If you have the most adorable doggo ever and you want to make them a dog influencer, here's your chance! Your dog really doesn't have to do much other than their normal routine. You'll have to do the legwork, but showing off your dog and making them Insta-famous can be so much fun.
Insider Advice for Becoming a Pet Influencer
We met some amazing, instafamous pet peeps — here are their secrets!
1. Find a Unique Angle
"The most important thing is to decide what your profile should be all about," Sidney_MiniSausage told me. Their profile is based on a singing dachshund duo and has over 147K followers.
They posed a few questions to jog the minds of those wishing to get started:
Does your dog have...
- A special talent?
- A funny trait?
- A silly habit?
- Hilarious facial expressions that can be matched with captions?
"Content that is unique, funny, or heartwarming gets the most attention, but amongst millions of dog accounts, it's hard to stand out from the start. There are so many similar accounts, so don't copy others, but be unique!"
2. Do What You Love
Lottie_the_workingcocker, an adorable cocker spaniel pup on Insta, has gained over 5,000 followers so far, and she's still climbing — all thanks to something she thought would be fun: "When I brought Lottie home I thought I should try it out just for some fun and to see Lottie grow up!" But running the account as a celebration of Lottie has turned into a lot more. "We've made tons of friends, rep for so many amazing businesses, and just love the community!"
3. Choose a Tone and Aesthetic
According to Dolly_Jean_the_Basset, "It's important to create a tone and aesthetic for your page. Your tone could be anything from fun and uplifting, inspirational and motivational, serious and matter of fact, or silly and playful. While aesthetic doesn't seem to be as important anymore, I know I am always drawn more to the pages that have an overall cohesive look. It captures my eye, draws me in, and makes me want to see more."
4. Unleash Your Creativity
Dolly_Jean_the_Basset says "For Dolly's page, I knew I wanted to talk in 'her voice' and from 'her point of view.' I also knew I wanted the overall look to be somewhat moody, but still with pops of color to showcase the products that we share. Since bassets usually look droopy and unamused, I thought a moodier style would suit her personality the best."
They continued, "For me, channeling my creativity in Dolly's posts with fun themes, props, and captions along with 'her voice' is what I believe makes our page unique."
5. Stay Consistent
Consistency is key, especially when it comes to social media. Sidney_MiniSausage explained that you don't have to go overboard; "stick to a regular posting rhythm and don't over-do it."
6. Engagement is Important
Once your page is set up, you should "engage a lot with other accounts" Lottie_the_workingcocker explained. "Post clear pictures that really show the focus, and most of all, just have fun!" Look through brands and similar accounts, and be sure to leave a comment. Don't spend an overwhelming amount of time doing this. Even 10–20 minutes could be enough.
Dolly_Jean_the_Basset also emphasized the importance of interaction on your social account. They recommend "creating a community." It's important to "reach out to people. Engage with them. The more people you interact with, the more likely they will interact with and engage with you and your content. Be consistent in your engagement! Don't 'post and ghost' as they call it."
Respond to as many messages as possible. Once you get a following, you'll receive quite a few, but do your best.
7. Use a Business Account
If there's an option for a business or creator account on the platform you're choosing, be sure to utilize it. This will give you valuable information, including how many people are looking at your page, the time they are most active, engagement rates, and a slew of other goodies.
Sidney_MiniSausage says to "analyze your Instagram insights and post at times with the most engagement, and learn what content works best." If most of your followers are online at 1:00 in the afternoon on a Tuesday and you post once each day, try to post at this time on that day. Review each other day to find out when the best time to post is.
If you can't post during the recommended time frame, check for the second-best time.
8. Set Time Aside for Content
Once you start growing, it may take more time to respond to comments, questions, and messages. Sidney_MiniSausage said, "Sometimes it's hard to keep up with it all, especially responding to DMs and comments, but I create content at the weekend so I can post once a day without it interfering with my day job."
9. Don't Chase the Algorithm
"Standing out in the massive world of Instagram" is Dolly_Jean_the_Basset's biggest challenge, and they're not alone. It's easy to drive yourself a bit crazy. They said, "While I've really worked on Dolly's page and establishing a unique voice, style, and consistency, there are still SO many other incredible accounts."
Instead, it's important to focus on what drives you and what you enjoy. "The algorithm changes frequently, too, so adjusting accordingly can be tiring. I have started to kind of quit chasing the algorithm and just post what makes me happy."
10. Have Fun & Don't Get Too Serious
"To be honest, I see Instagram more as a fun hobby," says Sidney_MiniSausage. It's "a bit of fun, my pups make me smile, and I love sharing that with the world. Don't do it for the likes; that's when the fun ends!"
Many other social media influencers echoed the importance of fun. "The Instagram algorithm can be ruff!" says Cindy, the "Momager" for The_Mister_Bunny, an account with over 26,000 followers, "We can gain followers at a great pace for about a week, and then we suddenly plateau. We take it for what it is and have fun regardless."
Unfortunately, Nothing Lasts Forever
The simple, heartbreaking part of pet parenthood is that our beloved dogs don't live as long as we do, so losing them is too often part of a pet influencer's story. Before you start, consider whether this is something you're willing to be public about. Sharing in your grief with others can be beautiful, but it's not for everyone. "I decided to back off Fi's account when she got diagnosed with cancer," shares Jane, mom to FionatheTacoDog. "Fi had such a beautiful impact on people, she was quirky and funny, and her story of being a rescued puppy mill breeder was fantastic at raising awareness about the horror these dogs come from. But when it came close to saying goodbye, I needed it to be a family matter." Jane always planned to say a final goodbye on the page after the time come, but even several years later, she hasn't. "I guess, in some ways, I'm hoping people still find her and enjoy her story, without having to know she's gone."
Safety First
The journey of turning your pup into an influencer can be thrilling, but it's important to always put their safety and happiness first. Your happiness is also important. Don't get so busy creating content that you forget to enjoy what you're doing. I'm a firm believer that, with passion, you can do anything you want, and that's what people are drawn to. So, let go, have fun, take good photos, and get started.
