Insta-pups: More bang for your bark

From Mom + Pop shops to multi-million dollar companies, social media strategists are setting their sights on something a little less traditional when selecting their campaign’s influencer lineup. Think less human and more fluff.

( @Toastmeetsworld for Karen Walker)

Yes, ladies and gentleman. Instagram has gone to the dogs.

Popular pooches are quickly rising to be the next hot thing in the influencer marketing space, proving to the world that they’re capable of promoting a whole lot more than pet products. In fact, scattered throughout the instagram campaigns of popular watch and car brands, hotel chains, and handbag designers are adorably addictive photos of four-legged fluff nuggets soaking up the limelight and giving the #ad game a run for its money.

Need more pawsuasion? Below are the top 5 reasons your brand may want to consider playing fetch with fido.

( @Ellabeanthedog for Neiman Marcus)

1. Cute pups give us all the feels.

The sweet spot in advertising is evoking emotion. Consumers are more willing to purchase a product/service if they’ve been successfully influenced to feel a certain way. Social media users go bonkers for photos of cute pups for a variety of reasons, but most importantly they influence feelings of happiness and positivity. It’s this method of memorable marketing that connects a consumer with a brand and increases the likelihood of the product being purchased.

( @PiggyandPolly for Movado)

2. The world is already obsessed with Instagram pups. Fact: we don’t have the same shame over stalking animals as we do other humans. In fact, there’s actually a sense of pride associated with knowing all the deets on your favorite instagram pooch. We’re head over heels and totally attached, but more importantly we trust them - because dogs never lie.

( @Daysiemeetsworld for Polaroid)

3. Their content is thumb-stopping. Looking for a fresh way to promote? Collaborating with pet influencers produces clever and unexpected content for your brand that stands out in newsfeeds. It’s a refreshing twist for consumers that earns instant likeability.

( @NorthWestNewfies for Volvo)

4. Their engagement rates are solid. Dog influencers have a dedicated following that interact on the reg, and the recipe is simple: they know how to speak to their audience. This, combined with super cute visual content makes for an impressive rate of shareability among their followers.

( @Renecharlesnyc for Perry Ellis)

5. Their authenticity makes the tails wag. Like any good influencer, the pups recognize that keeping things real plays a major role in their success on any social media platform. They maintain a uniqueness in their posts that is honest, genuine, and cute as fluff. This results in paid content that consumers actually enjoy seeing and engaging with on their feeds.

(@Hermaninthehood for Sudio)

Have any questions about how to begin recruiting a pack of pups to participate in your next campaign? We’re here for ya - just shoot us an email! isaac@trend.io