@CosmoHavanese, a dog who tweets!
Not only did I get to meet a bunch of pets who blog, tweet and socialize on Facebook (yes, you read that right), but I left with an overwhelming feeling of pride in our company, the online pet community and an excitement for the future of social media – both for PETCO and for the animals we all love.
Our Director of Social Media & Commerce, Natalie Malaszenko, was invited to present on the topic of “Better Business Blogging.” I was lucky enough to join her and help represent PETCO at the conference.
I knew we were in the right place when I met a woman in the elevator who was wearing the same BlogPaws conference badge as I was – I introduced myself and she, without skipping a beat, introduced me to her dog, Cosmo.
In the course of 48 hours, I was able to meet the people and pets behind blogs like Romeo the Cat, Your Daily Cute, Dog Tipper, Pawcurious, I Have Cat, PeoplePets, Petfinder and so many more. I heard countless pet stories from each of them – all of which elicited uncontrollable “Awwwws,” a few that included a “Hey, I adopted my kitty/puppy at PETCO!”
Natalie talking to a room full of pet bloggers about how to engage customers through social media
I loved seeing the impact PETCO was able to make on some of the attendees through Natalie’s presentation. Natalie engaged the audience like old friends, shared some of her incredible social media experience from her time at Dell and since working with PETCO, and gave real, tangible advice on how to connect with other pet people through social media. When it was over, Natalie and I were bombarded with questions about PETCO, lots of thanks and congratulations on what we were told was one of the most informative presentations of the weekend. Check out this article and interview with Natalie taken right after her presentation by BlogPaws attendee, Nate Riggs.
But the best part of the weekend was the incredible opportunities and connections the conference created for everyone in attendance – for the bloggers, the speakers, the sponsors and everyone in between. The experience at BlogPaws created a new, widespread community of people who love pets – both online and in real life. And I couldn’t be more proud or excited that PETCO is a part of it.
Me and Natalie at the BlogPaws farewell pawty
Do your pets blog and tweet, too? What would they say if they did?