10 Strategies To Make Your Veterinary Hospital Stand Out
Marketing a veterinary hospital takes way more than having a nice website and hoping pet owners find you. You’ve got to build trust, create memorable experiences, and stay top-of-mind for pet parents.
Here are 10 creative, strategic ways to help your business stand out, bring in new clients, and keep current clients coming back.
1. Prioritize and define your brand
Your brand is more than your name and your logo. It’s the story people tell about your veterinary hospital and the way your clients feel when they walk into your facility.
What makes you different? Are you the high-tech hospital with cutting-edge care? The warm, cozy vet where everyone knows your name? Own that identity.
Your brand voice matters. Don’t sound generic or corporate. Write consumer-facing copy like a human, not a medical textbook.
Tell your story. Why did you become a vet? What do you love about your job? People connect with people, not businesses.
2. Make your website a client magnet
If your website still looks like it was built in 2010, it’s time for an upgrade. This is your 24/7 marketing tool, and it should be working harder than you are.
Make sure it’s fast, mobile-friendly, accessible, and easy to navigate—most pet owners are searching on their phones.
Highlight what makes you different above the fold (before someone has to scroll). Don’t bury the good stuff.
Booking should be super easy. If people have to search for a phone number or click through five pages to book an appointment, you’re losing them.
3. Show up where people are searching
Want more clients? You need to show up when people Google “vet near me.”
Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. Keep your hours, photos, and services updated.
Use location-based keywords on your website. Instead of just “compassionate veterinary care,” try “compassionate veterinary care in [your town].”
Consistently add new content to your website. This is an opportunity to incorporate valuable keywords that help search engines recognize your website.
4. Make your social media valuable to the audience
Your social media should feel real, engaging, and useful to your audience. It’s not about what you want to post, it’s about what they want to see. A consistent mix of pet health tips, behind-the-scenes moments, and client success stories keeps things interesting.
Make it about them, not you. Instead of “Here’s our clinic!” try “3 things every pet owner should know about flea prevention.”
Video wins. Quick clips of patient success stories, “A Day in the Life of a Vet,” or a Q&A with a doctor tends to perform better than static posts.
5. Remember to ask for reviews
When pet owners need a new vet, the first thing they check is your reviews. If you don’t have a steady stream of five-star feedback, you’re losing business.
Ask for reviews at the right moment. Train your front desk staff to request them after a great visit.
Make it easy. A follow-up email with a direct link to leave a review on Google or Facebook = more reviews.
Respond to every review (even the bad ones). It shows professionalism and makes future clients more likely to trust you.
6. Happy clients can help you win more
Your best marketing is word-of-mouth. Give pet owners a reason to send their friends your way.
Offer a referral reward—a discount, a free service, or even a donation to an animal rescue in their name.
Make it personal. A handwritten thank-you note goes a long way.
Partner with local pet businesses. Groomers, trainers, and pet sitters can send clients your way—set up a win-win referral system.
7. Don’t underestimate the power of email marketing
Most vet clinics send appointment reminders and nothing else. That’s a waste of a great marketing channel.
Send a monthly email newsletter with pet care tips, seasonal reminders (flea and tick season, holiday pet hazards), and special offers.
Personalize when possible. Clients love birthday messages for their pets.
Don’t spam. If all your emails scream “BOOK NOW,” people will tune out. Create a healthy mix of education and engagement.
8. Make sure your community knows you
Want more local pet owners to know about you? Be visible in your community.
Sponsor local pet events—adoption days, dog walks, or school visits.
Host a free wellness day for the community—nail trims, weight checks, and consultations bring new faces through your doors.
Partner with rescues and shelters. Offering discounted first exams for adopted pets creates lifelong clients.
9. Spend some money on targeted ads
Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads work if you do them right.
Target pet owners in your exact area. Don’t waste ad dollars on people outside your service zone.
Use an irresistible offer. A free first exam for new clients brings in real business.
Track your results. If an ad isn’t working, don’t keep throwing money at it.
10. Delivering a great experience is the best marketing
No amount of marketing can fix a bad experience. Make sure your vet hospital leaves clients feeling great.
Train your front desk to be warm, welcoming, and efficient.
Make every client feel like their pet is your top priority.
Follow up after visits. A quick call or email shows you care and keeps clients coming back.
Most vet hospitals look and sound the same. The ones that stand out stand for something. They know who they are, what they do best, and how to communicate that clearly.
Pick 2-3 marketing tactics from this list and execute them well. You don’t need to be everywhere, you just need to be in the right places, with the right message, for the right audience.
Need help making your veterinary hospital stand out? Let’s talk. Reach out at info@getwicklow.com
