Your veterinary website gives an instant snapshot into your business. You only have one chance to make a good impression on local pet owners, and common veterinary website mistakes might be keeping you from converting website users into new clients. Here are the top 7 common mistakes we see with veterinary websites, and what you can do to fix them. 

Buried Services Pages

Your website interface should be clean, clear, and easy to use. If users have to dig or click too much to see if you provide a certain veterinary service, they are not going to spend much time on your website. Avoid the too-many-clicks-too-little-time dilemma by creating an easy-to-see (and use) navigation that lives on every page of the site, and quickly guides website users to your various services pages. It is not enough to just offer the services; you have to make it easy for people to see that you offer these services. 

Lack of Service-Specific Content

Helping people navigate to a service page that has no relevant content is only going to get you so far when it comes to converting website users into new clients. A lack of service-specific content can negatively impact a user’s understanding of your services. It can also decrease your SEO and keyword ranking. Thoughtfully-written custom content on your services pages will:

• Show pet owners that you are an expert in this particular service, which can help sway someone to schedule an appointment.
• Create solutions for specific pain points related to each service. If a pet owner sees that you can help with the exact problem they are having, they are more likely to convert to a client.
• Provide your website with a clear architecture that keeps it organized. Separating your website into different service pages gives both website users and search engine crawlers an easy way to navigate your site, which can help overall rankings.

Poor Accessibility Scores

Every website should have certain code and design features that make it accessible to people with disabilities. Website accessibility is not only important for user experience, but it is dictated under the law. In fact, poor accessibility scores could lead to legal and compliance issues against the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which might cause significant problems for your business. These low scores can also tank your website traffic and ranking numbers. If your accessibility scores are low, you should focus on:

• Adding alt text on all photos on the site.
• Fixing color contrast issues that make it hard for users with visual impairments to read website text.
• Ensuring all form fields have a label so site readers can alert a user to the information needed for a certain area.
• Enabling keyboard navigation so a user can reach each area of a site by just using the tab key.

Canned or AI-Generated Content

When it comes to website content, if it’s not custom written for you, it’s not working for you. Pulling content from content libraries can hurt your SEO because you’re using duplicate content from a host of other sites that pull from the same library. Custom content allows you to build trust with your readers by positioning yourself as an expert in your field. It’s a unique website element that pleases both search engines and real website users, which can improve your website ranking and make it easier for local pet owners to find you.

Lack of Fillable HTML Forms 

There’s nothing that can send a potential conversion running for the hills faster than a website form that is not fillable. If your website is full of flat PDF forms that must be printed out to enter information, this will be an immediate hindrance. Convert your website forms to HTML versions that can be filled in and submitted right from your site to avoid this issue and make it easy for pet owners to schedule an appointment. 

Lack of Integration of Local Search Tools

Local search optimization is such an important element in website rankings because it provides functionality and convenience for users who are searching for a business near them. If your website has a lack of integration of local search optimization tools, you could be missing out on reaching pet owners in your area. Things like your Google Business profile, maps, your practice address, and clickable contact information will hugely benefit your site performance, or hurt it if they are missing. Integrating these local search tools will significantly improve your website conversion rate.

No Personal Touches

People can tell when you’re using a templated design that looks exactly like a handful of other websites. When you don’t have personal touches on your site (like only using stock photos, or out-of-date information), you do not stand out from the crowd. In a world where a pet owner can find ten other options in a five second search, you have to add personal touches to your website to capture their attention (and their business). Create a custom website with colors, images, and content that speaks to your brand so someone feels like they know what your business is about as soon as they visit your site.

At Beyond Indigo Pets, great veterinary websites are our business. We can transform your average site into a fabulous custom experience that helps you convert website users into real clients. Contact us today to start planning your new website design.