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How do I rank higher in search results?

Hey guys,

When I check out nearby sitters in my area, I find I am all the way on the 6th page. Now I know why I've been on this site for so long but never get hired. I'm sure people find someone they like by the time they get to the 5th page.

I have 1 testimonial so far and 3 badges. But I see people on the second page with one testimonial and only one badge. I completely filled out my profile, answered all the questions fully, and have 14 photos. My price is only $5 more than the minimum.

Also the area of the zip code I entered is completely empty and the search shows sitters in other zip codes, until I got to later pages, where it then began showing the sitters in the area I was searching for. So it shows people farther away before it shows my profile when I'm closer to the zip code entered, if that makes sense.

Is there anything else that could put you higher in search results? Does anyone else have this issue too?

Update: thanks everyone, for replying! It was really hard for me to choose the "correct answer" - you all helped me. Good luck to you guys and I hope you get many happy bookings :)

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Good luck! However, I'm not sure there's any rhyme or reason to Rover's search algorithm. I did a search on my zipcode and found myself, with 29 five-star reviews, number 6 on the second page of sitters. The very first sitter had no badges and no reviews and was, naturally, not even in the zipcode. Over the holidays, my nephew asked about the service for a friend of his with two dogs. When I told him that the search function pretty much ignored zipcodes, he was in total disbelief that any business could operate this way. Rover are you listening?

Karen R.

I think it might partly have to do with how quickly you respond. Do you respond within seconds? Minutes? Hours? If you take longer to respond that might be the issue.

Sarah B.

Unfortunately, all search algorithms are extremely flawed and based on the parameters as programmed by the company that uses them. They will not tell you how they have their algorithms set, so do not waste your time asking. Has nothing to do with "reviews". It's the search function that is flawed

Karen P.

I very much agree. Moreover, you would think a company would tailor the search function to meet its customers' needs. Have they done focus groups to ask customers how they want to search or what attributes are most important? Doubtful.

Karen R.

5 Answers

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Karen R.

Book a Stay
Chicago, IL

I feel your pain. When you live in a large city, it can be frustrating to see all the sitters listed outside your zipcode ahead of you when you do a search. I had this discussion with the Rover people when they first expanded to my city a few years ago and how their algorithms need some adjusting. From a customer standpoint, it can be equally impractical for so many reasons. Most people would prefer to use a sitter in their own neighborhood. You can only hope that people realize they can use the map (on the right side of the page) as a more effective tool to zoom in on a particular neighborhood. Since you've earned the badges and solicited one testimonial, you may have to do some online marketing or let Rover do it for you. There is a box you can check in your profile about marketing.

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Just what I thought, Karen! I've tried craigslist and nextdoor.com. But what marketing checkbox in the profile do you mean? I wasn't able to find it.

Lilly K.

Go to edit your Basic Profile. It is under the Dog Hosting Details & Preferences group. On the left, it says "Marketing Partner." You just check the box and your info (including photos) will show up on CL.

Karen R.

Thank you! However, I don't see a part of the edit basic profile that's called Dog Hosting Details & Preferences. I think that might only be for in-home sitters, but I'm a traveling sitter.

Lilly K.

Under Basic Profile, it could be right after Cancellation Policy and right before designating the size dog you will sit. I would imagine both those preferences would also have to included for a traveling sitter. If you still can't find it, call the customer support staff to see how you can elect to have Rover do some marketing for you. I had no idea Rover was using my material, since when I signed up, there wasn't such an option, but was shocked to see myself and my home on CL. I called Rover and asked how it got there and found out about the new marketing preference, which they had activated as a "default setting." I did change it, but this is something you may want to pursue. Periodically Rover sends emails about joining them in various marketing campaigns. Hope this helps.

Karen R.

On your Dashboard, there is a section with links to promote your profile on various sites, including CL and NextDoor. New customers will have access to a link that goes right to your profile and they'll get $20 their first booking from Rover (not you).

Karen R.

Omg thank you! I found it and it was already checked off. I think I was looking in my "Basic profile" under the "basic info" tab. Rover can be confusing. Yes, I've seen the options for posting your profile on CL or nextdoor or google+, etc Thanks again!!

Lilly K.

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Laura R.

Book a Stay
Portland, OR

Additionally, your ranking isn't static. You may be way down the list one time, but if you load the page again later, you won't be in the same order.

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Marlyn M.

Earn AS MANY badges as possible! Uploading photos of your home and dogs you've cared for helps a ton, too. Responding to ALL inquiries within an hour, always updating your calendar, filling out your profile as much as possible (answering questions in the About Me section), and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of right now.

Read thoroughly the sitter support page regarding becoming a great Rover sitter.

Good luck!!

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http://www.rover.com/blog/sitter-best-practices/

Marlyn M.

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Dominique & Michael Q.

I’ve been trying to understand the search rank a long while. I’ve talked to Rover with nothing new learned. I’ve come to realize they control the particulars of the algorithm, and we’ll never be told what they are. But if we study closely the search rank, I think we may begin to observe some patterns that give clues as to which sitters rank higher in the search. A good example for comparison would be human diseases: some factions influencing illness are things relating to lifestyle- things we can change; other things are genetic, and we cannot control them. Since I know I can effect no change in regard to the Rover search algorithm, I just do the best I can with the factors I can influence. I’ve done everything Rover suggested and on a continual basis. As for Craigslist- bad choice. Sharing my profile to Craigslist got me nothing but creeps looking to know me, not request dog services. Craigslist is not what it used to be.

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Mark F.

General options, but it may have appeared when I received an email inviting me.). Basically, they steer dog owners to you when it's a good match, they keep an additional 20% for that booking, repeat bookings with that customer are treated normally. If you don't have that switch in your settings, you could contact Rover and make your case why you should be invited. I didn't join because I only take one household at a time and am getting enough requests to keep me busy. But, if I were in a competitive area, or wanted to establish a full-service business (instead the "couch surfing" type of low-volume boarding I'm doing), I would definitely do it. EDIT: Oops. I see this was old. Not sure why it came to the top of the list. Oh well, I think it's a good answer in case anyone finds this topic in the future." data-refresh-url="/community/question/435/?answer=12924#post-id-12924" data-editor-type="markdown" data-validator="askbot.validators.answerValidator" >

You could join "Rover Match." It may be by invitation only (I have a switch in my Settings->General options, but it may have appeared when I received an email inviting me.). Basically, they steer dog owners to you when it's a good match, they keep an additional 20% for that booking, repeat bookings with that customer are treated normally.

If you don't have that switch in your settings, you could contact Rover and make your case why you should be invited.

I didn't join because I only take one household at a time and am getting enough requests to keep me busy. But, if I were in a competitive area, or wanted to establish a full-service business (instead the "couch surfing" type of low-volume boarding I'm doing), I would definitely do it.

EDIT: Oops. I see this was old. Not sure why it came to the top of the list. Oh well, I think it's a good answer in case anyone finds this topic in the future.

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