Pet Blogger Challenge 2016

Last year 71 bloggers participated in the Pet Blogger Challenge. I learned so much reading the goals and setbacks of fellow pet bloggers. Now it's time for us all to gather our thoughts again. So here we are, the 6th annual Pet Blogger Challenge hosted by Take Paws!

2016 Pet Blogger Challenge:

1. How long have you been blogging? This is my 10 year anniversary! Or is that blogaversary?

2. What is the one thing that you accomplished during 2015, either on your blog or because of it, that made you most proud? I ran a Blog Book Tour with 12 other blogs sharing highlights about my new book, Faithfully Yours. I'm very proud that as a result, you all have helped make Faithfully Yours successful, and the book has gone into its second printing!

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

My favorite was probably my tribute to a therapy dog, Gabriel, who passed away. I liked it because he made a big impact on my life and influenced Ike and I to get into therapy dog work this year. The post was my way of thanking him and paying respect.

4. A common theme from last year’s challenge was that many of us wanted to increase the size of our audiences. Whether or not we intend to monetize our blogs, it seems we’d all like to reach more people. It feels good to know that we’re connecting with others, sharing a laugh or supporting a cause, and it’s motivating to see those numbers grow! What is one thing you’ve done in the past year that has brought more traffic to your blog?

Contests and giveaways always bring a lot of traffic to my blog.

5. Which of your blog posts got the most traffic this year? Why do you think it was so popular? (Please include a link.)

My most popular post was We Did It! Ike's a Therapy Dog!  I think it was popular because readers enjoy a success story.

 

6. What is one blog that you read religiously – other than your own – and what makes you such a devoted reader? (Please include a link.)
I wish I had time to read more blogs regularly, there are so many wonderful and worthy posts. One blog that i always read is Something Wagging this Way Comes. Pamela is honest, funny, real and deep. Her adventures sailing with her husband and her dog Honey share both the positives and negatives about their brave decision.

7. What resources do you rely on to enhance your technical, writing, photography, social media, or other skills that improve your blog?
I learn from the best resource, communicating with other bloggers!

8. What is the best piece of advice you can offer other bloggers?
This isn't very original, but write about something you love, and don't be afraid to change when it's no longer working.

9. What is your vision for your blog in 2016? Do you have specific goals?

My content felt like it was getting stale, so I've decided to focus on more personal and uplifting, inspirational stories like I write for Guideposts magazine and in my books. Sort of like short, mini devotionals and observations, and lessons learned from my dogs.

10. You have the attention of the pet blogging community – is there one blogging challenge you’d like help with, or one aspect of your blog that you’d like input on?
How do you find time to do it all? Write interesting posts, visit other blogs, make relevant comments, evaluate your stats, engage on FB, twitter, Instagram and who knows what else? All in addition to a paying job, family, caring for pets, and well,....life! If you can't do it ALL, how do you prioritize?