Hello, friends!
I’m coming to you today with a question. Or, more accurately, I’m coming to you today with a request for a discussion.
Let me explain…
I spend a ton of time researching things about dogs, answering questions about dogs, sharing information and memes about dogs, talking to my vet about my dog, following dogs on Instagram… you get the point. My life is largely about dogs.
And if I’m being totally honest with you, right now, I’m so grateful for blogs.
Why?
I feel so. very. done. with social media.
I’m not alone in this, I know. I suspect many of you feel the same way. BTW, I’m not even talking about politics. Just plain old social media. There’s something about the distance that screens give to some people that somehow makes them feel free to be mean, negative, and critical. So few people are open to learning because–gasp.–what you learn might actually change what you think or know about a particular topic. It’s disheartening and demoralizing.
I strive to post positive or uplifting content, even when I’m writing about difficult topics. That’s the best I can do right now, other than step away from most social media.
Blogs, though? I’m totally rekindling my love for all things blog as social media loses its luster.
Blogging puts trust in people with real-life experience.
Every week, I receive an email or DM from someone whose dog was recently diagnosed with tremors. It’s not a common condition, so there’s not a lost of first-hand experience out there. I’m grateful people find my posts and Cooper’s story so we can connect over this shared, bizarre condition.
Likewise, when I’ve faced training difficulties or health issues, especially with the cats, I’ve turned to blogs to gather real-life experience. Information from your vet is vital, of course, but actual experiences are invaluable.
For a while there, I turned to Facebook or Instagram because I felt like I had less time and there’s easier-to-digest info there.
However.
There’s so much inflammatory crap and misinformation. Blogs may take a little more time–searching for the right one, for instance, and digesting long, well-thought-out posts just takes longer than reading an Instagram caption–but the trade-off is completely worth it.
Who do you trust for pet advice online?
I’ve been monitoring my habits lately with one goal: Stop mindless scrolling! And here’s what I’ve discovered…
When I have a specific question about Coop or the cats, I first type the query into Google. I’ll look for a peer-reviewed study or a website with a reputation for sharing knowledgeable, fact-based content. Then, I’ll search for blogs about the topic to see what real people have really done for their real pets. On rare occasions, I’ll search Instagram or YouTube. Never, ever, ever do I search Facebook anymore.
I’m curious: Where do you turn when you’re trying to find pet advice online? Do you go to social? Blogs? Veterinary publications? Message boards? Forums? Somewhere else altogether?
How do you decide who to trust only for pet advice? I’d LOVE to hear from you in the comments. I’m genuinely curious how you are using the internet to learn more about how to live better with our pets, and I’d really appreciate any insights–even if you disagree with me! I love learning from you!
Also, if you want to learn more about blogging, obviously I have to recommend the book I co-wrote with Carol Bryant, Pet Blogging for Love and Money. It’s chock full of advice for working and learning online!
AND! If you want to learn more about pet health and you’re seeing this early in the week, it’s not too late to sign up for the FREE Pet Health Secrets Summit. I’m presenting on Monday, but all the presentations are live and free for 48 hours. Click here to sign up.
