5 Tips to Make Your Sitter Profile Stand Out

You know you’ll provide amazing care as a sitter, but how do you make a great first impression with potential clients when they’re looking at your profile? These tips from fellow sitters will help make your Rover profile stand out.

Tip 1: Make sure your profile picture is bright and friendly. 

Your profile picture is your first impression. Put your best face forward and choose a photo that shows who you are. Here are some recommendations from fellow sitters: 

• Show your face. Choose a profile picture that shows your face clearly. Avoid pictures where you are wearing sunglasses, a hat, or anything else that might obscure your face. 

• Let your personality shine through. Your profile picture isn’t the place for moody, artsy photos. Choose a picture that shows your most authentic smile. Clients want to see you being you. 

• Include an animal. You’d be surprised by how many sitters miss the opportunity to include a pet or beloved animal in their profile picture. If you have a photo that showcases your love for animals, potential clients may gravitate towards your profile. 

• Choose high-quality photos. Be sure your profile picture is crisp and clear. Grainy, blurry photos will work against you. 

Tip 2: Curate a phenomenal photo gallery. 

Once you’ve chosen the perfect profile picture, it’s time to supplement your profile with more photos that paint a broad picture of who you are and what you’ll offer to your clients. 

• Show your services. Will you offer in-home boarding? Be sure to include pictures of your house. Pet parents will be interested in seeing the space their pets might be spending time. If you have a fenced backyard, show it off, ideally with a picture of you playing with a dog. If you offer dog walking, toss in a few pictures of you walking dogs. When clients can see you in action, they can more easily picture you taking care of their pets. 

• Tell a visual story. Include pictures of you interacting with animals. Some sitters make a point of taking frame-worthy photos of the pets they care for. Pet parents love it and these sitters can enhance their photo gallery with beautiful pictures of the pets they love. It’s polite to check with your clients to make sure they consent to having their pet’s image shared in this way. Be sure to remove any identifying information before sharing pictures of other people’s pets. 

• Keep it evergreen. Avoid posting too many pictures that date your profile. If the photos of your home include holiday decorations and potential clients are searching for summer care, your profile might seem out of date. 

Once you’ve settled on the right pictures to show who you are, it’s time to shift focus to what your profile will say about you to potential clients.

Tip 3: Completely fill out your pet care experience. 

Use your pet care experience section to introduce yourself to clients. This is your opportunity to let potential clients know about your skills, strengths, and why you’d be a great sitter for their pets. Here are some things to include in your pet care experience: 

• Make your tagline specific. Pet parents are looking for something more detailed than “I love dogs.” Your tagline should succinctly summarize what you offer. 
• Write about your experience. Describe what makes your experience unique. Did you grow up with animals? Are you comfortable with administering medications or managing complex feeding schedules? Do you volunteer at an animal shelter or as a foster home for pets? All of these details add up to make for a great profile. 
• Share a typical ‘day-in-the-life’. What can pet parents expect when you spend time with their pets? Think of the services you offer and describe what they typically look like for you. Do you have a ritual for saying goodbye to pets after a walk or a drop-in? Maybe you keep a collection of treats and toys for in-home boarding. The more detail you can offer, the more clients will be able to picture their pets in your care.  
• Be clear about why you’re the best choice. It can feel strange to brag about yourself, but one thing pet parents often have in common is the desire to know their animals will be loved while they are away. How do you go above and beyond for your clients? This is a great place to list the extra special touches you offer, like homemade treats or trips to a local dog park. 

Tip 4: Be clear about your pet sitting preferences. 

To help ensure better matches, be thorough and clear about what you’d like to know about potential clients and their pets.

• Be clear about size restrictions. If you live in a small studio apartment and are unable to board larger dogs, for example, make sure your breed preferences are up to date. 

• Highlight the animals you like working with. If you love dogs and cats but are iffy on reptiles or rodents, make that clear. This helps reduce messages from pet parents whose pets might not be a good fit for you. 

Tip 5: Keep your profile up to date. 

Think of your profile as a living document. Keep it fresh and accurate. 

• Add new photos to your profile whenever possible.

• Keep your calendar up to date to help ensure potential pet parents have accurate information about your availability. 
• Update your profile with new certifications. Are you newly certified in first aid? Add it to your profile! Pet parents want to know their pets are safe and secure with the sitter they choose. 

One final suggestion is to have a trusted friend of family member proofread your profile when you finish. Typos can make you look careless and pet parents look for sitters who demonstrate attention to detail. 

We hope these tips help you create a profile that makes you proud and draws in more clients. Happy sitting!