Web-SEO Content & Consulting For Pet Industry Marketers
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Wildly Profitable Marketing for the Pet Industry
Finally — a how-to Marketing Success Guide for all pet and veterinary businesses. Co-written by PetCopywriter.com's Pam Foster.
PetCopywriter.com owner
Pam Foster is a SuccessWorks
Certified SEO Copywriter
3 Big Gaps in Local Pet Business and Veterinary Marketing
May 10, 2012
Every month or so, I’m invited to present a webinar about what works online… particularly regarding content that works to attract more customers to the websites of pet businesses and veterinary practices.
I’ve been honored and thrilled to present webinars to veterinarians via LifeLearn; pet sitters and walkers via the Association of Pet Sitting Excellence; and other prestigious groups and organizations.
Each time I present a webinar, my mission is to teach through example, not just rattle off a list of must-dos. So I prepare a slide show that features pet-business sites and veterinary-practice sites following the best practices. A picture can be worth a thousand words… even when talking about content!
The problem is, when I’m preparing a presentation about LOCAL business websites… great examples of local websites are very hard to find, both in the pet business world and with veterinary practices.
This is true for core website content (Home, About, Services, etc.) and blog posts. Many, many local pet-industry websites are not using the 3 critical elements for local marketing success.
Today, I’m happy to tell you what these 3 elements are so you can fix them right away. :-) (more…)
Pet Marketing Works Better If Your Solutions and Benefits Pop
May 3, 2012
You may have noticed by now that PetCopywriter.com’s website design has been updated. Thanks to the wonderful skills of graphic designer Jason Spooner and web developer Joe Dolson, we’re thrilled with the results.
The reason we did this is… I didn’t feel the website was showcasing what we offer pet and veterinary companies in a quick and overt way.
I took a fresh look at the site from the visitor’s perspective, practicing what I preach in this blog. 
PetCopywriter.com's site redesign helps visitors find pet marketing solutions and benefits at a glance
I said to myself, “When someone arrives here, what should be the first impression they get in mere seconds?”
It’s simply this: You can race ahead of the pack and attract more customers with help from a skilled pet-industry copywriter.
So the web team reworked PetCopywriter.com’s home page with a clean and logical design, simple customer-benefit messages, a video introducing our services to potential clients, and clear invitations for visitors to explore our many services.
That’s it! Much better when it comes to clarity that helps visitors know what to find here. I hope you agree. (Please let me know.)
Having said that, if you scroll below the first screen, you’ll see more content about featured solutions and benefits. But if you choose not to scroll, you can quickly access specific sections of the site you’re interested in.
I’m telling you this because you may want to consider whether or not your pet or veterinary website solutions “pop” in a clear and inviting way for your prospects.
You could be missing opportunities with hundreds of potential customers, so it pays to take a hard look at your site.
Pet Marketing Success Begins and Ends Above the Fold
April 25, 2012
Quick — what’s the first thing your website visitors see when they arrive at your site? This is a very important question; more important than you’d ever imagine.
That’s because your pet website’s first impression is EVERYTHING.
If people don’t like what they see on that very first screen of your site, they probably won’t stick around and buy from you.
Consider the following two findings from Website Usability guru Jakob Nielsen*:
- “Web users spend 80% of their time looking at information above the page fold.”
This means if people don’t understand the benefits of your products or services when they land on your site — they’ll move on without scrolling down to see more information.
- “The first 10 seconds of the page visit are critical for users’ decision to stay or leave.”
If your content isn’t immediately helpful to visitors, giving them a reason to do business with you… it’s very likely that you’ll lose them.
Here’s one more new finding that may shock you. We found this in a recent issue of Website Magazine:
“When viewing a website, it takes users less than 2/10ths of a second to form their first impression,” according to research at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Wow. So, what do you think? Does your website’s Above-the-Fold impression instantly help visitors understand the following need-to-know information about what you offer?
- What company is this?
- What do they offer me?
- How does this website solve my needs?
- How do I see how the product or service works… get more details… or contact them?
- Would I feel comfortable doing business with them?
That’s a lot of information to project in just seconds at the top of your website. But it doesn’t have to be hard. When you focus on the questions listed above, you can clear out all the rest and keep it nice and simple. I recently redesigned PetCopywriter.com to enhance my first impression for visitors, focusing on those questions listed above.
This pet website's first impression is very clear, helpful and easy to understand.
Here’s an excellent example of a pet website that provides clear, “what’s in it for me” messages and a great user experience above the fold.
There’s no question about what this website offers, how to get more information about its services, and how to get started with them immediately.
In addition, it uses SEO keywords in a smart and smooth way.
If you’re not sure about your first impression, perhaps it’s time for a professional, objective assessment that reveals your gaps and opportunities to improve (and boost sales!).
Questions? Comments? Please share.
Here’s to a prosperous pet website!
Cheers,
Pam Foster
PetCopywriter.com
*Jakob Nielsen findings can be found at AlertBox.com.
How do your pet business prospects find your site?
August 3, 2011
Are people looking for your dog bowls… or do they call them dog dishes?
Are pet owners searching for a great pet throw, or do they call it a blanket or car seat cover?
And are pet parents searching for a local veterinary hospital, clinic or practice? Or perhaps it’s an animal hospital or clinic… or veterinarian hospital, clinic, etc.)
When you write your pet business web content to attract the people who seek your products or services, be sure to focus on the key phrases THEY use.
This is critical for two reasons, whether you’re marketing to pet owners, veterinarians or other pet businesses. (more…)
Get seasonal with your pet business marketing
June 16, 2011
Ah, summer. Hot sunny days. Warm balmy nights. Fun for everyone, including pet business owners and marketers.
Why?
Because pet owners have seasonal needs that you can solve! Summer brings a mix of joyful outdoor activities with their pets… and also some dangers. For example, seasonal allergies, vacation travel and hot outdoor settings can be tricky for pets.
This means it’s an ideal time for you to market your business with a seasonal slant that meets your customers’ needs.
Let’s look at some examples of seasonal pet business marketing ideas. (more…)
Make sure everyone can see your pet website content!
September 28, 2010
I rarely use exclamation points in my tips, but this topic is becoming a biggie because of changing technologies.
First, a little story. Last week, I was meeting with a pet Internet marketing client and I saw the Apple iPad up close for the first time. It was swell and I thought, how cool is this?
Until the client showed me how her doggie day care website appeared on it. Ouch.
A big portion of the text was invisible because the website was originally designed in Flash. So instead of seeing company information, there was a lovely orange box with nothing in it. No headline, no inviting messages, no nothing.
The iPad hasn’t been supporting Flash technology. And even though a September 10 Wall Street Journal article reported that Apple has “loosened its control over” mobile phone and iPad software development, millions of iPhone and iPad users will still not see sites using Flash.
I’ve seen this happen with search engines, too. If the text is all within a graphic block or in Flash, it can’t be “seen” very well by search engines. All the content that could potentially help with search rankings is invisible.
Yikes! This could become a huge problem if your competition’s web content is visible and yours isn’t.
What’s a web marketer to do? Here are 3 tips that may help: (more…)
Posted in pet marketing by PetCopywriter