Pet Blog June Archive

ePetwork.com

Your name?

John Baker

Your Location (city, etc)

Phliadelphia, PA, USA

When did you start your website and why?

I love pets and so do many other people in the world. I thought it would be fun to give internet users a good fun place to show off their pets!

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

It's an online community for pets and pet lovers alike. One can create profiles for their pets, post a pet blog, view pet galleries, take part in our pet forum and chat, and more! Yes, there are many things a person, and your pet, can do on the site! Best of all, all pets are welcome, not just dogs or cats.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

Testing and troublshooting!

What has been the easist part of operating your website?

Enjoying it! (ie. keeping our eyes on it and getting to see all the new pets)

What was your biggest mistake?

Poor planning for some of the features... we had done a lot of work, but had to backtrack to accomodate new features... which was a pain! It's tough to possibly ruin something that already works fine! In the end, everything came out ok.

Who maintains your website and why?

We all maintain the site pretty much, but Chris takes care of much of the actual web development.

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

The website is the business... and we're in this for pure enjoyment :)

What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?

I think ecommerce IS the future! Of course, tangible stores will always be there, but I think ordering online will be a major part of life... and actually, I think it is already!

What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

It's a good thing, if done right.

What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?

Search Engines are great and neccessary for the internet user! We NEED search engines... Oh, to anwer the second part, they surely helped our website.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Quite honestly, word of mouth, but also email.

What method has been least successful for promoting your website?

Magazine / Newspaper Ads (go figure.)

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

Less porn, spam, adware/spyware/virus garbage, etc. I think the internet is amazing and a great asset to life, but there are many dangers that should not exist on the web.

You can enter a question of your choice and the answer here:

Q: You run a pet website, do you have any pets? A: Yes, of course, haha. A Boston Terrier (dog) and an American Toad :)

What is your website address?

ePetwork.com

Puppy Shoppe Online

Your name?

Barbara Dyevoich

Your Location (city, etc)

Edison

When did you start your website and why?

We started a new business and knew we needed a site to be competative.

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

At present the site just shows a picture of our store and gives some facts about our business. We do update our specials but that is all.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

I am not computer literate and have had to ask friends to assist me. I don't know how to make it easier to find.

Who maintains your website and why?

A friend maintains it for me.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Please let me know what the answer to this question is.

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

I don't find the information to be credable. Anyone can write anything they want about you true or false or edited for their benefit and you look stupid or guilty if you try and defend yourself. I'd like to know how to combat this.

What is your website address?

Puppy Shoppe Online

Every Body Works

Your name?

Jen & Gayle

Your Location (city, etc)

Edmonton

When did you start your website and why?

January to help promote our new business

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

You will find information about the services we offer. Equine body work and human massage therapy.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

just plain old creating the damn thing

What has been the easist part of operating your website?

nothing

What was your biggest mistake?

misspelled words

Who maintains your website and why?

Gayl's sister because we haven't figured out dreamweaver yet

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

don't know

What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?

ummm

What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

ummm

What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?

I hope they have helped

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

flyers and posters

What method has been least successful for promoting your website?

watching horse shows

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

ummm

What is your website address?

Every Body Works

Holistic natural pet supplies

Your name?

Cass A. Wilson

Your Location (city, etc)

Mesquite, NV

When did you start your website and why?

November 2006. I retired at the age of 71 and got bored. My daughter and I are long time pet lovers and after much research found the products we offer on our site that we feel are the best for pets.

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

We offer a large selection of Natural Holistic products for dogs, cats and horses. They range from very high quality dog and cat food to natural supplements and medications for arthritis, allergy, kidney, travel calmers and nutritional supplemnets for dog, cats and horses.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

The creating of the site was fun but the promoting to search engins ect. is proving to be quite a challange.

What has been the easist part of operating your website?

Taking and filling our customers orders.

What was your biggest mistake?

Installing shipping charges for each product.

Who maintains your website and why?

I do because working with cumputors is something I totally enjoy.

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

Simple without it there is no business.

What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?

It is changeing almost every hour and I feel ecoomerce will continue to replace many of the walkin stores.

What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

It is helping those of us who start web site businesses to continue to get our sites found by our customers.

What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?

They are the tools that a great number of prospective customers use to find the products and services web site businesses offer. They of course have helped but they are not the sole answer.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Because we are new to web site business we are finding many different ways to promote. We have to say at this point pay ber click and supmitting our site to search engines have been the best to date.

What method has been least successful for promoting your website?

Trying to find away to submit to blogs which we feel has great potential.

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

This may sound funny but if the changes would take a liitle longer so I could become proficient before it changes.

What is your website address?

Holistic natural pet supplies

We took both our dogs, Maverick, a boxer and Maggie, a black german shepherd along with us on our outing. Maggie loves to swim and once she figured out what to do when the bottom of the creek disappeared she wouldn't stay out of the water.

We didn't catch any fish, but we sure had a good time.

Poopy Paws

Your name?

Clayton

Your Location (city, etc)

Omaha

When did you start your website and why?

I started my web site for advertising my business.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

Creating a New deal of the month

Who maintains your website and why?

Me

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

Many hits and about 1% are still current customers

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

local News papers and Truck magnets

What is your website address?

Poopy Paws

[Ed note: in case "poopy paws" is a bit too abstract for you, think "pooper scooper"]

Willow Hill Farm

Your name?

Wayne Trombley

Your Location (city, etc)

Magnolia, KY

When did you start your website and why?

In April, 2004 we started our farm and began breeding, raising Paso Fino horses. Since then we have expanded our facilities to include horse boarding.

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

Our web site describes our farm and our horses. It also lists the various services we provide to Paso Fino as well as other equine enthusiasts.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

Establishing the appropriate level of exposure/advertising to communicate with our potential market.

What has been the easist part of operating your website?

Adding new information, updating and sending links to other sites or users.

What was your biggest mistake?

Focusing only on Paso Fino breeding as our main service.

Who maintains your website and why?

I do ... the farm owner and operator.

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

After listing our boarding services three days ago, we received our first serious inquiry today. The client is planning on boarding 8 horses with us.

What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?

I firmly believe it will be the preferred venue for future marketing.

What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

Don't know much about it, but it sounds great.

What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?

Haven't decided which ones are best, so I keep trying.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Listing our web site on an index of similar sites for horse boarding facilities across the country.

What method has been least successful for promoting your website?

Relying solely upon my own network of contacts.

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

Make it more detailed and easier to search.

What is your website address?

Willow Hill Farm

Artsified.com

Your name?

Lee Long

Your Location (city, etc)

Birmingham

When did you start your website and why?

We developed www.artsified.com in April, 2007, to give people the ability to show their pet's personality through art. In addition, we have many clients and friends that are interested in helping animals and providing safe, loving homes for strays and we wanted to contribute to that effort. Short of adopting every animal they found [which we've done several times], we decided to develop a site where we could financially assist the many groups that are so dedicated to helping less fortunate animals.

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

Artsified.com is a site that provides animal enthusiasts with the opportunity to show their pet’s personality through art and capture it on canvas, and also offers entry into the Artsified.com pet photo contest. 40% of the contest entry fee is donated to the charity selected by the most entrants. The contestants are posted on Artsified.com and voted on to determine the winner, which receives free Artsification, 30% of the contest entry fees and inclusion in the Artsified.com calendar.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

Capturing a pet's personality requires coercing a human to think like their pet – to answer questions on behalf of their pet - which may not coincide with their own interests. The difficult, ongoing part is trying to figure what questions to ask that will really help personify a pet – give them a voice, so to speak. Power to the pet.

What has been the easist part of operating your website?

Simply developing the concept of the site. Because of our love of animals and our exposure to all pets – we knew they needed a voice – we just needed to give them the forum to do so.

What was your biggest mistake?

We'll keep you posted... :)

Who maintains your website and why?

We do. What better way to ensure that it's updated and exactly the way you envision it.

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

We'll keep you posted...

What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?

eCommerce has opened many doors for small businesses with great ideas and allowed their entry into the mainstream because of those great ideas. People ultimately decide if your idea is worth their attention, regardless of your business size, which is the beauty of the Internet. The important aspect is respecting the consumer, providing a worthwhile service that a consumer deems valuable and growing that service to remain in line with the consumer’s expectations.

What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

We have worked with many clients on this very aspect of their business and the reality is that most didn’t have a clue about the importance of page titles or relevant content. While SEO is an ever-changing environment on the web, there are some obvious optimization tools that just define the basis for sound web site design. Once those are identified and optimized, introducing ad words and other marketing affiliate programs becomes an easier situation. People have a tendency to shy away from what they don’t understand – our job is to make all of the SEO “stuff” make sense to them.

What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?

For this specific site, we'll keep you posted. Overall, our SEO activities have helped all of the web sites that we’ve engaged. Tracking the results and helping clients understand the outcome is still a bit of a hurdle but being able to illustrate the results certainly helps.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Again, we'll keep you posted. Since this is an internal project, we're going to try all of our SEO techniques and figure what works the best. It's a great exercise to help us determine successful techniques for clients, as well.

What method has been least successful for promoting your website?

N/A

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

The Internet offers so much possibility – to attempt to limit the scope now would be short-sited. While there will likely be many more iterations of how we search the Internet, the availability of it to almost everyone certainly has changed how many people understand and access information and make informed decisions, which is priceless.

What is your website address?

Artsified.com

Pictures of cats

Your name?

Ricky Cats

Your Location (city, etc)

Regina, Sk

When did you start your website and why?

Last month. I am a supreme cat lover and I think cats warm up your day.

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

I put up the site because my goal is to eventually have people chatting in my cat forum

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

finding forum software and installing it.

What has been the easist part of operating your website?

ftp file transfer

What was your biggest mistake?

not sure

Who maintains your website and why?

I maintain it because I the way I want things

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

Don't have a business yet.

What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?

Ecommerce will take over land based businesses by the year 2050. You will be able to order your groceries at online store and some kid will delivery your goods on a bike very quickly.

What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

i like SEO and am learning more each day

What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?

Msn is easiest to get into

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

posting in forums

What method has been least successful for promoting your website?

so far word of mouth has not been so good

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

speed of internet to 100gb/sec highspeed modems!

Hi

whats up

What is your website address?

Pictures of cats

Barker and Ball.com

Your name?

Harry Athay

Your Location (city, etc)

Bath

When did you start your website and why?

2006 - We believe that there's no reason why your dogs shouldn't be as stylish as you are in the house, at the park, on the beach, in the city or out in the countryside.

Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc

Barker and Ball.com is based on the simple principles of good old-fashioned high quality and excellent service, we set about finding a selection of luxury doggy items from around the world.

What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?

Start up funding was tricky but now we are developing fast

What has been the easist part of operating your website?

The design and marketing because that my background

What was your biggest mistake?

No big mistakes, just a few small ones like underestimated the the demand for some items.

Who maintains your website and why?

A company called Mospace.com - very good service and helpful too

Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?

Well Barker and Ball.com is only a online shop at the moment. But we are planning to open a bricks and mortar store very soon.

What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?

I think the future is bright, we are now selling to more countries than ever.

What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

We are still developing better optimization

What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?

Search engines are an important part of the process, clearly they are helping to grow the business.

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Goggle and word-of-mouth

What method has been least successful for promoting your website?

It's all important - big or small - it all adds to the promotional mix.

What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?

Better standards - so people find it easy to find and use Barker and Ball.com

What is your website address?

Barker and Ball.com