How to Get More Customers as a Pet Store in Perth

Most pet stores in Perth still rely on word of mouth, a shopfront sign, and maybe a Facebook page they update once a month. And honestly, that approach worked fine 10 years ago.

It doesn't work now.

In 2026, 97% of customers search online before choosing a local business. That includes pet owners looking for premium dog food, a new fish tank, grooming supplies, or a puppy harness. They're typing "pet store near me" into Google, scrolling through reviews, comparing options on Maps, and making a decision before they ever set foot in your shop.

If your pet store doesn't show up in that process, you lose the sale. Simple as that.

The good news? Getting found online as a Perth pet store isn't complicated. It takes deliberate effort, a clear strategy, and consistency. This guide walks you through exactly how to get more customers as a pet store in Perth, step by step, using the same methods we implement for local businesses across Western Australia every day.

Whether you run a boutique pet shop in Fremantle, a large pet supplies warehouse in Joondalup, or an independent store in Cannington, these strategies apply. The average transaction value for a pet store ranges from $30 to $200, so even a handful of new customers each week adds up to serious revenue over a year.

Let's get into it.

---

TL;DR

• This is a step-by-step guide to getting more customers as a pet store in Perth
• Covers Google Maps optimisation, reviews, website SEO, content strategy, and AI search
• Average pet store transaction value sits between $30 and $200 — small gains compound fast
• You can DIY the basics, but professional help accelerates results significantly

---

Step 1: Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most powerful free tool available to any pet store in Perth. It's what determines whether you show up in the "local pack" — that map with three businesses listed underneath it when someone searches "pet store in Perth" or "pet supplies Morley."

If you haven't claimed your profile yet, go to business.google.com and do it today. Google will verify you by phone, email, or postcard, depending on your situation.

Once claimed, here's how to optimise it properly:

Business name: Use your actual registered business name. Don't stuff keywords in here — Google penalises that.

Primary category: Select "Pet Store" as your primary category. Add secondary categories like "Pet Supply Store," "Aquarium Store," or "Dog Groomer" if they're relevant to what you sell or offer.

Description: Write a clear, keyword-rich description of your business. Mention Perth, the suburbs you serve, the types of products you carry, and any specialties. Think raw dog food, reptile supplies, aquarium setups, natural pet treats — whatever sets you apart.

Photos: Upload at least 15 to 20 high-quality photos. Show your shopfront, product shelves, staff, animals (if applicable), and any in-store displays. Businesses with more photos get 42% more direction requests and 35% more click-throughs to their website.

Products and services: Fill out every single product and service listing Google allows. Add prices where possible.

Hours: Keep these updated religiously, including public holidays. Nothing kills trust faster than a customer driving to a shop that's supposed to be open but isn't.

Posts: Publish Google Posts weekly. Announce new product arrivals, promotions, pet care tips, or events. This signals to Google that your profile is active and well-managed.

A fully optimised GBP is the foundation of everything else in this guide. Without it, the rest falls flat. If you want professional help setting this up, we offer GBP optimisation as part of our local SEO packages for pet stores in Perth.

---

Step 2: Get Your Website Ranking for Local Keywords

Your Google Business Profile gets you on the map. Your website gets you everywhere else.

The goal is straightforward: when someone types "pet store in Perth," "dog food Joondalup," or "aquarium supplies Fremantle" into Google, your website should appear on page one. Here's how to work toward that.

Start with your core pages. Your homepage should clearly target your primary keyword — "pet store in Perth" — in the title tag, H1 heading, meta description, and naturally throughout the body content. Don't force it. Write for humans first, search engines second.

Build suburb-specific landing pages. Perth is a sprawling city. A customer in Rockingham isn't searching the same way as someone in Scarborough. Create dedicated pages for each suburb or area you serve. Each page should have unique content about serving that area, the products you offer, and why local pet owners choose you.

Examples:

• /pet-store-joondalup
• /pet-supplies-morley
• /aquarium-store-fremantle
• /dog-food-cannington

Create service and product category pages. If you sell reptile supplies, give that its own page. Same for aquarium equipment, raw dog food, bird cages, cat furniture, and grooming products. Each category page is an opportunity to rank for a different set of keywords.

Technical basics matter. Your site needs to load fast (under three seconds), work perfectly on mobile, use HTTPS, and have a clear structure with internal linking between related pages. Google rewards sites that provide a good user experience.

Don't forget local schema markup. This is code you add to your website that tells search engines your business name, address, phone number, hours, and service area in a structured format. It helps Google understand and trust your business information.

For a deeper dive into website optimisation, check out our complete SEO guide for pet stores in Perth.

---

Step 3: Build a Review Generation System

Reviews are the currency of local search. They influence your Google Maps ranking, they build trust with potential customers, and they directly impact whether someone chooses your store over the competitor down the road.

Most pet store owners know reviews matter. Very few have an actual system for generating them.

Here's how to build one:

Ask at the right moment. The best time to request a review is immediately after a positive interaction. A customer just found exactly what they needed for their new puppy? That's the moment. They're happy, they're grateful, and they're willing to help.

Make it stupidly easy. Create a short link to your Google review page. Print it on a card. Put a QR code at your register. Text the link after a purchase if you have their mobile number.

Use a simple script. Train your staff to say something like: "Hey, if you've got 30 seconds, we'd really appreciate a Google review. It helps other pet owners find us." That's it. No pressure, no gimmicks.

Follow up with email or SMS. If you collect customer details (and you should), send a follow-up message within 24 hours. Keep it short:

"Thanks for visiting [Store Name] today! If you had a great experience, we'd love a quick Google review. Here's the link: [link]. It means the world to our small team."

Respond to every review. Good or bad, respond within 48 hours. Thank positive reviewers by name. Address negative reviews professionally and offer to resolve the issue offline. Google notices engagement, and future customers notice how you handle problems.

Aim for a minimum of two to three new reviews per week. Over a year, that's 100-plus reviews, putting you well ahead of most pet stores in Perth.

---

Step 4: Create Content That Attracts Customers

Content marketing for a pet store isn't about going viral. It's about answering the questions Perth pet owners are already asking, so your website shows up when they search.

Think about what your customers ask you every day in-store:

• "What's the best dog food for a staffy with allergies?"
• "How often should I clean my fish tank?"
• "What do I need for a new kitten?"
• "Are raw bones safe for puppies?"

Each of those questions is a blog post waiting to be written. And each blog post is a doorway that brings potential customers to your website.

Start with 10 foundational articles. Pick the 10 most common questions your staff hear. Write detailed, honest answers in 800 to 1,200 words. Include product recommendations where relevant, and link to your product or category pages.

Add local relevance. Mention Perth-specific details. Reference local parks, Perth weather considerations for pets, Western Australian regulations on exotic pets, or local vet recommendations. This local angle helps you rank for Perth-specific searches and builds trust with local readers.

Create seasonal content. Write about keeping pets cool in Perth's brutal summers. Cover tick and flea prevention as spring hits. Publish gift guides for pet owners before Christmas. Seasonal content drives traffic spikes that convert into store visits.

Build FAQ pages for each product category. These perform brilliantly in search results, especially in featured snippets and AI-generated answers. Structure them with clear questions as headings and concise answers underneath.

Content builds authority over time. It's a long game, but the compounding returns are enormous. A blog post you publish today can drive traffic for years.

---

Step 5: Optimise for AI Search (GEO)

Generative Engine Optimisation — GEO — is the newest frontier. Tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google's AI Overviews, and Copilot are increasingly how people find local businesses. When someone asks ChatGPT "What's the best pet store in Perth?", you want your business name in that answer.

AI models pull their recommendations from authoritative, well-structured web content. Here's what helps:

Be mentioned across multiple sources. Get featured in local directories, Perth business roundups, pet industry blogs, and news articles. The more places AI models find your name associated with "pet store" and "Perth," the more likely they are to recommend you.

Structure your content clearly. Use headings, lists, and concise paragraphs. AI models favour content that's easy to parse and quote.

Build topical authority. Publish comprehensive content across all areas of pet care. A website with 50 detailed articles about pet nutrition, care, and products carries more weight than one with five thin pages.

Include credibility signals. Mention years in business, staff qualifications, brand partnerships, and customer review counts. AI models look for trust signals when choosing which businesses to recommend.

We've written a full breakdown of this topic in our GEO guide for pet stores in Perth. It's worth a read if you want to get ahead of competitors who haven't even heard of GEO yet.

---

Step 6: Track Your Results

You can't improve what you don't measure. Here are the numbers that actually matter for a pet store trying to grow:

Phone calls. Use call tracking or simply monitor the calls reported through your Google Business Profile insights. Are they going up month over month?

Website traffic. Google Analytics (free) shows you how many people visit your site, which pages they land on, and where they come from. Pay attention to organic search traffic specifically.

Google Maps views and actions. Your GBP dashboard shows impressions, searches, direction requests, and calls. Track these monthly.

Keyword rankings. Are you moving up for "pet store in Perth," "pet supplies [suburb]," and your target product keywords? Tools like SEMrush or even free options like Google Search Console give you this data.

Review count and rating. Track the total number of reviews and your average star rating. Set a monthly target and hold your team accountable.

Revenue per channel. If possible, ask new customers how they found you. A simple "How did you hear about us?" at the counter gives you ground-truth data no analytics tool can match.

Set up a simple spreadsheet. Update it monthly. Look for trends. Double down on what works. Fix what doesn't.

---

When to Hire a Professional

Everything in this guide is doable yourself. But "doable" and "realistic given your schedule" are two different things.

If you're running a pet store, you're managing staff, ordering stock, serving customers, handling suppliers, and probably cleaning animal enclosures. Adding "become a digital marketing expert" to that list is a tall order.

Here's a rough guide:

DIY if: You have 5+ hours per week to dedicate to marketing, you enjoy learning new tools, and you're patient enough to wait 6 to 12 months for results to compound.

Hire a professional if: You want faster results, you'd rather spend your time running the business, or you've tried DIY and it hasn't moved the needle.

At Searchmaxxed, we work with pet stores and other local businesses across Perth. Our packages range from $500 to $2,000 per month depending on scope, covering everything from Google Business Profile optimisation and local SEO to content creation, review strategy, and GEO.

We don't lock you into long contracts, and we report on actual results — calls, traffic, rankings, and revenue impact. Get in touch for a free strategy call and we'll show you exactly where the opportunities are for your store.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

How can pet stores get more customers online?

Optimise your Google Business Profile, build a website targeting local keywords, generate consistent reviews, and publish helpful content that Perth pet owners search for.

What's the fastest way to get more calls as a pet store?

Fully optimise your Google Business Profile. Most pet stores see increased calls within 30 days of proper setup and ongoing posting.

How much should I spend on marketing as a pet store?

Allocate 5-10% of revenue. For most Perth pet stores, that's $500 to $2,000 per month, covering SEO, content, and local search optimisation.

Is Google Ads or SEO better for pet stores?

SEO delivers better long-term ROI for pet stores. Google Ads can supplement during slow periods or for promotions, but organic visibility should be your foundation.

---

Ready to get more customers walking through your doors? We help Perth pet stores grow with local SEO, content, and AI search strategies that actually work. Book your free strategy session today.