Pet Blogger Challenge 2013
Pet Blogger Challenge 2013- What has changed?
We participated in the Pet Blogger challenge last year, this blog was not quite a year old, and it was a fun thing to take part in. This year we are coming up on our 2 year blogaversary, what have we learned along the way. Here are the 9 questions from Amy at Go Pet Friendly, who is a very awesome person and I have enjoyed getting to know her more this past year. Roxy and Torrey will just sleep through this post.
1. How long have you been blogging and provide a link to your post from last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge so we can refresh our memories.
The 2 year blogaversary is January 22nd. This is last years post.
2. What do you consider the most important goals you set out in last year’s post?
To meet new friends, keep having fun with the blog, and make a little money for all the time I spend.
3. Have you made progress toward those goals, or have your goals changed over the past year?
I have absolutely made progress. I have met some wonderful like minded people, and I’m still having a blast writing the blog. I’m also making a small amount of money for all my invested time.
4. How often do you post?
This varies so much depending on where we are, what we’re doing, and if I have internet. If we are in one place, I like to post 5 days a week, sometimes more. If we are out and about, I try to post at least 4 days a week.
5. Has your opinion of blogging on a schedule or as the spirit moves you changed?
I still blog on a schedule. A couple days in the week are about certain topics, Artsy Fartsy Tuesday being one. This is much easier for me. Kinda how my brain works I guess. I do however, blog about subjects that just come up. Like a cool hike we did, or awesome place we visited.
6. 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.
Wow, I have never kept track of this. I think I don’t really want to know. LOL. Several hours writing every week, and a couple hours a day visiting other blogs, social media, all that stuff. I will sit down in an evening and write and schedule several posts. (Better than TV.) Then every morning I will visit blogs, get on hootsuite, facebook, Google +.
7. 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 look at the numbers, too much really. I love to see lots of comments and interaction and the blog. That makes me feel like I am connecting somehow.
8. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one issue you’re having with your blog, what would it be?
The biggest issue I have is, time. Not enough of it. This bloggie business takes way more of my time than I thought it would. How do you rein in the time monster and still keep momentum going on your blog?
9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?
I would love to get more sponsors, find a magical way to not spend so much time with all the bloggie stuff, and keep having fun with it all. Is that too much to ask?
Great post. Time is my real problem, too :-0
Thanks. Seems everyone needs more time.
It is so about the time, isn’t it? Thanks for sharing!
That’s the hard part.
I never realized your blog is only going to be two years old! I thought it was older than that! You have done a fabulous job!!
I laughed at the find a way to not spend so much time…when you find the answer to THAT share it please lol.
I actually am cutting down this year to 3 days a week on both blogs and reserving the other days for if something comes up that I really want to post about.
BTW it is rare to make a dime blogging…..so…even if you are making “a little” you are ahead of the game!
Thanks for that great compliment Caren. I feel older, does that count.
Congrats on your upcoming anniversary! Yes, I think time gets away from us all. Hope someone comes up with that magic formula. Love the photo! Sleeping dogs are so very cute.
I’m working on the magic formula.
Hey Roxy, Hey Torrey, Jet here. Hi Miss Mary.
We’re have the same time issue! We welcome input in this area.
Congrats on all your progress. :)
I’m thinking a clone that could blog.
Mary I’m so glad you have the blog. You do put so much time into it. I hope you will have a down pour of blessings ten fold! The passion you have and the time you spend on it is unbelievable. You could print up everything you have posted and make a journal or book with all the comments, etc. Personally I would like to see you to spotlight your past pets like Lady and put some pictures of her. You said she liked catching a ball, etc. Keep her memory alive and share it on the blog please.
Thanks, I hope the blessings pour down too.
Thanks for sharing details of your blogging; it’s going to be so much fun learning more about why people are blogging, what their blogging style is, and the rest.
Have a fabulous day!
Kimberly
I love this challenge for just that reason.
Great interview… we too suffer from time! So much to wag about and little time to do it between walks!Looking forward to more connections with Roxy in 2013
I am dubbing 2013 the year to connect.
Great answers to the challenge. It’s so interesting to hear other people’s habits.
I wish I had more time too! I think I need Hermione’s time turner thingy BOL
Oh ya, the time turner thingy would be awesome.
Happy to have just recently found your blog. Time is definitely the kicker for us bloggers!
I’m glad you found us too.
It’s so great to review the challenge again this year. I think we first read you last year on the challenge! We think you do a great job with the blog. We love Rory’s shy cute look. She’s so adorable. And Torrey is a rocker. Full out. And you are a wonderful artist. So your blog is a hit for us all around. I love that 2013 is the year to connect. And time? I don’t know. I guess all of it takes time. Keep on wagging! Love, Tootsie
Thank you so much for the compliments. We love reading about your life too.
Congrats on the 2 year blogaversary you’re celebrating this month! I really enjoy checking in on you and your crew on Wordless Wednesdays and seeing what you’re up to on Instagram!
Thanks, we love your photos and blog too.
Time is gonna be a huge issue for me when school starts back up! I can’t imagine posting 5 days a week! Bravo for being so dedicated!
Some weeks are easier than others.
I dig your goals for next year! (Also, on an unrelated note, I absolutely love your Artsy Fartsy posts. You find great stuff.)
Oh, the time thing… I can totally relate. Some weeks it’s fine and others I wonder if I’ll have any time to devote to the blog! Apparently what we all really need is some extra hours in the day.
I am really shooting for the blogging clone. I am glad you love Artsy Fartsy, it’s fun to do.
Wow, we really do have much in common! I also was surprised by how much time it does take to ‘run’ a blog. I find that the writing is infinitely easier than the business end of things. Of course, I do enjoy the writing more! Thanks for sharing. Happy anniversary!
I like the writing part too.
I know what you mean about time. I am in the same boat you are. I hope you have more luck with it. Maybe you’ll have more success this year and let me know how you did it! :)
Christie from lifewithbeagle.com
I will spread the word if I figure it out.
Thanks for participating in the PB Challenge, and congrats on your blogoversary! I think you’ve really struck a chord with the time issue. It’s something we all deal with, but so far no one seems to have the magic answer. Except those time turners – if someone figures out how to make them, they’ll have an instant market with pet bloggers. Good luck with your goals for 2013!
Maybe we can somehow learn to add another hour to our day…25 hour day? Honestly the thing that has worked best for me in the past is scheduling a block of time for blogging. When I stick to that schedule I get more work done.
I’m with you. More sponsors in 2013 would be great. I hope to see you, Roxy, and Torrey again at BlogPaws (I’m hoping to make it).
Good luck with your goals in 2013!
Roxy, Torrey and Mary, we visit your blog to share in the natural beauty of the desert, to admire your amazing art and to get introduced to new and interesting artists…These things do keep us coming back and we’re very glad that we’ve become friends and neighbors here in Blogville
Roxy, Torrey and Mary, we visit your blog to share in the natural beauty of your desert, to admire your amazing art and to get introduced to new and interesting artists…These things keep us coming back and we’re very glad that we’ve become friends and neighbors here in Blogville
So well said! I love your site, and absolutely love the concept! My husband and I traveled the US east/west/north/south with a little calico kitten years back and wish we had chronicled it in some way (she was a super travelin’cat)… but alas, no super highways back then (at least not the information kind!)
So glad to have found your blog!!
Best wishes for ’13!
Mary, thank you so much for your kind word. I really hope our paths cross this year – it will be so much fun to get to meet up in person! We are planning to travel the West this summer, so hopefully that improves our chances!
I’ve seen a lot of comments on the time thing as I read the posts on the hop and it got me thinking … we should be doing things that bring us joy. For most of us, I think blogging does that. Perhaps we just need to change our mindsets and “choose” to work on our blogs rather than feeling like we “have” to. And, if there are other things that would bring us more joy, then we should cut back on the time we spend blogging. Getting a little knitting or reading or yoga into the mix might make us more efficient and make our blogging even better! Also, though it wasn’t planned, taking the month of December off on my blog really re-energized me (and it didn’t hurt my traffic either). Vacations from our blogs may be advisable.
Thanks so much for participating in the Challenge! I’ll be traveling along vicariously with you and I’m looking forward to seeing where 2013 takes you.
This has been such a fun challenge. I love reading everyone’s answers.
Oh, if we all had more time! Because I work from home on a computer, I can do most of my social media stuff throughout the day (e.g. every hour post on Twitter). For my blog posts, I am a morning person, and I generally just get up and write a blog post a few times a week. This means I blog every second day or so, and this works well for me. I hope you can find a balance that works for you soon.
So many bloggers seem to have the same time complaints. I spend far too much time, writing, reading and commenting. How does one find the time to do anything else? Sometimes it seems the only things I ever do are blog related.
If you find the answer, please share. :-)
Time management seems to be the common thread running through this year’s Challenge. At least we know we’re not alone. ;)
I didn’t realize your blog was only 2 years old. I feel like such a newbie but am finding many blogs I love and think of as being so professional and mature aren’t really all that much older than we are. Congratulations on your up-coming Blogiversary!
(Oh, and we love your artsy-fartsy Tuesday in case we haven’t said that before. :)
Great post! If you find the magical way not to spend so much on all this bloggie stuff be sure to let me know!!
Best of luck this year!
If you solve the time issue, will you let me know? That is always my major problem too. I hope to come up with some solutions this year, but so far…I’ve got nothing.
PS – I love the name “artsy fartsy tuesday”. I have got to come back to check that out!
Happy blogaversary! I always enjoy your posts and especially enjoyed getting to know you and your struggles a little better as well. Wish you had an answer for the time problem to share with me!