I love social media, don’t you? 

Note: this statement is dripping with sarcasm.

Here’s the truth, I have an unpopular opinion of social media. I don’t like it. I don’t feel the need to be constantly updated about the goings-on of other people.

I am trying to get my own life together for crying out loud, I don’t need to be thinking of other people’s lives on top of my own!

OK. Rant over.

Thanks for letting me vent!

With that being said, I do use social media for business. I mean, you have to. As the title of this article suggests, it is a necessary evil.

Why do you need social media for your dog walking business?

You need social media because an effective strategy can help raise your brand awareness in your community and improve your local SEO (because you already have a website, right?)

Social media is another means for potential clients to find you. It’s kind of like a digital storefront, the more you have, the more likely it is that someone will find you.

Must-Have Social Media Accounts

I know there are a ton of social media platforms out there, but beware, signing up for all of them at once is overwhelming.

Start off with the two down below and expand from there, if you feel like it. 

Instagram

Truth be told, as much as I don’t like most social media, Instagram is the exception.

I just can’t get enough pics of adorable dogs jumping in the snow, playing in the water, rolling around in the mud, or just sitting. 

The great thing about Instagram is that it only takes a couple of minutes to post a cute pic of your pooches.

Also, it’s kind of your duty to keep the internet flush with mood-improving dog pics every day.

When you use the location feature, this allows others in your area to see that you are a local dog walker and if they like your content, they can easily contact you.

Facebook

Ugh, the bain of my existence. 

If you couldn’t tell, I am very anti-Facebook. I just don’t like it. 

That being said, I will still (and do) use it for my dog walking business. 

Here’s the deal, Facebook has roughly 2.5 BILLION users a month.

Yes BILLION!

That means there are a ton of people on Facebook and you want them to know that you exist.

At the very least, you need a Facebook Business Page and you need to be posting on it every day.

Engagement is key with Facebook and basically all social media.

These are your two MUST HAVE social media platforms.

Honourable Mentions

Now let’s take a look at the platforms that could also benefit your business but are not absolutely necessary.

Twitter

I don’t use Twitter, surprise, surprise! I never have and probably never will.

However, just because I don’t use it doesn’t mean it can’t be good for your business. 

Twitter has over 330 Million monthly users, so there are a lot of people who like it.

It’s great for sharing news, quick updates, and announcements about your business.

YouTube

I actually have a YouTube account for my dog walking business, The Local Barker.

I use it to add enriching content to my blog posts, as well as publish fun dog walking videos I can send to my clients. 

Depending on the direction you are going with your business, YouTube is a good strategy, especially if you like making videos. 

Now, granted, YouTube isn’t for everyone, but if making videos sounds like fun, it could be a good option for your business as well. 

TikTok

Confession time, I am an almost 40-year-old who likes TikTok.

I know, I know, I am ancient but I find TikTok to be both entertaining and informative.

However, you have to be careful, it can be a huge time suck too. I actually had to delete the app from my phone a while ago because I was watching it waaayyy too much. So beware.

Although, if you have self-control of any kind, it can be a fun way to showcase your dog walks.

While you may not pick up more clients using TikTok, it can help grow your Instagram account (if you link to it in your profile) which will help grow your online presence. 

Social Media Housekeeping

Now that you have decided on a couple of social media platforms to post your dog walking content on, there are a few best practices that you should maintain no matter what platform you are using.

Some good practices of social media to help rank in the algorithm and increase your chances of being found by a potential client are:

Reply to comments

Reply to comments on a daily basis. This helps tell the algorithm that you post engaging content and will keep showing it to prospective clients.

This won’t be too time-consuming at first, but as you grow your online presence, it will take up more and more time. You will most likely have to schedule it into your day to ensure it gets done.

Answer Questions

Be as helpful as possible online to help build your authority. Take the time to answer questions potential clients are asking and make sure you are providing high-quality information.

This can help build your credibility and trust before you even meet a client.

Post Daily

As I have already mentioned, you must post at least once a day on ALL social medial platforms you have chosen to join.

The one exception may be YouTube, which you will want to post at least weekly content.

This is why I recommend starting with the two essentials, Instagram and Facebook.

By posting every day, your accounts are staying active and engagement will come quicker than with an account that is not active.

As I write this article, I post on Instagram and Facebook daily, and after a couple of months, my engagement is still not great.

You’re playing the long game here, stay with it, stay consistent, and results will come. 

Keep your eye on the prize, as they say.

Vital Information

Make sure all of your contact info is easily accessible on your social media accounts. The main reason you are using them is to get clients, right, so make it easy for them to contact you.

I often link to my website with my social media as that contains all of my contact info and content, allowing potential clients to get an even better idea of what I am all about.

This also helps build trust and credibility right from the get-go.

Get Social!

I know I have poo-pooed a lot of social media platforms in this article, but that is just my opinion.

Social media is supposed to be fun. And honestly, when I use it for my dog walking business, it is.

I genuinely love posting pics of my pooches and sharing them with their humans and the internet at large.

If you are really not liking a platform, get off of it, it’s not right for you. It should not be painful to post content. Join another one and see if it suits you better.

What are you waiting for? Get posting!

What is your favourite form of social media for your dog walking business?

(Mine is Instagram!)