Sarah-Jane White There are many ways to make money as a pet influencer. The most popular platforms brands are after exposure on are TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. You can make money through sponsorships, advertisements, affiliate marketing, product sales, and more. This usually involves working with a company that makes products for pets or is in the pet industry in some way that you endorse and promote.
If you’re a pet blogger (like me) you might get sponsored by companies to review and promote their products on your blog and share content on social media. This can be in the form of a post, video, or even just a mention in your stories. My blog is the most popular outlet, but I also have a huge mailing list of opt-in customers and decent engagement on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. This year I’m venturing onto TikTok… we’ll see how that goes…
There are also other avenues open to you to generate income once you and your pet are getting traction. You can create your own pet-related content and sell it to your audience direct. This could be e-books (I can write one for you if you like!), instructional courses, physical branded gear like t-shirts, or even your own pet clothes! Bandanas and bowties are always popular and an easy one to start with.
And lastly, some people use their influence to get speaking gigs or other opportunities that pay them money. This can happen when you become an expert and the ‘go-to’ person in your niche.
So, can you really make money being a pet influencer? The answer is yes! There are many ways to do it and it all depends on what you’re willing to do and how much work you’re going to put into it. If you have a pet and are looking for ways to make some extra money, this could be the perfect gig for you!
What is a Pet Influencer?
In a nutshell, Pet influencers are social media users who have a large following of pet lovers and use their platform to promote products and services related to pets. They are often considered experts in the pet industry and have a large engaged audience that trusts their recommendations.
They may be paid by brands to post about specific items, or they may simply do it as a favor to help out friends or family members in the pet industry.
First, make sure you have a large and engaged following. Next, create high-quality content that is relevant to your audience. Finally, be sure to partner with reputable brands that share your values.
A pet influencer is someone who usually has a large following on social media and uses their platform to share advice and information about pets. Although you don’t need a large following to get work, a higher engagement is much better. Influencers have a close connection with their pets and can use their personal experiences to create trust with consumers.
There are three main categories of pet influencers: pet professionals, pet parents, and the pets themselves! Social media for pets are becoming more popular, and pets with their own social media accounts receive attention from followers around the globe. As the popularity of social media continues to grow, so does the role of the pet influencer.
What are the benefits of being a Pet Influencer?
Perhaps the most obvious benefit is that you can make money by promoting products and services to your followers. However, there are other benefits as well.
For example, you may be able to get discounts on pet products and services to share with your followers or sign up with affiliate programs from your brands to earn commission on sales you generate from people buying from your link.
Some of the benefits of being a pet influencer include:
- Building a brand and audience around your love of animals
- Connecting with like-minded people
- Helping pets in need
- Getting paid to promote products and services you love
- Generating income through sponsorships, ads, and affiliate marketing
Let’s explore these benefits in more detail:
More brands will want to work with you
As consumer behaviour changes and more people turn to social media to learn about products and services, brands are recognizing the value that pet influencers can bring to their marketing efforts. Check out this article by Neil Patel telling brands how to use micro-influencers for a view from their perspective.
You’ll be seen as an expert
Followers will come to you for advice on everything from what type of food to feed their dog to how to train their cat. This is a great way to build your reputation and show off your knowledge about pets.
You can make money in new and interesting ways
In addition to the traditional ways of making money through sponsorships, ads, and affiliate marketing, you can also explore new avenues such as selling physical merchandise or even creating your own pet food line.
You can make a difference in the lives of pets
As a pet influencer, you have the ability to use your platform to make a difference in the lives of pets. You can use your influence to help spread the word about animal shelters, rescue organizations, causes and other important animal welfare issues.
People will love getting your advice
Maybe they think you’re knowledgeable, or maybe they just like the sound of your voice. But there are other reasons, too. For one thing, when it comes to making decisions about their pets, people trust pet influencers more than anyone else. A study by BarkBox showed that over 60% of people say they would take pet advice from an influencer over anyone else – including their own friends and family!
So you see, there are many benefits to being a pet influencer. For one, you can make a lot of money. You can also profit from affiliate marketing, product sales, and ad revenue.
What are some brands that work with pet influencers?
There are many, many brands that work with pet influencers. From major pet food manufacturers to small independent product designers. So you can target whom you like with your pitch and if you’ve worked out who is a good fit for your profile you’ll stand a better chance of winning some work.
Some of the most popular big brands include:
- Purina
- Lily’s Kitchen
- Friskies
- Egard Cooper
- Chuckit
- Kong
These are just a few of the many brands that have partnered with pet influencers to help promote their product or service.
I like to work with eco-friendly brands like Beco Pets and Bellydog and Vita Canis as they fit my brand values and ethic. Don’t think you can’t work with non-pet brands either, some other brands who love pet influencers include Victoria’s Secret, Walmart, and Nike! So the world really is your oyster as they say.
The reason why so many brands are turning to pet influencers is that people seem to be more responsive to them than to traditional advertising methods. In fact, research has shown that people tend to be happier when they see animal content as opposed to human-focused ads.
And this happiness often translates into earnings for the brand. For example, a study by Keller and Gierl showed that people were more likely to remember the brand after seeing a pet ad versus a traditional human-focused ad.
How much money can you make as a pet influencer?
This is a difficult question to answer because there are many factors that can affect your earnings, such as the size of your following, the engagement rate of your posts, and the type of partnership you have with a brand. However, some pet influencers have reported earning thousands – see below for estimates from top earners.
How to Estimate Potential Earnings
When it comes to estimating how much an Instagram influencer can earn for a post, there are a few factors that come into play. The number of followers an influencer has is one key metric, as those with more followers can generally charge more per post. But other factors such as the influencer’s location and partnerships also affect how much they can make.
Generally speaking, those with fewer than 5000 followers can expect to earn around $50 for a post, while those with 1 million or more followers can earn up to $10,000. However, this figure varies depending on the specifics of each campaign.
Engagement rate is another key metric to consider when estimating earnings potential. This is because brands are not only looking at the number of followers an influencer has, but also how engaged those followers are. An influencer with a high engagement rate is more likely to command a higher fee per post than one with a low engagement rate.
In general, being a pet influencer can be a lucrative business if you get it right.
Top highest-earning dog influencers on TikTok and Instagram (estimated) compiled by Canine Cottages
Raking in a potential average of £19,600 per post, @jiffpom, a Pomeranian with a big personality, claims the first place. This puppy is the one who potentially earns the most per post, and they have an incredible following of over 31 million people – the highest on our list!
Coming second is @tuckerbudzyn, or rather Tucker the Golden Retriever, who could potentially earn an average of £12,600 per post. This good boy has over 12 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, so it’s no wonder he’s topping the list!
In third place comes @mayathepolarbear: a big, fluffy Samoyed. This lucky dog could potentially bring in £7,350 per post on average, but can earn up to £11,100 per post on Instagram! With over 7 million followers across the two social media platforms, Maya the Polar Bear is on her way to stardom.
@itsdougthepug, everyone’s favourite pug, claims fourth place with an average potential earning per post of £6,850! This happy pup has a collective following of around 10 million people across TikTok and Instagram.
Bunny, a sheepadoodle with the tag @whataboutbunny, comes in fifth place. This curly-haired pooch could possibly earn on average £3,900 per post and has over 6 million followers across TikTok and Instagram!
What is the industry like for pet influencers?
The pet industry is a rapidly growing industry. The value of the dog food market alone in the world is 102 billion US dollars, making it the most valuable market segment.
In the UK, the pet market was worth a total of 3.2 billion British pounds in 2021.
This makes the pet industry a highly lucrative market for pet influencers with brands looking to increase their share of this huge wealth opportunity.
The most successful pet influencers are not necessarily those who have a large audience, but micro-influencers can also cash in if they have a highly engaged following ( above 4%) and who produce high-quality content.
- Find out what your engagement rate is for free here on Hype Auditor.
If you’re a pet lover and are interested in turning your passion into a career, becoming a pet influencer might be the perfect option for you! This industry is growing rapidly, and there are plenty of opportunities to make money. However, it’s important to understand that this is not an easy job. Pet influencers work long hours and have great flexibility, but they’re also well-paid for their efforts.
Is there any breed that works better as an Instagram or TikTok star?
There is no breed that works better as an Instagram or TikTok star. It really depends on the pet’s personality and what content you’re hoping to create. If you have a dog with a “character” face like TunaMeltsMyHeart, then they might do well on Instagram, where there is a larger audience. And everyone will remember Grumpy Cat who according to Wikipedia was worth $1,000,000.
However, if you’re looking to explore TikTok more, it might be worth your time to take a look at its demographics. TikTok is a video-based social media platform that skews younger than Instagram. This could be good or bad, depending on your pet’s age and energy level!
But it’s always important to take the time to look closely into the type of content your pet would perform best in before choosing a social media platform. That way, you’ll have the best chance for success – no matter which one you choose!
Of course, you can share your content across multiple platforms, but they’ll reward you more for unique content because that’s what they want. Be mindful that this could double or treble your effort so my advice is to stick to one platform to start with so you don’t burn out.
What advice would you give someone who wants to launch their pet as a star?
First and foremost, it’s important to be prepared to put in the time and effort necessary to make your pet a star. This means being responsive to your online community, building relationships with them, and showing that you care about them. It’s also crucial that you make sure your pet is comfortable with the idea of being dressed up and photographed before pushing it on them.
Many people find success by using Instagram as a way to showcase their pet’s cuteness and quirks as this is an easy platform to use and you have multiple ways of creating content, whereas TikTok is just videos and can take a lot more effort, but reaches a larger audience faster.
Is there a trend for animal Instagram stars?
There’s no doubt that animal Instagram stars are on the rise. In fact, this trend has been growing in popularity for some time now. What makes these accounts so special? Well, it all comes down to engagement. If you can make a real connection with your audience, your audience will be more likely to stick around.
Passion and enthusiasm are key when it comes to creating content for an animal Instagram account. You have to be genuine in your approach if you want people to connect with you and your animals. And don’t forget, there are many different ways to go about this! If you’re not into taking photos, there are plenty of other opportunities out there. Sponsorships and collaborations can be a great way to get involved in the community.
It’s clear that animal Instagram stars are here to stay. The key to success is finding “the stars” that will make an impact on your followers. With the right approach, anything is possible!
Wrapping up
So, what does it take to become a successful pet influencer? First and foremost, you need to be prepared for your pet’s unpredictable nature. Pets can be fickle creatures, and you never know what they’ll do next. If you’re able to capture funny or adorable moments on camera, you’ll have a major advantage in this industry! You’ll also need to build up a good following on social media before companies will start to take you seriously which will take some hard graft. In my next article I’ll tell you exactly how to get started.
