Writing a Listing That Attracts Quality Sitters

Your headline is competing with dozens of other ads in the same area. Generic headlines like "House Sitter Wanted" or "Pet Sitter in London" don't mean anything to potential sitters and don't give them a reason to click on them.

A good title includes three elements: the location, pets, and a catchy phrase. That catchy phrase is what makes your ad stand out. It could be the neighborhood, the lifestyle, or something unique about the home.

Compare these:

• ❌ "House sitter needed in France"
• ✅ "Two lazy cats in a Provençal farmhouse with pool"
• ❌ "Dog sitter required, Manchester"
• ✅ "Friendly labrador in a cosy Northern Quarter apartment"

The second versions immediately paint a picture. Viewers can easily picture them. That's what drives clicks.

Keep it under 60 characters if possible; that's roughly how much Global Pet Sitter displays before the text is cut off. Put the most interesting detail right at the beginning. If you have a beautiful location, start with that. If your pets are the main attraction, start with them.

In the description, highlight the experience. Don't just list facts; paint a picture of what daily life is like in your home.

Start with a brief overview: where you live, what pets you have, and what the pet-sitting assignment entails. Then describe what makes your home special. Is it within walking distance of the beach? Is there a garden that's perfect for a morning cup of coffee? Are there lots of great restaurants nearby?

Break your description down into clear paragraphs:

• About us - who you are and why you need a sitter
• About our pets - personalities, not just breeds
• About our home - the good stuff, the practical stuff
• About the area - what's nearby, what's worth exploring
• What we're looking for - the kind of sitter who'd be a good fit

Write in the first person. Words like "we" and "us" sound warmer than "the homeowner" or "the property." You're inviting someone into your life, so it should feel personal.

Avoid long blocks of text. Use short paragraphs and line breaks. Customers often view ads on their phones and scan through multiple ads. Make sure yours is easy to read.

The best job postings make applicants think, "I want to work there," rather than just, "I could do that job."

Save the detailed practical information -such as meal schedules, medication routines, Wi-Fi passwords, and the house's quirks -for your welcome guide on the GPS. The ad sells the experience; the welcome guide takes care of the practical details.

Ads with good photos get more responses. This isn't about professional photography, but about showing the sitters what they're getting into.

Photos of your pets are essential. Pet sitters are, first and foremost, animal lovers. Show your pets just as they are: playing, sleeping, or striking a funny pose. A candid photo of your dog running through the house says more than a perfectly posed portrait. Include at least 2 or 3 photos of each pet.

Photos of your home are also important. Show the areas your house sitter will actually use:

• The bedroom they'll sleep in
• The kitchen and living area
• The garden or outdoor space
• The workspace if you have one (remote workers care about this)

Take photos in natural light. Tidy up a bit before you start taking photos. You don't need to stage your home as if it were a magazine photo shoot, but dirty dishes in the background won't help. GPS supports up to 20 listing photos; make the most of them.

Photos of the surrounding area are your secret weapon. A photo of the local park, the view from your street, or the nearby village gives potential sitters a sense of the place. This is especially effective for listings in rural areas or abroad, where the location is part of the appeal.

Don't use stock photos or photos with heavy filters. Customers want to see the real thing. If your home is more cozy than grand, show that. Authenticity builds trust.

This is where many homeowners go wrong. They downplay the challenging aspects of a house sitting assignment because they're afraid no one will apply. The opposite is true, however: experienced sitters value honesty and become suspicious when things sound too good to be true.

If your dog reacts to being on a leash, please mention that. If your cat needs daily medication, please explain how that works. If you live in a rural area with no public transportation, please make that clear. Pet sitters need this information to determine whether they are suitable for this job.

Things homeowners often hide (but really shouldn't):

• Reactive or anxious pets - sitters who are experienced with this actively seek it out
• Medication routines - most sitters are fine with this, they just need to know upfront
• Remote locations - some sitters love isolation, others need a café within walking distance
• Limited facilities - no dishwasher, slow WiFi, no central heating
• Multiple pets with complex dynamics - which ones get along, which need separating

However, the way you phrase it does matter. There's a difference between "our dog is aggressive and unpredictable" and "our rescue dog gets nervous around other dogs during walks and needs a confident handler who can manage reactions on a leash." Both statements are honest, but the second one gives sitters more context and confidence.

Caregivers who apply for the job fully aware of the situation will do an excellent job. Those who only discover the challenges once they arrive will feel misled, and that's a bad start for everyone.

Uncertainty is the enemy of a successful house sitting assignment. If your sitter doesn't know exactly what's expected of them, they'll either do too little or stress themselves out trying to guess what's expected of them.

Be specific about:

Daily routine: "The dogs need to go for a 30-minute walk in the morning before 8:00 a.m. and a longer walk in the afternoon (45–60 minutes). The cat is fed twice a day, at 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m."

Flexibility: "We are flexible regarding the exact times of the walks" is useful information. The same applies to: "The morning walk must take place before 8:00 a.m., because medication must be administered at breakfast."

Household chores: Do you expect your sitter to mow the lawn? Water the garden? Take out the trash? Don’t just assume they know what to do—make sure to explain it clearly.

Communication: How often would you like to be updated? Daily photos? A weekly update? Some homeowners want to receive a photo every day, while others only want to be notified if something goes wrong. Please let us know your preference.

Availability: Can your pet sitter be away from home for a few hours? All day? What is the maximum amount of time the pets can be left alone? This is one of the most common sources of misunderstandings, so be very clear.

Think of it this way: if your sitter can read your ad and immediately understand what a typical day looks like, you've done a good job. If they have to ask several follow-up questions just to grasp the basics, your ad needs to be more detailed.

Based on common trends across various house-sitting platforms, here's what works and what doesn't.

Do:

• Lead with your pets' personalities - "Biscuit is a 7-year-old golden retriever who thinks he's a lap dog" is infinitely better than "We have one dog"
• Mention the perks - pool, hot tub, great location, Netflix, fast WiFi, nearby hiking
• Be specific about dates - exact dates get more applications than "flexible" or "sometime in July"
• Update your listing - stale listings with outdated photos lose trust
• Respond promptly to applications - good sitters get snapped up fast

Don't:

• Write in ALL CAPS - it reads as shouting
• Use excessive exclamation marks!!! - one is fine, three is too many
• List only requirements without selling the experience - your listing should be at least 60% about what you're offering, 40% about what you need
• Copy-paste from other listings - sitters notice and it feels impersonal
• Exaggerate your home - calling a studio flat "spacious" will disappoint when your sitter arrives
• Leave the description blank and rely on photos - photos support the description, they don't replace it

Finally, be sure to proofread your ad carefully. Typos and grammatical errors won't disqualify you, but a well-written ad shows that you take the process seriously. If you pay attention to the details in your ad, sitters will trust that you'll also pay attention to the details of the sitting assignment.