Pet Bloggers ARE Lifestyle Bloggers
Lifestyle Blogger. Pet Blogger. Cat Blogger. Dog Blogger. Mom Blogger. Dad Blogger.
Many of us toss these terms around casually without a lot of thought about what they mean. In the process, we often end up defining each other and the work we do in ways that we didn’t intend and perhaps ways that aren’t very accurate. Words matter, not only in how they affect others but also in how we interpret the world and define and then manage our hobby or business.
I suspect we all have different ideas about what these terms actually mean. I also think these categories are falsehoods, self-erected barriers that accidentally limit us and our fellow influencers in unanticipated ways. Let’s explore!
What is a Lifestyle Blogger?
Personally, I like the way that Mediakix defines and describes what a lifestyle blogger is.
According to Mediakix, “A lifestyle blogger creates content inspired and curated from their personal interests and daily activities. As such, lifestyle blogs are oftentimes highly personalized to the author’s location, life stage and experience.”
Even under that umbrella term, “Lifestyle Blogger,” you will find many niches, many voices and a variety of interests. Recipes, nutrition, living a healthy lifestyle, fashion, the daily life of a dad…and the list goes on.
But wait. Aren’t pet bloggers are talking about those very same topics? The perspective may be different, but the goal is the same!
Some “pet bloggers” focus on nutrition and share recipes, some focus on living a healthy lifestyle with our pets, some create content about pet fashion and pet fashionistas, some even share stories about their daily life with their pets and the list goes one. Personal interests and daily activities? Yes!
But there’s more…
Seemingly everyone has a pet!
According to the ASPCA, there are approximately 70-80 million dogs and 74-96 million cats kept as pets in the U.S. alone! Approximately 37-47% of all homes in the U.S. have a dog, while 30-37% have a cat. Many of these pet parents are bound to be a blogger or social media influencer, and I’m quite sure that many of these bloggers would be considered “lifestyle bloggers.”
The antics of their cute kitten or the daily adventures of their beloved dog may not be front and center every day in every post or social media update they share, but lifestyle bloggers love their pets just as much as pet bloggers do. They also share funny stories and information to help other pet parents. They may not define their niche quite the same way as pet bloggers do, but the pet-centered content they create is valuable nonetheless and potentially reaches a different audience of pet parents. I think that we can all agree that educating more pet parents is an excellent thing for pets everywhere.
I’m A “Pet Blogger” But I Have Other Interests, Too!
Even if pets are the primary focus of our blogs, we have interests other than Fluffy and Fido. Many of us even incorporate these interests into our content, adding dimension, originality and authenticity to our work and our brand. Dog Mom Days and Momma Told Me are just two blogs that, in my personal opinion, do this very well.
Using myself as an example, in addition to deaf dogs, I have a passion for street art and graffiti. In the past six months or so, I have begun to incorporate images and information about street art and street artists into my social shares and blog posts. Sure, deaf dogs may be my focus, but it’s not all I care about. By incorporating a variety of interests into my work, I create a unique platform for myself where I can share lots of different topics in a sincere and authentic way.
In blending deaf dog topics and street art, I am sharing more information about me, my dogs and my interests. I am letting my audience get to know more about me, and this personal touch goes a long way to creating familiarity, trust and ultimately influence!
I am also increasing my potential audience and have succeeded in growing my reach to include people who may not have a passion for deaf dogs per se, but who do love photos of dogs or are fans of street art. By grabbing their attention with visual content they are interested in, I can educate and engage them at the same time!
I no longer view or define myself as a deaf dog blogger, a dog blogger or a pet blogger. No, I am a lifestyle blogger who shares a lot of information about deaf dogs or dogs in general, but I also share other interests too!
So What’s My Point?
For me, lifestyle bloggers and pet bloggers are not two distinct categories. I view pet bloggers as a lifestyle blogger who happens to focus on their pets. Ultimately, pet bloggers are sharing information, content and opinions about their life and lifestyle, just like lifestyle bloggers. In the end, is there really a difference between a treat recipe for your two-legged kids and one for your four-legged kids? They are both recipes, often made with healthy ingredients and shared in hopes of bettering the lives of our readers and followers (and pets!)
That’s my take: Pet bloggers ARE lifestyle bloggers!
What’s your take?
In addition to his role as the BlogPaws Campaign Manager, Bernard Lima-Chavez is a deaf dog pet parent, blogger and freelance writer. He shares his life with with deaf dogs, two hearing dogs and a whole bunch of cats. You can find him at Dog & His Boy.
