Dogs bring a lot of joy into people’s lives, so it is only right that those people would want to share it with others. It is extremely common to see Instagram accounts dedicated to pets, especially dogs. These accounts help to document the dog’s life and to tell their story to a world that love animals and the happiness they bring. However, not every single account goes viral and get thousands upon thousands of followers, but there are a few things that they all do and have in common to make it to the top.
Nowadays when people get a puppy or adopt their dog, they want to set up an Instagram account for them, which is easy to do. All you need is to download the app onto your mobile phone, sign up with an email address or Facebook account and then you can create a username and a password. Pick something that relates to your dog specifically, so be sure to include their name! Now you’re all set up and ready to get creative with your content. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get started with showing your dog off to the world.
Create a bio
When people choose to follow a dog account, they want to know a little bit about them, such as their name, age, gender or if they have any siblings. Something else that is great to add in is how they came into your life, especially if it was through adoption. Do they have a physical disability that you want to highlight and show how they overcame it? The bio is the perfect place to mention this. Their backstory will help to make them unique to their followers and make them seem more relatable as well. Don’t forget to add a cute picture for their bio as well to make them easily recognisable.
Choose a theme
Scrolling through the images on another dog account can make you realise that there is something the images have in common and it is that they have a theme. Some dog accounts go for a style that is rural and rugged, which works especially well if they are a breed such as a huskie or German shepherd, which has earthy tones in their coats. People will keep this theme consistent by posting photos of them in the great outdoors or running through the trees. Then there are other accounts that want to keep things fresh with bright colors in the background and objects such as balloons, blankets and toys. There are a number of filters on Instagram and choosing to use the same one each time can help to keep the theme constant throughout all your images.
Keep it high quality and consistent
There is nothing worse than looking at blurry images and trying to make out what’s going on. To avoid this, make sure you are producing high quality images and videos of your dog. When starting out and trying to build a following it is best to focus on the content you are putting on your dog’s Instagram page to make a good impression. You want people to enjoy the crystal-clear photos that show off your dog’s personality, as well as their shiny and luscious coat. Luckily, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a photographer’s camera because most mobile phones have great cameras already built into them, you just need to know how to work them. Practice makes perfect and it will help you to decide what settings you like the best and how you want to edit your photos before posting them.
Another thing to do if you are looking to build a following quickly is to post consistently but add variety too. No one wants to see the same photo over and over again, so switch up the composition and the setting behind your dog. Another good tip is to post once or twice a day. That way you aren’t bombarding people with spam, but they also won’t forget about you anytime soon.
Engage with the community
Don’t just wait for your followers to find you, go out there and explore the vast community of dogs on Instagram. Start off by liking other people’s images and photos of their dogs, writing little comments about how cute they are or how you think they would get along with your dog. Not only will they see the comment, but their followers will too, and they might be inclined to check out your content and give you a follow. Just make sure that you aren’t spamming people as Instagram has a limit on how much you can like and comment within an hour before your account is put on hold.
Show them off!
The whole reason to create an Instagram account for your dog is to show them off, so make sure you keep your camera or mobile close to capture those funny and adorable moments to share with the world. There are so many accounts that have blossomed because their owners showed off their personality and how they are different to other dogs. Throwbacks to the puppy days are great to throw in every now and then to remind yourself and others of how far your dog has come and how sweet they used to be as well. They are guaranteed to bring in the engagement from followers!
The main thing to remember when creating an Instagram account for your dog is to have fun with it. Document the good and bad times along the way so that you always have something to look back on with fondness.
