Pet industry copywriting is in high demand, and with the pet care market value rising to 7.2 billion pounds in the UK in 2022, it’s no surprise that pet businesses are looking for the right people to deliver their writing needs. But, as a nation, and indeed a planet of predominantly animal lovers, surely there’s no shortage of people willing and able to write about them?
That’s right, there are plenty of pet content writers out there. Some are pet industry copywriters, focusing solely on this sector, while others offer copywriting services for other industries too. Unfortunately, this means that there’s a lot of variation in the quality of content and copy, which can make marketing materials ineffective, or worse, breed fear, spread misinformation, or delay veterinary care for pets who need it.
So, as a pet copywriter, how do you ensure you’re delivering quality, accurate content that’s also engaging and reflects what pet parents want to hear? This blog focuses on some of the common mistakes made by pet content writers and how to avoid them.
1. Using a tone that’s too detached
Make sure you know your audience. For the majority of pet businesses, the target customers are pet owners and animal lovers. For these people, as with many of us, pets are family. Using detached or insensitive language, including referring to pets as ‘it’ rather than ‘they,’ doesn’t warm the reader to your product, and could leave them questioning whether you truly understand them or even love animals yourself. This point can be taken further, depending on the purpose of the content. In most instances, avoiding using ‘owners’ in favour of ‘guardians,’ ‘parents,’ or ‘carers’ and even using terms like ‘fur-baby’ (like it or loathe it!), can help identify you and your brand as safe, trusted, and empathetic.
2. Not doing your research
Pet copywriters have a responsibility to deliver accurate and reliable information. While opinions and storytelling can be humorous, add colour, and ramp up engagement, it’s still important that the content is clear and correct. Sharing misinformation or content that could be easily misinterpreted, even unintentionally, could have serious consequences, as well as being unethical. Besides, well-researched blogs or articles drawing information from reliable sources will help build your brand’s reputation as somewhere to go for trusted, balanced advice.
3. Not providing sources
There’s no point in doing your research if you’re not going to share the sources with your readers. Linking to or referencing scientific studies, data, or other reliable sources demonstrates that you’ve done your research and that the information is accurate. Without the sources, even if the information is correct, your reader may be suspicious.
4. Feeding fear
A pet parent’s worst nightmare is their pet becoming sick or injured, so it’s important to share information in a neutral fact-based way, using balanced and calm language, rather than sparking panic or fuelling fear unnecessarily. Of course, it’s also important not to play down health risks and consequences either, as pet parents need to act and seek veterinary advice or intervention when it’s needed. Finding the balance, where facts are shared openly and transparently and signposting is given will help pet parents think clearly.
5. Making veterinary care undesirable
Veterinary care is important, but as a skilled profession requiring specialist premises with lots of technical equipment, it’s also costly. This means that pet parents often get advice online or try to treat their pets at home before taking them to the vet. While this is understandable, as a vet I know that many health conditions deteriorate when diagnosis and treatment are delayed. And the information and advice available from some online sources could even make a pet’s health worse. That’s why it’s important as a pet business to speak positively about visits to the vet, rather than contribute to the narrative that vets are expensive or unnecessary, which creates a barrier to pets getting the help they need.
6. Losing value or readability in favour of SEO
If you’re a pet content writer, you know how important SEO is. You can have the most engaging and informative article, written by experts, and still have poor visibility if you’re not including those magic keywords. But there’s nothing worse than when SEO keywords are overused or used awkwardly. They can disrupt the flow for the reader or take the place of actual value (facts, tips, etc.). Whatever you’re writing about, focus on fulfilling the aim of your piece and delivering value to the reader.
7. Not sharing personal experiences
Facts alone won’t create engaging content that pet parents want to read. Yes, they want to get information, but if you deliver it in a way that shows some of your brand’s personality and traits, you can become their go-to, whether you’re providing pet information and guidance or selling pet-related products and services. A great way to do this is by sharing personal experiences or using a storytelling approach – this shows that you’re also an animal lover and part of the pet parent community. Don’t overdo it though – it’s still important to give useful facts and information. This brings us to the next point…
8. Not getting to the point
It’s easy to get carried away telling stories, but in content writing, every sentence counts. Engaging doesn’t just mean colourful language and personal anecdotes, it also means conciseness – getting to the point. Don’t use lots of padding – plan your work and write purposefully, otherwise you’ll lose the reader’s interest along the way!
Why do vets make great pet industry copywriters?
The pet industry is full of competing brands, and many offer similar products or services so it’s hard to stand out. Using a specialist veterinary copywriter for your content marketing can help you share accurate, engaging content, trusted by pet parents because it’s been written by experts. Our vets have relevant real-life experiences, adding depth to blog posts and articles. They’re not just in the know with SEO, they also know the difference between reliable and unreliable sources.
If you need support delivering your pet brand’s content marketing, contact us at the Veterinary Content Company. We’ll get to know your brand and needs and find the right vet writer to help you reach your goals.
