A while back I was contacted by a pet sitter who was really struggling to make ends meet. She told me about her business, and I understood just how passionate she felt about caring for pets – but after spending two minutes on her website I understood where her problems originated.
She was a great pet sitter – but her marketing skills sucked.
There was simply no way on earth that her local pet business website would ever get picked up by Google when a pet parent in her area searched for pet sitters. And if by some miracle the website would have been found, then it would be unlikely to convert to a client enquiry.
Luckily, it was relatively easy to give her some advice on how to rectify things and I wanted to share some of her mistakes here with you so you can avoid them for your pet biz.
Let’s first have a look at the purpose of your pet business website:
- Getting your local pet business found by local customers
- Getting pet parents to feel like they know, trust and like you and your pet business – after all, they wouldn’t trust their beloved fur baby with just about anyone, would they?
- Convert browsers into enquiries, whether that means phone calls, or direct bookings for your pet biz.
Top 5 Local Pet Business Website Mistakes to Avoid
1. Forgetting to include your service area and contact details.
If Google’s search bots can’t find your website, then no new clients will be able to find it either.
To make it as easy as possible for Google to find your website, be sure to include these details on every page, or in the footer of your website.
To make it as easy as possible for real customers to find the info once they land on the site – don’t hide your contact details on the ‘contact us’ page. Include your service area & phone number in the header of your website!
2. Forgetting to include a clear call to action
Make it as easy as possible for customers visiting your page to figure out what to do next. If you want them to call to book a free consultation, then say so in the copy on every page. If you want them to fill in a contact form – then point them in the direction of the contact form.
3. Not explaining why the pet parents should choose you
It’s a very common mistake for pet pros to simply list their service or programmes, and then leave it like that. Rather than just listing your services – consider adding the benefits your clients receive when you groom, walk or train their dog.
For example, if you only use organic products – explain how this will help heal itchy skin for sensitive dogs. If you specialize in active hikes for bored city dogs – explain to the owners how nice it will be to come home to a relaxed dog after work instead of a hyper, barking, bored pooch. Also, remember to include your USP – your unique selling proposition.
4. Not including social proof
Pet parents want to be sure they’re leaving their beloved fur baby with someone they can trust – so don’t forget to include testimonials on your site. Embed hyperlinks to Yelp, Facebook and any other places where customers can read what others have said about your services.
Another fun way to include social proof is to write blog posts about how you solved problems for clients. Include cute before and after photos of groomed dogs, and perhaps a video of a well behaved dog who’s just taken your puppy class (just be sure that you have the owner’s permission to share the info before hand!).
5. Not including any photos
Actually, let’s make this ‘not including any original photographs of yourself, your business and your clients’. Using your own photos beats boring stock photos every time! It adds credibility to your website and helps building trust with new clients.
Time to take action: Print off this article and give it to a friend. Then ask them to go through the list and check off each item on your website, then ask them to tell you honestly, what you need to change. Good luck!
Need more help?
Do you want to build a good looking website for your pet business, but not sure how to get started? To help you set up your pet biz website, or to help you improve your existing site, I’ve written book just for you – helping you get over website overwhelm and stress once and for all and finally turning your website into your main source of new business. Check it out on Amazon now.
Linda is absolutely correct. I feel, though, that #3, Not explaining why the pet parents should choose you, is possibly the most important, because of the difference getting it right can make to your business. Everyone is unique, has a unique skill set and provides a unique service – even (especially) dog walkers. If you are a dog walker no one knows what you know and no ones has exactly the same experiences that you have. These are the things that make you different – unique – from the competition and the things you need to sell on your website. But don’t just sell the benefits sell the outcomes, too. Great article.
Thanks for stopping by Ray! Yes, you’re right, every pet biz is as unique as its owners and the website has to show it 🙂
Great tips. With sites like Amazon and Jet, local pet businesses must be rough! Sara @ pettium