Compassion or Vegetarian

Question

Hi everyone,

We've recently changed the name of the site in the title graphic and would like your feedback.  
It used to read:
Vegetarian Guide to Restaurants & Stores

and now reads:
Compassionate Eating Guide

we've also considered:
Compassionate Dining Guide

How do these titles sound to you and which should we go with?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

webmaster · Answer

Here are some responses collected from facebook members, but approached without specifically mentioning HappyCow:

Premise:
If you were very bored, had time to spare and were randomly surfing the web for something interesting to read; would you be more likely to scan a site titled, 
"Compassionate Eating Guide" or one called, "Vegetarian Eating Guide" and why? 

In your response please tell me if you are vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore. NO BASHING allowed. SINCERE, HONEST replies only. Thanks so much in advance.

Replies: 
1. I'd read both - I'm a vegetarian for 4 years now. I think about veganism quite abit. I once saw moby on youtube and he said that it's not an excuse but it can be very hard and almost impossible to be vegan in some places.
But yeah I'd read both - I read anything and everything.

2. Omnivore- I would go with the Vegetarian eating guide as eating vegetarian stuff for me is more about health and not emotionally driven.

3. I would go to compassionate eating guide, but vegetarian eating guide would most likely attract more readers...since people are vegetarian for other reasons besides compassion for animals. I'm vegan for 2 years now.

4. I myself would go to both; I am vegan. But I do agree with someone else that said vegetarian may attract more...some people shy away from the word compassion, thinking they will see some graphic images or read something that may force them to CHANGE how they eat...and many run like hell from that. Either way, it is great what you are doing.

5. I'd go for "Vegetarian", I'm Vegan but think maybe "Compassion" could be a subtext...

6. I'd go for the Veggie because I might not know what "compassionate eating guide" meant. I am vegan.

7. Vegetarian title...95% of my diet is vegan. I like your idea of compassion, because I think that many people are beginning to eat less meat because of their awareness of animal abuse. Is the article strictly about the diet or about companies that use meat products from cage-free, etc farms?

8. compassionate: well there are more non-vegans out there... and if it was only dealing with vegetarian eating, i wouldn't be interested, the 1st one sounds more interesting.

9. I eat meat and so i don't do the vegetarian thing- i guess i would read something about compassion then, but i don't know what that means and would only read it if i had to. 

10. Hi, since I have a degree in dietary management, I am familiar with the vegetarian eating rules. But I would most likely pick the title- vegetarian eating guide. I have read several books and looks at many websites concerning eating. I am not compassionate about eating at all. I find that title curious, but doubt it would really grab me. 

I would more likely read something with the words- healthy eating- or healthy vegetarian eating. Since I eat and love all fruits and vegetables and have intolerance to milk, I look for healthy alternatives to eating. 
I eat meat but am always looking for other good proteins that my body can tolerate. 

Compassionate to me is a string word to put with any kind of eating....but that might just be me. Since I am overweight, I tend to be less compassionate about food I suppose. I am always looking for foods that just agree with my body and do not make me sick.

11. I guess I am an omnivore because I do eat meat.  
I would probably look into both a little just for curiosity, but would read more about Compassionate Eating Guide.  I like food in general and I know I definitely eat out of emotions quite a bit.

12. Vegetarian – Would only read, "Vegetarian Eating Guide", because that is what I am most interested in

13. Omnivore/Vegetarian Wanna Be – "Vegetarian Eating Guide"   I want to be a Vegetarian, but out of habit of a long life desires can't bring myself to say away from meat – but do enjoy a "No Meat Dish, Often".

14. there is nothing wrong with my compassion, but i could use improvement on my eating. a vegetarian diet could maybe give me that. do you have something to read about vegetarianism? 

15. i am compassionate. I am an omnivore. I can still be compassionate no matter how I eat, but I would read vegetarian stuff for my health, cuz I think doctor's tell people not to eat meat when they are at risk for a heart attack. 

16. I am an Omnivore. Vegetarian reading sounds a little better. Compassionate eating may sound too wimpy for some people lol. Haha its all good.


17. female vegan: and I would choose a Compassionate Eating Guide in the hope it would include vegan issues, wouldn't bother with V.E.G


18. I wouldn't know what compassionate eating is so i guess i would read vegetarian stuff first b/c i always thought of going vegetarian anyway. I am not vegetarian now. thank you. this sounds good and i like your writing. is this for another article? 

19.Well, my husband lacks compassion for my overeating issues so I would read that and give it to him too. I eat a lot and everything. 

20. I want my whole family to stop eating meat, so I would read vegetarian stuff but I already read articles about this already. Of course we are omnivores, obviously.  

21. food can be vegetarian- not compassionate. I am vegetarian. I am compassionate, but not for my food. 

22. "i believe choosing to eat or not eat meat for sustenance is a matter of choice. I am omnivorous but respect those who are not as would i expect the same. 
I would probably not choose to read either."

23. Vegetarian because i think it's the healthiest. i guess i am omnivore because i eat everything.

kindlizard · Answer

Webmaster,

You can't beat an original.

You should, imo, seriously reconsider.  While compassion is likely one of your main reasons for being vegetarian, for others it may not even come into the picture.  Some may do it for health.  Others for taste.  It would be similarly limiting if you said a "Healthy Easting Guide".  

While it may be good for netweorking and connecting with others, I wouldn't let Facebook change your site, use it as a tool FOR the site, not letting it take your site off course.

Many people would never think of looking up compassionate eating sites, what is that?  It sounds religious and off-putting.  Moralistic.  Sometimes people just want to eat, not be moralized, especially if they are branching out toward vegetarianism.  Most times when moralized to, it has the opposite response than the desired one.  Like if I were to come to someone's town and told them to look up a vegan place to go to, I think this site may not occur to them in that they would not equate compassion with vegan.  More basic = more access.  

Long story short (too late!) bad idea, go original.

kindlizard · Answer

plus, many cafes would have to be deleted, those w a large meat menu that may have few veg options, since those wouldn't be compassionate

HM · Answer

I'd go with compassionate.
my first reason for being vegan is for ethical reasons first and foremost... compassion for animals, as well as the environment first.  My health is important to, which just comes with being vegan.
vegetarian though does mean more compassionate, but not necessarily, and it's not the most ethical choice to continue to consume that which comes from an animal's labor and suffering.

Jemima · Answer

Vegetarian would probably get more hits. What about ethical as an alternative to compassionate?

JohnnySensible · Answer

Compassionate for sure! HappyCow helps people to eat compassionately! . . . The SEO will be based around words such as "vegetarian" for years to come though. When you Google for "vegetarian directory" - or "vegan directory" you will see - + Vegetarian restaurants guide and directory of natural health food ...18 Jan 2009 ... A searchable dining guide to vegetarian restaurants, natural health food stores, information on vegetarian nutrition, raw food, veganism, ... www.happycow.net + . . . Suggestion to all compassionate websites - track your visitors & monitor the effects of your "site tweaking" with Quantcast - see http://www.quantcast.com/happycow.net#traffic

animalsrule · Answer

I think you should change it back to the vegetarian one.:)

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