When you say “website update” to a busy pet professional, the image that comes to mind is often a major overhaul that takes forever and risks downtime and broken links. What if I told you one small update can make your site feel more current and helpful to visitors?
What I love about websites is they are not just one and done. They are a hub that’s easy to grow over time just by making a few tweaks here and there.
This realization first hit me when I talked with a neighbor. I noticed he was always outside making small changes to his property: adding a plant here, installing a fence post there. He told me his home is a living project. Every week, he finds some small thing to tweak. Over time, these changes are noticeable to those of us passing by. I realized I do the same with websites: a tweak here and there keeps the site current, relevant, and interesting.
Your pet pro website is intended to grow alongside your business. When you make even a small update, it shows visitors your business is active, engaged, and current. A 10-minute update is actually more effective in your visitor’s mind than if you wait till you have a free week (who does?) for a major overhaul.
Let’s look at five simple updates that can make a difference for your website visitors:
1. Update a photo: When you change out an existing photo for a new one, visitors notice. It’s a visible change. It shows you are currently engaged with your online visitors and thinking about them, working to create a better experience. If the photo is seasonal or shows how much you care about pets, even better.
2. Rewrite one headline: Sometimes our initial website headlines don’t fully capture what potential clients are looking for, or they don’t make our services clear at first glance. When a visitor comes to your website, you have mere seconds to show them what you offer is exactly what they’re looking for. If you take 10 minutes to update a headline, based on what your potential clients are looking for, that is a small but valuable update.
3. Clarify one service description: Your services page is often where potential clients decide whether or not to book an appointment. Does every service description capture what your clients are looking for? Does it make it simple for them to say, “Yes, I need that”? Start with just one service description and see if it clearly, simply answers what your visitors are looking for. It might help to think about the most common questions clients ask before booking an appointment. Does each service description answers those questions?
4. Add one FAQ: If you have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page or section on your website, does it cover all your most commonly asked questions? If not, this is a great opportunity to add just one more relevant question and answer. You can even make a list of questions you hear most often. Then you can choose one to add to your FAQ page whenever you do a 10-minute update.
If you don’t have a FAQ (as a standalone page or a section of your services page), you may find it helpful to create one, especially if you find yourself answering the same questions over and over by phone or email. FAQs build trust, help potential clients prequalify themselves for your services, and save you time in answering questions from website visitors. Start simply with the three questions you answer most often. That might take longer than 10 minutes, but it will be worth the effort and easy to update as your FAQ grows.
5. Add a new testimonial: Client testimonials are important when a pet parent is deciding whether to choose your services. Even if you have great older testimonials, clients look for newer reviews to see that you are currently active and engaged. Take a few minutes to add a new testimonial to your website to keep that recent feedback visible.
Each of those is a simple update that takes only a few minutes. It shows visitors your business is active and growing. It helps visitors stay on your website longer because they see immediately what they are looking for. Each of these updates helps build trust and make your website increasingly helpful for pet parents. And every small update builds over time to keep your website growing.
This week, set aside 10 minutes to make one of those simple updates to your website. If you do that every week, you’ll have a dynamic website that engages visitors and makes it easy for them to become clients.
As I wrote this article, I realized I didn’t have a FAQ section on my own services page, so I added one!
Janet Eriksson 