no cats

what are people doing now? what resources, both online and tangible, do people use? competitive analysis helps us answer these questions.

traditional magazines

dog magazines are not a new concept and several paper versions exist such as modern dog, dog world, and our dog. these magazines include articles about things to with your dog, reviews of new dog toys and products, stories about famous people and their pets, as well as advice columns, often targeting a certain group of people with specific interests. these magazines satisfy the need for specific information (e.g. dog-friendly travel, dog accessories). however, tangible magazines are designed in a 'one size fits many' style and lack personalization. further, these address only specific market groups and are limiting in the information they provide. readers are greatly limited in the types of and frequency of interactions they have with the magazine.

understanding what draws people to buy and read magazines helps us create an online magazine that meets users' needs.

informational websites

sites like iams.com and vetinfo.com provide valuable information to pet owners but often fail to create a site that people frequently visit. most information is available to owners with questions about how to choose and care for their dogs and is primarily problem-driven. information is organized into breed-specific categories, as well as by common issues. these sites also provide latest news information on dog community events, diseases, and how people can contribute to dogs in need. however, these sites lack trust-building relationships and do not offer multiple opinions for different issues. sites for finding a dog provide the ability to search by concrete terms such as: breed, age, size, and location. abstract terms such as personality, activity level, and fit in lifestyle are not used.

we aim to create a cite that provides information as well as helps establish a social community.

social networks

people have friendster and facebook to stay connected so it should come as no surprise that dogs have dogster.

these social communities are social networking tools meant to drive community-building and communication. personalization of dog identity is developed by sharing experiences, stories, interests, and pictures. privacy issues are masked by using dogs' perspectives and voice. these sites also provide forums for real-time, direct, two-way communication. however, these sites are not information-focused.

while dogster focuses purely on the social aspects of owning a dog, our site will work to provide a balance between information and social experiences.