Vet-ting<\/strong><\/h2>\nWorking with animal influencers is, in some ways, like working with human influencers. Brands can opt for white-glove agency services or platforms, request animals with specific follower counts, and share briefs with requirements for content, pet agency execs told us. And though pets can\u2019t talk, maintaining an authentic voice is just as important on their accounts.<\/p>\n
Clients provide guides with talking points or hashtags for pet accounts to include in posts, Flaherty said, but \u201cit\u2019s always the pet\u201d who writes the content\u2014in other words, their owner.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeeping that original voice is key to a campaign, because if their followers see something that is out of the ordinary, it doesn\u2019t sound like their true voice, then the chances of a campaign flopping are higher,\u201d Flaherty said.<\/p>\n
To try to make sure that doesn\u2019t happen, Urban Paws has an \u201cin-depth casting process\u201d that includes regular checks on engagement rates and post cadence, according to Flaherty. Petfluencencing, it seems, can be a dog-eat-dog world.<\/p>\n
Karwowski said marketers who choose to work with pets should also \u201cpay extra attention\u201d to the vetting process to make sure the accounts they tap are truly aligned with the brand\u2019s messaging, as opposed to being drawn in by an irresistible pup who could simply drive a lot of likes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there was a time five years ago or so where\u2026it wasn\u2019t any more thought out, and there wasn\u2019t any more foresight to it than that,\u201d Karwowski said. \u201cNow people are like, \u2018This is a key part of the overall group of creators we\u2019re going to work with, and this makes a lot of sense for our brand.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Power of the paw<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn other ways, partnering with a pet is much different than hiring a person, according to Peh. For one, animals can\u2019t pretend to like a product\u2014especially cats, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith cats, it\u2019s a little bit more tricky because they get really fussy and frustrated if you give them food that they don\u2019t like,\u201d Peh said. \u201cThey will poop in your shoes. They get really angry about it. Cat owners will try to avoid incurring the wrath of their cat, and they don\u2019t really change things very often.\u201d This, she said, can lead to \u201crejections or pushback\u201d on some campaigns.<\/p>\n
On the bright side, petfluencers can be more affordable than human influencers. Some with massive follower counts can command about $6,000 per post, according to Flaherty, but generally speaking, they are \u201cprobably a little bit cheaper.\u201d Peh said pet owners tend to charge less because many of them post as more of a hobby than a full-time job.<\/p>\n
Plus, animals are essentially a sure thing when it comes to brand safety, execs said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to worry about celebrity scandals,\u201d Hall said. \u201cYour pet is never going to be the next Kanye.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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