Insights and Inspiration for Pet Brands
Why Your Pet Brand Doesn’t Need to Be on Every Platform
You’ve probably heard it before: “You need to be on TikTok!” “Don’t forget Pinterest!” “Why aren’t you using LinkedIn?” But let’s be honest, trying to show up everywhere often leads to doing nothing well. And for small pet brands or teams of one, it’s simply not realistic. 🐾 The trap of overextending Being on every social platform sounds like good exposure, but it usually means: Posting inconsistent content Burning out trying to keep up Watered down messaging that doesn’t connect 🐶 Focus beats presence Instead of being everywhere, be strategic. Ask yourself: Where is your ideal customer already spending time? What platform suits your content style best? Which one can you genuinely maintain? 🎯 Real example: A dog treat brand with great behind the scenes packaging videos might shine on Instagram Reels and Stories, not Pinterest. A grooming salon showing client makeovers? TikTok might be perfect. A high end pet bed brand targeting affluent owners? Pinterest and Instagram could drive more value than Facebook. 🔁 The 3 platform rule For most small teams, we recommend picking just three platforms: One for awareness (e.g. Instagram, TikTok) One for search/discovery (e.g. Pinterest, YouTube, your blog) One for community or updates (e.g. Facebook or email) 🧠 Key Learning: You don’t need to be everywhere you just need to be consistent somewhere.
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Your Pet Brand Has Personality So Why Is Your Content So Bland?
There’s a huge disconnect we often see in the pet world: amazing products, brilliant founders, standout packaging… and then, flat, forgettable content. If your content feels beige when your brand is bold, it’s time to close that gap. 🐾 What’s going wrong? You’re playing it too safe. You’re copying other brands (instead of owning your own tone). You’re trying to sound ‘professional’ but losing the joy and connection. 🐶 What to do about it: Write how you speak. If your founder’s hilarious, warm, or quirky, let that come through. Let your pet lead. Whether you’re a pet influencer or a pet brand, sometimes your dog or cat is the brand voice. Use it! Use storytelling. Not everything has to be “Buy now” or “Here’s our latest drop.” Tell us how you made it, who it’s for, what problem it solves in real life. 🔄 Real example: Instead of “Our chew toy is tough and long lasting,” try:“We gave this to Barry, a Staffie with jaws like a bear trap. He’s still chewing. 3 weeks later. Challenge accepted?” ✍️ Injecting real brand energy Your content should sound like your packaging looks and feel like your mission reads. Consistency in voice builds trust, recognition and loyalty. 💬 Not sure how to start? Do a tone of voice audit. Look at: Your last 9 social posts Your About Us page Your product descriptions Are they unmistakably you? If not, time for a refresh. 🧠 Key Learning: Boring content won’t get noticed even if your product is brilliant.
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What Makes Pet Content Go Viral (and What Doesn’t)
We’ve all seen it, that one pet post that takes off for no clear reason. But behind the viral hits are patterns. And understanding them can help your pet brand create content that connects and converts. 🐾 Virality isn’t luck. It’s layered. The best performing pet content usually ticks at least three boxes: Emotional trigger – joy, surprise, awe, or pure relatability Watchability – short, snappy and visually clear Shareability – something people want their friends to see 🚫 What doesn’t work anymore? Generic “cute” content without a story Overused trends that don’t feel fresh Heavy branding that screams “ad” before it says anything else 💡 What to try instead Show a moment of chaos or unexpected calm, dogs interrupting yoga, cats joining Zoom calls Highlight pet quirks and “relatable” struggles Use human style captions to add humour or surprise: “I asked him to sit. He filed a complaint.” 🔁 Repurpose your own best bits Your post didn’t go viral? Cool. Did it get 30% more engagement than usual? That’s your version of viral. Rework it. Recut it. Repost it. 🧠 Key Learning: Going viral isn’t a strategy, it’s a bonus.Consistency and connection matter more than chasing views.
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Building Brand Personality: Why Your Pet Business Needs a Voice
Your pet brand isn’t just about products, it’s about personality. The brands that win in 2025?They sound like someone, not something. 🎯 What do we mean by brand voice? It’s not just tone. It’s rhythm. Word choice. The way you make people feel when they read your captions or open your emails. Are you cheeky and chatty? Warm and reassuring? Wild and rebellious? Every post is a chance to reinforce that vibe, or lose it completely. 🐾 Pet brands have a huge advantage You’ve already got a built in character. Whether it’s your dog, your cat, or your founder’s tone, your voice can be playful, relatable and full of life. But that only works if it’s intentional. 💡 Quick win: Write how you speak Stop writing like a product brochure.Start sounding like your community. Use contractions. Break a grammar rule if it feels right. Embrace rhythm. 🧠 Key learning: Consistency matters Don’t switch from “quirky pup energy” on socials to “clinical supplement provider” on your website. One voice. Everywhere. 🔍 Brand voice sells. It builds emotional connection. And in the pet world, emotion drives purchase more than logic ever could. 🧠 Tip: Write a one paragraph “brand bio” in your voice. Pin it above your desk. Check every caption and email against it before you hit publish.
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Social Proof Sells: The Secret Ingredient in Pet Brand Growth
Ever noticed how other people’s opinions often carry more weight than your own marketing? That’s social proof and it’s a powerful trust builder in the pet space. 🐶 In the pet world, it matters even more. Pet parents don’t just want a great product.They want proof it’s loved by dogs like theirs. Cats like theirs. People like them. 📸 Reviews, UGC, tags = gold dust. A video of a dog devouring your treat? 💥 A comment that says “my cat goes wild for this!”? 💥 A TikTok showing your product used in real life? 💥 Social proof isn’t a bonus, it’s the backbone of modern marketing. 📢 Make it easy for customers to share. Add a card in your packaging:“Tag us to be featured.”“Tell us how your pet liked it.”“Your feedback makes tails wag.” Ask the question, then showcase the response. 🤝 Social proof builds community. Instead of always telling, start showing.Let your customers do the talking. It’ll be more powerful than anything you could script. 🧠 Tip: Turn reviews into Instagram graphics. Reshare tagged content. Add a UGC gallery to your website. Make praise part of your strategy.
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From One Off Sale to Long Term Fan: Building Repeat Customers
If someone buys once, you’ve made a sale.If someone buys twice, you’ve started a relationship. The biggest shift pet brands can make? Stop thinking like product sellers and start thinking like experience providers. 🐾 A treat bag is just a treat bag... Until it arrives with: A thank you from the founder A QR code linking to a training video A follow up email asking how the dog got on Suddenly, it’s not just a transaction. It’s an interaction. 💬 Talk after the sale: Many brands go quiet after checkout. That’s your moment to shine. Follow up. Check in. Offer a tip or bonus. Make them feel seen not sold to. 📦 Think beyond what’s in the box: Can your delivery feel like a gift? Could you include a small activity for the dog or child? Would your customer tag you if the unboxing felt personal? 🔁 Loyalty isn't a points scheme. It's built on surprise, delight, value and relevance. Be the brand they want to come back to, because you care, not just because you offer 10% off. 🧠 Tip: Look at your last 10 customers. Could you do one thing for each that feels human?
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From Cute to Credible: Why Pet Brands Must Educate Too
Yes, your content should be adorable, this is the pet industry after all. But if every post is just fluff, you risk losing long term trust. Pet owners want brands that know their stuff. Whether you're selling treats, supplements, or accessories, credibility is currency. And education builds it. 🎓 What kind of content builds authority? Explain the “why” behind your product features→ “Why we use turmeric in our senior dog chews (and why it matters)” Dispel myths→ “No, rawhide isn't the same as natural chews, here’s why” Offer how to content→ “How to introduce a new cat toy without overwhelming your pet” 🐾 Balance is the goal: Cute catches attention. Helpful earns respect. The strongest pet brands offer both. 🧠 Thought Starter: Could someone learn something from your last five posts? If not, you’re missing a huge opportunity to position yourself as a trusted voice. 🔁 People remember who helps them, not just who entertains them.
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Are You Talking to Pet Owners or at Them?
Marketing in the pet industry often slips into a one way conversation, posts are made, products are pushed and the audience is expected to listen. But pet owners don’t want to be talked at. They want to be understood, included and valued. If your marketing feels like a broadcast, it’s time to shift toward conversation. 🐾 The Difference Between Talking To and At: Talking at your audience sounds like:“Our chews are the best. Buy now.” Talking to them sounds like:“What’s your dog’s go to comfort chew? Here’s ours, we’d love to hear yours.” 💬 Pet owners love to share: Their pets, their routines, their frustrations, their wins. Give them space to respond, react and relate. That’s how loyalty builds. 🛠️ Tips to invite conversation: End posts with a question Use polls or this or that games in Stories Feature user content and tag them back Celebrate milestones like “100th customer” or “first wholesale order” with gratitude 🧠 Thought Starter: Would someone who’s never heard of you feel invited to interact with your latest post? If not, the post might be serving you, not them. 🔁 People follow people (and brands) who listen.
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Build It Before They Come: Why Pet Brands Need Marketing Early
We often hear, “I just want to get the product perfect before I start marketing.” But here’s the truth: if you wait until launch day to build an audience, you’re already behind. In the pet space, where competition is fierce and brand loyalty is hard won, it’s the brands that show up before they sell that win. You don’t need a finished product to build anticipation, trust and interest. You need a voice, a purpose and a plan. 🐶 Why early marketing matters: It helps you test ideas and gather feedback It builds an audience that’s ready and waiting It earns trust over time (which doesn’t happen overnight) It signals professionalism to future stockists, partners, and press ✨ Example: We’ve seen pet supplement brands build email lists of over 1,000 subscribers before their first batch was manufactured. Why? Because they talked about the problem they were solving, not just the product they were making. 💡 Real world tip: Start sharing the why behind your business as early as possible. You can document product development, show your packaging journey, introduce your mascot, anything that invites people into the story. When the shop opens, they won’t need convincing. 🚀 Don’t wait until it’s “ready.” Market it while you build it.
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