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| Lad |
We are joining the 6th annual Pet Blogger Challenge, hosted by Go Pet Friendly. It's the perfect way to get to know other Bloggers and get useful feedback about your own blog. For those of you who do not blog, this post may not be very interesting, so we included lots of pictures! BOL
Here are the questions for the 2016 Pet Blogger Challenge:
1. How long have you been blogging? And, for anyone who is visiting for the first time, please give a quick description of the subject of your blog.
Our collie blog was started in May 2012, so we have been blogging about 3 ½ years. Our blog has featured a few different themes, some of which have been discontinued, some we still write about. We post pictures of our collies, talk about exciting events in their lives. We have also written about the rich history of collies in America, which is something I would like to return to in 2016. We do product reviews, both ‘written” by our collies and by our cats. In the past we tried posting interesting recipes for creating homemade dog treats, and those posts seemed to garner some interest, so we might try to post about some new recipes in 2016. We also featured collies in rescue that needed homes, which is also something I want to return to in 2016. And one new subject which I am enjoying writing about is reviewing dog themed books and movies. As a dog lover, I am always looking for new books and movies featuring dogs in general, and collies in particular, so I am guessing others do as well.
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| Angelo and Jazzy |
2. What is the one thing that you accomplished during 2015, either on your blog or because of it, that made you most proud?
This one is hard to answer, because 2015 was not the best year for us. And we also were not very active bloggers in 2015. (But that is not going to be the case for 2016!)
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| Chloe |
3. Which of your blog posts was your favorite this year and why? (Please include a link.)
Our favorite post would to be this one: http://collie222.blogspot.com/2015/08/sunnybank-revisted.html?m=0 It’s a favorite because the subject is something very dear to our hearts, Sunnybank and the collies who lived there. Many people discovered their love of collies through the books written by Albert Payson Terhune in the early 1900’s. His stories all featured his beloved collies and his home, Sunnybank. The main portion of the estate called Sunnybank still exists today, but it is now a park.
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| Puppy Love - my daughter and our first collie, Lad |
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?
Unfortunately, we haven’t figured out what we can do to inspire more readers and also to encourage more people to comment on our posts. I think one thing we will focus on in 2016 is posting more consistently, which should help. But I am at a loss on how to get people to comment. I have some posts with over 100 views, but only 3 comments. The numbers just don't match and I am not sure why.
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| Lad and my daughter |
5. Which of your blog posts got the most traffic this year? Why do you think it was so popular? (Please include a link.)
Surprisingly, the post that received the most traffic was our post about another blogger. I’m not sure what that tells me about our posts. You can find it here: http://collie222.blogspot.com/2015/01/pet-blogger-gift-exchange.html?m=1
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| Chloe are sweet old, golden girl |
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.)
Well, there is actually more than one. But we really enjoy reading The Three Little Pugs blog. We find them adorable, and the blog is charming. www.stellroselong.blogspot.com We also love visiting Kim 's blog, Life At Golden Pines. She runs a rescue for senior dogs who have been abandoned.
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| Darling Darla |
7. What resources do you rely on to enhance your technical, writing, photography, social media, or other skills that improve your blog?
Resources? What resources? Do people have resources that I don't know about?
Seriously though, we do use photobucket for our pictures, because it provides an easy way to store and share our pictures on the blog.
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| Mojo, my first dog. She was my best friend for almost 15 years. |
8. What is the best piece of advice you can offer other bloggers?
Post often, it doesn’t have to be every day, but I have found that the more you post the more often people will return to see what you have written next. This is something we need to work on….
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| Mojo |
9. What is your vision for your blog in 2016? Do you have specific goals?
As I said before, my goal for 2016 is going to be consistency, and hopefully through that consistency we can add a few more followers.
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| Mariah, camping with us at a dog show in Maine. |
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?
Yes! We would love ideas for topics you would like us to cover in 2016!
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| Mariah and my daughter, at a dog show, 11 years ago. |
Thanks for visiting! All of the dogs featured in this post have passed away, and since I wrote this on "Throwback Thursday" they were all on my mind. They were each very special to us, so we wanted to share them with you.
that was some excellent information - you know there are a distinct types of pet blogs - the first is written in the 'dog voice' and everything is from there their perspective - it is all about the adventures in there lives. The second is the same as the first but includes promotion of items for from retailers. The third is written about dogs but using the person voice - the owners write about their dogs. The fourth is the same as the third but also includes product sales. And then there is combinations of a couple. Finding where you fit in that will help decide which direction you take your blog.
ReplyDeleteThose are great answers. As for the comment thing, I think a lot of people just want to read and not necessarily contribute. That's ok, at least they were there and enjoyed what you have to say.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your Sunnybank post too. I can see why it was your favorite.
ReplyDeleteAnd your idea to review books and movies with dogs as the subject is a good one.
When I was the Pet Travel Writer at A Traveler's Library, I loved reading the fabulous books about traveling with animals. (although truth to tell, I don't like writing reviews). So if someone else did the work, I'd love to have a new way to discover good reads.
As for engaging comments, I find that when I ask a question at the end of the blog, I usually get an answer. And, as you know, I have a tool that sends a reply to people by email when I or someone else replies to their comment.
I don't know if that's an option in Blogger. But to my surprise, people seem to like it.
And don't forget, only a very small number of people who read your posts will ever comment. In truth, many people will only comment if you make them made. So maybe have light comments isn't so bad. :)
We have the same issue with comments. a good day is 25 or so comments but can be 200 page views. I think by commenting on other people's blog it helps. Also love the 2 blogs you mentioned. Picking one was so hard (our challenge post is going live tomorrow!)
ReplyDeletePosting consistently is tough to find time for when time with the pets is more important. I have a list of post ideas 1,000 strong but no time to actually write and post them! I also didn't blog much in 2015 but I hope to manage my time better in 2016. I really missed blogging (for myself- part of the time issues I have is all the other writing I do!) One thing that helped me post at least once a week last year was doing a weekly photo challenge. I just started another one. I know you love to take photos of your dogs too so maybe that would be as inspirational for you as it has been for me.
ReplyDeleteI use metrics from Google more than comments to measure my post impact. I think, as others have said, a lot of people read through a post and then just can't think of anything to say. I get the most comments on posts that are photography based or somehow controversial. Simple answering a question posts don't get comments, hopefully because I've covered it so completely in the post I wrote.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps!
Jean from Welcome to the Menagerie
Your collies are beautiful and I look forward to following your blog!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I LOVE your header picture. Such happy smiling faces!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of getting more people to comment, I think the best way is to visit other blogs and comment on them eventually they will follow you back and comment on your blog. Another great way is form friendships and partnerships with other bloggers and share each other's posts. BlogHops are also a great way to find other like-minded bloggers and increase comments.
One thing to remember is that page views are just as important, if not more important, than comments. More people will always read than comment. Some of my favorite blogs are the ones I just read and don't comment on. I tend to comment on the blogs of my friends or other bloggers that I hope will also visit my blog. Hope this helps!
Great answers and it's nice to get to know you a little better through the challenge. I would have to agree with The Daily Pip on the best way to get comments. By commenting on some fellow blogger's websites and getting to know them, it really helps with comments and it's also a great way to develop some nice friendships too.
ReplyDeleteHi! Nice to visit your blog! I would say it's a good idea to join blog hops, as this way lots of people can see what you're up to, and you may get some extra comments!
ReplyDeleteSo many cute Collie faces on this blog. Lovely! :D
We are just getting to know you, but we can't wait to read more of your content in 2016!!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to follow a little bit in your footsteps and do more posts on the Labrador breed and Labs in rescues. The only thing consistent about my blog in 2015 was how inconsistent I posted. One of my goals this year is to get back on a consistent blogging schedule. Good luck to you and your goals in 2016!
ReplyDeleteFrom one collie lover to the next we always come back to see what the collies have been up too. And happy to see you're already posting more this year. We need to get back into posting more (other than pictures) but finding topics to post about is a struggle. I really enjoy reading about the history of the collies and have went back to your earlier posts on that to read through.
ReplyDeleteI'm always surprised by the amount of comments I get. Sometimes I feel like I sort of "phone in" my post, meaning I could make it so much better, but I'm in a rush etc. and I get so many comments. Then I have a post where I work super hard on it and get very little comments. I think for me it's the posts that make people feel. If you can make people feel a particular emotion, they will HAVE to comment.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic photo in your header - I love it! Try not to be discouraged by the number of comments you get on your posts. Just because people don't leave a note doesn't mean that they don't find your posts interesting, or that they don't appreciate what you're writing. Especially as more people read posts on their mobile devices, which can make it difficult to type a comment.
ReplyDeletePosting about things that excite me have always worked out best on my blog, so my recommendation would be to do the same with yours. Your passion will come through, and the audience that resonates with your style will find you. I wish you the best of luck in 2016 - thanks so much for participating in the Challenge!
The history of collies in the US is something I would be interested in.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the lack of comments, don't worry... you are not doing bad. There are different kinds of internet users out there. They range from people that know only how to turn a computer on and bring up a web page to people like you and me and a bit beyond. You and I are in a category of internet users called "creators". We are comfortable putting our thoughts out there online for everyone to see. Most people fall into a large group that only likes to read information - those people will never comment. That's why your numbers are so different... it's not you, it's them :) There are certainly things you can do like ask questions that will encourage people to comment though. Good luck!
I try not to worry about comments as much as I use to because my stats tell me that people are reading. Consistency has had been a a challenge for me because I normally have to be in the mood to write and that just doesn't happen all the time! Best of luck with your goals in 2016.
ReplyDeleteGreat answers! I didn't post much either in 2015, certainly not with any real consistency. But now that we're in a new year, and I've started a new blog, maybe I'll get more consistent. Maybe.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I don't always have time to leave a comment by the time I finish reading a post so I look for a "like" button to let my fellow blogger know I actually read and enjoyed what they shared.
It's great to discover you though this challenge! I have never had a Collie in the family, but I was very close to a friend's Collie, and they are wonderful...so smart and loving.
ReplyDeleteOne of my goals this year is to be more consistent in my writing, as well. I tend to write a bunch all at once, and then stall out for a while. Working on that!
Best of luck to you in this new year!