Full Transcript
Lauren: So my friend runs a dog grooming business, and she's like, I already have a website... it came free with my grooming software. And I'm wondering... is that actually a website?
Honor: Welcome to the 805 Web Minute with Lauren and Honor... We make interwebs and website stuff make sense... Let's get into it.
Honor: Oh, that's a great question because technically yes, but practically... no. Those booking software sites, like Gingr or MoeGo or whatever, they're booking pages. Not websites.
Lauren: Wait, what's the difference? It's got her name on it, people can book appointments...
Honor: Think of it this way. Those booking pages are like having a cash register but no storefront. Great for transactions. Useless for getting people in the door.
Lauren: Oh! So if someone doesn't already have her link, they can't find her.
Honor: Exactly. And there are a few big problems with those pages. First, they all look the same. Every groomer using that software has basically an identical looking page. There's nothing that says this is YOUR business.
Lauren: That's like... everyone showing up to a job interview wearing the exact same outfit.
Honor: Right. And second, they live on subdomains. So instead of fluffypaws dot com, it's grooming software dot com slash fluffypaws. You're building someone else's domain authority, not yours.
Lauren: And Google doesn't care about that.
Honor: Not really. When someone in Arroyo Grande searches dog groomer near me at seven pm on a Tuesday, those booking pages don't show up. Here's a number that might surprise you... 78 percent of local mobile searches result in an offline purchase.
Lauren: Wait... 78 percent?
Honor: Often within a day. These are people ready to book right now. And if your friend doesn't show up when someone searches dog groomer Pismo Beach, she's invisible to those ready-to-book customers.
Lauren: Okay but like, people find her on Instagram. Does she really need Google?
Honor: Here's the thing. The US pet industry hit 151 billion dollars last year.
Lauren: Billion with a B?
Honor: With a B. And 83 percent of consumers use Google to find reviews of local businesses. Pet owners are serious about who handles their fur babies. They want to see proof before they book.
Lauren: So what kind of proof?
Honor: For groomers, before and after photos. That's the number one trust builder. A matted doodle transformed into a fluffy cloud? That sells better than any marketing copy.
Lauren: That makes sense. People want to see the work.
Honor: And team photos. Real ones, not stock images. Pet owners aren't just hiring a service, they're trusting a stranger with their family member. They want to know who's handling their dog.
Lauren: Right, like... would you leave your kid with someone you've never even seen a picture of?
Honor: Exactly. And those booking software pages can't really showcase any of that. Maybe a few images, but no real gallery, no team bios, nothing that shows what makes you different.
Lauren: So the moral of the story is... the free website from your booking software is great for booking. But it's not gonna get you found. You need your own website with your own domain.
Honor: That's it. Use the booking software for what it's good at, booking. Let your website do what it's good at, getting found and building trust before they ever click book.
Lauren: And if you're a pet business owner who wants a real website without the headache... give YouGrow a call!
Honor: Yeah. 79 dollars a month. We build you a fast, mobile-friendly site with space for your photo gallery, your team bios, your reviews. We handle all updates... just email us when something needs to change. Month to month, cancel anytime. And I'm local, in Arroyo Grande. You call, I pick up.
Lauren: Alright, this has been 805 Web Minute. Thanks for listening.