Episode 261: Biggest Mistakes I See Pet Sitters Make On Facebook and Instagram

Do you know if you are making mistakes on social media? Posting to social media can be hard especially when you feel like you can't think or get creative when you need to. We are pet sitters and dog walkers, not writers, am I right? In this week's podcast, I am going to tell you some of the biggest mistakes I see pet businesses make on social media, why you should not do them, and how you can improve. Biggest Takeaways In the podcast, I am going to quickly scroll through the list of mistakes I see and why you should stop doing them. Share Your Business and Who You Are When someone goes to your social media account they are wanting to see you and what your business does in action. Get on camera, make videos, show them who your team is and how you perform in the field. Real Results Get the results that you need on social media. I have a BMWB client that has another pet business take her BMWB content and share it on their social media. Prompting my client's logo, colors, and business overall. That is why I offer Better Marketing with Bella. I want to support you and help you create the content other pet businesses want because it is what you need. Show Highlights Biggest mistakes made on social media [9.50] How BMWB supports you and your business[14.00] Links: How To Market Your Pet Business to Get Clients and Staff In 2021 Workshop Better Marketing With Bella Let's Connect: 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’' Are You New Here? Welcome, I am so glad you are here. If you are a dog walker, dog sitter, cat sitter, doggy daycare, or kennel owner, then you found the right place. Jump Consulting is the one place on the internet to get all the resources you need for your pet care business. Can I give you some freebies to generate sales and increase revenues for your business? Grab your freebies below. Are you starting out? Been in business for less than two years? Get your startup resources here. Do you own an established pet care business and you want to take it to the next level.? Get Your builder resources here. Transcript: This is episode 261 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 back to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today we're going to talk about the biggest mistakes that you're making on social media. I see some people right now who think they’re doing social media, but they're not really doing it at all. They're making some of the biggest rookie mistakes, and I want to make sure that none of you—my loyal, amazing jumper listeners—are ever going to make these mistakes or have this mindset about social media. If this is the first time we’re meeting, I have been honored to grace a lot of different stages helping people build their businesses—whether they are working for big corporations or have their own businesses just like you. I’ve been building my business online and teaching Facebook since Facebook came out. I take pride in that, and while I might not have the largest number of followers, it’s not a popularity contest. It’s about finding your exact niche and speaking directly to your people. It’s about following your analytics, seeing what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t, doubling down on what works, and letting go of the rest. So, in true Bella fashion, I’m going to give you as much value as I can in this podcast. You’re busy and don’t have time to hear long stories, so we’re keeping this short, quick, and dirty. The first mistake I see on social media is that you’re not being real enough. It’s so important to be yourself online. And by that, I don’t mean tell me every time you go to the bathroom or what you had for breakfast—I don’t care. But you have to show up as yourself. Social media is where people stalk you online. That’s what they do. If you’re of the mindset that “I never get clients off of social media,” well, yeah, most likely you’re not going to—unless you’re showing up, building, and engaging your community. That takes dedication, strategy, and intent. A lot of my jumpers use social media not as a sales tool but as an awareness tool—like another page where people can learn about them. It’s where people get to know you before trusting you with their house key or their pet. So when people visit your page, they’d better see you. Not just pets, not stock photos—you. I want to know who you are, what you look like, what you sound like, and who you serve. You’ve got to be real. You’ve got to show up. Do stories. Give me that video. One of the biggest mistakes I see is people just doing the bare minimum and then complaining that they’re not getting any clients. Another mistake—sharing other people’s content. Stop it. Unless it’s Better Marketing with Bella content—then okay, that’s fine. Funny story: during one of our webinars, Kelly told me that people actually steal her Better Marketing with Bella content—graphics with her logo, branding, and colors—and share them on their own pages. They’re basically advertising for her! Don’t be that person. You can be the person people want to steal content from, but don’t share other people’s work—you’re just amplifying their voice instead of your own. Another mistake: only posting pictures of your clients’ pets. If all I see is a grid full of pet faces, it looks like a photo album, not a brand. And most of the time, the photos aren’t even good—poor lighting, weird angles, far-away shots. I don’t care unless it’s my animal or one that looks like mine. What I do care about is stories. For example, Jody Cooperman from Marionette Dog Nanny did this beautifully. She didn’t just post a photo—she told a story about why the client needed her help and what problem she solved. That’s what draws people in. Potential clients see that and say, “Yes, that’s me. I can relate.” Another big mistake—posting from Instagram to Facebook automatically. Stop that. When you do that, your Facebook post looks weird because of all the hashtags. It’s like going to China and speaking Russian—you’re not speaking the platform’s language. Facebook doesn’t use hashtags like Instagram does. So when you post the same thing, it looks lazy. It’s like inviting someone to your house but not showing up to greet them. Then there’s the outdated cover photo problem. You can’t have video covers anymore on Facebook, but that’s no excuse to let your cover image sit there for years. Update it regularly. Make it reflect the current season or campaign. It shows people that your business is active, relevant, and invested. Use keywords in your profile and don’t forget your location. Another thing people forget? Tagging. Tag collaborators, rescues, or locations that make sense. If you post about a local dog park or a rescue event, tag them. Send them a message letting them know—they might reshare your post. It’s an easy way to build visibility and community connection. Social media isn’t just “post and walk away.” It’s about engagement. Respond to people when they comment. Build connections. And don’t forget—social media isn’t just one thing anymore. Instagram has posts, stories, reels, guides, and live videos. Facebook has posts, stories, lives, premieres, polls, and carousels. There’s so much you can do. That’s actually why I created Better Marketing with Bella—because I love helping businesses with marketing and wanted to take that creative burden off your shoulders. We handle the writing, graphics, scheduling, and branding—all you have to do is use it. You don’t need to figure out what dates or topics are relevant—we do that for you. Right now, Better Marketing with Bella is open for enrollment. Deliveries start December 15th and run from January to June, or you can sign up for the full year. We had special bonuses that ended Sunday—holiday graphics, a free month in the Mastermind, a Facebook ads tutorial, Bella School access, two months of Agora Pulse, and a discounted rate for my VA to post everything for you. But because you’re a podcast listener, if you email me at [email protected] and mention this episode, I’ll still honor those bonuses. I’m serious. You won’t find another vendor who will fight for your business like I will. I’ll cheer for your wins and cry with you through challenges. That’s the kind of coach and partner I aim to be. So please—don’t make these mistakes. Be real. Be consistent. Be intentional. And remember, social media is an opportunity to connect, not just to post. Always remember—when life gets you down, 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. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcasts and leaving a review. I might even 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.