Website Builds
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Your Website Created By an Industry Expert
Have you ever tried to explain breeding to a friend who didn’t have experience with it? It’s hard to do. While they want to understand, dog breeding is unique and doesn’t always follow standard practices in business. The same goes for dog breeding websites, they’re not exactly “standard” websites. This is why having your website built by Julie Swan makes the process so much easier! Not only does Julie understand the process, but she’ll give you all sorts of tips and tricks you can use in your business and website to make the whole process of converting prospective puppy buyers into ACTUAL puppy buyers.
Why Spend Money on a Website?
Your website is your virtual kennel. Gone are the days where people can easily come and visit you and your dogs at your kennel. Most people today are shopping online and it’s important to have a website they can use in lieu of coming to you directly.
Many buyers will simply leave a website if it is not easy to navigate or feels outdated. Breeders have so much to do between communicating with buyers, tending to puppies, keeping adult dogs happy and healthy, and posting on social media, breeders just don’t have a lot of time to manage their website on top of it all. It’s a lot.
My goal in building your website is to make it easy for buyers to navigate, to give the information they need, and to reduce the overall time you need to spend talking with and vetting buyers.
Why hire me, Julie Swan, to build your website?
It’s a good question as I wasn’t formally trained in web design. I’ve built over 15 websites for myself and then more for dog breeding clients.
Through coaching and working with breeders, I’ve seen numerous times where their website works against them. Either the branding doesn’t flow well, the navigation is off, or it isn’t written to speak directly to their ideal puppy buyer. Other times they’re missing valuable information that is confusing buyers, causing them to hit the back button and move on to another breeder.
Because of my expertise and experience in this industry, I’m uniquely positioned to help you design a great website that’s easy to navigate, covering the information you need. I work with you to write the copy you need to attract your ideal puppy buyer and clearly explain your breeding program and the benefits of choosing you to be their breeder.
Essentially, working with me allows me to guide you through building a quality, customized website, that saves you time and allows you to get what your dogs are worth.
How Does It Work?
We will first get together to discuss your breeding business, your ideal puppy buyer, and what helps you stand out. This will give me a basis for the best way to organize your website and design it. We’ll discuss your brand kit and how you use your brand.
If you don’t have a brand kit assembled, it’s okay! We have resources to get that set up for you, just mark it on the application form.
We will then tackle the technical details of your website domain, hosting if you need it, and the theme & builder license. You’ll own all of these things, the domain, hosting, and theme & builder license, this way, when I’m done, you don’t have to pay any additional fees to me. There are no subscription fees with me.
After that, I’ll start building. We’ll touch base once every 1-2 weeks and discuss changes and updates. During our sessions together we’ll work on the copy. I’ll write it as we discuss your program and how the process works with you.
What’s Included?
I do things a little differently. Most web designers only do one or two of the following, rarely all of it. The biggest difference you get with me instead of someone else is that I’m an expert in the industry, exposed to hundreds of breeding programs, giving me all sorts of ideas on how best to do things, and I teach you how to use it after we design it.
I'll Design It.
I’ll help you design the layout, menu, pages, and general flow your website. I’ll also design your website to match your brand and ideal puppy buyer with your guidance.
While it’s important that the design looks good, flowing with your brand, it is critical that your website design aligns with your business goals. You need a website that’s visually appealing and works!
In the end, a well-designed website will save you time working with buyers and will sell them on your dogs while you sleep!
I'll Build It.
I will build the website from scratch on WordPress.org with my recommended theme. I will build out and customize each page in your website to meet the design we put together.
I’ll integrate with your email service provider so you can grab leads while they are on your site. We will add your Google Analytics with a simple, free software, that’s easy to understand.
I also build with SEO in mind, I know how to restructure headers and keywords to optimize the way search engines understand your site.
I'll WRITE THE COPY.
Most web designers will ask that you write the copy (all the words) for your website because you’re the industry expert and they don’t know your business, nor your industry. Because I’m in the industry, I can help you write the outline and I have templates that’ll help you get started with what to write if you aren’t sure where to start.
Together we’ll write the website to explain your process, answering the questions your buyers will have, and illustrating how you’re different. The end result will sell your ideal puppy buyer on your breeding program and encourage them to apply for a puppy.
Save yourself the pain of writing it all yourself!
I'll Teach You How to Use It.
Once we’ve built the website, I’ll teach you how to use it. I’ll show you how to edit the text, add pictures, and change layouts and designs. You’ll never be stuck waiting on someone else to update your website.
One of the biggest gripes I see with other web designers is that once they’ve completed the project you have a website, but you have no way to update it. With breeding dogs you’ll constantly need to be updating your website with puppy pictures, descriptions, price increases, and policy changes. You need to be able do to that without paying someone or being dependent on someone else.
I teach you how to use it, so you don’t need me when I’m done!
What Else?
There are a lot of little things that go into building a website, all the boring backend stuff that really help you capitalize on how your website benefits you. This is why I can integrate the following services as needed.
Together we’ll discuss your workflow and how to implement the following services into your business structure and customer journey, as well as how to use the data to assess and improve your website.
I don’t just want to make you a website, I want your website to be an integral component of your business system.
ConvertKit Email
We’ll set you up on ConvertKit or integrate your current email service provider. You’ll have forms strategically placed on your site allowing you to collect the emails of interested potential buyers. We can start you on the free plan, there is no need for an additional cost unless it benefits you.
Hosting Selection
Your hosting service is where your website lives, having a great host not only makes the site more efficient, but also more reliable. I have a great recommendation we can get you set up with. If you currently have a domain host you want to continue using, that’s fine! We can build your site on a temporary domain and transfer it.
Analytics
We will set you up with an easy-to-use analytics monitoring service to see how people are interacting with your website, so you can make tweaks and adjustments as necessary. We love this service for it’s simplicity and ease of use. We also love that the free version has a lot of great information!
Ready to have a website you love?
Please fill out the application to get started, this gives me a little background and helps me cover the right information during our free project discussion call.
Packages
Each package is broken down into the pages of the website it includes. Choose whichever package makes the most sense for you. The Website Ultimate package includes a blog-style addition, which is most beneficial for on-going SEO.
If you aren’t sure, let me know and we’ll discuss it during our free discussion call.
All website builds integrate ConvertKit Email (or your email service provider if you already have one), Google Analytics, and setup with our website builder.
Essentials
$4,950
Best for those who are getting started and need a website landing page for social media, capturing leads, and having a place to send people for the puppy application.
Pages Included:
- Home
- Puppy Process
- Available Puppies & Upcoming Litters
- Breeding Dog Gallery (all breeders individually on one long page)
- Why Us
- Puppy Application
- Contact
- Privacy Policy (required for Google Analytics)
Complete
$8,990
Best for those who have an established program, have dialed in their ideal puppy buyer, and are ready to stand out amongst their competition.
Pages Included:
- All of the Pages in the Essentials Package
- Individual Pages for all breeding dogs (up to 6 dogs, $260 each additional dog)
- Our Story
- Meet the Team/Meet Our Family
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Two* of the Following Pages:
- Adoptable Dogs
- Splitting Available Puppies & Upcoming Litters
- Testimonials
- Other (your selection of a page you want added)
*Additional pages, whether selecting more than two of the above or different, are charged at $530/page.
Ultimate
$12,500
Best for those who are looking to capitalize on SEO and add additional education and resources for buyers.
The Ultimate Package includes the pages in the Essentials and Complete (to include the two additional pages), but adds the blog-style element to your site. This is a great way to improve SEO by having something you can continually update.
Some examples for use are:
- Educational/Informational Articles on care and maintenance of your dogs.
- Highlighting success stories of your dogs, such as dogs that entered into service work.
- Training/Enrichment Articles to help your buyers better manage their dogs.
How it works:
We will plan out the categories you’ll separate your articles into, then create a unique page layout for the categories. I’ll upload and edit up to 6 individual posts. I’ll create a navigational information page to help readers find the right article. Then I’ll show you how to add new posts and how they’ll be organized.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Take Payment?
We accept Venmo, Zelle, or a Credit Card.
Can I make payments?
Yes. Usually we break down the cost across the timeline of the job. Generally wel require a 25-30% deposit to get started.
How Long Does It Take?
Generally a website will take 8-12 weeks depending on the number of pages and how available you are to meet with Julie to complete the copy.
What do I need to provide?
You’ll need to provide photos and information on your ideal puppy buyer. Julie will sit with you to go over your processes and to help put them into the text of your websites. Most of the copy will be done while on calls with Julie, but Julie will guide it and do the typing if you aren’t sure how to go about it.
You are welcome to write as much of your copy as you want, Julie is there to help, but it should be what you want.
Do I Need to Follow Julie's Methods?
You do not have to follow “Julie’s Methods” but you are welcome to discuss your workflows and policies with Julie to determine if you would like to adjust or change them. This is all about building things how you want them!
All breeding programs are different and unique, our goal in building your website is taking your breeding business and making it come to life on your website.
How many photos do I need?
On average most websites will need 40-60 photos. Naturally, Julie can’t provide these for you, but she can help you pick the ones you need.
Some breeders elect to hire a photographer, but this is by no means necessary.
Julie will help you get a list of what you need.
REady to get started?
Please fill out the contact form to meet with Julie and get started!
