When looking back at 2020, I’m sure all anyone can remember is the COVID-19 pandemic. But with the rise of COVID-19 cases, 2020 also saw a huge rise in the appeal and consumption of short-form video — especially on the app, TikTok.
Vine walked so TikTok could run
Short-form content — content less than a minute long — is not new to us. It has long existed since 2013, popularized by the now-defunct platform, Vine. This all began when users on that platform would create 6-second looped videos, creating all sorts of content, from synchronized dancing to “meme-worthy” comedy videos.
Consuming content on the go
Now, short-form content is even more popular than before thanks to TikTok, and Instagram’s Reels.
This trend can be attributed to a number of factors, including the shortened attention spans of consumers. In an age of constant distractions and an overwhelming amount of information available at our fingertips, people are less likely to spend a long time engaging with a piece of content. Instead, they want to quickly consume information and move on to the next big thing.
Another key driver is the increasing use of mobile devices. With the convenience that smartphones and tablets bring, more people are consuming content on the go. Hence, they are looking for shorter, bite-sized pieces of content that are easy to consume on a small screen.
Leverage short-form content
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter are designed for quick, snackable content, and they have become a go-to destination for millions of people looking for entertainment, news, and information. And leveraging them is easier than you think!
We previously talked about the power of customer reviews, and how it has the power to influence potential consumer’s purchasing decisions. Instagram Reels makes it really easy for you to share testimonies — simply repost any User-Generated Content (UGC) by getting existing consumers to contribute a video testimonial.
With the increase of users on these platforms each year, demand for short-form content continues to grow. Therefore, the number of users marketers can reach with ads on platforms like Instagram’s Reels feed and TikTok is bound to increase.
Is going viral a bad marketing strategy?
Both Instagram Reels and TikTok present an endless potential; it allows you to reach new audiences that seemed impossible, simply with a trending video.
Now, wanting to go viral isn’t bad. But trying to go viral isn’t a good marketing strategy. The internet and its algorithm are unpredictable, and unless you have the pulse of knowing what the next big thing is, it’s always safer to create authentic content true to your brand.
It is also what makes them hooked. Relatability is the strongest tool in short-form content, and when executed correctly, it helps you stand out in the loud market we’re living in. Remember, audiences want to connect with your content, and that connection is what makes people share your videos around!
Instagram’s algorithm has been a topic of interest among users, brands, and even celebrities, who are desperately trying to figure out and “play the game” to simply make their posts seen by their followers.
For those who aren’t familiar with Instagram, prior to 2016, Instagram’s feed has been displayed in chronological order, no matter how much you’ve interacted with the profile. But it all changed when Instagram launched an update, where user’s feeds are now curated based on their activity on the app… until 2022.
What changed in 2016?
Since 2016, Instagram has an algorithm (or more accurately, algorithms) that helps them determine which posts to show you, in no particular order. Which means you might miss a post or two, from an account you love but “rarely interact” because they aren’t as active as other profiles.
According to Instagram, their algorithm is made up of different algorithms, and processors to determine which posts make it. Not only that, different portions of the app have their respective algorithms. Which explains why the Explore page is so different from Reels.
Instagram’s 2022 algorithm
Earlier this year, Instagram introduced the ability for users to switch between chronological order, as well as the feed that Instagram’s processes have worked hard to curate for users on the platform.
In a tweet by the Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, users can choose between these three options:
Home
Favorites
Following
With Favorites, Instagram is letting users play a bigger role in controlling their feed. You can curate your own feed by adding profiles you love to the list, with a maximum of 50 (for now anyways). And that’s not even the best part!
Even under a different feed, like “Home”, profiles in your “Favorites” list will rank higher up in your feed. This is a big change for business and brands who are struggling to gain visibility, and feeling like they’re constantly getting “shadowbanned”.
“Shadowbanning doesn’t exist”
Last year, Adam Mosseri also debunked misconceptions about Instagram’s processes and assured users that shadowbanning does not exist. He attributes reasons why followers aren’t interacting with (your) posts is due to their tendency of looking “at less than half of their feed”.
There are ways to avoid this by creating consistent and quality content that resonates with your audience, which reflects your brand’s image.
Instagram is currently providing insights in areas such as:
Accounts engaged – likes, saves, shares, and comments
Accounts reached – users who have seen your post/on screen
Overall content – data that represents your audience’s behavior/interaction with your content (link clicks, ad taps)
Keeping your audience engaged should remain a top priority no matter your goals, and you can do just that with the statistics provided. By leveraging Instagram’s analytics tool, you’d be able to gain better insights into your posts.
Putting your audience first
You’d find that trying to gain visibility is no longer a challenge, if you simply deliver content that they want. With that approach, you’re bound to appear on their feed, and hopefully even in their “Favorites” list.
Instagram is constantly changing and developing to make the platform more accessible for brands, businesses, consumers and creators alike. So, keep a lookout for future updates for creators!
As responsible pet owners, it is our duty to provide the best for our fur kids. Cats have an average life expectancy of 15 years, and dogs on the other hand, have 12 years. That said, all these depend on their size, and breed. Other factors that affect their life expectancy, includes gender, genetics, lifestyle, exercise, and many more!
Studies have shown that the key to a long life is based on two main factors, genetics, and lifestyle choices. While genetics are out of our control, we can offer our fur kids with the proper care and food to ensure they lead a healthy and happy life!
Here are some tips you can follow to ensure just that!
Regular Veterinary Appointments
It is recommended to bring your fur kids in for a visit at least once a year. These annual visits should be doubled if you have a senior pet at hand! It may be hard to admit sometimes, but our precious fur kids do age faster than us humans.
These important visits allow you to learn what is normal for your pet at their age, and what you can do to improve their well-being. That is why early check-ups are vital, even if something seems insignificant, initiating preventive measures can help to prolong your fur kid’s life.
Plenty of Exercise
Obesity among pets can lead to a myriad of health issues. It is seen as the number one nutritional disease among pets by veterinarians. To keep your pets lean, take them out for regular exercises.
Exercise ideas for Cats:
Toy chase (cat wand or flashlight)
Take them for a walk
Cat tower
Short but frequent playtimes
Cats have short bursts of energy, play in five or ten minute sessions, and let them catch their breath. It is also good to note that cats have very short attention spans, hence, it’s recommended to switch up the activities frequently.
Exercise ideas for Dogs:
Walk around the block
Playing fetch at the park
Bring them along for a hike
Take them out to swim
Tug-of-war
Even though every dog may need to exercise, some may need more or less than others. So take note of your dog’s limits, and give them ample water afterwards.
Healthy Diet
Make sure your pet is getting the proper nutrition for their breed and age. Being overweight can shorten your pet’s life by as much as two years, so it’s important to get them on a healthy diet!
NUTRIPE ESSENCE offers a wide array of benefits with countless nutrients your pets need, from prebiotics to digestive enzymes. Their dry food range is formulated to maintain an appropriate balance of good bacteria in your pet’s gastrointestinal system. Besides absorbing nutrients, the digestive system plays a crucial role in fluid balance, and transporting electrolytes into circulation. It also supports their immune system, preventing diseases.
Pets do get bored sometimes, and it can lead to serious issues. Keep your pets entertained by playing with them. As much as possible, bring them out for paw-dates, engaging in socializing activities with other fur friends. When you’re out for some fun and games, always bring along their favorite toys, and buy backups –in case it gets lost!
By developing a familiarity with other hoomans and fur friends, it can help minimize serious behavioral issues like aggression or nervousness. The exposure teaches your pet how to react to the world around them in a healthy way, without feeling scared or anxious.
Clean and Comfortable Living Environment
Good hygiene is the key to a healthy life. This also includes the environment your fur kids are exposed to on a daily basis. As a pet owner, it can be tiring to maintain optimum cleanliness in your house. However, it is our duty to provide a comfortable living quarter for your fur kid.
Purchase additional drinking bowls, towels, combs, toothbrushes, and other pet essentials to ensure you’re always prepared to cater to their needs.
Pro-tip: Do not leave your pets unsupervised. Allowing them to roam freely can lead to unexpected accidents, including automobile accidents, predation, exposure to allergic foods, and etc.
We all click photos of our pets and pamper them with our love. Occasionally, we also post some cuteness-overloaded pictures for all to enjoy across social media platforms. Generally, images and videos of pets garner greater attention. Have you ever considered making a career using this natural attention that your pet receives?
Like all content creators, a pet influencer must have a recognizable personality. Our pets cannot talk to us, but they have quirks and traits that differentiate them from others. We should emphasize characteristics that make them weird, fun, and lovable. We all talk to our pets and imagine a reply they would give us in our heads. Put that out for the public to enjoy and create a consistent persona with our pet’s characteristics.
Grow Your Skills And Followers
A full-time job requires investment. Therefore, planning to be a pet influencer’s parent will require time, money, and dedication. Social media is filled with influencers coming up with new content ideas every other day. To stand out, we need to polish our skills and methods.
Equipment
Tripods are important : Smartphones can take decent images and videos to get us started with our pet influencer account. But, to grow our social media account into a full-time hustle, pet videos and pictures must be high in quality. Therefore, we must invest in equipment like lights, cameras, tripods, and stabilizers.
Photography and Cinematography Skills
Proper equipment can only alleviate our images and videos to a certain extent. However, truly bringing the best out of our pets requires learning new skills and techniques. We should practice taking pictures of our pets and try to improve upon them.
Learn about the camera
Photography and cinematography courses are readily available across the internet, and they can help us understand the minute details that are too complicated for a casual hobbyist. For example, how to utilize natural and artificial light in our photos and videos, use tripods and stabilizers, the correct camera setting depending on the environment, etc.
Followers
With a unique personality, the proper equipment, and the necessary skills, we can start building a fanbase. Consistency is required when it comes to social media following. Utilizing photographs, videos, stories, shorts, reels, and live features of a platform is necessary to maintain consistency. To be consistent on instagram, you can use an Instagram reel makerto create posts quickly and easily.
Track activity and engagement
Using stories and comment sections, we should interact with the pages and accounts of different pet influencers to attract followers of our own. We can also use hashtags to increase the visibility of our pet influencer content.
Start Monetizing
Once we have built up a loyal fanbase of a considerable amount, say 10,000 followers, we should start looking for sponsors relevant to the page. Like all other businesses, influencer management is also dependent upon networking. Some brands might approach us themselves for paid promotions , but we should also prepare ourselves to pitch our business to the brands.
What to Pitch?
It is important to define clear goals and requirements. While brands usually engage in paid sponsorships, some might offer an exchange of products and/or services, and some offer a mixture. Receiving perks like a day at a pet spa or free access to toys and other goodies is lucrative. But we should always assess the worth of our page and quote a fair price.
Dog spa and grooming
Firstly, we should get a rough idea from other social media accounts. Brands that usually sponsor those accounts will be interested in our social media page.
Next, approaching brands via email is the best method. We should highlight to the sponsor that our pet regularly uses and loves their products. Mentioning the natural, strong growth of our pet influencer account is necessary. It will help us ask for a price that we think is fair.
And finally, we should stay in our domain. Reaching sponsors that are relevant to our pets is very important. Endorsing a dog skincare product if our pet is a Persian cat makes little sense.
Affiliate Programs
Affiliate marketing can help us earn a good amount of money. It is a referral program where a retailer pays us commissions for every purchase made using our affiliate link. We need to divert traffic from our social media page to the retailer site to earn money. For example, if we have a YouTube Petfluencer account, we can make youtube videos and put a link in description to promote affiliate products.
Affiliate merchant
Joining the correct affiliate merchant can be a tricky part. Some merchants provide better commissions, sales, and bonuses over others. We should do proper research before partnering with a merchant.
Promoting products we vouch for is a healthy way to gain the trust of our followers. But it is not always the case. We can promote products we have not personally used if we are assured of their quality. Moreover, affiliates and sponsored posts should be mandatorily disclosed, and we should follow all the guidelines.
Merch is Cute and Profitable
Thanks to our lovable pets’ unique personalities and fan following, merchandise will sell like hotcakes. Physical products with cute designs and photos of our pets can be sold at merchant websites that act like affiliates.
These merchants stock up on socks, shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, and even pillows. They are direct-to-print merchants that print a design only after an order is placed. Therefore, inventory management is a non-issue. They are the ones who build websites for our products; we only need to design and promote them. Instagram is a great platform to promote merchandise. To create some engaging stories with minimal effort, you can use some prebuilt Instagram story templates.
Pet merchandise
Wrapping Up
While being a pet influencer parent is a full-time job, it is one of the most rewarding and fun career paths. However, it can be difficult to make a living from it. Earnings come from sponsors, affiliates, and merch only after we have built our brand using interesting content. Interactive social media filters, apps, and tools like Instagram reel makers to produce content on the go. All this can be done alongside having fun with our pets!
Scarlett always knew deep down she was gonna get a dog one day. But what she didn’t know was when.
Earlier this year, she browsed through good dog, looking for available Shelties. However, the next available one was only till May, and she couldn’t wait to be a pawmom! She went on to search for Collies, unable to resist their cuteness. As if it was predestined, the moment she laid eyes on Lassie (then Sophie), Scarlett knew she was special — and she was available!
“She looked energetic, sassy, smartypants, and had a beautiful sable color. And I immediately applied for her and everything is history,” Scarlett added.
Lassie, a farm girl from a breeder in Danville, Pennsylvania, has now found a forever home in Washington, DC, with Scarlett, and her sister Luna, a two-year-old pure white cat.
Lassie enjoying her well-deserved treats.
More than a pawdel
At first glance, Lassie is the prettiest pawdel you’ve ever seen. But once you get to know her, you’d realize she is more than just a pretty face.
Lassie is highly-intelligent, with a ton of tricks up her sleeves. Of course, Scarlett is always working on a new one, currently teaching her “sit pretty” — getting her to pose with both paws up, and with Luna.
And that’s not all! Lassie is very obedient and calm, able to be still even without a leash, allowing her pawmom to take the perfect shots. Coupled with her amazing side profile (thanks to her long face), she makes the pawfect pawdel. This makes outdoor photoshoots for pet apparels with Lassie a breeze!
“Lassie believes she can fly… and touch the sky.”
Besides being the best pet model you could ever ask for, Lassie is a graceful sprinter too. Rough Collies are known for their beautiful long coat that flows as they run, and Lassie is no exception!
Lassie pays the rent
Our DC residents have been a #PawjourrCreator since August and they have participated in various campaigns. Mom-ager Scarlett, knowing her baby’s talent, has a knack for choosing campaigns that are best suited for Lassie.
What would they be you ask? Well, Rough Collies thrive with companionships, and outdoor activities everyday. Which makes sense for them to be part of Doggy Style’s campaign, allowing Scarlett to find suitable playdates for Lassie!
Their engaging and elaborative guide to the Doggy Style app is a sure-fire way to get sign-ups for the new app! Our talented creators don’t just post the best stills, they showcase their creativity through their videos too!
Scarlett finds herself to be very active on Instagram, specifically on Lassie’s profile. She mainly connects with other pawrents, who are just as excited to schedule playdates now and then. Through their interactions, she is able to learn the latest tips and tricks by sharing their experiences and adventures with one another.
Furthermore, pet creators Scarlett and Lassie are able to earn through influencers campaigns with Pawjourr — sounds pretty neat if you ask me!
Lassie enjoying her delicious supplement from Balanced Breed.
A well-deserved spotlight
Their followers aren’t the only ones fawning over Lassie’s luscious locks. A little birdie tells me that Lassie is featured on DC Dog Moms’ 2023 calendar where you can spot Lassie in the month of September!
At 11-month-old, Lassie has made a huge mark on DC’s pet community and It’s not a surprise that she is the latest addition to our series #PawjourrSpotlight!
When it comes to pet influencers (both human and pet creators), a flair for pet modeling can be a great way to boost your portfolio. Supplement this essential skill with videography and great caption-writing, and you’re set!
Think you got what it takes? Drop us a DM or email and share what makes you unique!
Paid Collaborations and Product Sponsorships may seem like the same thing, but this can’t be further from the truth. Well, you’re in luck! We’re here to cover the key differences and similarities between these common incentivizing methods that brands are in love with.
Read on to find out how you can use your newfound knowledge to your advantage!
What are the differences?
Paid Collaborations are collaborations that often result in an exchange of products and monetary rewards for content.
Product Sponsorship is when a product is gifted, or reimbursed in exchange for content.
This content can come in various forms, videos, posts, or blog articles – just to name a few.
How you can benefit from them
You might be the new kid on the block, and you’re looking to make money by becoming an influencer. It can be daunting when you’re not entirely sure about the distinct rewards that supplement Paid Collaborations and Product Sponsorships. Fret not, cause we got you!
Product Sponsorships
As a fresh creator on social media, you should definitely look out for Product Sponsorships!
Product Sponsorships aren’t bad by any means. In fact, they are a great way to build an audience with up-and-coming products that might just be the next big thing. It allows you to try different products and be more honest with your audience, boosting your credibility on the platform.
Smaller brands (and even bigger ones), love handing out free products to niche communities of influencers. Why? Because it increases visibility, which in turn generates sales.
And how does it benefit you? it allows them to leverage the content you’ve created for marketing purposes — in turn bringing more coverage for your own influencer branding!
Photo credit: @herro_im_bo
Paid Collaborations
Paid Collaborations aka. Paid Partnerships are very popular, especially on Instagram. A higher number of followers and percentage of engagement allows you to quote for higher rates. However, there are more benefits to it than just monetary ones.
By taking on these Paid Collaborations, you can increase your number of followers, and working with various brands allows you to reach accounts that relate to them. When your followers increase, your monetary gains will also increase adjunctively!
Photo credit: @teddy.the.prince
Things to take note
While it’s great to accept what comes your way, it’s also equally important to align yourself with brands that fit your own branding. You wouldn’t want to promote a product/service that doesn’t resonate with your audience.
It is also a misconception that unpaid campaigns are bad. There are countless brands that exclusively run product-only campaigns.
Relationships are a fundamental part of influencer marketing. Consider cultivating a long-term partnership with various brands. This way, you can organically recommend their products/services rather than one-time posts that may bring down your credibility.
This is very important because the recommendations and reviews you make do contribute to the consumer’s purchasing decision.
Conclusion
Remember, whether you’re a full-time influencer or doing it as a side hustle, there is always a slice of the ‘money pie’ for everyone — so have fun, get out there, and explore the diverse world of influencer marketing!
Having a reactive or anxious attitude can be challenging, especially when a dog’s behavioral issues are a result of previous abuse. However, reactivity, nervousness, and issues like anxiety can be dealt with. While the thought can seem daunting, the services of an experienced dog walker or sitter can be helpful.
Of course, if you have to work long hours or you need to leave town for a day or two, these kinds of services can also be essential. Here’s how you can prepare your nervous dog to spend time with a sitter or dog walker.
Four ways to prepare an anxious dog for the sitter
While sending your anxious dog to a dog walker can seem like a bad idea, the truth is that an experienced dog walker who specializes in nervous or reactive dogs can improve their socialization skills and help deal with these issues. Of course, if your dog has aggression issues, you will need to seek help for this first. Assuming the main concerns are nervousness and reactivity, however, an experienced dog walker or sitter can help.
Taking these four preparatory steps can make their job a lot easier:
Be upfront with the sitter or dog walker
When you first contact a potential sitter or dog walker, you should ask whether they feel comfortable and capable of dealing with your dog. This is true whether your dog is reactive or has underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes. Some dog sitters specialize in providing one-to-one care for nervous animals and other difficult-to-handle dogs.
Arrange a supervised meeting
One of the most common triggers for nervous or reactive dogs is a feeling of being overwhelmed or frightened. New people, new places, new dogs, and busy environments can all cause flare-ups. By introducing your dog to the dog walker or sitter in a supervised environment where they feel safe and comforted by your presence, they will be more open to getting to know new people. If they gel well, you can proceed with planning.
Provide all necessary information
When you find a dog walker or sitter who you feel is a good fit for your fur baby, you should provide them with all of the information that they will need to take care of your dog. This includes information on any medications they may need, allergies or health concerns that could cause issues, and emergency contact details for you, your vet, and a trusted third party. If you are leaving your dog with them for more than a day, you should also give them your insurance details in case of injury or illness.
Schedule a practice run
Finally, let the dog walker or sitter take your dog for a shorter period of time as a kind of practice run. This will give you both peace of mind. It will also give the sitter a final chance to assess your dog and let you know if they need anything in particular to care for it.
These simple steps will help you to prepare your dog to be cared for by someone else. Once you know which kind of pet care service is right for your dog, you can take the necessary steps to ensure the transition is smooth for both your pet and their caregiver.
It can be hard to figure out which media channels to use for your company. Every social media platform has a different type of distribution content, not to mention different target audiences and media cultures.
Fret not. Once you understand how the different platforms work and what kind of content best fits the audiences, you’ll be going viral and gaining a following in no time. Right now, video content is crucial in marketing your products and getting your brand out there. What’s the difference between Instagram reels and TikTok videos?
By Pawjourr
Instagram Reels
For starters, just because they’re both video-based content doesn’t mean they are the same. The two media platforms are giants in their own way and have different ways to connect to audiences.
Instagram, the old classic. It’s been around for a long time and chances are, your company already has an Instagram page of its own where you post your own branded content. Mainly a platform that posts images instead of videos, all that changed when Instagram reels were introduced in 2020.
Typically lasting 15 to 60 seconds, these reels allow you to further your audience and reach. While Instagram stories are tied to your page and only your followers are privy to your content, your reels are discoverable through the ‘Explore’ page on Instagram and there’s a higher chance of your video being seen by new users.
By Pawjourr
Due to the nature of the platform, content on Instagram is inclined to be a little more formal. That doesn’t mean all the fun stuff should be taken away but rather, educational videos for your brand’s community and polished informative videos are more likely to do better.
You can also decide whether or not to have it displayed on your grid layout – you can move it to the reels tab instead. That way, your content can be curated in a different way than your images. Personalised vlogs, special takeovers and campaign videos all fit the bill!
The underdog that grew in popularity during the pandemic, is not to be taken lightly either. Even though it hasn’t been around as long as Instagram, the chances of going viral tend to be much higher and your content has way more chances of reaching new users due to the platform’s ‘For You Page’ algorithms.
It might seem like TikTok isn’t the best platform for marketing your brand but it’s a huge window of opportunity. In fact, 84% of marketers are diverting their attention to TikTok. The emphasis on community and vlogging allows brands to connect with their customers while marketing their products with ease.
By Pawjourr
The nature of TikTok videos tends to be more candid and real. Think of funny sketches, down-to-earth conversations and product reviews. In truth, it can be anything. The beauty of TikTok is that, unlike Instagram, there’s less pressure to curate your feed and create a unified brand of content. Since users are mainly scrolling through videos on their FYP, your videos will most likely be viewed individually.
By Pawjourr
When to use IG Reels or TikTok
Even though there isn’t a strict rulebook you have to follow, after trial and error, you’ll find that your brand will be connecting with different communities on both platforms. Social media statistics show that TikTok’s users point to its rising popularity amongst teenagers while Instagram frequents both young adults and teens.
The advertising opportunities on the platforms differ slightly. While Instagram is no stranger to including ads in your feed, TikTok puts a big emphasis on creator-based ads against Instagram’s ‘shopping’ section and shoppable ads.
TikTok also tracks both the brand’s profile as a whole and the individual video performance. This means overall metrics, total playtime and geolocation. Instagram reels offer the general analytics you’re used to, interactions, reach, and engagement statistics with reel-specific data to get insights on.
Take a look at the CatCare Water Fountain campaign in partnership with DogCare. Featuring Pawjourr’s pawfluencers, the two platforms saw different engagement statistics and results. Since the creative briefs were the same for the campaign, the style and content of the posts remain the same – the only difference was the social media platforms
By @maiathemeow on Instagram
The combined reach of the campaign, with 18 pawfluencers, was 129,000 accounts reached with 4,300 profile engagements.
Similarly, the campaign was also held on TikTok, featuring 12 pawcreators from Pawjourr. The results were 539,000 accounts reached with 6,900 profile engagements.
By @tabbyandtuxedocat on TikTok
Ultimately, you get to decide how your brand intends to curate your content and persona on these platforms. The difference between Instagram and TikTok might be confusing, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really rewarding.
Don’t forget that your brand stands a good chance of reaching different audiences through the two different platforms. Growing your community and brand awareness is essential in building your brand, but remember to keep your content authentic and sincere.
This way, no matter what you do, your content is sure to do well no matter what the platform is.
Your furry friend might have star quality, but making it big as a pet influencer is tougher than it may seem! While the leading pet influencers have massive followings –– 2 million Instagram followers for a husky mix named Loki and 1.9 million for Marnie the 17-year-old Shih Tau, according to Influencive –– it takes more than good looks and a cute groom to get to that point. Indeed, just as human influencers work hard to build brands, create content, and attract followers, it’s hard work to establish a star pet on social.
But if you want your pet to break out on social media, here’s how you can prepare them:
Train your pet to do basic poses and tricks
Just like the pets mentioned above, your furry loved one needs to be entertaining and engaging to shine on social media. Apart from being able to show off a few good poses (which is often as much about staging as anything else), they should ideally be able to pull off some tricks for their social followers.
While there are many ways to go about teaching tricks, The Spruce Pets recommends dog obedience programs to set the foundation for your furry friend. This teaches them how to follow basic commands, while also setting them up for more advanced training –– like learning on-command poses and tricks. You can also integrate games and treats into your training program, so that your pet can have fun while learning some moves. And remember, most pets thrive on the intellectual and social stimulation of training, anyway!
Keep your furry friend in the best shape
It’s not easy to live the influencer life! You may find that you need to uphold a regular schedule to keep the updates coming for followers, and it’s even conceivable that your pet will secure some more formal work for brand partners. Amidst everything that may be going on with a pet influencer though, it’s still your duty to protect their health and wellbeing.
This mostly means helping them maintain a proper diet and having regular check-ups. However, there are also unexpected issues that can arise with any pet, which is why advance protection (in the form of insurance) is a good idea as well. Sound Dollar notes that pet insurance can cover things like accidents or illnesses, as well as surgery costs and certain medications. Of course, the hope is that you never have to rely on any of this, but having insurance in place will ensure that your pet gets the best possible care if something ever comes up. Most importantly, this will keep them healthy and safe! But it will also help them meet influencer demands as regularly as possible (and uphold any agreements with those brand partners!).
Help your pet get used to the camera
Yes, pets can also become camera shy! Our previous article “Lights, Cameowra!” shared the story of petfluencer Kyubi, whose attention lasted for only two to three minutes during their first few photoshoots. But since Kyubi’s owner, Jane, is a skilled photographer, she knew that it was essential to be patient with Kyubi, and let her get used to the camera in time.
On top of that, Jane conveyed that you have to reward your pets with a good treat for behaving during photoshoots. With a bit of patience and positive reinforcement, you can help your pet become a natural in front of the camera –– and they’ll be a better influencer for it!
Recognize and respect their limitations
Although your pet may be willing to do a few poses and tricks, it’s still important for you to recognize and respect any limitations they might have.
Aurélie Four, the owner of pet influencer Marcel, warned in a piece at Medium that pet owners shouldn’t try too hard to get their furry friends famous. She says that Marcel and all pets tell the truth in their eyes, which is why it’s important to know what’s okay for your pet and when to stop. While plenty of pets enjoy things like training, new activities, and being the center of attention, others may have less patience for (or interest in) the process.
It takes a lot of work for you to train a pet influencer, so to speak. More than teaching your pet how to pose in front of a camera, you have to build a healthy and happy relationship with them so you can make the most of your time together. If it all works out though, you’ll have a blast watching your furry best friend becoming a minor celebrity online!
