I know your sweet new Ray Bans are on fleek and your facial profile is magical, but the first thing that draws a parent in is your profile picture-so it needs immediate appeal. You can have all the experience in the world, and it won’t change the fact that first impressions are everything.
Would you meet a new cat parent with flip flops on, earbuds in, and sunglasses on? Probably not! Your profile photo is often the first impression cat parents get of you, so it should show that you're approachable and professional.
You may be thinking, “How can a single photo tell them I’m trustworthy?”
It’s about the eyes. People need to be able to see your eyes. Would you swipe right on someone who was wearing sunglasses in every photo? No (at least I hope not), because you don’t get a true feeling of who they are.
Consider avoiding props in your photos. A great way to set up your profile is to have a photo of just you, smiling, with your eyes focused on the camera. If you have a cat in your profile picture, that’s fine but make sure that you are the focus and cat parents can see your face.
Examples of photos that might be less effective:
Sure, the first two could get some killer likes on the ‘gram, the third shows you’re fun and like to drink (keep it for your Tinder profile), and the fourth and fifth show you’re deep (keep them for your emo Tumblr accounts). But that may not convey the professional image many cat parents look for.
Here are a few examples of some effective profile photos:
These photos are effective because they are inviting. Both photos have the sitters looking directly into the camera and smiling. I feel like they’re both saying, “I love cats and will take wonderful care of your baby while you are away!” Meanwhile, the girl in my series of photos above looks like she’s more focused on “rosé all day” on a “Sunday Funday.” There’s nothing wrong with some rosé, nor a Sunday Funday, but that’s for you and your personal life.
As for background photos, consider avoiding just another photo of yourself. Your background photo is a great opportunity to show cats; whether it’s you interacting with a cat or just a photo of some cats, cat parents often love seeing feline friends! Here are some purrfect background photos:
Remember, your profile represents your cat sitting business. Keep it professional. It’s also aimed at cat parents, so you want to show yourself to be a nice person who loves felines. Now start snapping.
If you haven’t yet applied to be a sitter on Meowtel, take a look at what it takes and what it involves-it could be your next big thing!
