Pet Bloggers Journey 2021

Today, I’d like to break away from our usual schedule here on Shed Happens to shine a light on the Pet Blogging community. Whether you are currently a pet blogger or considering starting a pet blog, today’s post is for you!

This blog, Shed Happens, is relatively new to the pet blogging seen having launched in February 2020.

Since that time, I have had the opportunity to ‘meet’ and network with a large number of incredible bloggers both in the pet niche as well as in the blogging community as a whole.

Recently, I came across a post introducing the Pet Bloggers Journey, and I couldn’t be more excited to participate this year!

What is the Pet Bloggers Journey?

The ‘Pet Bloggers Journey’ is a collaboration originally created by Colby from PuppyInTraining.com in 2020.

Designed to encourage bloggers to reflect on their time as a blogger, the collaboration was well received (with 26 participants) and is now returning for a second year!   

This is an opportunity to recognize our accomplishments over the past year, set goals for the coming year and share valuable tips for those that are looking to join the pet blogging community.

The concept is very simple. Colby has put together a list of 10 questions that all participating bloggers will be answering this week (January 10^th to January 16^th).

After publishing your post, swing over to Colby’s Pet Bloggers Journey II post to share your link in the comments.

Don’t forget to check out the other Pet Bloggers Journey Participants and show some love on their posts!

If you’re a blogger in the pet niche (or considering starting your own blog), this is an incredible opportunity to network with other bloggers and learn from their experiences.

There is SO much knowledge and valuable information packed in the answers from these talented content creators!

Related: ‘Top 10 Reasons to Adopt A Senior Dog‘

Pet Bloggers Journey II – My Answers

I’m going to be honest, these questions really got me thinking about my journey to date with Shed Happens and my place in the blogging community.

I want to take a quick moment to thank Colby for challenging each of us and bringing the pet blogging community together.

#1 – When did you begin your blog and what do you currently write about on your blog?

After recognizing that I was starting to include more and more pet-related content on my other niche blogs (where it didn’t really fit 100%), I decided that it was time to kick off a pet-specific blog in February 2020.

Shed Happens is designed to help newer pet owners find the information that they need to choose the best pet for their lifestyle and create a happy life for both themselves and their new family members.

In addition to ‘new pet parent’ style posts, I also share information about the world of rescue from my experience as a volunteer, foster parent, and rescue mom.

#2 – Name one thing about your blog, or one blogging goal that you accomplished during 2020, that made you most proud.

I know that 2020 was a questionable one in many ways. I had no idea what was about to happen when I launched the blog in February.

Just a month later, Canada was locking down and we were about to face a series of unique challenges.

As someone that works from home as a freelance writer and social media marketer, I was already working from home.

However, the cancellation of any evening/weekend plans meant that I had more time to devote to blog growth and personal growth.

I took blogging courses, focused on growth and put my heart into Shed Happens. The result? This blog took off in ways that I never could have imagined.

In less than a year, this blog has grown into a source of income while still allowing me to share my passion for pets with those that join the Shed Happens community.  

What’s not to love about that?

#3 – Which of your 2020 posts was most popular with your audience? Why do you think it does so well?

Back in April, I shared a recipe for a favourite dog treat in our house, our peanut butter banana dog treats.

As a dog mom trying to work with a LONG list of food allergies in my one pup, limited ingredient recipes are always a win and this one only uses 3 ingredients.

Plus, making our own treats means that I have full control over what she’s eating.

Check out the post here: Easy 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats

Why does this post do well?

A big reason, I believe, is the fact that the recipe is so simple. You don’t have to be a professional baker to make these treats at home.

Also, we have seen a growing number of pet food and treat recalls in recent years.

This has encouraged owners to reconsider what they are feeding their pets, exploring options to keep their pets safe (like making their own treats at home).

Related: ‘Fun and Unique Ways to Make Money as A Pet Lover‘

#4 – What was the biggest blogging challenge you faced in 2020, and how did you tackle it?

Oh boy, 2020 was just one giant challenge, wasn’t it?

As I previously mentioned, I had NO IDEA what was just around the corner when I launched this blog in February.

This may sound a little crazy, considering everything was being cancelled, but the biggest challenge for me was in scheduling my day and finding balance.

As I previously mentioned, with the extra evening/weekend time suddenly available, I jumped into my blogging more than ever.

I was taking courses, creating content, posting on social media… It was great!

However, I realized quickly that all this extra work combined with the mental and emotional drain caused by the events of 2020 was leaving me feeling drained.

My mental and physical health started to suffer, and I had to take a step back to reconsider my daily schedule.

Since that realization, I have been actively setting aside time for ‘me’.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Even just watching a movie with my husband and the pups or heading out for a casual hike on a local trail.

This is the year that I’ve really learned the importance of self-care (it’s not just a buzz word)!

#5 – Tell us one thing you learned in 2020 that can help us all become better bloggers.

My motto going into 2020 was ‘Always be a student’ and I feel like there couldn’t have been a better approach with everything that happened.

This year taught us that just when we think we’ve got it figured out, life can turn upside down.

You never know what’s coming!

My biggest advice for other bloggers is to be open to the fact that you never have all the answers, and that’s okay!

The world changes, social media platforms change, new opportunities arise…

Try to learn something new every day.

That doesn’t mean you have to spend a bunch of money on courses and make a point of taking classes every day….

There are SO many things you can learn simply from experience, connecting with others and maintaining an open mind.

But never fall into the trap of believing that you know it all.

#6 – What are your top three blogging goals for 2021?

This is a question that REALLY got me thinking, mainly because I hadn’t identified which of my goals were really the ‘top goals’ before this point.

That being said, I am SO thankful that Colby challenged us to do this!

Goal 1: Focus on email marketing and making the most of my email list.

Prior to this point, my email newsletter has been on auto pilot, sending out an email each week with my latest posts courtesy of the RSS feed.

That being said, I know that doing nothing more than an automated email means I am missing out on a HUGE opportunity.

I belong to the PetBiz Collaborative, a private community focused on growth and knowledge about succeeding in the pet industry online.

This quarter, the focus is actually on email marketing, which couldn’t have been timed better for my goals!  

For this reason, I am setting the goal to switch from automated emails to a more focused email newsletter by the end of the first quarter of 2021.

Goal 2: Work through the e-book ‘SEO The Easy Way’ and the corresponding workbooks.

One of the opportunities for growth that I was really focusing on at the end of 2020 was my SEO efforts.

I got my hands on the SEO The Easy Way e-book and workbook but have yet to start digging into all of the valuable information that it contains.

Moving into 2021, I am going to set aside some time to read a bit each day.

I’d like to complete the book and workbook by the end of the first quarter so that I can focus on updating content and applying this information starting in the second quarter.

Goal 3: Focus on improving my Domain Authority to reach 20+.

This goal goes hand in hand with goal 2, as improvements to my SEO efforts will help to build my DA over time.

That being said, I specifically want to look at reaching a minimum DA 20.

As of today, Shed Happens has a DA of 13 according to Moz.

However, I have seen a number of different opportunities that specify that they want to work with blogs that have a DA of 20+.

To open the door to a wider variety of brand opportunities, I am focusing on improving my DA to reach this milestone.

#7 – In the perfect world, where do you see yourself and your blog one year from now?

As of the end of 2020, Shed Happens is providing me with a moderate income.

It’s nothing huge, and certainly not replacing my other work as a social media marketer and freelance writer outside of my own blogs.

However, I am still making a net profit when all is said and done.

That being said, I would love to see that profit increase.

In an ideal world, I would double that income in 2021 so that I can start letting go of some of the outside work to focus more on the blog itself.

Outside of blogging, I hope that 2021 allows us to get out and camp as a ‘pack’ even more.

With travel restrictions, we can’t go far. Luckily, there are so many beautiful locations to explore right here in Ontario, Canada.

Working online means that I can take my work anywhere, so I’d love to take advantage of that and work outdoors more often.

Related: ‘14 Ways to Help Your Local Shelter or Rescue Organization Without Adopting‘

#8 – If you had $1000 to spend on your blog how would you spend it?

I would look at getting some time in with a coach to help me pinpoint the opportunities for growth with the blog and how best to work towards it.

I have always made time in my schedule for courses and e-books; however, I know that a little one-on-one time with a coach could have an incredible impact.

This is something that I have been considering more and more as I see my income grow.

There will come a time (hopefully in the near future) when I can budget in some coaching time, and I’m really looking forward to that!

#9 – What is one skill you’d like to learn or improve in 2021?

I have been talking about starting a YouTube channel to diversify my efforts for Shed Happens.

That being said, my lack of knowledge and experience both in front of the camera and behind/editing has held me back from pulling the trigger.

As a marketer, I’ve seen the vast shift towards video in the digital space and I know that it’s a trend that I should be taking advantage of.

There is so much to unpack here, so I know it’s not going to happen overnight.

If I had to choose one particular skill to focus on, it would be video editing… Of all the skills needed, that’s the one that I need to work on the most.

#10 – If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one challenge you’re having with your blog, what would it be?

While I have made some income from affiliate sales, I know that there is a HUGE opportunity in that space from talking with other bloggers.

So, I pose this question to the ‘experienced bloggers’ that do make a solid income from affiliate marketing…

What are your best tips for successful affiliate marketing?

Thank you again to Colby for putting this together!

I can’t wait to take some time to read through the answers from all of the other bloggers participating (and learn from each of you).