How to sell horses online with equine content marketing

Can you really sell horses online?

For most equestrians the very thought is almost blasphemy, because we all know that no one ever purchases a horse without viewing and have a trial ride in person.

 However, most horse breeders in the equine industry fail to implement a digital strategy for their benefit. You see today Google is often the first go-to place for equestrians looking for their next four-legged friend.

To illustrate we tried inserting a search term “Friesian horses for sale” into a keyword tool

And the results speak for themselves:

As you can see in the screenshot 343 people type in the search term “Friesian horse for sale” and as you can see from the above screenshot there are variations that get even more specific. Search terms like “Friesian horse for sale in Oklahoma”, and “Frisian horse for sale in California” can give you as a horse breeder for a specific equestrian breed an idea of where your potential buyers are, and which specific words they type into Google.

This little quick test we did is called keyword research and is the first step of SEO.

In the blog “Why SEO is important for your Equine business” we explain what SEO is and why it is a great starting place for your equestrian business to be discovered online .

Why good equestrian copywriting is essential for your equine business

Now, we will address and explain the importance of equestrian copywriting. As a horse breeder your website is your online company card. While SEO is the number one step to being discovered online, copywriting is essential step number two.

Copywriting is communication, and communication creates trust.

Your SEO efforts can all go to waste if your potential customers don’t trust you. This is especially true if you aren’t an established horse breeder in the industry with a brand and a reputation to drive your equine business forward.

In other words: trying to sell horses online without establishing trust to you as a horse breeder is like

Remember that potential buyers will be skeptical from the get-go and this could decrease your conversion rate if your clients are reluctant to reach out and contact you.

Building trust with your potential equestrian buyers is something you have to earn. When it comes to equestrian content marketing you are consistently publishing content related to your potential buyers through one or more channels – this is a great way to introduce yourself as a horse breeder and make new clients book a viewing.

Content that addresses the client’s questions is similar to inviting them in for an open house at your breeding facility. Your potential equestrian buyers get to know who you are as a horse breeder and they have a chance to explore your specific facility through the knowledge that you share online. This creates an invisible trust to you as a horse breeder, and your brand- something that will be easy to measure through improved conversion rates on your site.

3 Tips to establish trust with equestrian content marketing:

1.     Showcase your horses

Pictures and videos with people who work at your breeding facility create trust. Include images of everyone who works at your stud farm this will create an impression of your facility – remember people buy from people!

2.     Show off your popularity

Put yourself into your client’s position for a minute If you had to choose between two horse breeders for one specific horse breed most people would probably choose the one with most clients. You can build online trust with client testimonials, reviews, media publicity, blogs from visitors or references from other horse breeders using your gene pole in their own breeding program. Make sure to make this visible for visitors landing on your website.

3.     Share your knowledge

Share your expertise and knowledge of your particular horse breed through a blog or on your social media channels. Share content that is specific to the group of potential buyers who you wish to attract. Do this regularly but try to use an open tone of voice making it easy for visitors to comment on. Showing what you know about the specific horse breed you are marketing and why you love this specific breed will position yourself as an expert and that you understand why your potential buyer is considering this specific breed.

Have questions?

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or leave a comment below.