Everything Marketers Need to Know About Pet Influencers

Influencer marketing has proven its effectiveness for brands across all industries, and pet brands are no exception. This is the final installment of our 3-part blog series on influencer marketing strategies tailored for pet brands. If you missed the first two, catch up below:

• Part 1: 5 Influencer Marketing Best Practices for Pet Brands
• Part 2: 3 Pet Brands Leading the Pack in Influencer Marketing

In this final part, we’re chatting all about what it’s really like to work with a pet influencer. Let’s get right into it. 

Pet influencers create highly engaging content.

Pet influencers achieve engagement rates as high as 10-40% per post — far surpassing the average human influencer. Why? Because pets trigger deep emotional responses in humans like no other content can. 

Think about it: whether it’s a heartwarming video of a dog meeting its new puppy sibling or a cat hilariously reacting to a new toy, pet content has an undeniable feel-good factor. This makes it incredibly shareable, amplifying its reach. By collaborating with a pet influencer, your brand can tap into these positive emotions, fostering strong connections with potential customers. 

Additionally, pet influencer content appeals to a wide audience beyond just pet owners. Many people follow pet accounts simply because they love the joy and entertainment that comes with watching adorable animals. This means that a pet influencer's audience can often include not just dedicated pet parents but also casual viewers who are highly engaged with their content.

Pet influencers need creative control.

Behind every successful pet influencer is a savvy human who has crafted a unique online persona for their pet — whether it’s a mischievous golden retriever or a sleepy ragdoll cat. In recent years, the most successful pet influencers have been those who show off these personalities through engaging narrations and captions. 

Take @goldenchilaquil, for example, the sassy golden retriever known for his hilarious day-in-the-life vlogs. 

Just as Chilaquil’s fans follow him for his distinct comedic content, many pet influencers have audiences who follow them for their unique style of content. Whether a pet account is known for funny vlogs, mind-blowing tricks, or wholesome moments, it’s crucial to let them integrate your brand naturally into their storytelling. 

This means that scripted or overly promotional content can feel out of place and may not perform well. Instead, brands should collaborate closely with pet influencers, allowing them to create content that feels organic and aligns with their pet’s persona. By granting creative freedom, brands ensure that their messaging feels genuine rather than forced, ultimately driving better engagement and trust.

Pet influencers are perfect for UGC campaigns.

Because pets are inherently cute, high-quality images and videos featuring adorable animals tend to perform well across virtually any marketing platform. But with higher engagement comes higher rates. If your budget doesn’t allow you to work with multiple big-name pet influencers, consider collaborating with UGC creators who specialize in pet content. 

These creators provide brands with authentic, highly engaging content that can be repurposed across organic social, paid social, newsletters, product pages, and more — without the premium price tag. 

By leveraging user-generated content (UGC), brands can still benefit from the power of pet content while maintaining cost efficiency. Whether it’s a playful video of a dog testing a new chew toy or a heartwarming clip of a cat snuggling in a pet bed, UGC can enhance your brand’s social presence and ad performance without requiring a hefty budget.

Pet influencers partner with a variety of brands. 

While pet influencers are naturally a perfect fit for pet-related brands — such as premium pet food, accessories, toys, and grooming services — their reach extends far beyond the pet industry. Many influencers also collaborate with brands in industries like travel, fashion, and even tech, leveraging their devoted audience and sky-high engagement. 

For example, check out how Best Western Hotels & Resorts collaborated with a variety of pet influencers to promote pet friendly accommodations, while Extra Space Storage worked with TikTok star @adventuringwithnala to showcase how their storage units are perfect for keeping all kinds of valuable things. 

What does this mean for your brand? Whether you sell pet products or not, treating pet influencer partnerships as you would human influencer relationships is essential. Personalize your outreach, maintain strong communication, and ensure fair compensation to build successful, long-term collaborations.

Additionally, consider how a pet influencer's audience aligns with your target market. Even if you’re not in the pet industry, working with the right pet influencer can introduce your brand to a highly engaged and loyal community.

Ready to work with pet influencers? Get in touch with us to discover how to leverage pet influencers to grow your brand.