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ID:	28803Vetpol, the online veterinary community, in association with Companion Consultancy, the veterinary communications company, is asking animal related industries to share their experience of using the Internet, by taking part in a survey. Veterinary practices, pet shops, farriers, boarding kennels and all other kinds of animal related businesses are encouraged to complete the survey at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/animalhealthonline. Participants will be able to opt to receive a report on the findings to help benchmark their business and identify new opportunities. One lucky participant drawn out of the hat by the closing date of 30th August will also win a FREE on-line shopfront from Vetmart, Vetpol’s sister company.

As Vetmart celebrates its first birthday, it has become clear that businesses are keen to get active online, with the site hosting nearly 1,100 listings of ‘everything animal’ and over 200,000 views to date, offering a place on-line where businesses can be stronger together. An impressive 72% of UK adults are regular internet users and 82% buy online,1 so a top priority for many businesses is tapping into that market.


There is another side to the coin though, with some businesses questioning whether Twitter handles are really all that and asking if we had got it right when the only ‘Tweets’ to be heard were those of the pet canary.


Caroline Johnson, Director of Vetpol and Vetmart says we need to understand the barriers to full participation and what businesses really want to achieve, “The Internet offers fantastic opportunities to boost exposure and accessibility, while still being able to communicate core values. But how many feel confident of their ability to do so? Over the years Vetpol has learnt so much about using the Internet effectively and we felt it was time that someone looked at the collective experience of animal related businesses to help define a way forward.”


Taking just a few minutes to complete, the survey will capture opinions from every sector of the industry; from veterinary practices, to pet shops, groomers, kennels, farriers and everyone in-between.


Caroline explains, “There’s only so much generic statistics can tell us and, in reality, what really counts is what’s working and what isn’t in our own industry. With so much happening in the online world and so many opportunities opening up, it can sometimes be difficult to decide where to invest resources. Now’s the time to take a step back and evaluate our online activities to pave the way for progress in the future - something we’re really pleased to be able to kick-start with this survey.”


To get involved, have your say and be in with the chance to win an online shop front, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/animalhealthonline


References:
1) Office for National Statistics. 2013 Bulletin. Internet Access. Accessed May 21.05.2014 http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit2/...ml#tab-Summary