05/09/2022
How To Make Your Pet A Star On Your Social Media?
Pet content has blossomed in the digital age. It’s no secret that people love binging all contents of animals on their feeds, for entertainment and comfort of course. This isn’t as easy as just snapping a few photos of your pet, though; there has to be a clear objective and plan to incorporate your pet into your platform for it to work well with your audience and be a true asset to your content. If you've been hesitant about how to do this or don’t know what the correct approach should be, then we have some tips to help you.
ESTABLISH HOW YOUR PET FITS IN WITH YOUR CONTENT
This should always be the first question you ask yourself. Does your pet fit in with your content or would it be too out of place to include them? Depending on the type of content you generate or the platform you perform on, incorporating pet content may require you to make some changes. Once you’ve established the approach, it’s now time to decide whether you want your pet to be the main focus or if it’s something you’ll sprinkle throughout your posts sporadically.
If your platform is focused on content completely unrelated to pets, including them may upstage your main content and could end up being counterproductive. A good way to test the waters is to post a pic of your pet and ask your followers to post theirs in return, whether it’s through a Facebook post or an Instagram story. The engagement that the post gets will give you an idea if your audience is happy with this kind of content, but remember that if you’re not a pet-influencer, your pet should be treated as a supporting player as opposed to the main attraction. There are always other alternatives to work around this issue, which brings us to our next tip.
CREATE AN INDIVIDUAL PLATFORM FOR YOUR PET
If your pet is stealing too much attention from your main content it may be a good idea to create a separate account for your pet alone. The handle doesn’t necessarily have to be your pet’s name, but it could be something that ties into your main platform so your followers can associate it as being an extension of your content. Keep in mind that the name on the Instagram profile is searchable, so using more descriptive keywords instead of your pet’s name may prove more fruitful when users who aren’t familiar with you search for random content.
Remember that your pet’s platform will be discoverable first through your profile, which is why it’s best to make sure it relates to your main profile in ways beyond just being the owner. If the posts are complementary to each other it could increase engagement for both, like doing giveaways where the terms of the contest include following your pet’s account, for example. Don’t overdo it, though, or your followers could be turned off. It’s best to start your pet’s account as just a fun side project than to try to monetize it right away.
BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR PET’S NEEDS
At first, it's very likely gonna be a hit-and-miss phase, but as time goes on you'll get a feel of what works and what doesn't with your pet and you’ll be able to adapt your strategy accordingly. You should also not burden your pet with the stresses of not being camera-ready. Sometimes your pet may not be up for recording a video or having their picture taken, so respecting their needs and boundaries is also critical for creating great content. Forced or inorganic content will hurt you and your pet in the long run, so cut them some slack and give them a break if the pressures of having content to post are becoming too overwhelming.
The one golden rule that must be remembered is never to put content creation above your pet's needs. If that's covered, then welcome to this side of the internet which people will very unlikely have enough of, ever!
