Third Annual Pet Blogger Challenge

Bonus Post: Just found out it is Pet Blogger Challenge 2013! Man I need to do a better job at keeping up with blogs. This is event is sponsored by http://www.gopetfriendly.com to help bloggers connect with new blogs.

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.

We have been blogging since September 2010. You can find our answers to last years pet challenge here.

2. What do you consider the most important goals you set out in last year’s post?

I didn't really set a goal, I just hoped to help Hailey to be happy, which I think we have, for the most part. 

3. Have you made progress toward those goals, or have your goals changed over the past year?

My goal these days is more to keep up with posting (which I love to do, but sometimes find it hard to write) and more importantly, and which is harder, to find time to read all the other amazing blogs out there. I find them so inspiring, and fun, and I love it, just it can be hard to carve out that time for me to read. My goal is to read them all 2-3 times a week. 

4. How often do you post?

Pretty much daily. I do of course miss days when I am on vacation etc. 

5. Has your opinion of blogging on a schedule or as the spirit moves you changed?

I tend to blog when the spirit moves me, but I have more of a schedule. I am trying to participate more in blog community events such as Mischief Monday, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday and Black and White Sunday. 

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?”

If I want to talk about it, it is blog worthy. I love that people read my blog and I do think of the audience, but this is my blog and I will share/not share what I want. 

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.

I probably spend on average 30 minutes a post (some take more time, some less), so that is 3 or so hours writing. If I had my way I would spend an hour a day reading other blogs. My hope is to have 5 hours a week to do this. 

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?

When I gauge the success of an individual post, I look at the number and the quality of the comments it’s gotten. It’s pretty easy to tell if you’ve been able to excite people when you look at the comments they leave. However, when I measure how well the blog is doing over all (and I do that once a month), I rely on my traffic numbers from Google analytics.

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

If it made me laugh or smile, or I think it made someone else laugh or smile it was successful!

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

Keeping up with my blog. Having some creative, fun posts. Keeping up with other blogs!