commenting on blogs! :)

    Seriously, you do an awesome job and I will continue to be a regular reader!

    Have a great weekend!!

  3. I haven’t finished my Challenge post and you reminded me of the whole visual re-vamping I wish I had time to do! Love yours.

  4. I say just keep on doin’ what you are doin’ and the rest will just fall into place. I find when I worry about numbers, etc……the fun is totally gone. You rock and just keep on rockin! Oh just thought of something, you can have a ton of page views WITHOUT a lot of comments…..some people are “lurkers” learned that on my other blog……I average over 1000 page views a day on my other blog and trust me there aren’t 1000 comments :)

    • I think Caren is right. I think the general population isn’t as likely to comment as other bloggers, because they don’t know how important it is to us. And I also think a lot of bloggers visit but just don’t always have time to comment, or don’t comment unless they feel they really have something to add to the conversation.
      I have times where I really worry about it, and other times where I just do what I’m doing and don’t think about it at all!

  5. I think you’re on the right track to increasing your viewership. Your posts are beautiful and interesting and people gravitate towards that. It’s just that growth is slow.

  6. Your not the first one to note that a Facebook community helps blog success – I just really don’t want to do that! Lol. I have enough trouble keeping my personal Facebook page current (and I admin for 2 pages, as well), I couldn’t imagine managing another one. Talk about a time suck.
    I think I’ll continue to be stubborn on that issue and focus on being a better reader and commenter in the coming year – because I agree with you – comments are how I judge success. And I haven’t always been great at giving back in that area.

  7. LOL first when I clicked over I thought, she didn’t do the challenge and then I saw the second post and I thought, well look at her two posts. ;-)

    The second LOL is that you and I have two answers that are practically identical, I love that and I’m seeing a them developing based upon the posts I have read.

    Time and content seem to really be the theme this year.

    Glad you could join the hop and now I’m off to check your beautiful photo out!

  8. Ha! What Jen said made me laugh. I just now found out you even had a Facebook fan page and I’ve been reading your blog for almost 3 years! That’s how great I am at Facebook… I suppose if I was engaging on Facebook my followers might be too. But “I just really don’t want to!” :)

  9. Aw man. The age old question is killer, huh? I want MORE! More readers! Higher numbers! How much time and I willing to spend away from my life to get those numbers? Can’t I just sell my soul and be done?! BOL! Blogging really is fun, though. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming …

  10. I still need to get to my 2nd post for today. (Not sure I’ll make it…) Because of TIME. Need more time. (And need more readers.) :)

    Love your blog and the pics and to see where you’re traveling. Also love the occasional art posts!

  11. I’m new to your blog, but I found it through reading others posting in today’s blogger challenge. I wish you continued success in 2014. Your dogs are very, very cute!

  12. Great reading this stuff about you today! I took part in this hop as well for the first time ever, so im excited about that. That is a very good question btw….ho on earth do you get more viewers LOL I would like to know that myself!!
    ((husky hugz))
    “love is being owned by a husky”

  14. Great post! It’s so interesting to see what everyone is saying with the PBC. I think blogging is a lot more work than most people would think!

  15. Yes, “How Do I Get More Blog Traffic” IS the age old question. My reader numbers stagnated in the second year but once I started paying a little more attention to keywords, and concentrating on better content, my numbers started to increase again.

  16. As for more visitors? Become a cat blogger. They have all that free time available from not walking their pets at least twice a day. :)

    It’s great you’re seeing your blog growing. Have you ever written a guest post about some of the places you’ve traveled for Go Pet Friendly? Your pictures are so wonderful and I bet Amy’s readers would love to learn more about the places you visit.

  17. Wow! I didn’t realize that we have been blogging for almost the same time! It seems like those of us who started around 4 years ago feel pretty much the same! Which I think is good to know!

  19. I found and started visiting your blog because of Torrey and Roxy. But I really love the mix of topics. The Rendezvous look so interesting and I love all the art you share.

  20. We sure hope you don’t quit as your blog has a unique niche and we love it! Wish there was a way to bring in visitors, but I don’t think there is a magic way. Slow and steady building seems to be the best bet.

  21. If you ever find out the “more visitors” secret, whisper it in my ear, okay? :)

    I love your blog. Your photography is stunning and those Artsy Fartsy posts you do are some of my absolute favorites. Enjoyed reading your answers!

  23. That is the double edged sword of more traffic/followers, isn’t it? It takes more time! Time to attract them, time to build the community, time to be involved! I look back on how little time Kol’s Notes monopolized when it was young and I can’t help but laugh.

    One thing that I think might help you, since you do take such beautiful photos and you have really unique art, is optimizing the blog for Pinterest, including dog quotes over some of your dog pictures and trying to harness that audience. There are a whole lot of people on Pinterest pinning things that remind me of your blog. It might be worth a bit of added effort (and they have plug ins that will automatically add the Pin It button to all your photos within blog posts)

  25. I’m working my way through this hop, though I know it might take me a week or two.

    I heard what they call the 90, 9, 1 Rule. That means that for every 100 people who read your stuff, 90 are lurkers and never respond, 9 may engage very lightly, by Liking something and maybe if you’re lucky, you get 1 person to comment. It may be an oversimplification, but at least it gives you a senses of the depth of people who you touch but don’t know about.

    As for me, I just followed you on Facebook (already following on Twitter.) Once I figured out how to use Facebook as my page, I was able to follow more dog (and cat) sites.

    –Woofs (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats.

  26. Thanks so much for sharing more about you and your blogging. One way that I’ve found to drive traffic to my blog (besides keyword research) is to moderate groups and join groups. I don’t share my posts in them unless it’s relevant, but when the time is right, the traffic I can get to a post is great AND many of those readers continue to follow my blog.

  27. Ah, to get more readers! I would say, if you are already active on Facebook, you’re already making good process. Also, commenting on others’ blogs is a good way to get people coming onto your blog – making them stay is another thing altogether!

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