Pencils are sharpened, backpacks are starting to overflow with books. School is back in session. Kids aren’t the only ones learning. Your pet parent clients are always eager to learn more too. They’re trusting you to teach them how to keep their pets healthy and happy. Your blog is a great place for pet parents to learn.
Why Your Blog Is a Great Classroom
When pet parents have questions, they start searching for articles like the ones on your blog. As you anticipate and respond to their common questions, they will return to your blog to learn more. They will start to trust your pet pro business for future needs.
Creating blog posts that educate pet parents shows how much you care. You’re not just advertising or updating them on your latest specials. Nothing wrong with advertising–it’s the only way to let pet parents know what you offer. But your educational posts take the relationship a step further. You’re offering them great information that’s focused on their pet’s well-being. That’s exactly why pet parents will start to trust you for whatever their pet needs.
What Makes a Pet Blog Post Educational?
To write a helpful educational blog post, you’ll want to anticipate pet parents’ questions and concerns. Affirm that they know their pets well and care about their pets’ well-being. Recognize they are looking for trustworthy information–and they don’t give away their trust lightly where their pets’ health is concerned. Be generous with the amount and depth of information you share. Yet keep it simple with doable tips and easy-to-follow instructions.
Focus each blog post on answering one specific question or solving one problem. Use examples or analogies to make it easier to understand. Acknowledge when differing opinions or approaches are valid and look at the topic from multiple angles. Use the same encouraging, conversational tone you would use when talking to a pet parent in your office or on the phone.
3 Simple Types of Teaching Blog Posts
When you’re ready to write an educational blog post for pet parents, these three simple styles are easy to start with and effective for your readers:
Teaching the Basics
What are the most common questions pet parents ask you? Can you write a blog post that explains one of those concepts? What are the most basic pet care topics new pet parents need to know? Those are helpful educational blog topics. Pick one topic per post and explain the basics.
Don’t skip over information that you assume pet parents know. They might never have heard the most basic aspects of pet care, or they might not remember important seasonal care tips that only come up once a year. They will be grateful for your reminders and for the blog post they can bookmark and refer to again and again.
Examples of basic teaching posts:
- What information should you leave for your pet sitter?
- Why it’s important to keep nails trim
- Why harnesses are helpful for walking small dogs
- Puppy house training 101
- What dental care products do pets need?
How-to
Every day seems like a how-to experience for pet parents. New concerns come up. Old habits change. Tried-and-true methods stop working. Or pet parents simply want to try a new way to approach a familiar problem. The first thing they wonder is, “How do I do that?” And the next thing they will do is search for the answers online. If they find your helpful, educational blog post, they will become grateful repeat visitors.
What are the most common pet-related tasks your clients ask you to explain to them? When was the last time a pet parent said, “How do I do that?” Choose one of those tasks and explain it simply and logically–with emotional understanding woven in as you anticipate and alleviate frustration. Not only will your how-to blog post help pet parents and their pets; it will also be referred to others who ask those readers, “How did you do that?” And you’ll have a built-in reference when your clients ask about that task in the future.
Examples of how-to posts:
- How to prepare your pet for boarding
- How to safely remove burs from your pet’s face
- How to walk your dog safely in summer heat
- How to stop your puppy from excessive biting
- How to measure your dog for a proper fitting thunder shirt
Comparison
What questions do pet parents ask you, where they need to choose between two items, two services, two approaches? You can write a helpful, educational blog to explain the two (or more) options, compare pros and cons, and offer a guide to help them make the best choice for their pet.
A comparison blog post will be valued by pet parents who feel stuck in their decision. Often, pet parents will put off making a choice because they can’t determine what’s best for their pet. Then, they get frustrated because they really need to move forward with that decision. They will be grateful for your guidance and will begin to trust you for future decisions, services, and products for their pet.
Examples of comparison posts:
- Should you choose kennel boarding or in-home pet sitting?
- Full dog groom or trim: What is the difference and which do you need?
- Long versus short dog walks: The benefits of each
- Group classes or private training: Which is best for your dog?
- Dry or wet food: Which is right for your pet?
Tips for Your Blogging Teaching Voice
When you write your educational blog posts, you don’t need to sound like a professor addressing colleagues at a symposium or writing for an academic journal. Just write in your everyday conversational language, the same way you would speak to a pet parent standing in front of you.
Keep sentences and paragraphs short. Use headings, so your articles are easy to scan. Write with words that are simple and easy to follow. Use layman’s terms instead of industry jargon. Share examples and empathy as a fellow pet caregiver. Be understanding and appreciative of the dilemmas pet parents go through, and be affirming of their desire to make educated decisions for their pet care.
As families focus on back-to-school season, remember that your blog is a wonderful classroom for pet parents. Start with one topic this week–a basic explanation, a how-to, or a comparison–and write a blog post that will help pet parents learn something new or remember something they’ve forgotten. That one blog post will go a long way toward helping pet parents and their pets and growing trust and loyalty for your pet pro business.
Janet Eriksson 