We are located in a suburb of Chicago. I am wondering, should I change my listed city to “Chicago?” If a sitter has a desire to visit Chicago, they most probably not search all the surrounding suburbs.
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I’m thinking that would be a good idea @tincanlizzie to attract more potential sitters. In your introduction you could then mention which suburb you are in. Good luck!
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I agree, I would say Chicago and then in the profile name the suburb and how far it is from the city and in what direction. I think I would also help to give any information about public transport. WOuld a sitter be able to take a bus or train into the city? About how long would that take? All of that sort of info can really help sitters decide of this sit is a good fir or not.
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I guess I’m going to take a different view. I understand wanting to reach a larger audience, but in my experience, if I enter Chicago or London, I get the surrounding areas showing up in my search. I don’t believe you are missing out on a sitter searching your area if you are in a suburb of Chicago or London. However, if I’m specifically looking at a sit within the immediate Chicago or London area, I may have to sort through the actual Chicago sits and those listing the nearby large city. I think it would be best to have your actual city as your location and add “20 miles from downtown Chicago” or “40 km from downtown London” in the headline.
Just a sitter’s perspective on my observations.
Dan and Nan
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As a Sitter, I believe that each Home should be as accurately placed on the map as possible. It would make it much easier for Sitters to search; much more efficient. This would require Owners to be as accurate as possible when they create their listing. In this case, maybe someone really wants to be in Blue Island, IL, as they have family there whom they want to visit. How are they going to find your listing amongst all of the Chicago listings? When I see misplaced listings, I roll my eyes. THS would be hugely improved if the listings were accurately placed. Maybe this will be the next project after the Review/feedback system is improved.
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Sitter here. I think you should reflect accurately where you’re located, but it’s easy enough to tag something like, “20 minutes from Chicago.” Likely most people searching will look on a map view and see your proximity anyway. And you might disappoint applicants who want to be right in the city, or maybe even lose some who prefer to stay in quieter locales that are in easy striking distance to cities (me).
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Yes. Listings should at the very least include the suburb or town in the description. Locals and those familiar with the area can then decide if it’s where they want to be (knowing distances) and people traveling to the sit can calculate how far it is from where they need or want to be.
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When an Owner decides to state they are in Chicago, rather than the actual suburb where they really live, the map shows them in Chicago. The map is USELESS if the Owner does not place themselves in the true location.
I meant if they put in their actual location (showing it was near Chicago). Sorry if I was unclear.
I agree accurate location should be given.
I’d put Chicago too, as I wouldn’t have a clue if you said the suburb name. Then place the suburb name and how far it is from certain well known places in Chicago in the larger text part.
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Okay, I changed my city to Chicago, but left my actual address in Blue Island. On the map, it does show the correct location, just south of the city. Tell me what you think.
I find it disingenuous when someone lists inaccurate information like their location or fails to mention important things in the ad then follows up with it in their first message. It damages the trust immediately for me.
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I’d say a good solution here is to put Chicago as your location for the listing, BUT in your actual title for the listing (the thing we sitters see when we are scrolling) the FIRST thing you put is “20 minutes from Chicago” or “Chicago suburban dog needs cuddles” or something, like Danandnan have said above. Just make it totally transparent in that big bold title that you’re not in Chicago proper. As a sitter, it is maddening when people say they are in a city when they are not. But as a HO, I can see how you want people to know where Blue Island is. (If I wasn’t from Chicago, I wouldn’t know, that’s for sure!)
@tincanlizzie
I tried to look at your listing with the link in your forum profile - but it takes me to my own dashboard so I can’t see your listing to give any feedback.
Don’t know if this is a glitch or me doing something wrong?
Can anyone else see tincanlizzie’s listing ?
@silversitter nope, same here. I guess you might have accidentally copied the wrong address @tincanlizzie ?
Thanks @CatsAndDog and @Silversitters for pointing this out.
Hi @tincanlizzie … I have corrected this on your profile now.
I love Chicago! My daughter loves there! Maybe i be too sign up to be a sitter too! We could swap houses! Lol