Insights and Inspiration for Pet Brands
What Makes Pet Content Go Viral? It’s Not What You Think
Viral pet content might look effortless, but there’s more behind the cuteness than luck. If your goal is reach, not just relevance, it’s time to look at the repeatable traits of content that flies. Spoiler: It’s not always the best edited or most aesthetic posts that blow up. 🎯 What Viral Pet Content Has in Common: Relatable emotion: Not just cute, funny, touching, or wildly chaotic Unexpected twist: A dog refusing to walk, a cat opening doors, a guinea pig jumping hurdles Strong start: The first 1–2 seconds have to stop the scroll Authenticity: Raw, unpolished clips feel more trustworthy and shareable Sound: Either trending audio or something highly expressive (barking, meows, human reaction) 🐾 Pet Specific Virality Triggers: Pets doing something very human Reactions that feel “just like my dog/cat” Clever captions that tell a story (“When she realises the vet isn’t the park…”) ⚠️ A Word of Caution: Chasing virality alone can burn you out. Use viral content to pull people in, but have something meaningful for them to stay for (a strong brand story, product, or purpose). 🧠 Strategy Prompt: Next time something unexpected happens with your pet, film it. Add a sharp caption. Then ask: could this be your viral moment? 💡 Key Takeaway: Virality isn’t random. It’s a mix of emotion, surprise and shareability. Pet content wins when it makes people feel something fast.
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The Power of Local: How Regional Marketing Builds Trust
For pet brands, especially those that sell food, grooming, or supplements, local trust matters more than you think. While global reach looks impressive, many pet parents want to support brands that feel close to home, understand their culture and are accessible in their local pet shop. If your marketing isn’t showing where you’re based or who you’re serving, you might be missing out on high conversion customers. 🐾 Why Local Works: National retailers often prioritise regional relevance, if your audience is spread thin globally, you’re harder to list. Pet parents tend to trust and try what’s known in their local area, especially with consumables or vet backed products. Events, shows and markets still drive brand discovery in the pet sector. 📍 Local Doesn’t Mean Small It means targeted. You can have 5,000 followers mostly in the UK and outperform an account with 50,000 global followers when it comes to real sales in your home country. 🛠️ Actionable Tips: Use hashtags with location: #UKDogs, #ManchesterCats, #ScotlandPets Mention your base: “Proudly made in Cornwall” or “London pet lovers, this one’s for you!” Partner with local influencers and community accounts. Show the area you live, walk, pack orders, or test products. 💡 Quick Thought: People buy from people. They trust what feels familiar. If you feel like the local pet brand in their area, you’ve already won half the battle. 📸 Caption Prompt: Made in [Your Region], loved by pets across [Your Country]. 🐾 We’re proud to be your local go to for [treats, supplements, grooming, etc.].
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How to Reignite a Stale Pet Brand Without Starting Over
It happens. A pet brand starts strong, then plateaus. Maybe your content feels flat, your audience isn’t growing, or your offers aren’t converting like they used to. But that doesn’t mean you need a total rebrand. Sometimes, a refresh is all it takes to spark new life into your brand without losing what made it special. 🐾 Signs your brand needs a refresh (not a restart): Engagement is down but you're still gaining followers Your visuals or voice feel outdated, even to you You’re struggling to create content that excites you Your products are strong but aren’t generating buzz 🔁 Small shifts that make a big difference: Revive your tone of voiceAre you still talking to your ideal customer the way you did three years ago? Try refreshing your tone to reflect where your brand is now. Switch up your content formatsIf it’s all grid posts and no video, flip that. If your captions are always serious, inject some humour. New formats bring new energy. Create a campaignRather than posting at random, build short campaigns that give your audience something to follow, expect and share. Update your brand photographyFresh visuals are one of the quickest ways to signal growth and progression, even if your logo stays the same. Reintroduce your ‘why’Tell your audience what you stand for. Chances are, they’ve forgotten, or you haven’t told them clearly enough. 💬 Caption Prompt: “We’ve been a bit quiet lately, but we’ve been working on something to help you and your pets connect even better. Here’s to what’s next…” 💡 Tip: Don't bin what works. Instead, build on it. Your loyal followers are still here for a reason, just remind them why. 🧠 Key Learning: Reinvigorating your pet brand doesn’t mean tearing it down. Start with strategic tweaks to tone, visuals and campaigns that bring your brand story back to life.
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Selling Without the Hard Sell: How to Market Pet Products with Subtlety
Let’s be honest, no one opens Instagram hoping to see an ad. And pet owners? They’re some of the savviest, most community minded consumers online. If every post you share is shouting “Buy now!” you’ll quickly lose trust and likely followers too. The good news? There’s a better way to sell. 🐾 Subtle selling works because: It blends in with the content your audience already enjoys. It focuses on value and experience over features. It feels more like a recommendation than a pitch. 🧠 5 Subtle Sales Strategies for Pet Brands: Teach, don’t tell:Instead of “Buy our paw balm,” try “Here’s how we soothe cracked winter paws.” Educate and make your product the solution. Story over spec:Share how a customer used your product during a muddy adventure, rather than listing it’s “100% organic.” Behind the scenes content:Show your product being packed or tested, not just posed. Use soft CTAs:Think “See how it works” or “Join the pack” instead of “Shop now.” Let your community do the selling:Reshare UGC or reviews that naturally mention how and why they love your product. 💬 Example caption: “We forgot to pack his usual treats… he got a taste of ours instead. Verdict: 10/10 crumb hoover.”📸 @petparentusername 💡 Why it works: The focus is on a moment, not the sale, but the product is still front and centre. ✍️ Keep in mind: You’re building relationships, not just chasing transactions. That subtle shift creates long-term customers, not just one-off buyers. 🧠 Key Learning: The most effective marketing doesn’t feel like marketing—it feels like a story worth sticking around for.
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How to Use Customer Reviews in Your Pet Marketing (the Right Way)
If you’re letting reviews sit quietly on your product pages, you’re missing a massive opportunity. Reviews are one of the most powerful tools in pet marketing, when you actually use them. Whether it’s a heartfelt thank you, a funny anecdote, or a glowing testimonial about a transformation, your customers’ words can become your best marketing asset. 🐾 Why reviews matter more in the pet space: Pet owners are emotional buyers they want reassurance. People trust other pet parents more than they trust brands. A review about a dog’s coat improving or a cat finally eating a supplement carries real weight. 🧠 Smart ways to use reviews: Highlight stories, not just stars: Share detailed quotes on social media and in emails. Use names, dog breeds, or relatable situations. Use reviews in paid ads: Let potential customers hear directly from happy pet owners. Turn reviews into visual content: Screenshot them, add imagery, or create UGC style graphics. Feed them into product development: A recurring request? A feature people love? Use it in your messaging. 💡 Example: A grooming brand turned one customer’s message into a campaign:"I didn’t think I’d ever find a shampoo my dog wouldn’t run away from."That line ended up in a Facebook ad that doubled CTR. ✍️ What to avoid: Don’t cherry pick only 5 star reviews. Showing a 4 star with honest pros and cons builds more trust. Don’t fake it. Savvy pet owners can smell made up testimonials a mile off. 🧠 Key Learning: Your customers are already writing some of your best marketing copy, you just need to put it to work.
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How to Build an Engaged Email List for Your Pet Brand
Forget what you’ve heard, email marketing isn’t dead. In fact, it’s one of the most profitable and direct ways to build trust, drive sales and keep your brand top of mind. But only if your list is actually engaged. Many pet brands focus on social media and neglect email, or they collect addresses without a plan. Here’s how to do it right. 🐾 Why email still matters: It’s not controlled by an algorithm. You own your list, no platform can take it away. It converts better than almost any other channel (especially for returning customers). 💌 How to build a high quality list: Offer something valuable: Think discount codes, breed specific advice, or exclusive behind the scenes content. Make the sign up process clear and easy: Add forms to your homepage, blog and social media bios. Segment early: Use tags like 'Cat Owner', 'New Puppy Parent', or 'Rescue Dog Enthusiast' to send more relevant content. 🧠 What not to do: Don’t buy a list, your open rate will tank and your brand will lose credibility. Don’t spam with product after product. Mix in stories, tips and real value. 🧠 Key Learning: Your email list is more than a sales tool, it’s a direct line to your community. Build it intentionally, and it’ll pay you back for years.
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What TikTok Is Great for (and What It’s Not)
TikTok has exploded in the pet space. From viral dances with dogs to enrichment videos that rack up millions of views, it’s tempting to dive in headfirst. But should you? Like any platform, TikTok has strengths and limitations. Knowing the difference will save your brand time, energy and disappointment. 📈 What TikTok is great for: Top of funnel visibility: You can reach thousands (or millions) without a huge following. Showcasing personality: It’s an ideal place to be unfiltered and real. Trends and humour: Pet brands can join viral sounds or trends to show they ‘get it.’ Fast testing: You’ll quickly learn what content grabs attention and what doesn’t. ❌ What it’s not ideal for: Driving direct conversions: Most users aren’t in a buying mindset when scrolling. Local targeting: TikTok isn’t great at region-specific targeting for small scale brands. Building deep community: You can go viral and still not build a loyal audience. B2B or high end positioning: Premium brands may find the tone too casual or chaotic. 🧠 Key Learning: TikTok is brilliant for visibility and entertainment. But it works best when it’s part of a wider strategy, not the whole plan.
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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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