Thankful Thursday - 3 (Now 2!) Weeks to BlogPaws!

Revised for SITS Girls! June 9, 2012: Only 12 days to BlogPaws!!!

And what do Women Bloggers/Mommy Bloggers & Pet Bloggers have in common? Wanting to learn more about social media, improve their skills, network with pros, monetize their blogs... and - a lot of them have pets, too! And they're all welcome to join us at the BlogPaws Social Media Conference and the BlogPaws online community!

Happy Thursday! I'm so excited and happy that we're getting so close to BlogPaws!

I just heard from a friend that some folks think it's only for dogs!!? 
I'm sorry, but cats *have* paws, no? And many of us blog - or have people who blog about us... My mom helps me with my blog, and she works for BlogPaws, so we're going to try to explain it a little more for folks who haven't heard of it before, or just aren't clear what it's all about...

Bloggin', bloggin' bloggin'... 

The BlogPaws Pet Blogging and Social Media Conference is for cats, dogs, birds, bunnies, ferrets, capybaras, humans (even veterinarians!) and any reasonable facsimiles thereof, including flat pets and, in my case, a stuffed plush stand-in for me, 'cause I hate traveling.

Moshe the Sphynx at BlogPaws
Photo via Curlz & Swirlz

Curlz and Swirls attending a Blogpaws session

Snotface the ferret & Dexter at BlogPaws

Plush Cokie & the Flat Pets
Good name for a band

I travel vicariously through Plush Cokie. I live it up a lot here in Hollywood without him, too, fear not...

Pret-ty Co-zy...

You don't HAVE to bring a pet - or be a pet - for BlogPaws, but you can if you want to, is the thing. You don't HAVE TO be a pet blogger, either. I would say being an animal lover is a prerequisite, though.  ; ) 
BlogPaws is a conference that is educational, inspirational and super fun for anyone who wants to learn more about blogging, monetizing blogs, building your audience, book publishing, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, WordPress, copyrights, video production, and lots of other stuff. There are 31 sessions over three days that you can mix and match any way you like. There's even a track for vets. 
BlogPaws is at the Salt Lake City Sheraton June 21-23, 2012 - which I'm excited to say is only three weeks away! Pets are permitted all over the hotel - in your rooms, session rooms, at dinners and entertainment events, and in the Exhibition Hall, where more than 50 pet related brands will be networking with bloggers - and 'microbloggers': Folks who post on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc.

Sheraton Salt Lake City - Let's Go!!

There'll be celebrities - Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog and Norman the Scooter Dog from Animal Planet's "Who Let The Dogs Out," Jackson Galaxy from Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell" (talking to us via skype in the moderncat Catification Lounge, live from his book tour), and YouTube sensations Jasmine the Pup and Paige the Border Collie. 

Tillman and Norman from Animal Planet's 
"Who Let The Dogs Out"

BlogPaws has the most inspirational keynote speakers, who'll get you amped up for taking your social media skills to the next level - and for helping animals. BlogPaws and their wonderful sponsors also make donations to great animal charities at every conference and a Be The Change session devoted to what we can do individually to make a difference in pets' lives. 

Indie folk pop singer songwriter/catlady Sarah Donner will perform Friday night, and on Saturday evening, they'll host the first annual red carpet BlogPaws Social Media "Nose-to-Nose" Awards Ceremony, MC'd by television personality/humanitarian Wendy Diamond from AnimalFair.com, which will be live-streamed around the world, in conjunction with a simultaneously Twitter #BlogPawty - so everyone everywhere can be in on that event!

If you haven't registered yet, you still can HERE. If you have any questions, you can tweet @blogpaws, leave a post on Facebook at www.facebook.com/blogpaws or shoot an email to BlogPawsTeam@blogpaws.com. 
I hope that clears things up! And that Mom will see you at BlogPaws, 'cause that would make me REALLY happy!
Now, what are you Thankful for/happy about today??

"NOSE-TO-NOSE" Pet Blogging Awards!!

BlogPaws just announced the 2012 BlogPaws "Nose-to-Nose" Social Media Pet Blogging Awards! And it's not JUST for traditional blogs, but includes "microbloggers" on Twitter and Facebook.  ; )

Nominations are open now! Start thinking about which blogs you love the most and nominate them HERE --> http://bit.ly/HWXq3 You can even nominate yourself. The nomination period closes on May 6th at 11:59pm MT, so don't wait too long!

This is NOT a popularity contest. Winners will be chosen by a panel of distinguished professionals on their expertise, creativity and performance in one or more of 12 specific award categories. 

Nose-to-Nose Award winners will be announced in a gala red carpet ceremony at the BlogPaws Conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday evening, June 23rd, 2012.
The ceremony be live streamed and free for everyone to watch, if you can't attend in person - but if you can, you'll totally want to attend in person! This whole BlogPaws Conference is going to be awesome! Register HERE now!

 

"Nose-to-Nose" Award Categories

1. Best Blog Design: judged on overall design elements of the blog homepage/landing page.
2. Best Blog Writing: judged on overall writing skill – is the message clear to the reader?
3. Best Humor Blog: judged on overall sense of humor – does it make us laugh?
4. Best Bark Blog: judged on the content as it applies to dogs and dog parents.
5. Best Meow Blog: judged on the content as it applies to cats and cat parents.
6. Best Wiggle Blog: judged on focus of blog toward non-traditional pets (i.e. ferrets, guinea pigs, chickens, etc).
7. Best New Blog: less than one year old, with good content and engagement.
8. Best Cause Blog: judged on message, purpose and results as demonstrated on the blog.
9. Best Video on a Blog: judged independently (one video per blog); is it well done, focused, creative and purposeful?
10. Best Photo on a Blog: judged independently (one photo per blog); is it well done, focused, creative and purposeful?
11. Best Facebook Design: judged on overall design of Facebook header and use of special Facebook page features.
12. Best Twitter Design: judged on overall design elements for Twitter profile background. 

Click HERE to submit a nomination and read the BlogPaws Official Rules and Regulations.

Good Luck!!

Cokie

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