It’s evident that by now, you are already aware of how social media influencers have been changing not only the marketing strategy of brands but also changing the way consumers behave. Most likely, you also follow several of these influencers on social media platforms and wish to collaborate with them for your next product campaign. But did you know the world of influencers is changing once again, and more than the homo-sapiens, the focus is now on animals, mainly the dog influencers?
You are losing out on a significant audience if you are not leveraging the power of these four-legged species, often termed as man’s best friend. However, if your question is your brand has nothing to do with animals, pets, or dogs, then how can your customers relate to it? The answer is, remember the old Vodafone advertisement that had a pug following the little boy? Though it was a traditional television, billboard, and print ad, the mobile network subscription went up, so the dog breed price was a pug.
Why do Dog Influencers Matter?
If you are still thinking about whether dogs or, for that matter, animal influencers matter, here are a few numbers:
- By 2025, the pet grooming industry is expected to reach over $200 billion
- The emergence of pet influencers has now created an industry of its own, where dog influencers earn the most.
- A Yorkie named Ducky last year made $35,000 and has a follower of 2.5 million
Talent agencies that work with pet influencers, mainly dogs, prefer to work with these animals because they are more reliable and not as risky as human influencers. Unlike human influencers, the dogs won’t cause scandal, which means they won’t jeopardize the reputation or image of the brand. As a result, these cute friends have seen significant growth as influencers in the last few years.
Apart from these, dog influencers help the brands to grow. Here are some of the four ways how they boost a brand’s growth.
1. Trusted by the audience
The consumers who are into pets and follow dog influencers are driven by trust. Before making a purchase, the dog parents or those who love them go through various websites and invest considerable time and effort in researching the products they select for their furry kids and themselves. They take any recommendation that comes from other pet consumers seriously. The dog parents do not go by any celebrity endorsements. Instead, depend on recommendations that come from people like them. The authentic content is their go-to source to learn about the safe and new products for their non-human babies. Hence, when brands use the consumers’ influencers that are dogs or cats, it is easy to convince them and draw them into becoming active buyers of the products, at times even loyal to the brands.
2. Brands get humanized
For a while now, the most powerful consumers in the market have been the millennials and the GenZ. They have been transforming the market by trying to find a humanizing factor among the brands that they support. Hence the brand image and the ethical brand practices speak to these consumers. Companies have found that collaborating with pet influencers is the best way to elevate the brand image as a humane company and get validation.
3. Establishes an emotional connection
The contents created on social media using dogs or cats often remind the pet parents about their own furry children. As a result, this triggers a passionate response from them instantly. Brands can leverage this connection and establish that reaction to draw in the target audience. Many brands are now using this marketing strategy by involving pet influencers to put forth their products.
4. Higher Engagement
In the influencer marketing strategy engaging with the consumers is the key factor. Similarly, for the influencers, it is of utmost importance that the followers engage and respond to their posts. It has been seen that the engagement rate I much higher when pets are brought on board for brands. For instance, according to Speak Rj, the engagement rate of Kim Kardashian is 1.68% on Instagram. Whereas the celebrity dog influencer Gorgeous Wolfdog@loki who has over 50 thousand likes for each post, has an engagement rate of 2.51%
5. Tap into a new audience
Pet parents now comprise a large section of the target audience, which can be proved from the above figures. Hence when companies collaborate with only a specific type of influencers, they miss out on a pool of possible customers. These customers can easily be targeted with the help of pet influencers and reach the untapped and often unreachable audience sector. It will, as a result, increase the chance of getting more traffic and leads while becoming a significant brand name in the market.
6. Elevates educational posts
Pet parents often trust the opinion of the animal rescuers and vets because they know what works and doesn’t for the animals. Hence when they recommend products, lifestyle hacks for pets, and wellness tips, the audience gravitates towards such posts. Collaborating with these influencers who also bring in their pets in the content helps the brands position themselves as knowledgeable companies. The educational posts are often the most sought-after content for pet owners.
Final Words
The positive attention that brands get by collaborating with pets has been drawing the companies to work with them. For instance, Mercedes Benz collaborated with Gorgeous Wolfdog@loki, then Body Shop to drive in the cruelty-free and no animal testing message works with pet influencers. So, why not collaborate with the pet and dog influencers if you have been struggling with your brand’s campaign and want to revamp your influencer marketing strategy? Many pet influencers are willing to collaborate with brands when they align with their focus on Afluencer.
