Not just a cuddly face: pet celebs own Instagram

In an age where the following of the top 15 pet accounts on Instagram outnumbers the population of Greece, the question is no longer: “Do you follow a pet account?”. The question is now: “How many?” Personally, it’s in the hundreds. I’m not ashamed to say that some of my best social media experiences have involved a celebrity pet account. In my eyes, they can do no wrong.

However, these pet celebrities behave in a very similar way to influencer accounts: posting sponsored content, selling merchandise, utilising native advertising and receiving a substantial paycheck in exchange.

In the world of social media and marketing, we are taught to question the motivation of every post, especially from influencer accounts. You’ve seen it before: a photo of a strategically placed watch in the foreground of a beautiful Spanish coastline, accompanied by a nonchalant caption about time passing. Hint: a watch company is tagged in the photo and the influencer is getting paid to wear it.

This type of influencer activity can be found throughout the Explore Feed and sometimes leaves marketers and social media users alike rolling their eyes. So when a pet releases a new book or the perks of new pet toy are outlined in an adorable post, why do we lap it up?

See no evil

A recent study conducted by research charity Harrison’s Fund revealed that humans were more likely to donate money to a sickly animal than a sickly child. This may seem disloyal on our part as a species; however, there is a logical explanation. We perceive animals as innocent, helpless and without agenda. Where humans can be flawed and ego-driven, an animal doesn’t have the capacity to lie or deceive. In the social media world of celebrity pets, this is translated as a sense of trust when it comes to sponsored content and merchandise sales. Even when we know they are trying to sell us something, we believe it comes from a place of care and sincerity.

Consistency

Top celebrity pet accounts are paid £7,500 - £11,000 per promotional post - yes, we want to be a celebrity hedgehog too. The way these accounts build and retain their followers is by sticking to their core values, especially when they are trying to sell something. Even if you’re tired of seeing promotional posts filling up your feed, a pet account is three-dimensional by nature. You can still enjoy the account’s primary function: adorable and funny content about a furry friend. While an influencer account citing the benefits of a slimming tea might push you away, seeing your favourite sleepy puppy will make you paws (sorry) and engage, whether or not they’re advertising the bed they’re snoozing on.

Keeping content expectations simple is what ultimately draws followers in and keeps engagement high. Lionel the Hedgehog is a master of delivering exactly what is promised. “First we’re spiky, then we’re sweet” is a theme that runs throughout this hedgehog-heavy feed and I challenge you to find a post that doesn’t abide by these guidelines. When it comes to improving engagement, consistency is key, especially when content is sponsored.

Old-school fans

Of the 20 top best-selling animal calendars on Amazon today, four feature pet celebrities from Instagram. Each is endorsed by passionate followers: “Oh you guys! I love this sweet pug!”, says one fan. Pet accounts have bred a die-hard following that harks back to a time before social media. Much like baby photos receive countless comments of love and support from loyal family members, these accounts give fans an intimate vantage point from which they can watch a pet grow up. When an public figure begins to feel like a friend or family member, not only do we engage better with their content, we’re actually likely to buy the products they are selling in promotional posts. Drawing in your fans is integral for influencers as well as popular pet accounts and in turn improves genuine engagement.

Doug the Pug has a net worth of over £370,000 and a thriving career involving international book tours and multiple roles in chart-topping music videos. Even though he has a deserved reputation as a pet celebrity, the account’s compelling content has garnered an impressive engagement rate of 4.88%. To put this in context, the most followed individual on Instagram, Selena Gomez, has an engagement rate of 2.86%. Doug is definitely doing something right.

Informative

When you tap ‘Follow’ on a pet account, you probably have quite simple expectations: cute images, funny stories and - if you’re lucky - a slow-motion video here or there. But if you think about it, pet accounts sell a lifestyle - just like influencers. Whether you’re an existing pet owner or you’re dreaming of the day you’ll have a pet of your own, promotional content can be incredibly helpful. This renders the pet accounts informative and practical: if you’re the owner of an excitable kitten, an effective carpet spray might be just what you’re looking for.

Even if you aren’t an avid pet celebrity follower, you have probably heard of Lil Bub. As well as being an enormous personality across social media, Lil Bub suffers from numerous genetic conditions such as extreme dwarfism, extra toes and no teeth. She is also the only cat in recorded history with osteoporosis. When she was one and a half years old, Lil Bub lost almost all of her mobility. As a result of the informative space her social media channels have become, users recommended the Assisi Loop. Since, Lil Bub has been running and jumping more than ever and bringing attention to a breakthrough device for pets with limited mobility.

Transparent

In recent months, Instagram has been cracking down on undisclosed promotional content. This is why your favourite (human) celebrities are tagging the brands they are wearing and the no-nonsense ‘paid sponsorship’ tag has started to appear. On the fluffier side of Instagram, transparency about brand affiliation has been a long-standing practice. What’s more, some celebrity pet accounts even explain why they monetise posts, citing veterinary bills, production costs and even charity work. By creating a dialogue about promotional content, pet accounts are building a sense of trust with their fans.

Juniperfoxx is a rather more exotic pet account, featuring dogs, cats, squirrels, bats, tarantulas and the gorgeous fox and namesake Juniper. Her owner recently discussed the importance of sponsored posts as a fantastic opportunity to “inch closer to our goal of starting an exotic animal sanctuary… It means that [sponsorships are] helping us help animals, and with that help we're able to take in more rescues.” In any transaction, knowing where your money is going is paramount. When your funding is transparent and being used to support rescued animals, there’s no need for a hard sale.

At the end of the day, consumers have always loved animals and spent their hard-earned cash on them in some way or another. It has been almost 40 years since the world fell in love with Garfield, the overweight, lasagne-loving cat wreaking havoc on his housemates in cartoon form. Since Jim Davis unleashed the hilarious caricature of the cats he grew up with, his merchandise accrues nearly £750 million every year.

We are certainly no strangers to supporting the fluffy animals in popular culture. Be it because of our infallible love for animals, compelling content or a sense of trust, we can all learn something from celebrity pets.