As a dog breeder, your online presence is vital for attracting potential buyers and promoting your dog breeding business. While media platforms may seem like the obvious choice for reaching a wide audience, there are several drawbacks that make a dedicated dog breeder website design a more effective tool for generating sales. Social media platforms have banned the sale of animals, putting your breeder social media account at risk of being deleted and rendering all your efforts futile, even if you operate a licensed kennel. Furthermore, many of your followers on social media are not and will never be buyers. They are simply interested in seeing pictures of your dogs. Furthermore, fellow breeders may scrutinize your methods for guidance or inspiration, because they are your competitors (even though they are also your admirers). Lastly, a significant portion of your social media audience may consist of fake accounts or bots, even if you have never purchased likes or follows. In contrast, a well-designed dog breeder website can attract more users who are actively looking to purchase puppies, convey detailed information about your breeding program and practices, and provide up-to-date information on puppy availability.

The Risks of Using Social Media for Sales

Social media platforms have implemented bans on the sale of animals due to concerns about animal welfare and ethical considerations. While these measures aim to protect animals, they can pose significant risks to your breeding business. Imagine investing time and effort into building a substantial following on a social media platform, only to have your account deleted without warning. This sudden loss can be devastating, especially if you have built a reputation and a customer base through your social media presence. By relying solely on social media, you are putting your business at the mercy of platform policies that may change or become more restrictive over time.

Furthermore, the audience on social media is not necessarily composed of potential buyers. Many people follow dog breeders on social media simply because they enjoy seeing cute pictures of dogs. While this can increase your visibility and engagement, it does not necessarily translate into sales. Additionally, other breeders may follow you to gain insights into your breeding program or to replicate your success. These breeders are unlikely to become buyers themselves, as they are your competitors in the market. Lastly, the prevalence of fake accounts and bots on social media platforms can distort your follower count and engagement metrics, making it difficult to gauge the true reach and impact of your content.

Given these risks and limitations, it is clear that relying solely on social media for your breeding business can be a precarious strategy. Instead, investing in a dog breeder web design can provide you with a more stable and effective platform for generating sales.

The Benefits of a Dedicated Breeder Website

A dedicated dog breeder web design offers numerous advantages over social media when it comes to promoting your breeding business and attracting potential buyers. Firstly, a website allows you to present detailed information about your breeding program, your practices, and the specific qualities of your dogs. This level of detail is often not possible on social media platforms, where you are limited by character counts and the visual nature of the content. By providing comprehensive information on your website, you can establish yourself as a knowledgeable and reputable breeder, instilling confidence in potential buyers.

Additionally, a custom dog breeder website design can provide up-to-date information on puppy availability, ensuring that interested buyers have access to the most current information about the litters you have available. This eliminates the need for potential buyers to scroll through your social media feed searching for information, saving them time and frustration. Moreover, a website allows you to showcase customer testimonials, breeding awards or certifications, and any other relevant accolades that can further enhance your credibility and trustworthiness.

Furthermore, websites tend to attract users who are actively looking to purchase puppies. Unlike social media, where users may stumble upon your content by chance, individuals who visit your website are likely to be specifically interested in buying a dog. By targeting this audience, you increase the likelihood of converting visitors into actual buyers. In addition, a website allows you to capture visitor information through contact forms or newsletter sign-ups, enabling you to maintain a direct line of communication with potential buyers and nurture leads over time.

Leveraging the Power of Web Design to Drive Sales

To maximize the effectiveness of your breeder website, it is crucial to invest in professional dog breeder web design. A well-designed website can create a visually appealing and user-friendly experience that captures the attention of potential buyers and encourages them to explore your offerings further. By utilizing high-quality images, engaging content, and intuitive navigation, you can create a compelling online presence that sets you apart from other breeders.

In addition to aesthetics, web design also plays a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO). By implementing SEO best practices, such as optimizing your website’s structure, using relevant keywords, and building high-quality and relevant backlinks, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results. This increased visibility can drive more organic traffic to your website, further expanding your reach and increasing the likelihood of attracting potential buyers.

Furthermore, a well-designed website allows you to integrate e-commerce functionality, enabling visitors to make purchases directly from your site. This streamlines the sales process and provides a seamless user experience. Additionally, website analytics tools allow you to track user behavior, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your online presence and increase sales.

A Custom Breeder Website Design Always Wins Over Social Media

While social media platforms may initially seem like an appealing option for promoting your breeding business, the risks and limitations associated with these platforms make a dedicated breeder website a more effective tool for generating sales. By investing in a professional web design, you can create a visually appealing and informative online presence that attracts potential buyers and establishes your credibility as a reputable breeder. A website allows you to provide detailed information about your breeding program, showcase customer testimonials and awards, and keep potential buyers informed about puppy availability. Furthermore, by targeting users actively looking to purchase puppies, a website can significantly increase your chances of converting visitors into buyers. So, take the leap and invest in a dog breeder web design to take your breeding business to the next level.

Picture yourself in a quaint little town where breeders have established their kennels and catteries. You have meticulously planned to create the perfect environment for puppies or kittens to thrive. The air is filled with the sweet scent of puppies and kittens, and the sound of their playful antics echoes through the corridors. As a breeder, you take pride in your well-bred, healthy litters. However, when it comes to marketing your productions, there is a common misconception among breeders that their target audience should primarily be other breeders. Let’s debunk that notion and explain why marketing your kittens and puppies to companion homes is the most effective approach.

The Pool of Potential Buyers

When marketing your kittens and puppies, it’s crucial to consider the size of the target audience. While there may be a limited number of breeders actively searching for new additions to their breeding programs, the pool of potential companion homes is vast. Individuals and families across the country are constantly on the lookout for a furry friend to bring into their lives. By focusing your marketing efforts on non-breeding homes, you tap into a much larger market, increasing the chances of finding the perfect forever homes for your precious litters.

Furthermore, companion homes often offer a more nurturing environment for your kittens and puppies. These individuals and families are seeking a loyal and affectionate companion, and are mostly not interested in breeding. By placing your furry bundles of joy in such homes, you ensure they receive the care and attention they deserve, leading to happier and healthier pets in the long run.

Moreover, non-breeding homes are not just limited to individuals or families. Many pet lovers reside in retirement communities, where a furry companion can provide a sense of purpose and joy. Schools, hospitals, and therapy centers also seek out well-bred and well-socialized pets for their programs. By targeting companion homes, you open up a world of possibilities for your kittens and puppies to make a positive impact on the lives of many.

The Power of Word-of-Mouth

Word-of-mouth is a powerful marketing tool that can make or break a business. When it comes to finding the perfect homes for your kittens and puppies, the power of word-of-mouth cannot be underestimated. By focusing on companion homes, you increase the likelihood of your satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences with others. These satisfied owners become your brand ambassadors, spreading the word about your exceptional breeding program and the wonderful pets you produce.

Imagine this scenario: a couple purchases one of your purebred kittens and falls head over heels in love. They share their joy with their friends, family, and coworkers, all of whom are captivated by the adorable feline’s charm. They create their kitten a social media accounts on multiple platforms, sharing cute adventures of the day to thousands of viewers. Suddenly, your email is full with inquiries from potential buyers who have heard about the exceptional quality of your kittens. This snowball effect, fueled by the passion and enthusiasm of your satisfied customers, can lead to a steady stream of inquiries and ultimately, the perfect homes for your future litters.

On the other hand, if you primarily market your kittens and puppies to other breeders, the chances of generating this kind of buzz significantly diminish. While breeders may appreciate the quality of your litters and respect your program, their primary focus is on their own breeding programs. The likelihood of them enthusiastically sharing information about your kittens and puppies with potential buyers is much lower compared to companion homes. By prioritizing companion homes, you harness the power of word-of-mouth and create a ripple effect that can propel your breeding program to new heights.

The Art of Being Found

Now, you may be wondering, “If I market my kittens and puppies to companion homes, how will other breeders find me?” The answer lies in the quality of your breeding program. Breeders who are actively seeking well-bred, healthy kittens or puppies to add to their breeding program will undoubtedly find their way to you, even without targeted marketing efforts towards them. The breeding community is a close-knit network where word travels fast about exceptional breeders and the litters they produce.

When you consistently produce well-bred, healthy litters, your reputation spreads among breeders like wildfire. They will seek you out, knowing that your productions possess the qualities they desire to enhance their own breeding programs. By focusing on the quality of your breeding program and the happiness of the pets you produce, you establish yourself as a trusted and reputable breeder within the community.

Additionally, participating in breed-specific shows, meet-and-greets, competitions, and events can further increase your visibility within the breeding community. These gatherings provide an opportunity for breeders to showcase their litters and connect with like-minded individuals who share their passion for the breed. By immersing yourself in these events, you not only attract potential buyers from companion homes but also establish valuable connections with other breeders who may become future collaborators or mentors.

A Much Broader Target Audience

When it comes to marketing your kittens and puppies, it’s essential to consider the size of your target audience and the power of word-of-mouth. By focusing your efforts on companion homes, you tap into a much larger pool of potential buyers who are eager to welcome a furry friend into their lives. The power of word-of-mouth, fueled by the satisfaction of your customers, can create a snowball effect that brings even more inquiries and interest to your breeding program. Remember, if you produce well-bred, healthy litters, there is no need to actively market to other breeders. They will find you, drawn by the exceptional reputation you have built within the breeding community.

As a dog breeder, your online presence is crucial for attracting potential buyers and showcasing the quality of your breeding program. A well-designed website can serve as a powerful marketing tool, providing information about your breeding practices, available puppies, and your dedication to responsible breeding. However, not all website solutions are created equal. We will delve into the reasons why dog breeder website builders and dog breeder website templates fall short in meeting the unique needs of your breeding business, and why custom WordPress websites are by far a superior choice.

Limited Customization

When it comes to representing your brand and establishing a professional online presence, customization is key. Unfortunately, most dog breeder website builders and templates offer limited customization options, restricting your ability to create a unique and visually appealing website. These platforms often provide pre-designed templates with fixed layouts and limited color schemes, making it challenging to differentiate your site from competitors.

Furthermore, these website builders often lack the flexibility to accommodate breed-specific features or specialized content that is essential for showcasing your breeding program effectively. As a breeder, you have a unique story to tell, and a one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t do justice to your dedication and expertise.

Customization is not only about aesthetics but also about functionality. Dog breeder website builders often lack the necessary features and integrations to streamline your breeding operations. With limited customization options, you may find yourself compromising on critical functionalities that are essential for your business.

Poor SEO Performance

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for improving your website’s visibility and driving organic traffic to your breeding business. Unfortunately, dog breeder website builders and templates often fall short when it comes to optimizing your site for search engines.

Many website builders generate messy and non-optimized code, which can negatively impact your website’s ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs). Additionally, these platforms often lack the necessary tools and features to implement effective SEO strategies, such as customizable metadata, structured data markup, advanced keyword optimization, and even sitemaps.

Without proper SEO, your website may struggle to rank well in search engines (even with hard work), making it difficult for potential buyers to find you. In a competitive market, ensuring your website is optimized for search engines is essential for staying ahead of the pack.

Unprofessional Canned Look

First impressions matter, especially in the dog breeding industry. When potential buyers visit your website, they should be greeted with a professional and visually appealing design that reflects the quality of your breeding program. Unfortunately, many dog breeder website templates and builders have a generic and unprofessional appearance, lacking the personal touch and attention to detail that sets your breeding business apart.

A canned look not only fails to capture the essence of your breeding program, but also fails to establish trust and credibility with potential buyers. In an industry where reputation and trust are paramount, an unprofessional website can deter potential buyers and lead them to question the legitimacy of your operation. Scammers often use a breeder website template or a breeder website builder as a quick way to build a fake breeding business, scam buyers, then start back over under another business name.

Custom WordPress websites, on the other hand, offer endless design possibilities. With the help of a professional web designer, you can create a visually stunning and unique dog breeder website design that aligns with your brand identity and effectively showcases your breeding program. From personalized color schemes to custom graphics and layouts, a custom website allows you to capture the attention of potential buyers and leave a lasting impression. WordPress is also great because once the designer builds your dog breeding site, the CMS is easy to maintain and update. WordPress websites can be maintained easily with no knowledge of coding.

Restrictions and Additional Costs

While dog breeder website builders may seem like an affordable option at first glance, they often come with hidden costs and limitations. Many builders require you to purchase additional plugins or extensions to access essential features, such as additional pages, online payment integration or advanced galleries. These additional expenses can quickly add up, making the cost of maintaining your website much higher than anticipated.

Moreover, these platforms often impose restrictions on storage space, bandwidth, and the number of pages you can create. As your breeding business grows, these limitations can become a hindrance, forcing you to upgrade to more expensive plans or migrate your website to a different platform altogether. These plans are always more expensive than any hosting plan you would need for a WordPress website.

Custom WordPress websites, on the other hand, offer unlimited possibilities without the need for additional purchases or restrictions. You have complete control over your website, allowing you to expand and adapt as your business evolves, without incurring unexpected costs.

Platform Transfer Challenges

As your breeding business grows, you may find the need to switch website platforms or hosting providers to better meet your evolving needs. Unfortunately, many dog breeder website builders make it nearly impossible to transfer your website to another platform without losing your valuable content, design elements, and SEO efforts. Essentially, it means you would have to completely start over and rebuild your site.

Being locked into a specific website builder not only limits your flexibility but also puts your business at risk. If the chosen platform shuts down or fails to meet your requirements, you may find yourself with an obsolete website and a significant loss of time, effort, and investment.

Custom WordPress websites, on the other hand, offer seamless transferability. Whether you decide to switch hosting providers or migrate to a different platform, your custom website can be easily adapted and transferred without losing valuable content or design elements. This flexibility ensures that your breeding business is future-proofed and can adapt to changing circumstances.

A Custom WordPress Dog Breeder Website is the Better Than Any Website Builder or Template

When it comes to building an effective online presence for your dog breeding business, dog breeder website builders and templates simply fall short. The limited customization options, poor SEO performance, unprofessional appearance, restrictions, additional costs, and transfer challenges associated with these platforms can hinder your ability to showcase your breeding program effectively and attract potential buyers.

Custom WordPress websites, on the other hand, offer the flexibility, customization, and scalability required to create a unique and professional online presence. By investing in a custom website, you ensure that your breeding business stands out from the competition, establishes trust with potential buyers, and adapts to the evolving needs of your business.

Don’t settle for a generic website that fails to capture the essence of your breeding program. Invest in a custom WordPress website and unleash the full potential of your breeding business.

Welcome to the world of dog breeding, where pedigree and purebred dogs are the primary focus. Dog breeders need to keep their websites up to date to attract potential buyers and showcase their breeding program. A poorly designed website can turn away potential customers and leave a negative impression. It is important to understand the value of updating your dog breeder website to a modern design.

First Impression Matters

Your website is (or should be) the first point of contact between you and potential puppy buyers. It is essential to make a good first impression. An outdated website can make your breeding program look VERY unprofessional. A modern website design can create a professional and trustworthy image of your breeding program.

Moreover, the website’s design should be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. A modern website design can achieve these objectives, helping you to attract more visitors to your website.

Updating your website can also help you stay ahead of your competitors. If your competitors have modern websites with better functionality, you may lose potential customers to them.

The Importance of Mobile Responsiveness

Today, an increasing number of people use mobile devices to browse the internet. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that your breeder website is mobile-friendly (responsive to all devices). A modern website design can help you achieve this objective. A mobile-responsive website can adjust to different screen sizes, ensuring that visitors have a seamless browsing experience regardless of the device they use.

Having a mobile-friendly website can also improve your website’s search engine rankings. Google has a mobile-first indexing policy, meaning that it uses the mobile version of your website to rank it in search results. Therefore, having a mobile-responsive website can help improve your website’s visibility in search results.

Updating your website to a modern design can help you achieve mobile responsiveness, ensuring that you don’t lose potential customers who browse your website on their mobile devices.

Improved User Experience

A modern website design can help improve the user experience (UX) of your kennel website design. A good UX can encourage visitors to browse your website for longer, increasing the chances of them becoming customers.

A modern breeder website design can include features such as easy navigation, clear calls to action, and a visually appealing design. These features can help visitors find the information they need quickly and easily, and make a positive impression, increasing the chances of them returning to your website in the future.

Moreover, a modern website design can help improve the loading speed of your website. A slow loading website can frustrate visitors, leading them to leave your website and look for what they need elsewhere (aka bounce). A modern website design can help improve the loading speed, ensuring that visitors have a seamless browsing experience.

Enhanced Security

Updating your website to a modern design can help improve its security. An outdated website design may have vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access to your website. They can essentially take over your site, or wipe it out.

A modern website design can include security features such as SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption, firewalls, and regular security updates. These features can help protect your website from cyber threats, ensuring that your website is safe for visitors to browse.

Better Integration with Social Media

Social media is an essential marketing tool for dog breeders. A modern website design can help integrate your website with social media platforms, ensuring that you can leverage their potential to reach a wider audience.

A modern dog breeding website design can include social media icons, allowing visitors to share your website’s content on social media platforms. This can help increase the visibility of your breeding program, leading to more potential customers.

Improved SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to improve its visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). A modern website design can help improve your website’s SEO, ensuring that it ranks higher in search results.

A modern kennel website design can include features such as clean code, responsive design, and fast loading speed, all of which can help improve your website’s SEO. Moreover, a modern website design can help you create high-quality content that is optimized for search engines, ensuring that your website ranks higher in search results for relevant keywords.

Cost-Effective Solution

Updating your website to a modern design can be a cost-effective solution in the long run. An outdated website may require frequent maintenance and repairs, leading to higher costs over time. It can also cause lower rankings and even penalties in the major search engines. This causes you to lose customers.

A modern website design can be built with scalability in mind, allowing you to add new features and functionality as your breeding program grows. Moreover, a modern website design can be easier to maintain and update, reducing the costs associated with website maintenance.

Conclusion

Updating your dog breeder website to a modern design can help improve its functionality, security, and overall user experience. A modern website design can help create a professional and trustworthy image of your breeding program, helping you attract more potential customers and stay ahead of your competitors.

Final Thoughts

As a dog breeder, your website is an essential marketing tool that can help you reach a wider audience and showcase your breeding program. Updating your website to a modern design can help you achieve these objectives, ensuring that your website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and visually appealing. Moreover, a modern website design can help improve your website’s security, SEO, and overall user experience, making it a cost-effective solution in the long run.

Need your outdated website redesigned and modernized? Contact us.

OfficialBreederDesigns@gmail.com

There are many equally important components that make up a functioning website. This article is to help familiarize you with the basics on your cat or dog breeding website.

The Domain Name

First we have the domain name. The domain name is the address used so internet users can find your kennel or cattery. Most businesses try to match the name of their business to their domain name; i.e., we are Breeder Designs and my domain name is www.BreederDesigns.com. However, it is not always possible – because once an exact domain name is purchased by someone else, it is no longer available for anyone else to purchase. It is very much like real estate. Once an address is purchased, it is no longer on the market. There is a chance it can be purchased privately from the domain name owner as a premium domain name, but expect to pay from a few hundred to several thousand dollars for a premium domain name. But don’t stress is your domain name isn’t available. There’s no rule that is has to match your business name. As long as it is short and memorable, or includes an easy to spell and easy to remember keyword phrase, you will be fine. So if you are Smith’s Cattery from New York and SmithsCattery dot com isn’t available, you can use a variation such as SmithsNYCattery or SmithPersiansofNY, etc. Or, you can even use a general domain name for your breeding business, such as XLBullyDogs dot com for your XL Bully breeding business. Sometimes you have to be a little creative. But when you find the right one, you will feel it. 

The Content

Content is an umbrella term used to describe a number of things such as, but not limited to: the images on your site, your text, your graphics, videos, logos, contracts, and other documents. So when you hear a web designer mention content, they mean all or some of these (depending on what you want on your site). Although content is displayed on your site via a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress or with HTML, it is actually being uploaded to a host and stored there. We will talk about the host a little later. Content is probably one of the most important parts of the website. Your content is the first impression of your kennel or cattery. So high resolution images, professional language (spelling, grammar, & punctuation), professionally built graphics, and high resolution video are important. Remember, website visitors are going to base their perceived quality of your puppies or kittens on the quality of your content. Again and again, consumer and marketing studies have proven over and over that people purchase more products with high quality images than those with lower quality images. You can even research your own habits when shopping online. More likely than not, you have the same behavior. Fortunately, most of the newer cell phones have high resolution photo and video capabilities. You can learn more about how to get the best photos here: How To Take The Best Photos Of Your Dog Or Cat
High resolution videos are great too – but skip the vertical cell phone videos. Try to get into the habit of shooting cell phone videos horizontally, or purchase a good DSLR camera with video capabilities. YouTube is a great source for camera tutorials by model and lens type! Additionally, you are going to want to upload your videos to YouTube or Vimeo – a direct upload onto your website will bog the site down, and cause speed/loading performance issues. Your videos can be easily embedded in your website, while still being hosted on YouTube or Vimeo. 

The Plugins

A plug-in is a piece of software that adds new features or extends functionality on your site. Plugins create processes such as social media sharing, social media streaming, drag & drop design capabilities, contact forms to receive emails by website visitors, caching, booking & appointments, embedding documents, redirection, store fronts, pay buttons, and so much more. Plugins are extremely useful, but most are not plug and play. Each plugin may require a setup in order to work properly on the site. Setup of a plugin can range from quick and very easy to extremely complex and time consuming. But the good thing about plugins is, there is something out there for almost any function that you want on your Breeder web design. Some plugins are free, but some plugins require a subscription or require a one time purchase fee. While we try to save money for our customers, there is a chance that a specific plugin a breeder wants on their website will require a them to purchase or subscribe for use (this is in reference to plugins a breeder website wouldn’t normally have). Additionally, if a plugin requires a setup that is extremely time consuming and complex, we may add an additional fee. Luckily though, most plugins do not fall under that description. Additionally, some organizations have their own plugins, such as PayPal, Stripe, and Square. Some plugins may require developer access to your account in order to complete setup. Developer access does not allow for us to see or modify any financial information or transactions. When available, we do set up a sandbox (testing account) to complete setup of the plugins that have sandbox testing. 

The Host

As mentioned briefly in the content section, the host is what stores your entire website files, including all of your content & plugins. The host also broadcasts your cat breeder website or dog breeder website onto the world wide web. Without a host, no one can see a website except the admin of that site when logged in. Read more about hosting here: WHAT IS HOSTING? Besides broadcasting your website, your host plays a key role in some SEO techniques and practices. It is also important to look at the reputation of your host. Some hosts have been blacklisted for spam and other frowned upon practices. If your site gets backlisted, you can lose almost all of your website traffic in Google. So you really want to stay away from cheap fly-by-night hosting services. We have a few we recommend on our Hosting page. However, if you have chosen our Platinum Package or Diamond Package, we include annual hosting. If you have the Starter Package, we host you free for 2 months – however, we will move your site over to the host of your choice after those 60 days. We do all the techie things for you, and we can also recommend a host and hosting package with a third party hosting company if you need assistance. 

The Design

The design of the site is super important. Things that some may not think can cause havoc for users & Google indexing, will. For example, illegible decorated fonts, images that aren’t optimized correctly or a layout that shifts can cause Google (Google bot) to deny indexing. Indexing is when a single page has been visited by Google, analyzed for content and meaning, and stored in the Google index. If a page is not indexed by Google, it will not be added to the search engine results when users search for kittens, puppies, or stud service. It is also important to mention, that the Google Algorithm (Google update) can and has also penalized websites for a number of things, including websites that do not have a responsive design; that is a design that is responsive all all devices (mobile, tablet, and desktop). This is usually due to old/outdated website builders and designs that use Flash (which is no longer supported and no longer works). Penalized sites or pages will be de-indexed from Google – meaning they will not show in the search results. 
The design is also important for users. If a visitor is unable to easily navigate through your site or has to wait for media to load (because your design is not optimized), website visitors will bounce.  Bounce is when a website visitor leaves your site without taking an action (such as clicking past your homepage). So it is important to have easy navigation and a good layout.