Each year, the online pet blogging community hosts an event known as the “Pet Blogger Challenge!” This is a fun way for people who blog about pets to come together, reflect on the past year, and support each other’s goals and plans for the upcoming year.
Although I’m still fairly new to the blogging community, I’m excited to take part in this challenge and share my achievements, struggles, and hopes with other passionate animal lovers and my readers.
So without further adieu, here are my answers for the 9th Annual Pet Blogger Challenge!
1. For Those Who May Be Visiting Your Blog For the First Time, How Long Have You Been Blogging and What Is Your Main Topic?
Great Question! I started Doggone Destinations in the spring of 2018. It promotes dog-friendly travel in America by providing helpful information about dog-friendly destinations that I’ve visited with my own dog, sharing pet health and safety tips that are useful either on the road or at home, and reviewing awesome pet products!
My goal with this blog is to help pet parents all over the country fulfill their dreams of travel without the guilt of leaving their four-legged friends behind and assist in the growth of the pet-friendly travel industry.
2. What is Your Proudest Blogging Moment of 2018?
Wow! There are so many, but I have to say the official launch of my blog back in March. At first, I wasn’t expecting too many readers, but within days of the launch, I had hundreds of visitors to my blog, an impressive number of email subscribers, and a fairly decent social media following.
It was very encouraging and made me feel even more motivated to serve my fellow pet parents with helpful travel information!
3. What Was the Biggest Blogging Challenge of 2018, and How/Will You Tackle It?
Finding other bloggers to collaborate with and get inspired by was very difficult at first. I was either too nervous to reach out to other writers or decided they wouldn’t be interested in what I was doing, especially since I was still very new to the blogging world.
To help me overcome my anxiety, I attended my first blogging conference, TravelCon, in Austin, TX. It was an unforgettable experience and I met so many amazing travel writers from all over the world. Contrary to what I had previously believed, many people were very interested in my blog and even congratulated me on such a fun website idea.
I also connected with other pet bloggers through BlogPaws, and they’ve been an amazingly supportive community of writers and pet lovers.
I have to give credit where it is due, so thank you to my TravelCon and BlogPaws friends for helping me get where I am! I couldn’t have done it without you all!
4. Which Of Your 2018 Blogs Was Your Favorite and Why?
Definitely my post about dog-friendly things to do in Charleston, SC!
Charleston is my absolute favorite city in the United States…no competition! With its jaw-dropping beauty, historical charm, and outstanding cuisine, Charleston has definitely earned a special place in my heart. It’s also stocked full of fun things to do with your pets, and I take Lady there several times a year just to indulge in all of the incredible and unique activities.
The Charleston blog was also the first one I composed for Doggone Destinations, so it was the pioneer post for this amazing blogging journey.
5. Which of Your 2018 Posts Was the Most Popular With Your Audience? Why Do You Think It Did So Well?
My blog post detailing pet-friendly spots in Asheville, NC performed very well last year! It even gained the attention of another popular blogger based in that area who reached out to me and got me connected with several companies and followers.
I haven’t exactly pinpointed what made that blog post become so popular, but Asheville is a very dog-friendly city so many residents and visitors of that destination really connected with the content.
6. Did You Implement a New Series, Feature, or Practice On Your Blog in 2018 That You’re Enjoying?
Yes! My pet product reviews are one of my newest features to Doggone Destinations and both myself and my readers have thoroughly enjoyed them!
It’s been such a privilege to try so many awesome pet products from dog-loving companies all over the nation and then share my thoughts on my blog. I only recommend products that I would use for my own pets, so my readers can always trust my opinions!
The pet product reviews have also made way for some fun giveaway opportunities, which have also been very popular on my blog.
7. As the Social Media Landscape Changes, How Are You Promoting Your Blog Posts and Connecting With New Readers?
In addition to promoting my new blog posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, I make posts that encourage my readers to engage with my brand and make them feel as if they are a part of a fun dog-loving community.
This includes asking them questions about their day, requesting photos of their own pets, and getting to know them on a more personal basis. I even know the names to many of my readers’ dogs and ask about them.
I’ve always felt that I am much more willing to connect and engage with a brand that makes me feel like a somebody, so I try to do the same for my readers. Plus, who doesn’t love dog photos?
8. Looking Forward to 2019, If You Accomplish One Thing Through Your Blog, What Do You Hope It Is?
I’d love to add more features to my blog that make finding information about pet-friendly travel even easier on my website!
This may include an interactive map that lists pet-friendly activities, parks, dining, and hotels in cities all across the U.S., reviews on pet-friendly accommodations, and more. I’m still brainstorming ideas but I’m excited to see where we go from here!
9. What Steps Are You Planning to Take To Ensure You Reach Your Goal?
I’m hoping to connect with a designer that will make my visions for the interactive map a reality! I’ve already met one based in Asheville that is very talented!
Also, I plan to start reaching out to local pet-friendly hotels and bed and breakfasts in my area for interviews about their accommodations and why pet parents should choose them for their next vacation!
10. Where I Could Use Some Help
I’d say the biggest thing I’ve struggled with so far is Instagram. I’ve been stuck in this cruel “follow and then unfollow” game that many people on Instagram play and it has costed me a lot of followers. It’s been very disheartening and I’ve even considered deleting my Instagram account numerous times just because I’ve spent so much time on a platform that has hardly earned me any traffic.
However, I’m not ready to give up yet! I just need to learn how to promote more engagement through my images.
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I hope you’ve learned more about myself and Doggone Destinations through this challenge! I look forward to reading the answers from other pet bloggers and learning from their own experiences.
This has been fun! If you have any questions or suggestions for Doggone Destinations, feel free to reach out to me anytime at lauren@doggonedestinations.com. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!
In the meantime, feel free to explore the blog, check out some of our favorite dog-friendly destinations, or learn more about Lady and me on our About Us page.
