10 Tips for Succeeding with Pet Influencers: Unlocking the Power of the Pet Influencer Market

In the digital age, influencer marketing has become an essential part of brands’ marketing strategies, and the pet industry is no exception. The pet influencer market is growing rapidly as more pet owners turn to social media for recommendations, reviews, and entertainment related to their furry friends. From dogs and cats to birds and reptiles, pets have become social media stars in their own right, with large followings across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and even Twitter. Pet influencers and their human counterparts are engaging audiences, raising brand awareness, and creating communities around pet products and services.

In fact, research shows that 79% of pet owners use social media to follow accounts related to animals, whether it’s to find the best products, watch cute animal content, or interact with fellow pet enthusiasts. With such a massive audience at stake, it’s no surprise that brands are eager to partner with popular pet influencers. However, to ensure success in the ever-evolving world of pet influencer marketing, brands must approach their collaborations with strategic planning, authenticity, and creativity.

This op-ed offers 10 essential tips for succeeding with pet influencers, highlighting how brands can effectively leverage pet influencer partnerships to expand their reach, build trust with consumers, and boost sales.

1. Identify the Right Pet Influencers for Your Brand

The first and most critical step in succeeding with pet influencers is choosing the right influencer for your brand. Not every pet influencer will be the right fit for your product or service, and finding one whose values align with your brand is crucial for a successful partnership.

Tip: Look for influencers whose pets embody the traits that resonate with your target audience. For instance, if you sell high-end, organic pet food, influencers with dogs or cats that reflect a health-conscious lifestyle (e.g., fitness-oriented pets, organic-food advocates) will likely be a better fit. This makes their endorsements feel more authentic and credible to their followers.

Example: For a brand like The Farmer’s Dog, which focuses on fresh, human-grade pet food, collaborating with pet influencers who emphasize pet wellness, nutrition, and holistic living (like @dogsofinstagram, a prominent Instagram account) would be an ideal choice.

2. Focus on Micro and Niche Influencers

While it may be tempting to aim for the biggest names in the pet influencer world, such as Doug the Pug or Jiffpom, working with micro-influencers (those with 10,000 to 100,000 followers) or niche influencers can often yield more meaningful results. These influencers typically have higher engagement rates and stronger, more loyal communities.

Tip: Look for influencers whose follower bases are highly engaged and whose content aligns with your product or service. Although they may have fewer followers, their audiences often trust their recommendations more.

Example: Influencers like @loki_the_wolfdog (Instagram) or @maggieandtherescuepup (Instagram) offer authentic, relatable content to a loyal, niche audience interested in pet adoption, adventure, and outdoor products. Brands like BarkBox or Ruffwear (outdoor dog gear) can leverage these influencers to promote their products to a specific, highly targeted audience.

3. Build Long-Term Relationships, Not Just One-Off Campaigns

Influencer marketing should not be seen as a short-term promotional tool but rather as a long-term strategy to build trust and brand loyalty. Collaborating with pet influencers on multiple campaigns over time can help to establish a more organic and consistent connection with their followers.

Tip: Rather than just paying influencers for one-off posts, foster ongoing relationships that allow for more genuine endorsements over time. This builds trust not only with the influencer but also with their audience.

Example: Brands like Chewy have successfully built long-term relationships with influencers, working with them on consistent content campaigns that show the brand’s support for both pets and pet owners. These enduring relationships help deepen the connection between the brand and the influencer’s community.

4. Embrace Authenticity and Transparency

Consumers, especially in the pet market, are highly discerning about the authenticity of influencer content. Pet owners want recommendations from influencers they trust and believe in. That means influencers must genuinely love the products they promote, and brands must ensure that their partnerships reflect this authenticity.

Tip: Prioritize transparency in your partnerships. Ensure that influencers disclose any paid collaborations, and allow them creative freedom to present your products in a way that resonates with their followers.

Example: @tuckerbudzyn, a well-known golden retriever with a massive following on YouTube and Instagram, frequently shares sponsored content but always does so in an authentic manner. Tucker’s owner, @lauren.lipman, does an excellent job blending product promotion with real-life, relatable pet care scenarios. Pet brands like Petco have collaborated with influencers like Tucker to authentically market products while maintaining trust with their audience.

5. Leverage User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) plays a vital role in building brand credibility, and pet influencers are often highly effective at producing this type of content. The power of seeing real pets enjoying your product can have a profound impact on potential customers and is good strategy for pet digital marketing.

Tip: Encourage pet influencers to create content that showcases your product in use. This could be in the form of an unboxing, a product review, or a simple day-in-the-life post featuring your product. UGC can also extend to reposting content from pet owners who have used your product.

Example: BarkBox frequently reposts content from their customers who share pictures and videos of their dogs enjoying the subscription boxes. This kind of content is valuable because it shows real-life results and demonstrates the enjoyment pets experience with the products.

6. Craft Creative Campaigns That Resonate with Pet Owners

Pet influencers are often beloved for their entertaining, funny, and heartwarming content. To succeed with these influencers, brands must create campaigns that reflect the same creativity and charm. Simple, straightforward product placements may not be enough to grab attention.

Tip: Think outside the box and create campaigns that allow pet influencers to showcase their unique personalities. Incorporating fun challenges, contests, or seasonal promotions can help your campaign stand out from the crowd.

Example: @itsdougthepug is known for his hilarious and viral challenges, such as the “Doug the Pug’s Halloween costume contest.” Brands like Chewy have successfully partnered with Doug on campaigns that involve quirky, shareable content, such as seasonal fashion trends for dogs or funny skits. These creative, humorous campaigns are more likely to go viral, engaging both pet owners and general audiences.

7. Use Multiple Platforms to Reach Broader Audiences

Pet influencers often have presences across multiple platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and even Twitter. Leveraging multiple platforms can increase your campaign’s visibility and help you tap into different segments of the pet owner market.

Tip: Collaborate with influencers who have a strong presence on multiple platforms, allowing your brand to reach pet owners across different social networks. This ensures you are not limiting your reach to one platform.

Example: @realgrumpycat (now a beloved, deceased Internet sensation) was not only a star on Instagram but also on YouTube and Twitter. Pet brands like Friskies used Grumpy Cat to create multi-platform campaigns that maximized exposure and engaged audiences on multiple fronts. Today, TikTok is an increasingly popular platform for pet influencers, with accounts like @chihuahua_bud gaining traction for funny, heartwarming videos.

8. Incorporate Pet Advocacy and Cause Marketing

Today’s consumers, especially pet owners, are more conscious than ever about supporting brands that align with their values. Pet influencers are often associated with causes like animal rescue, sustainability, and responsible pet ownership. Collaborating on campaigns that highlight these causes can increase the emotional impact of your marketing efforts.

Tip: Partner with pet influencers who are passionate about animal welfare, sustainability, or other relevant causes. Brands that support social causes—such as donating a portion of sales to animal shelters or advocating for pet adoption—will resonate well with their audiences.

Example: The Farmer’s Dog has successfully used influencer campaigns to raise awareness for causes like pet adoption and responsible pet food production. Pet influencers who are advocates for animal welfare, such as @fosterpaws (Instagram), share these values, making their endorsements more credible and impactful.

9. Monitor and Measure Campaign Success

To ensure that your pet influencer campaigns are working, it’s essential to track and analyze performance metrics. From engagement rates to website traffic and sales, monitoring the success of your campaigns will help you refine your strategy and maximize ROI.

Tip: Use tracking tools like UTM codes and influencer dashboards to monitor performance. Pay attention to engagement rates, click-through rates, and how often followers interact with the content.

Example: Brands like Petco and Chewy often measure success by looking at engagement rates and website traffic driven by influencer posts. For example, Chewy may track how a specific influencer campaign leads to an uptick in purchases of a particular product or a boost in social media followers. Understanding these metrics helps brands adjust campaigns in real time.

10. Be Ready for Crisis Management

While influencer campaigns can be highly effective, they also carry the risk of backlash if something goes wrong. Whether it’s a product recall, negative reviews, or a PR mishap involving an influencer, being prepared to address issues quickly and transparently is crucial.

Tip: Have a plan in place for crisis management. If an influencer makes a controversial post or if a product receives negative feedback, ensure your brand responds promptly and professionally. Transparency and authenticity are key to maintaining consumer trust.

Example: When Jiffpom (Instagram) faced controversy surrounding allegations about his well-being in his early career, his team and sponsors were proactive in addressing the situation, clarifying any misunderstandings and emphasizing the positive care he received. Brands working with influential pets should be prepared for similar crises and address them swiftly to maintain credibility.

The pet influencer market offers immense opportunities for brands to reach pet-loving audiences with creative, engaging campaigns. By identifying the right influencers, embracing authenticity, building long-term relationships, and creating engaging, cause-driven campaigns, brands can harness the power of pet influencers to boost brand visibility and customer loyalty.

Pet influencers are not just here to make your products look cute—they are part of a larger, authentic connection with their communities. By following these 10 tips, brands can navigate the world of pet influencer marketing successfully and forge meaningful, long-lasting relationships with both influencers and their audiences. The key to success lies in building trust, creativity, and a shared love for pets.