One of my tips for improved listings is to avoid subjective statements that can lead to misunderstandings. Here are some examples of ones I often see:
- one long walk and two short walks - define by distance or time
- pet doesn’t like to be left alone - be specific with maximum hours
- walkable distance from … - differs greatly for everyone, especially if you’re carrying groceries too
- near downtown - when I have no idea what’s downtown - for example, in my city, there’s no grocery store downtown
- use of acronyms or local terminology - CBD, PNW, ‘the Bay area’ (and there are many more) - a reminder that THS is worldwide
Another tip is to learn what details are better left for the Welcome Guide. Lengthy descriptions including where the pet food is stored (and there are many like that) are incidental. Keep details in your listing focussed on what a sitter needs to know to assess the suitability of the sit for everyone.
And this one can’t be repeated often enough - appropriate photos are essential - sitters want to love your pets, but also feel comfortable in your home. THS provides guidelines on appropriate photos for this reason, and this helpful blog post: