I’m a sitter but this “personal problem” could apply to anyone.
I find that as I accrue more sits my vocabulary writing reviews becomes repetitive. Even when referencing specifics (e.g. animal behaviour, home details, communication, etc.) and SERIOUS use of a thesaurus , I find myself using the same terms, the same words and similar layouts in each review and this is driving me crazy !
I understand that a master’s thesis is neither required nor appreciated (in most instances) but this “personal problem” demands more variety, more nuance and more individual attention in every review I leave.
I’m betting that most HO’s don’t care unless the review is less than perfect and/or that there is some aspect which demands specific detail or attention. Most are likely happy with some iteration of, “Pets great. Home clean. Good communication. Would recommend”.
I still feel a bit yucky - as if I’m shortchanging the ho or not fully recognising the unique aspects of each sit (which I do if there’s some standout feature) if this makes sense ?
Ideas ? Tips ? “Just get over it” ….. ?
Oh, and anything ai is COMPLETELY out of the question as , in my book, it is one of the contributing factors to the downfall of humanity !
I try to think of what I wish I knew. Often trivial things that annoy me but may not be trivial to someone else. I guess the more you do it’s harder to be original with all. I reckon what you leave out sometimes says more.
I sometimes use ChatGPT when I want to write a negative review tactfully. Maybe it could be worth trying that if you want to vary what you write for a positive review?
All of our sits have been good, lovely HO’s, amazing pets, so our first and last couple of lines are similar in vibe, so I completely get you there.
But we make the in between section completely different. We put about their home & what’s within a 10 min walk typically, and that hugely varies from place to place.
I have a bigger problem with writing our response to their review of us. The one that appears on our profile. It sounds very repetitive each time.
We only put a couple of lines in our response, but when you really appreciate a lovely review, there’s only so many ways to say it. So each time I glance back to see how I worded it last time, so I can show our thanks in different words. We’re grateful in our hearts for their sweet words, but wording it differently is a challenge.
I love writing reviews and write especially long ones if I’m the first reviewer I do this to inform future sitters of the full view of the location and potential as well as home and pet details including behaviour. I usually compose my review and save it on draft. Then when it comes to the time to share it I cut and paste it. I may be into the next sit by then and very busy so I find this the best strategy. One can add anything you haven’t already mentioned before posting. It shows how meticulous and thorough you are to any readers.
If you are short of ideas and vocabulary why don’t you look at other reviews for other sits and pick out phrases etc to use in your own? Remember that although your reviews may seem repetitive they sit among all the other reviews from the other sitters so should look quite fresh in comparison. Hope this helps.
We don’t spend much time with the hosts and reviews are not supposed to be about them . However we do spend a lot of time with the pets so the personalisation of each review comes from briefly mentioning the pets individual characters , likes/ dislikes or something about the home or location that will be of help to future potential sitters to decide whether to apply or not .
I find that I write my reviews more for potential future sitters than for the homeowner. I communicate with the HO during the sit, sending pictures and telling them about anything that has come up. Then I send a closing note as I leave to let them know that I’ve washed the bedding, swept the floors, etc. So by the time I write the review, I’ve already told them pretty much everything.
I want a potential sitter to know about things - both positive and negative - that may not have been in the HO’s description: house was immaculate (= lovely, and also =you will be expected to leave it just as clean after your stay); HO requested that we come a day early, and fed us a lovely dinner); bus stop only a block away, and groceries within easy walking distance; HO leaves the garden door open day and night (=dog can go out at will to do her business, and also =bees sometimes fly into the house) etc. etc.
It doesn’t really matter if the reviews are repetitive (mine often are), because it’s unlikely that many people will see many reviews you’ve written. The chances of someone applying to the all same housesits that you’ve recently completed seems negligible.
Or is my sleep-deprived brain misunderstanding?
(unless, of course, HOs go back and look at reviews you’ve given to others, which, in my experience, they don’t)
Yes of course, you are correct. The categories rate the host in these areas .
I was referring to the guidelines around the free text which say the review must
As a homeowner, I read the reviews that sitters have given to other HOs. It wouldn’t bother me if there was some repetition. I am a sitter also and I’m sure that my reviews of HOs are not all unique.
I’ve started keeping notes on my phone about anything unique that happens during the sit. It’s fun! The day Fluffy stalked a grasshopper and her surprised expression when the grasshopper escaped. The exquisite taste of espresso in the morning sunshine on the back porch. And so on.
Making a proactive effort to look for and document those tiny moments not only gives me fodder for a unique review at the end (which I always write the day before I leave, even though I can’t post it until the sit is over), but also teaches me to focus on the good things while I am there*.* Unless there is something truly safety related, I never leave anything negative in a review. It is my belief that all the negativity out there is a “contributing factor to the downfall of humanity!”
I typically do longer sits. So many wonderful moments go by and are forgotten if not documented. Just this morning I was purred awake with whisker kisses. True, I am frequently purred awake with whisker kisses. But that is repetition I can handle!
I approach any reviews I write, on any platform, as being >50% for the next [HO/sitter, renter, customer, etc], so they can make an informed decision, even if their needs are not the same as mine. And when I read reviews, any that just say “it was great, thanks!” are useless. I’m looking for what was great (or not).
For THS, the points I try to hit on are:
communication (because this is annoyingly NOT one of the criteria for giving stars to sitters despite being critical information)
pet care - was my cat happy and relaxed on return? Did photos look like sitter was engaged with them?
condition of home on return - I have pretty lax standards on what I expect, as I don’t want sitters to be housecleaners. I do note if/that the sitters went above and beyond without giving details so the next HO won’t hold them to X
anything unusual happen during the sit? How did the sitter handle it?
I also value the connection between HO and sitter so will often comment on it.
Only once have I left a terse review for a sitter. I suspect that the sitter didn’t actually like or know how to interact with cats based on their communications and the photos they sent. I’m pretty certain that she didn’t stay at my home the whole time, but I had no proof (other than my shockingly low winter electric bill that arrived a month after). There was nothing specific I could dock stars for, and my cat was alive when I returned. So I left a brief review with no mention of my pet whatsoever.
I don’t care if a sitter reuses language in their review for me. I’d be disappointed with a review that was obviously written with AI, but it’s not that deep.
I use AI for most of my reviews in general now. I give it a basic prompt of words and it cleans it up nicely. It’s just easier and being nomadic I have tons of reviews needed on a reg. The future is here… hope this helps.
Torishi… I’ve found the same issue for the same reason. For me, as soon as I arrive, I have a note pad on my phone dedicated to my sit pet (cat). I document moments, all good for me so far. When it comes time to leave my review I have plucked words and phrases from RANDOM…I mean RANDOM reviews of other RANDOM sitter reviews of RANDOM listings. Choose any state, any country, any current listing. Just look for past sitter reviews and edit accordingly. Don’t plagiarize, just use what sounds like an enhancement of your words. It works for me. Am I clear?
Toreishi, I appreciate that you care about this! Similarly, I care wonder about this too, and try not to be repetitive. However, in life and work, I’ve found I’m more on the detailed side than many. A lot of people wouldn’t care as much about this. I like the “make notes of unique things” mention, and I do that too, especially on the front end of the sit as I start to notice patterns about pet personalities. On another note, I’m considering becoming an HO, as I do longer sits and wonder about leaving my house. I would be someone who cross-checks references, and notices your diligence with unique reviews. It shows more than checking a thesaurus. It also can communicate conscientiousness, attention to detail, and treating each HO, home and pet as special. Not just the next sit. I appreciate your topic!
What a great response! That’s exactly what I feel too about reviews it’s a unique experience although a repetitive exercise. I put in a lot of effort as it helps the Home Owner secure future good fits and also future sitters to be guided to perfect pet sits. It also reflects well on the writer. Careful and detailed comments show the way the sitter approaches the responsibility and aims to do things thoroughly and professionally.
“ I would return in a heartbeat “ is sorely lacking on its own. By the end of my review the reader should feel informed and enlightened, helping them to see the sit from my perspective.
Some reviews give very little extra. I always write thinking what can I inform the future sitters about that the Home Owner has omitted to mention or overlooked in their input. This is particularly true where the Home owner hasn’t had many sitters or reviews from sitters. Also I write from a wide background of house and pet sitting and this sharpens the focus on highlights and drawbacks on any particular sit experience.
Quite clear, thank you ! And, while I already get “tips” from reading others’ reviews (it is a dirty habit of mine anyway as I want to see problems that others have experienced in order to avoid them), keeping notes during a sit is a great idea.
Thanks for this. I like to think that HO’s appreciate thoughfullness on all levels and writing as personalised and detailed a review as possible - I hope - indicates my care, attentiveness and responsibility.