AI Software
Allergy Category Launch
Vetster is a pet telemedicine startup based in Toronto that provides a platform for pet parents to connect with veterinarians for virtual consults.
Why Allergies as a category launch?
1 1
REASON 1
1 in 5 pets experience allergies
Allergies are common, yet pet parents often mistake them for other conditions.
2 2
REASON 2
70% uncertain about care
Confusion led to delays in seeking treatment and unnecessary stress.
3 3
REASON 3
60% people unclear on next steps
Pet parents wanted guidance, but existing resources left them overwhelmed or misinformed.
There were multiple constraints & considerations associated with this project
01 / Fast timeline
I had less than one week to design and align on the full experience with multiple stakeholders.
02 / Tech limitations
With the requirement of a quick turnaround and build constraints, I had to leverage existing reusable components.
03 / Compliance
The content had to balance being user-friendly while meeting veterinary regulations.
04 / Balancing priorities
I needed to navigate differing inputs from vets, legal, product, and engineering under these tight deadlines
What we learned from vets & market research
Process
- Set up a quick call with our veterinary professional on the team
- Sent out a list of brief questions to vets who work on Vetster
Findings
Catering to two different user types: Pet parents who know their pets have allergies and are looking for an Apoquel refill Pet parents who have observed symptoms but don’t know what their pet has
Framing the challenge together
I ran a workshop with all stakeholders (product, marketing, CRM, business operations) to align on the problem and brainstorm solutions.
Within this workshop, I mapped out two distinct user groups. First-time or unsure parents who need education and clarity, and experienced parents who already know their pet’s allergies and just want quick access to treatment. The challenge I framed for the team was: how do we create a user flow that highlights Vetster’s value, while serving both of these very different needs?
Bringing the Allergy category to life
PILLAR 1
Driving discovery through SEO & within app
As part of launching the category, I had to work on creating various entry points to the actual allergy appointment as well as making the user aware of our new feature offering. I collaborated with multiple stakeholders to bring this to life as well as align on imagery, tone and branding.
PILLAR 2
Educating Pet Parents with SEO Content
Another important piece of this launch was creating an educational allergy landing page. This page had a dual purpose: First, it served as a trust-building entry point for pet parents, especially those who were new or unsure about allergies. It provided clear, simple education about symptoms and treatment options, so they felt informed before starting the intake form. Second, it was designed with SEO in mind. By targeting high-intent search terms around pet allergies, this page helps us capture organic traffic and bring new users directly into our allergy flow.
PILLAR 3
Designing the allergy intake form
For the intake form, my goal was to design a flow that could adapt to two very different types of pet parents. For first-time or unsure pet parents, the form needed to feel educational and guiding — helping them describe symptoms even if they weren’t sure whether it was allergies or something else. For experienced pet parents, it had to be efficient - letting them get straight to what they needed, like a refill of Apoquel or another treatment. The form was designed for both mobile and web, with clear, conversational questions and reusable components to speed up development. By balancing guidance with efficiency, the intake flow helps us deliver value to both user groups without adding unnecessary friction.
PILLAR 4
Tailored care with a chosen veterinarian
One of the biggest differences between our regular booking flow and the allergy experience was how we connected pet parents to a vet. Normally, parents go into the marketplace, browse profiles, and make a choice themselves. For allergies, we realized that this extra step could add friction, especially for first-time parents who may already feel unsure or overwhelmed. So instead, we automatically match each appointment with a veterinarian who has allergy experience. This does two things: First, it removes decision fatigue, so parents can get to care faster. And second, it builds trust, because they know they’re being paired with the right vet for their pet’s needs.
Expected impact & outcome
Higher subscription adoption
Another medium for users to convert to being a subscriber; future phases will include subscriber-exclusive discounts for prescriptions
Higher customer acquisition
SEO landing pages leading to increased awareness around Vetster and its offerings
Higher attach rate
Increased attach rate (prescriptions being attached to the appointment) with a new category launch