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By Beth Stultz-Hairston | May 1, 2020

Facebook Live videos offer service providers like professional pet sitters and dog walkers a unique (and free!) opportunity to connect with current and potential clients, as well as other local pet professionals and business owners. Being able to connect and engage with your Facebook audience in real time allows you to share important pet-related information, highlight your services and better establish your business brand—but many pet sitters we talk to resist the idea of using live video because they are not familiar with how to use this Facebook tool or feel nervous about going “on camera.”

Now’s the time to put those worries aside and explore how Facebook Live can benefit your professional pet-sitting or dog-walking business.

If you aren’t already using Facebook Live—or perhaps you’ve used it sporadically but not as a regular part of your marketing mix—let’s discuss why Facebook Live is such an important marketing tool for pet-care businesses.

Reasons to add Facebook Live to your marketing efforts

Consider these statistics:

• Facebook Live videos produce 6 times as many interactions as traditional videos.
• Facebook Live videos get 10 times more comments than regular videos.
• Facebook Live users spend 10 times as long watching live videos as they do pre-uploaded ones.

Beyond the numbers, however, Facebook Live also gives you an opportunity to introduce yourself to local pet parents and allows them to make a connection with you—and your business.

In our industry, you likely find yourself competing with hobbyists and non-professionals on occasion—neighbors, teenagers, those offering pet sitting just to earn some extra cash, etc. You can easily distinguish your business from these non-professionals by highlighting industry standards and professionalism—you are insured and bonded, you may be Certified, you are trained in pet first aid, etc.—to explain what makes your business the better option.

But, how do you distinguish your business from other professional businesses—how are you different when the other options are also insured, bonded, certified, well trained? When pet parents have multiple professional options to choose from, it’s going to be YOU that makes your business stand out—and Facebook Live is such a powerful opportunity to introduce YOU to your target market.

Plus, you have an opportunity now to get ahead of the game! According to PSI’s 2020 State of the Industry Survey, only 8 percent of members reported currently using Facebook Live for their businesses.

Facebook Live ideas for professional pet sitters and dog walkers

When it comes to what you can share with your audience through Facebook Live videos, the possibilities are virtually endless. When brainstorming ideas for your live videos, remember your business videos should educate and/or engage your audience. The best videos do both!

To get your creative juices flowing, here are some ideas to consider:

• Informational videos with seasonal pet tips (e.g., keeping pets safe in hot weather, winter weather precautions for pets, holiday treats that are dangerous for pets, etc.)
• Overview of upcoming local pet-friendly events
• Important company announcements (e.g., now booking for summer pet-sitting requests, meet our new staff sitters, our staff just renewed their pet first aid training, I am now a CPPS, etc.)
• Giveaways and prize drawings
• How-to videos for pet-care basics (e.g., nail trim, basic first aid, checking harness size, etc.)
• Behind the scenes videos (e.g., staff training, shadowing a pet-sitting visit, preparing for an event, etc.)
• Product recommendations/demos of pet products
• Interviews or shared live videos with other local pet professionals (trainer, vet, etc.)

Share your Facebook Live videos

Are you already using Facebook Live videos for your pet-sitting or dog-walking business? We’d love to see what you’re doing. Share links to your Facebook Live videos in the comments below.