Episode 231: 13 Biggest Mistakes Pet Sitters and Dog Walkers Make on Social Media

Social media is a jungle and it is always very tough to know what works and what doesn't. Just when you get the hang of it and start seeing results, it changes! And it happens frequently. Today, we are going to make sure that you stay away these 13 mistakes I see pet sitters and dog walkers making on their social media. How many are you guilty of? Show Highlights List them all Instagram to Facebook No open-ended questions No buckets Static cover Bad fonts and colors Lingo Personality Consistency Planning ahead Original Content Professional content Repurpose Better Marketing with Bella That’s where we come in. In Better Marketing With Bella, we take the load off of your plate. We create the content for you, EVERY MONTH, so you don't have to worry. The waitlist always sells out the program. There is really no other way to get into the program. Sign up for the waitlist today to reserve your option to join when we open the doors in just a few weeks for the first half of 2022. Share The Show: Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Click this link –Bella In Your Business Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section> Click on ‘Write a Review’ Transcript: This is episode 231 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta and today I am talking to you about the 13 biggest mistakes I see pet sitters and dog walkers make on social media. Now, if this is your first time joining this podcast, welcome. Thank you for listening. A lot of my viewers or listeners tell me that they actually binge on this stuff because it is so good and it does do an array of different topics from video to employees to personal development stuff. But today this one was really inspired by my Better Marketing with Bella group. We have group coaching calls in that program, and something we were talking about—while it seems so obvious to me—I realized that it's not. So I kind of wanted to go high level and make sure that all of you jumpers, you loyal listeners, are not making these 13 mistakes that I see happen so many times. Now let me just back up for a moment too. If you're just joining us and you really don't know me that well, not only am I a pet sitting business coach, but I also have the honor, when we're not in a pandemic, to fly around the country and the UK teaching loads of people all about social media, including Facebook groups. We also have an agency side to Jump Consulting, where we have the honor of providing over 35 companies every single month with graphics, videos, Facebook covers, emails, blog outlines, descriptions, and content calendars. It’s a pretty amazing program that has been proven to really get awareness out for brands and attract the right kind of clients. I’ve built all of my companies online. Facebook, Instagram—those are my storefronts. I say this not as a “look at me,” but so you understand that everything I say isn’t regurgitated advice. It’s experience. So let’s get right into it: the 13 biggest mistakes that pet sitters and dog walkers make on social media. If you hear anything I say and think, “Oh no, Bella, I do that,” don’t beat yourself up. Just do better. That’s it. The first mistake is listing all your social channels everywhere—email signatures, websites, business cards—even if you don’t actually use them. Don’t do that. I’d rather see one icon that you’re actually active on than six that you’re not. The second mistake is auto-posting from Instagram to Facebook. Please don’t. It’s like speaking Italian in France—it’s similar, but not the same language. Just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should. Third, no open-ended replies. You want engagement, but you’re not asking questions or tagging people. If someone comments, reply with a question—keep the conversation going. Fourth, no content “buckets.” Buckets are your main topics: behind the scenes, client stories, pet tips, community events, or current pet news. Without them, you end up just sharing other people’s stuff—which makes your page look messy and impersonal. Fifth, static cover photos. When’s the last time you changed your Facebook cover, Instagram bio, or YouTube banner? Keep them fresh and relevant to seasons or promotions. Sixth, inconsistent fonts and colors. Your branding should match across everything. Use your brand colors and fonts consistently. Everything should tie back to your logo and brand guide. Seventh, inconsistent lingo. This is your voice. My audience are “Jumpers,” and I always end with “Keep jumping.” You can have your own lingo too. Maybe you call your clients “the pack.” It doesn’t have to be cutesy, but it has to be yours. Eighth, lack of personality. Your personality is as personal as your underwear—it’s unique to you. Your business will force you to figure out who you are and what you want. Don’t copy others’ styles. Stand strong in your own personality—it’s what makes your business relatable and memorable. Ninth, inconsistency. I know it’s hard, especially after the year we’ve had. But don’t post daily and burn out. Plan ahead instead—batch your content weekly or monthly. Build your consistency muscle. Tenth, no original content. If you’re just sharing funny memes or other people’s articles, stop. That doesn’t tell me anything about your business or why I should trust you. Create content that shows you. Eleventh, unprofessional graphics. DIY designs that look amateur will hurt your brand. If you’re not design-savvy, hire someone or use templates from professionals. People will judge your credibility by your visuals. Twelfth, not repurposing content. Take one idea and reuse it across formats. Turn videos into blogs, blogs into graphics, and social snippets into stories. Holidays repeat every year—reuse your past content with updates. Repurposing saves time and builds a rich library of content. And finally, number thirteen—not leveraging help. That’s why I created Better Marketing with Bella. We provide companies with professional, done-for-you content every month—graphics, videos, captions, calendars, and more. Members stay for years because it saves them time, keeps their branding consistent, and gets results. If you’re interested, join the waitlist at jumpconsulting.net/waitlist. It only takes about 45 seconds to fill out, and we’ll reach out when a spot opens. Our semesters run January–June and July–December. You can also see what’s included at jumpconsulting.net/marketing. I hope this episode made you think about which of these 13 mistakes you might be making—and how to fix them. I’ll share more success stories soon from pet sitters who overcame these struggles and are now thriving on Instagram. And remember: if you’re struggling with Facebook reach, you’re not alone. The algorithm limits business posts to about 2–5% of your followers. That’s why you need a well-rounded strategy and consistent content that shows who you are. I hope this energized you and gave you clarity. And as always, when life gets you down, always keep jumping. So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. And the best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.