The banner image on your website is one of the first things that visitors will see. Whether you just have a static image or a full slideshow, this visual display is sure to catch attention and help pet owners form an immediate first impression of your practice.
Many banner images feature stock photo images and template text. While there’s nothing wrong with this, a little personalization can go a long way to helping your practice stand out in the crowd of practices online. Plenty of clinics are using custom photos and taking advantage of these banner images to introduce their practice, demonstrate what makes them unique, and encourage pet owners to dive deeper into their site. Here are some different types of website banners that can help you capture attention and effectively market your practice:
1. The Team Banner
This is one of our favorite banner images. Every practice should have one, because nothing makes your practice seem more inviting or human than showing off the friendly faces that make up your clinic staff. Show pet owners who they will meet when they come in to visit your practice with a personalized staff photo like this one from Hôpital Vétérinaire Hudson.
2. The Playful Banner
Demonstrate your sense of humor and play up your practice’s fun side on your website. When you show that hint of personality, you make your practice seem more welcoming and light-hearted. Keep things playful with an image like this one from Eagle Ridge Animal & Bird Hospital:
3. The Achievement Banner
It’s not bragging to share that you’ve won an award – it’s just good marketing! An award or achievement is a great way to distinguish yourself from your competition, and your banner is the perfect place to show that off. Whether you’re the readers’ choice or you’ve just become AHAA accredited, add it to your website slideshow to let your clients and prospective customers know.
You could go the route of Stonegate Animal Hospital and use a large headline and bright colors to draw attention to your success:
Or you can make the banner more personal by including an image of your practice or the winner of the accolade, as Orillia & District Veterinary Services did when one of their veterinarians won an award:
4. The Testimonial Banner
Another great way to market your practice on your homepage is to use your banners to share testimonials. This ensures that the first thing potential clients encounter when they visit your practice website is the wonderful things other customers have said about your practice! This is the approach Honeoye Falls Veterinary Hospital took with their banner:
5. The What-Sets-You-Apart Banner
What is it about your clinic that makes you unique? What sets you apart from the competition? Whatever it is, highlight it in your banner image to let potential clients know why they should be picking your clinic.
Acadia Veterinary Clinic & Pet Rehab Clinic is doing a great job of this with their banner on caring for exotic pets. (As a side note, we also love that they’ve added text to their banner images that really stands out and lets the viewer know what they’re all about.)
6. The Practice Location Banner
When prospective clients are trying to find your practice, will they know what they’re looking for? While including too many photos of your practice building can be generic and a bit bland, having at least one can help pet owners know what’s in store for them the first time they visit your practice.
Try to photograph your practice with good lighting and from an interesting but clear angle, like Winslow Animal Hospital did:
7. The Services Banner
Does your clinic offer any bonus services in addition to pet healthcare? Whether you provide boarding or acupuncture, let pet owners know with a banner about these extra features.
We really like this banner image from Royal York Animal Hospital because it combines services offered with a humorous image directly from the practice. Eye-catching, smile-inducing, and informative!
8. The Community Involvement Banner
Whether you’re running a microchip clinic or getting involved with your local SPCA, a photo from your latest community involvement makes a great banner. Pet owners love to see it when their veterinary clinic is out and about in the community.
You can advertise an event ahead of time or share photos from after the fact like this banner from Allatoona Animal Hospital:
Or this photo with an entertaining caption from Amherst Veterinary Hospital:
9. The Collage Banner
For when one image simply isn’t enough. Create a collage of images to showcase your practice and all you have offer, like this attractive collage banner from Frontier Veterinary Hospital:
10. The Blog Post Banner
Your practice blog is a great place to provide entertaining and informative content for existing and prospective clients. You can attract readers to your practice blog through your website banner. Use an image from your practice to add extra punch like Elgin Animal Hospital did here:
11. The Find Us On Social Media Banner
Is your practice on social media? Encourage pet owners to find and follow you there. You can even use a compelling image from your social account, like this one from Lockridge Animal Hospital that really catches the eye:
12. The Patient Photo Banner
More than anything, your patients are what make up your practice. If you have a cute photo of your patients, and explicit permission from their owners, why not share that picture on your practice website? You’ll remind pet owners of their own fur babies and demonstrate how much you love your clientele.
All you need is an adorable patient photo to create a banner image like this one from Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital:
13. The Holiday Banner
From St. Patty’s Day to Easter to Christmas, it feels like there’s always a holiday right around the corner. Keep your practice website looking up-to-date and topical by creating a banner for the upcoming holidays. You can use a holiday-themed image, like this one from Ballantrae Plaza Veterinary Clinic:
Or share a graphic with your holiday hours on it, like this one from Owen Sound Veterinary Clinic:
14. The Special Offer Banner
If you have a special offer or promotion going on at your practice, your website banner is the perfect place to advertise it. Both current and prospective clients would be thrilled to discover that they could save some money on a service, and you can include a call-to-action to encourage them to take advantage of the offer right away.
Create a graphic for your promotion (you can create one in Canva), or use a pre-made one like this banner from King Hopkins Pet Hospital for Pet Dental Month:
Use the banners on your practice website to catch visitors’ eyes, achieve your marketing goals, represent your practice and its unique aspects, and entice pet owners to go from casually browsing to walking through your clinic doors.
