10 Essential FAQs to Add to Your Veterinary Clinic Website

Setting up an effective website takes a lot of work. Fortunately, there are a few different ways that you can go about handling things if you want to make a resource that people can really use. After all, you should do more than talk about your clinic and what you have to offer—you should educate, inform, and help your audience with anything and everything that they need related to animals and veterinary care. 

One of the best ways to offer that education is through a well-planned FAQ page. Despite what you might think, the FAQ page is actually the most used self-service resource available online today. That means two things: 

When you do it correctly, your FAQ page can be a major resource. 

However—

When you do it incorrectly, it can do far more damage than good.

So, what’s “correct” and how can you guarantee that your page will be a success? Well, we’re here to cover that for you. Plus, we’ll talk about 10 questions that you need to include on your vet FAQ page to make sure that you cover the most pressing topics for your audience. 

People today demand self-service answers. They demand instant access to the resources that they use, and they don’t want to wait days for someone to call them back. They also expect vet clinics and other companies to have the resources that they need (such as a well-designed FAQ page) to provide insight and information. 

The Internet has changed a lot of things about the way you market your veterinary clinic, and it will make a big difference if you take the time to figure how to do it right. First, let’s go over some tips and best practices to help you set up your page, and then we’ll dig into the 10 questions that you can’t go without. 

Tips and tricks for setting up your page for success 

While asking the right questions makes a difference, so does having a page that’s well-designed and easy for people to follow. There is no single way to set up the page, but there are certainly some ideas that are better than others. For starters, consider these tips:

• Choose a structure that’s organized and that flows naturally. Don’t make answers hard to find. Consider adding hyperlinks or a Table of Contents to make it simple for people to navigate to the questions they want answers to. 

• If you have a lot of content to cover, consider creating a database with multiple pages separated by topic, instead. This can allow you to provide more information and still keep things organized. Plus, it will keep people from having to endlessly scroll on your page to find what they want. 

• Think about how people ask questions and phrase yours accordingly. You’ll get better SEO rankings if your questions are phrased how they would be asked by your audience, so keep that in mind. 

• Ask people what works for them—what better source of information than the people you’re creating the page for? If you get input from your audience or even offer a simple “let us know what else we can do” at the end of your FAQ page, you’ll get a lot of great firsthand advice. 

• Don’t overdo it. If you’re just starting out, stick to a simple setup and see how it goes. You can always add on or change things later. Try to narrow it down to the top 10 or 15 questions (we’ll help with that below) and go from there. 

• Keep things relevant. Sure, you might love to share the perfect ambient temperature for certain species of lizards, but do you actually have a clientele that will benefit from that information? You’re creating an FAQ for your vet practice, not just for your love of animals. 

These are just a few tips to get you started on your own FAQ strategy. As you can see, the overall goal is to create a well-structured page that fits the needs of your audience. That’s why thinking like a consumer comes in handy here. And now, let’s talk about the types of questions you’ll want to have for your audience to help further the success of your knowledge base. 

10 FAQs every veterinary clinic website needs

1. How long have you been a vet?

This is a big one for a lot of people. They want to make sure that they work with someone that they can rely on and trust to provide care for their pets. You don’t necessarily have to have 30 years of experience under your belt, but you’ll want to make sure that you explain your background and the experience that you do have so that people feel confident in working with you. Being transparent is another benefit of answering this question since that means a lot to today’s audience. 

2. What kind of experience do you have working with animals?

Obviously, people want to know what kind of expertise and background you have in the veterinary industry. If your veterinary clinic has been around for decades and has served several types of small animals along with cats and dogs, for example, you’ll want to express that here. You don’t have to have tons of experience, of course, because everyone has to start somewhere. This is just a space where you can explain what experience and training you do have so that people know who they’re working with. 

In most cases, the transparency itself will be more valuable than the answer of your expertise. People just want to know that they can trust those who are taking care of their pets, after all. 

3. Are you taking new patients?

Many times, and especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, veterinary clinics won’t be taking new patients. This can be difficult for those who have just gotten a pet or who have a pet with a new medical need and no established veterinarian to speak of. Be clear about your new patient policy, including what types of pets you take and how much room you have in your schedule so that people understand what they’re getting. 

For example, you might be taking new patients, but have a longer waiting time for care because established patients are taking up too much time in your schedule. That’s fine, so long as you explain it to people. They’ll appreciate the insight. 

4. What kind of services does your vet clinic offer?

This is another big question that people have. While some vet clinics provide an array of services for various animal care needs, others may specialize in certain treatments or procedures, or even stages of care. You need to let people know what you can (and can’t) do so that they can make the best decisions about where to take their pets. 

In addition to listing your services, you can link to the service pages on your website, as well as provide a link to pricing pages, educational resources, and more. Make sure that you’re thorough and transparent here—again, that’s going to make a big difference. If you specialize in anything, this is a good place to list it, too, because it will showcase your expertise and specialties so that the right people find you when they need your services. 

5. How much does it cost to get my pet fixed?

People like to know dollar amounts, and especially for medical and vet procedures like surgery that can cost a lot more money. Unfortunately, as you know, there is no real way to “estimate” how much things will cost. You can list base prices for services, for example, but you’ll want to advise people that these can vary based on all the factors involved, such as if there are complications, if the procedure requires different methods or takes longer, and so forth. Explain to people that you can offer payment solutions (if you can) and focus more on getting the right care for the animal than the cost itself. 

Even if you charge more than other clinics, this kind of insight and honesty will often win people over and create lifetime clients for your veterinary clinic because people are more concerned about the quality of care than the bottom dollar in the end. 

6. How often do you suggest check-ups for my pet?

People are always uncertain about how often to bring their pet to the vet. And of course, every doctor has different recommendations based on various factors. Fortunately, this is another place for you to showcase your expertise and help people understand how often to get their pet to the vet. Explain the type of care that you provide and what principles you follow, as well as your recommended visit schedule for the various animals that you see. 

You can also use this opportunity to invite people to contact you with any concerns or specific questions about the care that their pet needs. Then, you’re giving people information and creating an opportunity for lead generation at the same time. 

7. Do I need an appointment?

Walk-in appointments are convenient, but they’re not always possible. If you run a busy veterinary clinic, you may not have time to have people waiting around for a free appointment window. If, however, you do offer walk-ins or make exceptions for emergency situations, for example, you’ll want to explain that here. In addition to telling people that they do need an appointment, you’ll want to explain why. It cuts into your schedule when people show up unannounced and it can be hard to keep the day’s schedule on track, for one thing. Some vets will offer walk-ins with the understanding that they may not get an appointment, and you can do that, too, as long as you explain it all clearly. 

8. Do you offer emergency vet services?

Just like people, pets can get sick or injured at any time of day or night. As such, many people keep an emergency vet on hand to help ensure that they always have someone to call. Unfortunately, not everyone does, and they may want to know what clinics are open after hours. Some people may want to stick with their regular vet as much as possible, so they will want to know if you’re available around the clock in case their pet needs something. If you don’t offer emergency services, that’s fine, but be sure to include the answer so that people know to look somewhere else for these services. 

9. Do you offer payment plans or flexible payment terms?

Another common question of pet owners is about the financial aspect of pet care. After all, veterinary bills aren’t always cheap. If pets need surgery, shots, or other extensive procedures, the bills could get quite expensive. Make sure that you outline all of your payment options, any payment plans you offer, and other details. Use this space to suggest people check out pet insurance and programs like Care Credit, which allows you to get credit that you can use for medical or veterinary bills exclusively. 

10. I got a new [pet]. What do I need to do next?

This is a common question and a good one for vets to answer for several reasons. Firstly, it allows you to educate people on how to properly care for their pets. Secondly, it gives you a chance to promote your vet clinic and invite people to bring their new pet in for a checkup so that you can ensure that it is in good health. You’ll also want to encourage people to read up on the animal that they’ve gotten and learn about caring for it, different ages and growth stages, and so forth. 

Too often, people miss important check-ups and shots because they aren’t sure what’s next and don’t know who to ask. This is your chance to reassure people that they are on the right path and help them feel confident in their new pet ownership. 

Focus on your furry patients while Smith.ai fields calls, chats, and more

At Smith.ai, we know that you’re in the business of caring for animals, not just answering phones and making appointments. And yet, these are critical elements of your business and still deserve full attention—if not yours, then whose? 

Well, if you partner with the dedicated receptionists at Smith.ai, you’ll get 24/7 support for phone calls, live website chat, and even Facebook and SMS message answering. We can assist with lead intake and scheduling, payment collection, and so much more. Plus, we’ll help you create the ideal strategy to manage it all, no matter what you have in mind. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation to find out how the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can deliver full support for your audience, from live website chat to after-hours phone calls and more. You’ll also find us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.