Tag: content creator

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Creator's Academy

Exploring TikTok Functions

For our second instalment of introducing TikTok, we will be going through the core functions in content creation when using the app. For those inexperienced and nervous about breaking into a new app, TikTok works a slightly different niche — community videos with strong collaborative potential. Videos created on TikTok are made with the idea that everyone can attempt to replicate or put their own spin on it, thus creating endless chances to become popular. So let’s look at the modes that you can use to make your videos more interesting.

Discover

First off is the Discover tab. This is the one-stop spot for finding new ideas for content to create with your pawpal. TikTok’s Discover feature sorts out all TikTok videos according to hashtags, filters and sounds. A sound that’s been used a lot will appear as its own category on the Discover page so that you can see what kind of content the sound pairs well with. Likewise, a filter that’s been used a lot will appear as its own category as well.

The Discover tab

One of these said effects is GIF Customiser, which runs a timer to take four shots and display them as a gif video. The appeal in it lies in the effect’s other function — recording the behind-the-scenes process of the gif. Pawpals in this video get the spotlight, of course. Just look at how clueless they are during the whole process!

@kageihina

少し痛い👃✒️

♬ Witch Doctor – kingcupbkk
@kageihina
@lucasandlunarcutecats

Lolll not that easy for my cat 🤣🥲 #cat #fyp #catsoftiktok

♬ Witch Doctor – kingcupbkk
@lucasandlunarcutecats

“Use this sound”

Combining audio samples with a particular video style for a shoot is also a good way to get noticed, especially so when the trend was started by hoomans. A recent trend was “Infinity” by James Young, where TikTokers would hold a ring light behind them to create a halo and silhouette, outlining their body contours. Among the many parodies and alternative takes, pet TikTokers managed to fit in just fine and use the ring light in their own ways.

@steveioe

Had to hop on the trend 😆. MuFKR crew necks are on sale now! Link in Bio #MuFKR

♬ Infinity – Jaymes Young
@steveioe
@inkstaboy

😇😇😇 ig – inkstaboy 🐱 #catsoftiktok #foryoupage #fyp

♬ Infinity – Jaymes Young
@inkstaboy

Duet

Record a video of yourself while another video is playing on the side/top/bottom/behind you. That’s all it is. While deceptively simple, the Duet function allows a lot of room for creativity. A Duet can be used to present images like you would a presentation, to do pet ownership or pet health TikToks. Alternatively, you can create a narrative from someone else’s TikTok. A normal video like your pawpal sitting at the dinner table with wine could look unassuming, but leave it to TikTok to find a way to make a story out of it.

@annaolala

♬ original sound – ICONIC AUDIO
@annaolala
@yoleendadong

#duet with @annaolala can’t trust these stray cats 🐈 #catbar #atthebar #weddingsinger

♬ original sound – ICONIC AUDIO
@yoleendadong

Stitch

If you’re making TikTok content to answer someone else’s video, then stitching would be an easy method to do so. Stitching allows you to use a clip from the video (or just the entire video) to start, then follow up with your own clip immediately after. Pawrents like you can share pet ownership stories using this method of prompt and response.

@mree63

#stitch with @thebudgieacademy this sounds made up but I swear to you it’s true. #dogsofttiktok #dog #animalconditioning #pettok

♬ original sound – Mree63
@mree63

Now that you know…

To be honest, the best way to learn about TikTok is through trial and error. Keep looking at people’s TikToks to see what’s interesting and think about how you can incorporate your pawpal into it. Have fun with the functions and maybe, just maybe, we’ll see your Pawpal trending in the Discover tab!

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

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Creator's Academy

Getting started on TikTok

It needs no explanation that Tiktok is a staple for content creation in the digital age: it is the 4th most downloaded app in Singapore and has 689 million active users worldwide. Most people prefer short clips over static photos, and TikTok is the perfect platform for such content. Videos on TikTok can be made much more easily compared to fully 16-minute Youtube videos and can be completely edited on the go. 

So here’s what you’ll need:

  1. Camera phone
  2. The TikTok App

Content creation in TikTok takes advantage of the new, mobile-first generation. Like Twitter and Instagram, the app is driven by discovery and self-expression. Done right, your content can reach a wide audience. Done better, it can leave a positive impact on your viewers and inspire them to make a difference. 

Making TikTok work for your pawpals

Keep it simple!

As short as TikTok already is, try to keep your content between 15-30 seconds long to hold your viewers’ attention without it feeling too long. Your video will be one of tens or hundreds that your audience will be seeing in one sitting. Keep your message simple and they’re more likely to remember it.

Shoot vertically

Take advantage of the full-screen experience! TikTok is one place where you don’t want to be rotating your phone for every next video (also because their app layout is fixed vertically). The recommended aspect ratio is 9:16. Shooting 16:9 just makes the video very small since you can’t zoom-in a video the way you would an Instagram post.

Use effects and texts

One thing that you might underestimate is the variety of effects and modes TikTok offers (we’ll cover this in another article). It helps if your video feels like something that can only be made with TikTok and not Instagram Stories or YouTube Shorts, so try to utilise all the tools at your disposal.

Use a good cover photo

A tried and tested formula from Youtube’s development: Choose your cover photo. A cover video serves as a glimpse of the video and the viewers should expect. If you don’t choose it, TikTok’s A.I. picks it for you.

TikTok is wildly experimental, so don’t be afraid of making new content. You can also follow us on tiktok @pawjourr to see how we make our content. Next week, we’ll be covering various TikTok functions, so stay tuned!

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

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Creator's Academy

Understanding Instagram’s Algorithm

If you’ve been on Instagram long enough, you’ll have heard that the best way to get ahead of the curve is to post at ‘peak hours’. Timings where traffic is highest so users will see your posts immediately a.k.a The Chronological Feed. Sadly, that no longer works. In a new update, Instagram rolled out the new Instagram Algorithm 2021, which is designed to decide what content you get to see when you open the app.

The algorithm at its core

Instagram’s new algorithm basically ensures that the posts and stories you see right away are the ones you want to see. Your followers all have their own habits and browsing routines, so the algorithm is summed up in four factors:

  1. Information about the post — Is that post a photo, a carousel, or a video? Where was it published from? How long is the video?
  2. Information about the poster —How interesting are you to them? How often do people engage with your content? 
  3. Browsing activity — Do they tend to watch a lot of videos? What type of content do they typically engage with? 
  4. Interaction history — Do they typically like or comment on your posts?

The algorithm in Instagram Stories is similar and more obvious — Stories of accounts you interact with most often get pushed to the front, regardless of whom posted most recently. However, since Stories are shorter and can be binge-watched, your followers are more likely to swipe to your content.

Interactions that affect the algorithm

When prioritising content for each of followers, the Instagram algorithm puts into consideration five forms of interaction that supplement the factors we just mentioned. These are:

  1. Time spent — Will they bother to spend time on the post?
  2. Likes — Will they like the post?
  3. Comments  — How likely are they to comment on the post?
  4. Saves — How likely are they to save the post?
  5. Taps on Profile — How likely are they to tap on the profile after seeing the post?

Do you want people to spend more time on your content?

The advent of the new algorithm provides us with the opportunity to explore video formats as well. If your followers are shown to like more dynamic content like videos and gifs, but you do not want to crowd your feed with too many types of posts, you can use Instagram Stories (which only lasts 24 hours but can be saved as highlights), or Instagram Reels (which has a longer duration limit and appears permanently on a separate tab).

Is this post likely to be liked or commented on?

If the content you are posting is supposed to drive engagement, it would be good to draw Insights from your followers as to what kind of posts do better on your profile. If polished, well taken photos of your pawpal get more likes and comments than your casual pictures of them, then you can consider steering your profile to a more polished feed.

Is this a post someone would save and come back to?

This is especially true for educational posts, like tips & tricks. Think about whether your post will leave your followers coming back to it for repeated views.  Loopable videos like Jade Taylor Ryan’s TikTok of her cat Ed dancing to Mr. Sandman are comfortable to watch over. And over. And over again.

Does this post include a CTA (for example, “Click the link in my bio”) that will prompt someone to tap on your profile?

If you have campaigns, promotions, or events happening on your profile, your posts should include a CTA so that your followers know there’s more in store when they go to your profile.

Now that you know…

It’s always important to remember that Instagram is always upgrading its algorithm. What works now may not work next year. So while this guide is still relevant, please take this opportunity to experiment with the content you are making and most importantly, to have fun with your pawpal while doing so

Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels

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Creator's Academy

Exploring Instagram’s Functions

Instagram has been constantly evolving since its debut in 2010. What used to be just a platform to share images has now become a network for conversations, content creation, and e-commerce. Let’s walk through some of the latest game-changers to the app this year.

Map Search

To make the app a hub for businesses, Instagram rolled out ‘Map Search’, a function found on the top right corner of the discovery tab. The map search function makes it convenient for users to find details and tagged posts of people in a particular area.Map Search also outlines popular stores, hotels, and restaurants. This feature will show the businesses’ working hours, price details, profile links, and related posts within that area. If used properly, it could be a treasure trove of hidden gems for you and your furkids to eat, play, or just hang out at!

Reels

Instagram Reels was introduced as a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on the platform. Users can make minute-long videos with an array of effects such including:

  • Audio – Use a song from the Instagram music library, or use your own original audio
  • AR Effects – Created by both Instagram and creators around the world, these effects can be stacked on a single reel
  • Timer and Countdown – The timer allows you to record your clips hands-free.
  • Align – Line up objects from previous clips to create seamless transitions.
  • Speed – Speed up or slow down part of the video or audio in your reel.

Remix Reels

Similar to TikTok’s Duet Feature, Remix Reels was added to Instagram to film split-screen reaction videos. This format is good for reaction videos, collab performances, and creative challenges

Image from Instagram

IG Stories

While not new, Instagram has continued to make its stories more relevant, innovative, and versatile. The function brings to the table the ability to send fleeting, casual content that only lasts 24 hours. Because Instagram Stories are more engagement-driven, they come with many tools like polls, questions, and quizzes.

Stories Captions

With the captions sticker, Instagram Stories are more accessible to everyone. The feature transcribes the things you say so that you can understand the clip even without audio.

Image from Instagram

“Add Yours” Sticker

“Add Yours” allows you to create a public thread in the form of a Stories sticker. Following a prompt or a topic, users on the Instagram Story will be prompted to respond with their own rendition of the topic. The stories of every user who reacted to the prompt are then stored as a collection, turning the sticker into a content chain really quickly. The “Add Yours” sticker is great for creating engagement well past your usual circle of followers due to how easy to spread it is, allowing you to find other like-minded furfriends.

Image from Instagram

Sharing links

Replacing the swipe-up feature in Instagram Stories is the Instagram Link Sticker. As the name suggests, you can add this sticker to your Stories to link people to an external website! This works especially well if you’re running a campaign on Instagram and want to direct your followers to a website!

Instagram Guides

Bringing blog posts to Instagram, Guides can be created using pre-published posts, places, or product listings from your or public accounts. This feature creates a dedicated post in your post that serves as a way to more easily share recommendations and tips with your followers.

Image from Instagram

Instagram Live 

Instagram Live brought streaming to its platform five years ago. We were able to share content in real-time and have a dialogue with their followers — one guest at a time. Creators could use Instagram Live to engage with their audience easily and with significantly less preparation required. This year, Instagram updated Instagram Live with Live Rooms.

Live room

A fairly simple update, Instagram Live Rooms allows hosts to include up to three guests. This small increase can open a world of possibilities for creators — collaborative classes, webinars, Ask Me Anything’s (AMAs), and live performances!

Image from Instagram

Featured photo by cottonbro from Pexels

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Creator's Academy

Boosting your posts on Instagram

Now that you have an Instagram Creator Account, you will have noticed a new button below your posts: “Boost Post”. What does it do? Can you really boost a post? We’ll give you a quick tour of this new function for your pet influencing journey.

What does it mean to boost posts?

When you boost a post on Instagram, you’re making it more visible to a targeted group of people on Instagram. By paying social media platforms, you can amplify your reach to your followers, a recommended audience, or a targeted audience. Your boosted post will then show up as a sponsored post on your audience’s feed.

How to boost your posts

1. Click the “Promote” button at the bottom of your post.

2. Pick a goal.

To boost your post, you need to first know what the boost does for it — that is your goal. Do you want more people to visit your profile? Do you want them to click a link to another website? Or do you want them to message you more? Whatever your goal is for the specific post you want to boost, make sure you choose the option that best aligns with it.

3. Choose an audience.

After choosing your goal, you can pick from three different targeting options: Special requirements, Automatic, and Create your own. 

Special Requirements lets you target based on very niche categories.

Automatic tells Instagram to target people who have similar demographics and browsing trends as your followers.

Create Your Own lets you target specific people, based on their age, location and interests.

4. Set your budget and duration.

Based on the budget and duration you set, Instagram will estimate the expected reach and clicks that your post will attract after you set your post’s budget and ad duration.

Expected reach refers to the estimated number of users who might see your post.

Budget refers to how much money you’re willing to spend to reach your target audience.

Duration refers to how long your boost will last. It can be as short as one day, and as long as one month.

5. Review

Check that your settings are all in order before confirming your boost!

Now that you know how to boost your posts, you can reach out to more audiences!

To find out more about pet influencing, click here.

Ready to kickstart your pet-fluencing journey? Join our community of pet influencers and explore opportunities here.

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Creator's Academy

Writing a good caption

Instagram is a platform that focuses on visuals, but to really make your post shine, it needs to be supported by a good caption. In four steps, we will guide you through the process of writing a good caption for your Instagram posts.

Step-by-Step

  1. The message
  2. Hook, line, and sinker
  3. Sensory words
  4. Strike a conversation

Step 1: The message

Think of the story you want to tell. Who are you telling it to? What is this post about? What is the point of this post? A picture can tell a thousand words, but why let it do all the talking? An Instagram caption can hold up to 2,200 characters (that’s anywhere between 310 words to 550 words). That means you don’t have to exhaust the limit, but you will have a lot of space to share how you feel.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Poor Caption:Good Caption:
Maxie lying down next to me when I’m sickMaxie came to my side to nurse me, I feel better already!

Step 2: Hook, line, and sinker

First impressions count. Not just for your photo, but also for your captions. Instagram has a really nifty automatic function that truncates your captions if they’re too long — 125 characters (up to 20 words) to be exact. Your opening line needs to have a hook, something that makes your audience want to read more. In that regard, you can opt for a short sentence, then separate your caption with a line-break (the return key on your keyboard). Grab your audience’s attention in those first 125 characters to draw them in.

Photo by Zen Chung from Pexels
Poor Caption:Good Caption:
The interview at the cafe was a success and Snuffles told me I was just the man he was looking for. I will be starting work in his hooman cafe, run entirely by dogs, starting Monday.I’m going to work at a Hooman Cafe run by dogs! Snuffles said I was “just the man [he] was looking for”. 

Anyway, I’m starting Monday, thanks Snuffles!
Poor Caption (truncated):Good Caption (truncated):
The interview at the cafe was a success and Snuffles told me I was just the man he was looking for… moreDid a dog just hire me?… more

Step 3: Sensory words

If there’s one thing people underestimate about photos in social media, it’s that your audience really appreciates it when you describe your experience as vividly as possible. Eating something new and novel? Describe its flavours and complexities. Travelling to a new location? Describe its sceneries and moods. Utilise the senses of touch, taste, smell, sound, sight, emotion, and thought to convey your story.

You can also use emojis to your caption to add value and make it less wordy!

Photo by Dids from Pexels
Poor Caption:Good Caption:
She wants ice creamJust as the tiger stalks a deer, so too does Mocha’s eyes gleam on her prey…??

Step 4: Strike a conversation

When it comes to content creation, it pays to not just tell a story but also start a conversation with the audience. This is especially true for sponsorships, where you’d want to promote a product or brand.

Include a call-to-action (CTA)

A CTA is the simplest way to engage your audience. Having a CTA will direct them in the direction you want them to go. Be it to sign a petition, to visit a brand’s website, or to participate in some pet jobs. CTAs are also useful when there’s too much information to share, so redirecting them to another site would make things easier for you.

Credits and Hashtags

When doing sponsored posts (or simply reposts), remember to credit your sources and partners. For your sponsors, it generates traffic; for your sources, it’s good manners. It also costs nothing to credit and tag them, so it’s a win-win! Similarly, hashtags help to bring new audiences to your post through the explore function. Instagram has a limit of 30 hashtags per post, but if that makes your caption look too chunky, you can always put them in a separate comment.

Ask a question

It’s as simple as that. People are compelled to answer whenever they are posed with a question. This also becomes a prompt for conversations to happen in your comments.

Photo by Korina Stecenko from Pexels
Poor Caption:Good caption:
Cherub’s soft toy. Good for cats.How do your pawpals wind down on lazy Sundays? 

Granger likes to snuggle her favourite toy from @Cherub.


Visit their store for a 10% discount today ? 

#CherubToys #CatsOfInstagram

You don’t need to be a wordsmith to write good captions! Just remember these tips and you’ll be able to better engage your audiences. Stacey McLachlan also experimented with caption lengths to see how length affects engagement (so you don’t have to). You can click here to see how the experiment went.

To find out more about pet influencing, click here.

Ready to kickstart your pet-fluencing journey? Join our community of pet influencers and explore opportunities here.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels

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Creator's Academy

Content creation pitfalls (and what you can do about them)

Content creation may seem easy at first — snap a photo of your precious furkids and share them with the world. So why aren’t you doing as well as other pawpals on Instagram? Here are some pitfalls you may have made and how you can work around them!

No.1: Feed spamming

We’ve emphasised it a few times in our previous article but we must emphasise — do not flood your Instagram feed with multiple photos. More than anything, you want your audience to remember you for quality content, not excessive content. Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, recommended posting 2-3 times a week, and no more than 1 post a day. If you want to share more pictures and videos of your furkid, you can always consider Instagram Stories.

No.2: Losing that personal touch

When making sponsored posts, it is easy to get lost in the products’ details. Yes, this new brand of pet food is made with high-quality ingredients. You sold the product, but you didn’t sell us the experience. How did your pawpal react to the product? Will they want it more now?  The photos you take and the captions you write must tell a story to engage your audience.

No.3: Making loooooooong captions

On top of being a place for short-form content, Instagram is also an app that puts a lot of emphasis on your pictures. Let your photos do most of the work (see above, “photos must tell a story”), and keep your captions short and easy to read. If you want to hold a follower’s attention, it should not be to read a wall of text. Remember, brevity is the soul of wit!

If you’re adding hashtags, it’s good to know that Instagram limits your posts to a maximum of 30 hashtags. It’s even better to know that using all 30 hashtags makes your post look cluttered. What we recommend is to throw all your hashtags into a single comment so that your caption is neat and emphasises the story itself.

No.4: Ignoring comments (completely)

Now that you’re making content, you’re sure to receive more comments on your posts! You may receive comments from people you may (or may not) know, so be sure to reply to them. This is the best time to engage with your audience, as it shows that communication is two-way, rather than just you sharing information top-down. A pawpal that replies and converses with their followers leaves a longer-lasting impression than a pawpal who only posts pictures and nothing more.

There are many other pitfalls we did not include, but these are probably the most important ones. With this, we hope that you’ll combine these with your insights to create more engaging content.

To find out more about pet influencing, click here.

Ready to kickstart your pet-fluencing journey? Join our community of pet influencers and explore opportunities here.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

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Creator's Academy

Sponsorships vs Exclusivity

Everybody knows what sponsorships are — at least vaguely. We last explored how to get your pet sponsored too. However, there is another category of partnerships. Exclusivity. How are they different? Is one better than the other? Lets know more about exclusivity and understand why it is an equally valid strategy for Pet Influencers.

Definitions

Exclusivity

Working with a brand for a set period of time. During this time, you are not allowed to promote any other brand. “Which brand” will depend on the contract — some exclusivities do allow you to work with other brands, so long as they are not in the same category, or competitors of the brand you are working with..

Because of that, exclusivities may be restrictive in its own way. When you’re promoting a brand as an exclusive ambassador, you won’t be able to promote other brands with us. If you have been offered an exclusive contract, do consider the benefits as well as the contract terms carefully before accepting.

Sponsorship

Promoting or a product, event, or activity to raise brand awareness for the client. Sponsorships are more flexible because of the requirements per sponsor — most tend to be a one-time project. Of course, brands would definitely want some commitment back. A good rule-of-thumb would be to avoid promoting similar products from other brands during your sponsorship.

Benefits

While exclusivity may restrict the number of offers you can take up at any one time, it’s not without its benefits. 

Sponsorships play at versatility. Because sponsorships tend to have a short campaign period, you can use the fast-paced premise of the jobs to get your name out to a wider audience much faster. Your followers and potential partners will see you on media and current events more often, which creates a lasting impression.Exclusivities however, are all about being selective. Having many sponsorships may get your pawpal seen in the early game, but over time you may have to balance your feed with more organic posts or risk losing authenticity. In the case of exclusivities, being selective and deliberate, signals to your potential partners that you are invested in their cause, not just their profits. Your words carry more weight because you chose to endorse these brands.

How to make the most out of each

Sponsorships : Form bonds, create long term connections

Sponsorships come and go really quickly. So one way to maximize your opportunities is to know not just your own audience, but also your partners’ usual audience. If you can engage them, your partners are more likely to  find you again to do more sponsorships.

Exclusivity : Think community-first, be wary of competitors

When speaking for your partner, always keep in mind how your audience will feel about you and the brand when you post something. Think about how your pawpal can stay true to themselves while still representing a brand. Take note of what your partner’s competitors are up to, and avoid working with them when your exclusivity ends.

Keen to have your furkid sponsored?
Join us to begin your journey here.

For more useful articles on pet influencing, click here.

Featured Photo by Ivan Babydov from Pexels

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Community Stories Creator's Academy

Lights, Cameowra!

While everyone was looking at the wide-eyed, snow-coloured Scottish Fold x Ragdoll, Kyubi was looking at one thing — her pawrent and the eye of all Kyubi’s photos, Jane. The Temasek Polytechnic Graduate majored in Film and Television, and later refined her fundamentals in photography in part thanks to the influence of photography hobbyists among her friends and family.

Since adopting her in May of 2020, Jane and Kyubi have been sharing their photos ever since, amassing a huge following of 3.8k followers on Instagram. We thus invited her to share with us her photography techniques and tips for aspiring pet photographers

Jane’s 5 Essential Tools

  1. Camera and Lens

A good investment begins with a good camera. But as Jane states, a phone camera works just as well.

  1. Lighting

“Especially for indoor lighting,” Jane explains, “we use a few small, compact LED lights to illuminate the set, and a softbox to diffuse the light so that it doesn’t look too harsh on Kyubi.” In the case of animal photography, softboxes ensure that the light does not blind their eyes. As for how it looks in the frame, bright light constricts their pupils, causing them to appear small instead.

Jane recalled an incident where Kyubi’s eyes had become watery after one of their shoots. “I noticed that it was because the light was shining straight into her eyes. The glare was strong enough to make Kyubi uncomfortable.” It was through this trial-and-error and Jane understood the importance of a softbox.

  1. Backdrop

Contrary to popular belief, Jane and Kyubi do not work with huge backdrops. “I just work with whatever I have, be it brown bag paper or cloth,” she said, holding up what looks like a pink sheet of mahjong paper. “It all depends on the angle of the camera and how big your subject is. Making sure that it all fits into the frame.” 

Materials for backdrops can be found in Artfriend, Popular, or even Spotlight.

  1. Props

Jane advises against getting too many niche props, as they often end up as a one-use purchase. Instead, she recommends more generic props (e.g. flowers, fake candy, small figurines, etc.) to add value to the scene.

  1. Accessories

Accessories, wardrobe, and costume, to be exact. Beyond the usual accessories like bandana and bows, it is okay to purchase clothes specifically for thematic photoshoots.

Behind the Mind

When asked what goes into the conceptualisation of her shoots, Jane states that her shoots are usually to commemorate special days, or otherwise  inspired by the food she ate.

Spur of the moment

“One time I saw a sushi conveyor belt toy while browsing online and I was like, “I’ve got to get it. I have to do an Omakase-style photoshoot.””

Special Events

Jane : For our National Day photoshoot, we brought Kyubi to the iconic Dragon Playground at Toa Payoh just to take photos.

Improvise

Jane : We had a lottery themed photoshoot recently. For the scene, we collected a lot of lottery tickets from my grandmother and put it in a pile at the backdrop. For props, I made origami ribbons out of some tickets for Kyubi to wear. Sometimes you can just make do with everyday items from home.

Omakase-style shoot , National Day shoot, and Lottery-themed shoot

Working with animals

When asked how Kyubi learned to be so well-behaved, Jane laughed. “From the first shoot to perhaps the fifth or sixth one, Kyubi’s attention span was rather short. After 2-3 mins of shooting, you can see that her temper would start to show. She will become very restless, and will want to escape or lie down.” 

Jane then emphasised that it’s only natural that these things happen when photographing pets. “Be patient with them and reward them with treats for behaving. I give Kyubi treats once she sits for the shoot. After a while, we would notice that Kyubi would automatically walk up to the backdrop whenever she sees us setting up for a shoot.”

Jane continues the interview with a warm smile as she talks about the support she feels brimming from Singapore’s pet owner and pet influencer community. “Everyone in the community is very close. I appreciate that pet owners share their daily stories… their experiences… sometimes just seeking help or giving recommendations about what’s out there in the market through their reviews. It’s through these social interactions that we can learn how to be better pet owners.”

Follow Jane and Kyubi on Instagram to see their latest shoots!

Categories
Creator's Academy

How to get your pet sponsored

Now you have a Creator Account, and you know your Insights. The next grand step is to get brands to look at your furbaby. It’s time to strike a deal.

Know what makes your furbaby special

Like any other pawrent, our furbabies are our pride and joy. We know what makes them one of a kind, even if it isn’t as apparent to others. When showing your furbabies to the world, it’s important to know what makes them special, and present brands or topics related to them. That is a niche.

Profile : @kiki.catto on Instagram

When you have a niche, you can work with your furbaby to make an Instagram profile that specially features brands from that niche to attract their attention. For instance, @kiki.catto ‘s niche is in cat fashion, so their profile has been tailored to feature apparel and accessories.

Once you have built your niche, your audience will also shift to be those with similar interests as well. Brands and businesses will also start to identify you with that niche, and contact you for collaborations related to those.

The more your furbaby is comfortable with that specialty, the more content you can both present to potential partners.

Know the people in the scene

It goes without saying that if you have a niche, you should know who provides goods and services for that niche. If your pawpal is a homebody who prefers to laze around, you would not want to reach out to  sponsors for outdoor accessories for pets. In kopi.thedog ‘s case, Kopi is good at modelling, so her pawrent chose to let her represent brands like @_furristictales and @how.bow.that that allow her to stay true to her personality.


Profile : @kopi.thedog on Instagram

Reaching out to potential partners — Do’s and Don’ts

DO: Introduce yourself

Let your potential partners know who your furbaby is. Explain what your niche is and why collaborating with you would be a good move — not just for you, but also for their business. 

DON’T: Flex

While showing potential partners your follower count does indicate your potential for massive outreach, you should not let that confidence cloud your judgement. Saying “my pet has over 800 followers on Instagram” is not an instant ticket to getting sponsored. Likewise, if your potential partner turns down your pitch, you’ll stand to leave a positive impression by responding graciously.

DO: Show how effective your platform can be for them

It is good to include data like your follower count and your insights. These numbers will give your potential partners the assurance that you can provide the outreach and engagement they are looking for.

Here’s what potential partners might like to know:

  • Who is your audience? 
  • Are they the kind of audience who will support the things you’re promoting?
  • What kind of content gets you the most engagement?

DON’T: Make unreasonable demands.

You should know your worth and be confident in asking for what you think you deserve. But you need to be realistic, flexible, and open to discussion.

Do : Be patient

If you’re reaching out to your potential partner, chances are you’re not the only one. In fact, brands receive collaboration requests all the time. Don’t feel discouraged from rejection! Fall seven times and stand up. While you might get a “no” 3 times, it’s the 4th brand you contact that might give you a “yes.”

When a brand contacts you for potential partnerships

  1. Read the offer carefully

Understand where the brand is coming from, and what exactly they are looking for.

  1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Always make sure you are 100% sure of the terms. If something is not mentioned (e.g. payout, duration, restrictions, etc.), make sure to clarify before taking up their offer.

  1. Know when to say “no”

Negotiation is key! If you know you are worth more than what they can offer, you can kindly discuss the terms. Don’t be afraid to say no to a partnership that is not mutually beneficial.

Instagram doesn’t have to be all business. Click here to find out how you can do more with your pets on Instagram.

Featured Image by KoolShooters from Pexels