Name of your website?Everything Natural Pet Food
Your name?
Linda M. Corpe
Your Location (city, etc)
Bremerton, WA, USA
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Natural, organic, holistic pet food and pet supplies. Books: homemade pet food, pet training, pet care, horse nutrition and training, birds, small animals, reptiles. Affordable Pet Insurance. Medications for most pet conditions.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
The pet food scare of 2007 left many pet owners not knowing what to feed their pets. Pet owners need a trusted place to gather information and to locate good quality pet food, recipes for making homemade pet food, and a good assortment of quality pet supplies. I keep adding products to satisfy this need. My motto is "Feed them Life!"
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
This is my first website and dedicated to the four legged members of our families. It was launched in January, 2008.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
"Everything Natural Pet Food" tells people what my site is about. It's the healthy, safe place to buy pet food and pet supplies. The name matches the sites goal.
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
The complete products offered for all pets like dogs, cats, horses, birds, small animals, reptiles and wildlife. Products include books on all pet topics, full line of products and gifts for pet lovers. Let's not forget pet insurance. Yes, I am an affiliate marketter but this is how I find a huge assorment of products for people to choose from.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
This site is a service to pet owners who love and cherish their pets. I would like the site to pay for itself and perhaps grow to offer an income to my old age fund which will be needed in a few years.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
My day job supplies my needs. The investment in a website is something that takes a couple of years to pay for itself, or so I've been told. Due to the nature of my site, and the need for pet owners to have this resource, my success will be measured when more people will be able to find the site, the information, and the products for their pets needs. Then the time and money spent will have been worth it.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
I would hire professional website developers and people to help with SEO to increase exposure to my website's to help it be more successful.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Yes, and I know of other resources to help with supply and demand. That would not be a problem.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
I had to take a class online and phone coaching to learn to build my website. It cost a lot of money plus the cost of equipment, etc. I gave up every free moment I had after work for one year to learn, develope the site, do the marketing research, and the SEO. I really need to know so much more, but time and monies are not that available to me.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Staying on top of the SEO with writing blogs, getting involved with social media to expose the website, and finding the time to do it all. I work all day and have about 3 free hours every evening which must be shared with my three dogs who need love and attention; and then there's the house chores which never get all done since starting this website. I feel like a juggler sometimes. But they say, keep your eye on the ball and keep the prize in mind. My prize is having this website be successful.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
I ran ads on Google and Yahoo for a while and that drove people to my site but the monies for ads ran out. Secondly,The blog attached to the website with pet information on health, feeding, FDA recall notifications on pet food, supplies for different situations like what to use to keep your outdoor pets warm in the winter. Also, social media sites that I'm involved in tend to help.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
I had no idea that it took so much time to keep up and how much I had to learn. I still have a lot to learn and a lot to do in order for "Everything Natural Pet Food" to be a success.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
Since inception, January 2008. If this site does not become big, I will keep it going as long as it can pay for itself in the future. I intend to be retired in a few years and this will be what I do with my time. It's a long term projet for me or shall I say life long.
Am I willing to keep up the cause and never give up?
You bet I am! I look at articles about pets who died from toxic pet food and it inspires me. For years, I put down my own pets who died from cancer and renal failure. I didn't know it was caused somewhat from the ingredients in the pet foods. Now I'm educated on the subject and my pets eat like royalty. I see the need for much information and places to find good pet supplies. I'm 62 now and have had beloved pets all my life. I know what they need and will provide it through this website. Thank you for inquiring about myself and "EverythingNaturalPetFood.com."
What is your website address?
Everything Natural Pet Food
