Bark 'n Yapp Helps Owners Find Products and Services for Dogs

A Canadian start-up has launched a website that allows dog owners to meet, connect, research, review and locate products, services and resources to enhance their dog's life.

“We were always looking for good information on where to buy good products, who we could trust to walk our dogs, or where to stay when traveling”, says Galen Udell, Founder & Top Dog of Bark 'n Yapp.
 

“The best resource was always other dog owners and typically we got this through conversations in the dog park. Our goal with Bark 'n Yapp was to bring together deep and rich local information on everything ‘dog’ to help create a highly engaged community based on trust and peer referrals, just like you get when you talk to other dog owners at a dog park.”

Like other online review sites individuals can rate and recommend different businesses, but Bark ‘n Yapp also gives the opportunity to rate parks, trails and travel options.

Unlike other sites and apps, each dog can have its own profile on Bark ‘n Yapp.

The site launched with over 5000 Canadian locations already in the system and a plan to quickly expand into the U.S.

The mobile app is currently in development.

DIGITAL - Tips: Effective Posting on Popular Social Media Sites

Do you look at the different digital media networks and wonder what the difference is? Why a story or idea works on one and not the other?

You’re not alone. It can be challenging to figure out the different platforms.

Here are some tips for posting on the most popular digital media networks.

Timing is Everything

The best time to post on digital media depends on the platform, the region, the content of your post and your goals.

Hubspot recently created an infographic which includes best times for a variety of platforms. Use this as a guide, measure your own results and go from there.

Use Hashtags Wisely

It used to be the humble pound sign and now it’s a way to hone in on different topics online. Hashtags are used and can connect conversations on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and Tumblr.

Hashtags should be specific and cater to the social network you’re using. Before posting, plan the hashtags you want to use for your organization’s general posts and do the same for campaigns.

Facebook – Start a Conversation

Most Facebook users are chatting with friends or catching up on news, so it’s a great medium for telling stories and asking questions.

Posts on Facebook get more attention if they include a photo. Keep your photo in the 1200 x 630 pixel range.

Use Facebook insights to see which posts get the most engagement and make adjustments using this data.

Pinterest – Inspire and Educate

People on Pinterest want to buy a new product, learn a skill or find a new project, so informative posts are the most popular.

It is often used as an internet bookmarker – saving and storing links from all over the world in an easy-to-use, pretty platform.

Resize your photos to 600 x 1200 pixels and spread your posts out over time rather than uploading a lot at once.

LinkedIn – Professional Posts

Users approach LinkedIn with a work mind-set and it’s the place to share industry strategies and updates.

The tone of conversations should be like speaking with peers and potential clients. Unlike other digital media platforms, you can use industry terminology and it won’t be out of place.

Images boost engagement and work best if they are horizontal and about 646 x 200 pixels.

You don’t need to share or update every day because LinkedIn users don’t check in as often as other platforms.

Twitter – Up to the Minute Conversations

Twitter users are following news at a specific moment in time and want to talk about it.

Your space is limited to 140 characters and it’s a great platform to share news, updates and answer questions.

The use of hashtags began on Twitter in 2007 and is now the norm.

Adding images to your tweets can increase your retweets by about 150%. Horizontal 440 x 220 pixel images are best.

Instagram – Visual Perspective

Beauty, inspiration and entertainment are what Instagram users look for.

Images are number one, but the captions are also very important. It’s a great place for a call to action, a quote or a story about your photo.

Instagram images used to have to be square, but the platform recently gave the option for vertical and horizontal images. Don’t forget to add a logo or other branding element to insure you benefit from any ‘regramming.’

While it’s easiest to post the same information on every platform, it’s much more effective to customize posts for each. Start with the overall message along with a graphic, and make changes to fit – it’s worth the extra time and effort.

DIGITAL - Pet Product Marketing: Technology, Mobile and Social Media

Marketing has been undergoing a dramatic transformation all over the world with the development of new technology and the increasing use of digital media. The marketing of pet products and services is no exception.

A new report, “Pet Product Marketing Trends in the U.S.: Technology, Mobile, and Social Media,” is now available from Packaged Facts which examines the ways pet product marketers have capitalized on new marketing tactics to engage and interact with pet owners.

The report covers a wide range of digital technologies including mobile marketing, online video, social media, interactive games, e-mail marketing, loyalty programs, content marketing and more. It also looks at the digital media usage and behaviour of pet owners, along with their psychographics relating to internet, mobile and social media. Dozens of images and examples of new technologies from pet marketers are included – from pet food and supply brands to pet retailers, medications, pet treats, veterinary services and animal shelters.

The pet marketer will find this report filled with of best practices for marketing to the pet parent.

The report also contains analysis of consumer technology usage trends and motivations, drawing primarily from two data sources. The first is national consumer survey data from Simmons. Through an ongoing program of telephone and booklet questionnaire surveys of a large probability sample of consumers who represent a statistically accurate cross-section of the U.S. adult population, Simmons is able construct detailed demographic profiles across various consumer product and service markets. The discussion of consumer patterns also draws on the Packaged Facts Pet Owner Survey, an exclusive look at pet owners across the U.S..

PetLynx CEO Addresses CVMA

Good morning to those of you gathered in Montreal!

I'm sorry I cannot be with you.  Here in Alberta we are enjoying our first real heat wave and the Centennial edition of the Calgary Stampede. You might say, 'big horses' are keeping me away from enjoying fellowship with my colleagues at the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.

Today, I will share 10 Slides with you. The background for this presentation and a 'conversation tree' are presented here in the PetLynx InfoStream blog to assist you and colleagues who are not present:

• Building an interactive, value based, online presence for a member driven organization is one of the most strategically important things to do in this new environment.  What is cloud computing?
• The 2010 Innovation Task Force Report recognized the CVMA need to capture a leading position as the Vet Value Chain creatively destructs and re-organizes with online capabilities.  Is creative destruction necessary?
• Decision support applications and disease surveillance are likely to drive near term efforts to build online services for the vet value chain. Knowledge drives wellness.
• The online environment is rapidly changing the industry and value chain. 40% of Canucks have smartphones  Canadians lead in online engagement 
• Sometimes we don't see coming changes clearly because of the lens we use and the language we understand.  Why Canadians fail to adopt online/cloud strategies.
• CVMA needs to generate value for the Veterinary Value Chain, for Government, for all Service Providers and for Animals in a way that sustains the information utility. In the age of abundance, Value will find its own level just as surely as water does.
• Sometimes questions can expose elements that should be considered in a conversation.  This morning  I offer you six questions for your consideration:
• What must we do?
• What will happen if we don't?
• What challenges will be encountered?
• What level of commitment will be required?
• What is the first step to take?
• What lens or language needs to be changed? 

In conclusion, PetLynx has always had the vision of a collaborative industry providing for the needs of all stakeholders.  Perhaps we are nearing the day when this vision becomes a reality. Thank you for your generous contribution of time and thought to an important conversation for our industry.