Pet Blogger Challenge 2016 & Reader Survey

Welcome to 2016!

Just like last year, I am doing the Pet Blogging Challenge hosted by www.gopetfriendlyblog.com!

It is really cool to see how much I have progressed through this last year and hear back from your guys!

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 first logo

I have been blogging since November of 2014. The purpose of The Chesnut Mutts (besides making you smile and laugh) is to inform pet parents of high-quality brands and products.

2. What is the one thing that you accomplished during 2015, either on your blog or because of it, that made you most proud?

Me, Everett, Vita Bone, Delmar, and Steve Dale at BlogPaws 2015

Well, I have upgraded my site tremendously! Including an awesome banner made by my 16-year-old sister, Lily, and I have bought my own domain. I know I have listed off more than one accomplishment, but I am also so happy I went to BlogPaws because it really got my foot in the door.

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

Oh man, there really are so many! My Royal Canin post was my first BlogPaws Influencer opportunity and Meaty Mugs was fun because we were the first review done for the brand :)

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?

Promoting my posts in blogger boost facebook groups has helped, and for my social media pages I interact more with other people and I have seen a major increase in Instagram followers.

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 all time most popular is ImmuneIQ because it is a new product for pet allergy testing and even I was skeptical at first, so I figure people want to learn more. My most popular post that was written this year was Meaty Mugs possibly because we were the first to write about them and we had a great giveaway :).

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 don't really read any blog religiously, but I do frequent Michelle Huntting's blog often. We are besties and have helped each other out :)

7. What resources do you rely on to enhance your technical, writing, photography, social media, or other skills that improve your blog?

Well I just upgraded my camera to a Nikon D3300 and I have seen more engagements just because of that! For Instagram I use the app Trackgram to see who recently followed and liked so I can repay the favor or whatnot. Still looking for ways to improve my writing, but Grammarly is quite helpful.

8. What is the best piece of advice you can offer other bloggers?

Jada with Dr. Buzby and her crew at Barkworld

Get out there and be social! You never know what kind of people you will meet that will help you out or vice versa. Conferences, Follow Fridays, Twitter Parties, do it!

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

I would like to reach more people and figure out a better way to convey my message in a timely manner. My biggest issue this year was my scheduling. I have chronic migraines and can go weeks where I can't do any blogging because I have to use a big chunk of my brain for it, so my posts that I had scheduled to work on got pushed back at least 2 months! Right now I am scheduled until May, but have fewer posts so I can catch up. I have been debating on if I should keep the blog reviews going or just do photos with a snippet of a review. Writing is not my strong point if you can't tell, but photography is! So hopefully I will figure that out by next year.

Edit: I am also working on my review rates..it is difficult to know how much to charge sometimes!

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?

What I wrote for number 9 would be nice. It takes a couple of days for me to get a decent review written, but I think the general public would like that compared to just a photo and a paragraph. Are my reviews good enough to continue? Or should I change my course of action? Thanks y'all!


Also, if you could..please fill out this survey for us!

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