Everyone understands how common the Internet has become to the average person's life. We go to the web to look for everything: information, pictures, music, companionship, products and services. In many cases, people's first impression of a business comes from the appearance of their website. We know this, and have taken the appropriate steps: we built our website, we got it up there, we put pictures of all our dogs on it...so why is it that so many Dog Professionals' websites fail to bring in the kind of business leads we expect?

Two reasons: amateurism and datedness. These are the two most common faults exhibited by the websites of dog professionals, and when you consider that the first impression of your business may very well come from your website, they are serious faults.

An amateur website suggests an amateur business. If breeding, showing, or training dogs is your hobby, a home-made site may work fine for you. But if working with dogs is your business, your website should be as well done and professional as that of any other business. A personalized domain name (yourkennelname.com), a well-organized site with an easy to use menu, sharp graphics and clear pictures are a must. Potential clients should be able to easily find your site, and be greeted with a simple, purposeful, clean design that gives them access to all the information they need to know about you. Dancing paw prints and clips of puppies barking might seem cute – the first time you visit. After that they are an annoyance, and many people turn away from a site that takes too long to load or assaults their ears repeatedly!

Being out of date can be deadly. You are out there showing every week, working with new dogs in training, offering new classes on new nights – your website needs to reflect the current state of your business. If you are considering a completely do-it-yourself approach with your website, also consider honestly how much time you have to update and keep your website current. Factor in the amount of time necessary for you to learn any of the web skills you do not yet know, and let that help you make your decision. You may save money working on the site yourself, but if your 'Available Puppies' page is displaying pictures of the cute little tykes at two months old, and those puppies are actually grown and gone to new homes, it won't help you to advertise your new litter! If you haven't had time to add any of your brags and win photos to your site, you are missing opportunities to promote yourself.

There are several ways to get the type of site you want while staying within your budget.

1. Talk to local professional web designers to see what sort of options they have available. A professional web designer will often take care of not only building, but updating your site for an additional fee. They may or may not provide hosting services, but they can steer you in the right direction.

2. You can look online at the different products that web hosting companies can provide. It is very common for web hosts to offer tools that allow you to choose a template web design and add and update your web content yourself. These hosting packages often include many extras above and beyond the basic hosting and email service, and it is worth the time to research these.

3. 'Turnkey' web solutions are becoming more and more popular. These solutions allow you to choose your site design from a variety of professionally designed templates. Adding content and making updates is then done by the website company, all for one price that includes hosting and a domain name. Research these options carefully to be sure you will get all the services you need at no additional fees, and that you retain ownership of your domain name if you decide to move on. The right turnkey website can be the perfect solution to your needs.

An honest assessment of your needs, your budget, and your time are the best way to determine how to get the most from your website - only you will know which will work best for your business. With any option, remember what is most important: helping potential customers find their way to you, and allowing them to see your professionalism, dedication, and love of what you do show up in your web presence. First impressions do count!