When a pet parent comes to your pet service website, they will only stay around if they quickly find what they are looking for. Now is a good time to check and be sure your website covers the basics:
Is your service right for them?
Pet parents want to know if you work with their particular kind of pet. Be sure your website shows them quickly what kinds of animals you help. That means not only dogs, cats, fish, birds, llamas. It also means are you able to work with high-anxiety animals? Do you focus on young or elderly pets? Large or small only? That info should be clear and easy to find for a website visitor.
Can they trust you with their pet?
Pet parents are super careful who they trust with their pets. Be sure your web copy is warm and reassuring. Include several photos of you with pets, so visitors can see how you interact. A video of you interacting with a pet is awesome too. Include a short bio on your website that demonstrates why you love working with animals and how you personally identify with pet parents and their needs.
Can you solve their specific problems?
Pet parents will glance through your website to see if you’ve anticipated their specific problems and provide the exact service they need. Be clear and focused regarding the services you provide. For example, not just overall dog training but specific help with things like leash rage. Not just grooming but grooming for puppies. Bullet-point lists of specific services are easy for website visitors to scan.
Does your service have good, recent reviews?
Pet parents pay a lot of attention to advice from fellow pet parents. Be sure your website shows up-to-date testimonials. Highlight excerpts prominently, so they stand out and are easy to see on your most-visited pages. Keep excerpts short and scannable with a link to the full testimonial on a testimonials page. A series of heartfelt testimonials can be the deciding factor for many pet parents.
What is the next step?
When pet parents like what they see on your website, they will want to take the next step. Be sure you make it clear what they should do next: schedule a visit, call, email, request info. Make sure the contact process is easy and smooth. Test it periodically to be sure everything is working well. Be sure your contact info, hours, and location are up to date.
Your website doesn’t need to be filled with the latest bells and whistles. It just needs to show pet parents you are trustworthy and can help them. The best pet service website makes it easy for pet parents to say yes.
This week, pick one of the above items and check to see if your website is yes-friendly.
Janet Eriksson 