Here’s a quick list of the 5 to 8 essentials every site needs for maximum performance, whether you’re marketing to pet owners, pet manufacturers or veterinary practices. As an avid follower of what works online, I recently attended a free SEO presentation by a well-established search-engine optimization firm. One of their comments that struck me…
Recently I read an interview with web analytics expert Ryan Eisenberg, and he said something that struck me like a thunderbolt: A common mistake people make is they “stop optimizing their websites.” He said, “Site optimization is not a finite thing. You can always find ways to tweak your sites if you listen to what…
Sometimes when you’re looking for something online, you have a wish in the back of your mind, right? For example, about a month ago when I was planning a trip across the country with my dog, I searched online with this wish in my head: “I hope I can find an airline-approved dog carrier that’s…
One of my pet-industry colleagues suggested that I write about this common problem with websites: misguided hyperlinks. A misguided hyperlink is either a broken link because it takes your site visitor to an error page, or it’s a useless link because it lands on a page that makes no sense to your prospect. Everyone’s…
Every day, I run into marketers who believe their website work is “done” once they launch a new or updated page. They’re so busy, it’s easier for them to cross “update website” off their list and move on to another task. But leaving a website alone can be costly. Why’s that? Because how will you…
This pet Web-SEO tip is about the wonderful world of VERBS. You know, those action-oriented words that help a website visitor picture himself solving a need, achieving a goal, eliminating a problem, saving money or finding relief? Clear, persuasive content is all about helping your site visitors do these things: solve, achieve, eliminate, save, find…
The other day, I received an entertaining piece of mail from a credit card company. Due to recent legislation, credit card issuers are now being forced to make a “Clarity Commitment™” regarding their credit card account summaries; promising to offer consumers “a clear and straightforward description of their credit card rates and fees.” Hopefully this…
Did you know that you can instantly improve your online sales results by replacing passive words on your website with clear active words? It’s true, and I’ll give you 3 reasons why. 1. Active words propel your prospects toward the steps you want them to take. Consider how the active phrase “Read this information now…
Here are two important questions: Do you ever review your website’s analytics, especially the “$ Index” numbers? Or do you optimize your website based on those numbers? If you answered NO to either question, here’s a reason to sit up and take notice. The $ Index is an indicator of your website’s “top money pages…”…
What exactly is a web conversion, and why does clear, customer-focused web content make such a difference? First, my definition of a web conversion: Let’s say target prospects arrive at your website via a Google search result, an email, a TV campaign or other means of driving traffic. If they’re delighted with your site and…
Have you ever seen a web site with text that looks like this example from a dog training service? Because we come to you, your dog-training sessions can be set up to fit into your busy schedule. Evenings, weekends, one-time power sessions, or long-term assignments, we have dog trainers available to respond to any variety…
Yesterday I was on a conference call with two copywriter colleagues, and we were discussing companies we’d like to work for. Together, we visited the website of one particular company, and suddenly a loud audio stream started playing with a woman’s voice chirping away regarding all the wonderful qualities of the company. It completely disrupted…
Even though I’m a seasoned pet marketing copywriter, I’m not the most technical person in the world. In fact, my highest and best skill is writing copy in plain English — speaking to the target audience in terms that clearly show how a pet-related product or service will benefit them. However, I’ve learned to speak…
This may shock you, but search-engine optimization (SEO) copywriting is not just about adding keywords to existing web page content. And it’s also not just about the content your visitors see on a given web page. The “behind the scenes” meta data, such as page titles, descriptions and photo alt. tags, are just as important.…
Quite often, I work with web clients who really have it together. They understand their audience’s needs and how their web site can help. They have a great solution that’s easy to write about. They also understand their unique value proposition — what sets them apart from the competition. Yet, often when I look at…
First and foremost, an optimized web site includes content written for your customers, telling them how you’ll solve their problem. Customers are not excited about a company that talks all about itself. “We do this, we do that.” (This is known as business “we-we.”) The number one rule of successful web site content is…
This blog is about web content and SEO that works for the pet industry. Please check back often for terrific ideas about turning your website into a marketing tool that attracts more customers through search engines and your web-page text. Meet Jack and Louie – my inspiration!