These days, it’s not at all uncommon to find influencers of practically any industry on every social media platform. From cars to plants and even real estate, people are creating public profiles to share their passions with the world. That’s why it’s no surprise that animals have taken the internet by storm! Pet enthusiasts from across the globe love to showcase their best friends online; with some even turning their cute companions into world-renowned stars. Fame and followers come with an array of other benefits too, such as brand partnerships, free stuff, and sometimes even money.
However, getting to that level of media presence is much easier said than done. The process one must take to earn a digital audience and design an attractive profile can be exhausting and there is never a guarantee that desirable brands will want to collaborate.
So, how can a pet marketing agency help?
Pet marketing agencies provide a link between brands and pet influencers. They connect reputable individuals with brands seeking honest and high-quality content, reviews, or even insights by doing a survey that will add to an online brand awareness. In doing so, the brands receive product reviews, promotional visuals, honest insights and exposure to the pet influencer’s following base. In exchange, influencers also experience an exposure increase, in addition to free products and possibly paid compensation. This can appear in the form of a set rate per project (image post, Instagram reel, TikTok video, etc.), or the brand may offer a commission code for the influencer to share with their followers. With the help of a marketing agency, brands reap the benefits of targeted ad campaigns without the hassle of searching for quality content or the risk of collaborating with unreliable affiliates. Influencers are also freed from the task of searching for reputable brands to work with or the risk of not receiving the compensation they were promised. This is because marketing agencies provide protection for both parties in addition to partnership services.
Okay, so I need a pet marketing agency. Where should I start?
At Petsfluence, of course! Petsfluence is a marketing agency that forms a bridge for brands and influencers in the pet industry. We provide a platform for pet influencers (we call them Petsfluencers) to connect with reputable brands (and vice versa). The brands that we collaborate with are charged a fee that covers our services. Petsfluencers are selected from our database by brands. They are then vetted on their branding, image quality and engagement to meet industry standards before they are accepted to a campaign. Therefore, any aspiring Petsfluencer can apply to our database, but not all applicants may be accepted for a campaign. Approval is entirely at the discretion of Petsfluence and is determined through a very strict process to make sure the right account is added to a brand campaign.
Below is a breakdown of our onboarding process for both brands and Petsfluencers
So, now that you know how to get in contact with us, it’s time to get down to the basics. What are we looking for from our collaborators? From both brands and Petsfluencers alike, we need to see a defined brand, high-quality imaging and a high engagement rate. It’s not surprising that we ask these of our Petsfluencers, but you may be wondering why we also search for these qualities in our brands. That’s because we want our collaborations to be mutually beneficial to all parties. In order for both brands and Petsfluencers to gain an increase in exposure, everyone needs to be consistent in their online presence, feed quality and community outreach.
Branding
- Create a persona
- Is your pet… funny? Sassy? Sarcastic? Grumpy? Bubbly? Witty?
- Use the “Stories” feature to help your followers get to know you
- Look for fun templates online and on Pinterest that prompt you with questions like, “What’s my favorite outdoor hobby?”
- Share facts that are unique to your pet (for example: my cat makes a funny face every time the doorbell rings)
- Create your own hashtag
- Think of a memorable hashtag to include on all of your posts
- Keep it short and simple
- Try to make it clever or funny
- Include any contact information in your bio
- Business/professional email
- P.O. box or business address
- Business/professional phone number
- Link your other social accounts in your bio and/or post descriptions
- TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc
- LinkTree provides a handy service to simplify this process
- Link any ambassador codes for brands
- Always include your ambassador codes somewhere on your profile. You can put them in your stories/highlights (for Instagram), your bio, or even at the bottom of each post
- Maintain your brand
- Remain consistent with your branding across ALL platforms. Your persona on TikTok should match your voice on Instagram, and so forth
Image quality
- Pay a photographer
- Obviously, not the most budget-friendly option but this is basically a bulletproof promise for better images
- There are photographers who specialize in pet photography only. A great recommendation where we like to work with is: Petshot.be
- DIY photoshoots: taking great photos at home is not as difficult as it sounds, here are a few general tips:
- Design a clean, clutter-free background
- Eliminate unnecessary objects
- Position your subject in front of a plain wall or backdrop (you can even use a wrinkle-free bed sheet)
- Be considerate of lighting. You want to use natural light as this is the softest. If you need to use artificial light, consider purchasing a studio light such as a softbox
- Never repeat your images
- Try to avoid posting the same photos over and over. No one wants to see the exact same image but with a slightly different angle seven times in a row.
- Change your scene, subject’s pose/action, or accessories used on your model or in the background
- Make sure you have a happy model!
- Keep your pet excited and make sure they’re having a positive photoshoot experience. Whether you’re the photographer or just standing by, keep your pet’s favorite treats and toys accessible. Use these to help your pet stay focused
Engagement
- Define your target audience
- Who is interested in your content?
- Who will care about what you are sharing? What demographics do these accounts share? What locations do you frequent in your posts? Many platforms have analytics insights readily available for you. Take a look at your specific audience’s commonalities
- Connect with your community
- Reply to any comments that you receive on your posts
- Tag feature accounts for extra exposure. Feature accounts are pages with a feed consisting solely of other accounts’ photos (*hopefully* with proper credit to the original poster). A perfect example of feature pages would be our own feature pages under Media by Petsfluence. We have Instagram feature accounts (such as @dogstagramdog , @catstagramcat , @meowstagram & @petstagrampet) that search for outstanding images to share daily.
- Tag feature accounts on the image itself or using their hashtag
- Share the love! Give likes and comments to posts in your community
- Share and save posts made by accounts you admire
- Engage with your community using the “Stories” feature
- Create polls, quizzes, feedback questions, etc.
- Reach out to your favorite accounts
- Don’t be afraid of the DM. Sending a message to accounts you love could result in a new friendship and/or even partnership (but remember not to spam!)
It’s important to note that as a marketing agency, our job at Petsfluence is to bring in new visitors to our clients’ doorsteps. It is up to our collaborators to create their own defined brand. Therefore, engagement is perhaps the most crucial part of the marketing process. The ways in which you interact with your audience heavily impact how your brand is perceived at large. If you fail to reply to commenters that took the time to engage on your post, respond to inquiries in your DMs in a timely fashion, or make a genuine connection with your followers, it will reflect poorly on your brand (and on your account’s algorithm!). Try to think of anyone who visits your pages/profiles as a customer in a physical store. Make them feel welcome and comfortable. Be outgoing and proactive when it comes to learning about your audience. With social media, you only receive the effort that you put in, so be sure to make a good one.
What’s the main key here?
Consistency. You need to be consistent with your branding, image quality, and engagement because those are the three main ingredients in the social media marketing recipe. Without defining who you are and what sets you apart, it can be difficult for other brands, influencers, or marketing agencies to trust you enough to work together. And even if you’ve established a terrific digital presence, that doesn’t mean your feed’s quality and consistency or your engagement rate can be sub-par. It takes all three aspects to create a standout social pet profile, so please keep this in mind when you apply to agencies or brands.
Yes, this is a ton of information so don’t feel too overwhelmed
Becoming a Petsfluencer is a complicated process but if you enjoy social media, love your pet, and have an interest in brand partnerships, connecting with a marketing agency could be a perfect fit for you. Whether you’re an influencer looking for new products to share with your followers, or a brand seeking talented pet personalities to market your material, Petsfluence has just what you need to make your social profile pawsome! We hope this outline has cleared any confusion you may have had surrounding pet-niche marketing agencies, Petsfluence/Petsfluencers, and the services that we provide to both brands and Petsfluencers. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via direct message, email, or on our website. We are happy to clarify any information for you!
