Golden retrievers Ellie and Emma never fail to bring tail-wagging joy to their TikTok followers. On the other side of the spectrum, the clever but grumpy cat That Little Puff has amassed millions of fans with his stern demeanor and clever tricks. As these examples show, pet influencers have taken the internet by (adorable) storm. In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can make your own fur baby famous—and earn money along the way.
A pet influencer is a social media account that uses the popularity of a pet to promote products and services to people who want (and, if they’re anything like us, need) to see animals doing animal things online.
The pet’s owner usually runs the account, posting content that shows their everyday life, adventures, and interactions. This could be photos, videos, stories, and livestreams, often showing the pet using or enjoying the products they’re promoting.
Brands work with pet influencers to reach pet owners and animal lovers who are more likely to trust recommendations from a known influencer. This partnership could include sponsored posts, product reviews, giveaways, or brand ambassadorships. Pet influencers can make money through these collaborations, earning cash or getting free stuff in exchange for their promotion.
How successful a pet influencer is depends on factors including the pet’s unique appeal, post content quality, audience engagement, and how relevant the products are to the pet’s niche.
How to Become an Influencer in 6 Steps1. Have (and adore) a pet.
Of course, the first step to becoming a pet influencer is to actually have a pet. But don’t get one for the express purpose of using them for fame—not only is this a markedly selfish thing to do, but on a pragmatic level, it’ll undermine the quality of your content. Pet influencers are passionate about their furry friends, and that’s what translates to the fan base.
Depending on your pet’s inherent attributes (personality, looks, behavior), you can lean into specific content categories:
- The adorable route works well if your pet is naturally photogenic, looks like it’s LARPing as a stuffed animal, or simply makes you squee when you see it in costumes, like Mr. Winkle, the original cutest dog in the world.
- The unusual angle can help you stand out if your pet has distinctive physical traits, is a rare color, or is an exotic breed, like the reptiles (and more!) taken care of by Jay Brewer.
- The intelligence approach can engender high engagement if your pet is highly trainable, enjoys learning, and can show off their smarts, such as the brilliant dog Zilla the Mal.
- The personality play is authentic and fun if your pet has an outsized personality, like the sweet-and-sassy pup Edna the Runt or Elias Herrera’s friendly cow, Bruce.
2. Set up your accounts.
To begin, choose which social media platforms you’d like to focus on.
- Instagram has a low barrier to entry because of its simplicity and ease of use. (You’re already taking a million photos of your cat, so why not put them on IG?)
- Facebook allows you to easily share directly from Instagram, so it’s super easy to get both accounts set up simultaneously.
- TikTok boasts higher engagement in a shorter amount of time than both Facebook and Instagram, since short-form video content is king today. You’ll need to exclusively shoot and edit videos to post here, but with a little practice, it should become second nature.
Regardless of which platforms you elect to use, you’ll want to choose a username that aligns with your niche. Take a look at other pet influencers to help inform your own naming decisions. Finally, make sure to include links to all of your external platforms on each account so you can get a cross-flow of audience.
3. Do your research.
You’ve already started exploring other pet influencer profiles, but now it’s time to get serious about taking in some content. Yes, your homework may include enjoying a cockatiel dancing to hip-hop—but it also means really exploring what generates engagement and gets a user to like, comment, or share.
Ask yourself:
- What’s working for other creators?
- What isn’t getting as much engagement?
- What images, sounds, and ideas are trending?
- How can you repurpose older content (memes, trends, collaborations) and make it feel fresh and new?
4. Post content.
Now it’s time to get your pet out into the world! Make sure you’re posting consistently so that your fans know when they can see more of your doggo, catto, or birdo. If you need help creating a content plan, check out our guide for creating successful branded content.
While your posts should be high quality and engaging, don’t be afraid to do a little trial-and-error testing to see what works best for the audience you and Fido are attempting to cultivate. Photos might drive the most traffic for an adorable pet, short clips may be best for a pet that’s unusual or has a lot of personality, and longer videos could work most effectively for a pet that knows a lot of tricks. The most important thing is to continually highlight what it is that makes your pet unique.
5. Engage with your fans.
Connect with your fans and build a dynamic community by doing the following:
- Interact by responding to follower comments. This will bump your content and get your audience excited to return for more.
- Ask questions about pet caretaking, friendships, training, and so on to create an ongoing conversation.
- Go live for the unique opportunity to interact in real time with your audience. Followers will also be able to send you gifts that you can turn into cash. Just remember to choose a time that your pet is lively and engaging (unless your pet is renowned for constantly napping, that is).
6. Monitor your performance.
Make sure that you’re keeping track of how your posts are doing by reviewing likes, shares, and comments. Gather data to see what your audience likes and what they don’t seem to engage with as much, then adapt your content accordingly.
7. Connect with brands.
Finally, it’s time to turn your love for your pet into cash (cow). Reach out to brands in the pet ecosystem to see if they’re interested in a collaboration, join pet influencer databases such as Pupfluence and Pawjourr, and apply to pet influencer gigs on our comprehensive content creator job database.
1. @nala_cat
Nala is a Siamese-Tabby mix who was rescued from a shelter in Los Angeles. In 2020, she made history (and became a Guinness World Record holder!) by becoming the most-followed cat on Instagram. She has collaborated with brands like Friskies and PetSmart and even has her own cat food and treats brand, Love, Nala.
2. @iamlilbub
Lil BUB was a famous cat with genetic anomalies including dwarfism and osteopetrosis. These conditions gave her a unique appearance with a protruding tongue and a perpetual kitten-like look. Sadly, she passed away in 2019; however, her social media account is still used today to advocate for animal welfare by raising awareness about pet adoption and supporting special needs animals.
3. @thatlittlepuff
The extremely clever Puff performs impressive tricks and hilarious feats. The account’s engaging content includes DIY projects, creative scenarios, and recipe recreations, all showcasing the cat’s intelligence and remarkable training.
4. @mochapom
Mocha is an adorable Pomeranian with a large and enthusiastic following. The account’s popularity stems from its high-quality videos showcasing Mocha’s daily life: playful antics, funny tricks, dance moves, cute costumes, and charming personality.
5. @elliegoldenlife
This account is all about the adorable golden retrievers Ellie and Emma, their lively personalities, and their “mission to spread smiles” (as per their bio). Their account is filled with cute and funny pictures and videos, making them so popular they’ve worked with big-name brands like Unkibble.