5 lessons from a pet content creator for better writing

Need some pet content and not sure whether to hire a pet content creator or have a go yourself? When creating pet content there are so many things to think about, and some others that you may not have even considered! Although I have always enjoyed writing, entering the world of pet content creation was a new venture for me and I have learnt a lot of lessons along the way. As a vet, my job is very practical. Though the pet knowledge needed is the same, writing requires a different set of skills.

Hopefully, I can impart a few bits of technical information that I have learned along the way, which might help when you are creating pet content of your own.

Finding the right topic

Before you can get to work as a pet content creator, you first need a topic! Think about your audience, are they cat owners, rabbit owners, hamster owners or a mixture? Seasonal subjects usually go down well like ‘hot weather survival tips’ or ‘new year’s resolutions’ as well as items that are in the headlines like the latest microchipping laws or the emergence of exotic pet diseases in the UK. For more inspiration check out ‘what makes ‘good’ vet blog content?’.

5 lessons for writing content (from a pet content creator)

Once you’ve got your idea it’s time to get to work! Here are the things that I have learnt which might help you create your pet content like a pro –

1. Start by writing an outline

Sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin, especially when confronted with a topic you are less confident about. Most articles follow a similar flow, with an introduction, main text (broken up into easy-to-read subheadings) and a summary/conclusion. Thinking about those subheadings can be a good starting point, then you can fill in the detail later after a bit of research.

2. Don’t focus too much on keywords

Keywords are usually the starting point for your article, but they aren’t the sole focus. For example, if you are thinking about writing a 1500-word piece called ‘can dogs eat apples?’ this can feel a bit challenging initially! You may even feel that you could cover a topic like this in as little as 300 words, especially when the keywords might only be things like ‘can dogs eat apples’, ‘are apples safe for dogs’ and ‘how much apple can a dog eat’.

However, think outside the box and branch out from the keywords! What are all the different types of apples to avoid? For example, while raw apples might be ok – what about apple pie (calorific pastry and often served with tricky-to-digest dairy products), cider or rotten apples (alcohol toxicity) and apple sauce (lots of sugar)? What other fruits or vegetables are safe for a dog to eat? What are the nutrients an apple contains? Owners will be interested in these things as well.

3. Utilise search engines

If you are struggling to get into the mind of a pet owner, try looking at what they are googling. If you enter your topic into Google, it will usually suggest some of the other common searches around that theme. For example, if you enter ‘caring for a puppy’ then Google suggests the following –

‘People also ask:

• How do you take care of a puppy for beginners?
• Where should a puppy sleep the first night?
• What not to do when taking care of a puppy?
• How do you take care of a new puppy at night?’

Tackling some of these commonly asked questions in your article will help draw online traffic to your piece, which is what you want for your website!

4. Formatting

How you present your work is important. It needs to be clear and flow logically, with a sensible font style and size. Using formatting headings (Heading 1, Heading 2 and Heading 3) helps keep your work ordered and presented for when it goes online. For example –

H1 – ‘How to care for your puppy’ This is the overall title of the piece. There might be an introductory paragraph before you go into your first subheading.

H2 – ‘Grooming’ might be the first subheading and underneath this would follow –

H3 – ‘Bathing’ ‘Brushing’ ‘Nail clipping’ your H3 headings would follow, each with a short description

H2 – ‘Feeding’ could be the next H2 subheading, again followed by more H3s such as –

H3 – ‘Water’ ‘Meals’ ‘Treats.

And so on.

You can use the pre-set headings on Microsoft Word to make your content easy to follow while drafting it. Tagging titles in this way is important when it comes to Google data too, forming part of search engine optimisation (SEO).

5. Use hyperlinks

Referencing other reputable sources gives your content more credibility. Look for websites such as veterinary publications, large charities and research papers (pubmed) to credibly back up the facts in your piece. You can use hyperlinks to prove your points as well as to give pet owners some further reading material on a topic. Hyperlinking to other articles on your website is also a could way of helping pet owners to move from page to page, engaging more with the content and your business.

And on a more personal note…

…your content needs to be friendly, as well as informative. Make sure your tone is light but not too over-familiar, as owners are usually looking for authority on a subject. Also, if you want to be taken seriously then make sure your grammar and spelling have been thoroughly checked too.

Summary

Hopefully, some of these tips will help you when creating your pet content. No doubt you will pick up other things as you write, but these lessons should help with your credibility while you are finding your feet.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a pet content creator to help you with your website, then you’ve come to the right place! The Veterinary Content Company has an array of expert veterinary writers who have years of experience and can help boost your digital marketing to the next level. Get in contact and let us know how we can help you.