Say Cheese
Instagram is a fantastic tool with which to share your pet’s most interesting moments. Exotic Instagram pets are growing in popularity every day, expanding beyond the standard cute dog and cat pictures. Snakes, turtles, frogs, and every kind of bird in the book has an Instagram account now. Instagram is rich with ways to get noticed and broaden your followers and viewers. and we thought it would help to narrow down a few for anyone who wants their pet to be an influencer! Read on, get your account started up and who knows…maybe your snake will end up being the Kylie Jenner of its breed.
- Highlight what makes your animal unique: There are many different versions of your animal already on Instagram, and they will likely have more followers than you will starting off. Exotic Instagram pets have a huge advantage though: their field of followers is not nearly as flooded as normal domestic animals. Finding out what makes them unique will give you a way to make your pet stand out. Observe your animal and see if they have a funny eating pattern, or a visually striking way of grooming themselves, or if they can climb surfaces in a fun way. All of that will help set your animal apart from the rest. Just having a pretty picture usually does not suffice to earn a decent-sized, loyal Instagram following anymore. The picture needs to capture your pet in a moment that shows what makes them different, and worth looking at. Exotic Instagram pets that succeed in this format have owners that knows what sets them apart from their own species, and from animals in general, and how to put that on camera.
- Insert Yourself: Having, for instance, a large snake is not an everyday occurrence in most people’s lives. If you are able to integrate your own story into your pet’s, then you will have two target followings on Instagram: people who love exotic pets, and people who love to hear about what it’s like to care for them. If you use your animal to perform in a theater or festival setting, don’t be afraid to take some video and pictures for your account that tell your story of that journey. If you own a macaw and perform at Renaissance fairs, for example, try to get some video of yourself and the bird in action. Interactions with other people, yourself in costume with a little caption describing how your bird liked being in that atmosphere throughout the day, and also video. Instagram might be known as a primarily pictorial social media outlet, but its video content, in the form of stories and reels, is also quite popular. Other owners of these animals will also look at your content and find it relatable if you insert your own story in a meaningful way. Some frog owners, for instance, will know that frogs need a water dish in which to sit and absorb water (since they do not actually drink it, and it is consumed through their skin). One video you can do is a ‘Before and After’ video with you checking your frog’s water bowl before the animal sits in it and after.
- Make Friends with Other Influencers: Part of spreading the word about an account involves gaining the respect of other people who have found success on Instagram. Try to follow other accounts that match your own area of interest. If you have an account about what it’s like to own snakes in America’s suburbs, follow other accounts from snake owners who are established on Instagram. You never know when one might decide to follow you back or tag you in a photo and point some of their followers in your direction. If you are genuinely friends with an influencer in real life, they might even be open to collaborating with you if your content is good enough. Learn to be persistent but not a pain, and eventually if you play your cards right, then there’s a good chance other Instagram users in the exotic pet category will notice you.
- Capture the Right Angle: Getting great photos of your pet isn’t just about being in focus or having a great camera on your iPhone or Android. It’s about knowing what people in your area of interest like to see, and what Instagram users in general like to see. Know if your followers like to see cute moments or odd moments, for example, and try to capture your animal when they’re exhibiting behavior that lends itself to those things. Snake lovers, for instance, are not necessarily going to want cute pictures of you cuddling up with your reptile. They will likely want to see how your reptile fairs in its cage and if you have it in any other type of environment.
- The Power of the Hashtag: Using hashtags as a way to reach out to people will always work with certain potential followers. Learn about what hashtags are popular with niche groups and with larger groups, and be aware of when special days are taking place. For instance, if it’s National Frog Day or another social media-geared holiday, make sure you have some content to present that will lend itself to that, and add the appropriate hashtags to get your posts in the right people’s paths.
The Fun of It All
Becoming interactive on social media is a lot of fun. It gets your skills and special hobbies on display in a flattering way, it helps you connect with other people who have similar interests, and it’s fun to share your life with other people who are inclined to appreciate it. If you are ready to take your pet account to the next step and gain a large, loyal following, make sure your posts are engaging, creative, and purposeful, even when they’re made on the fly. Your followers want to find Instagram users they like, and if you can make your exotic pet account engaging enough, you will gain some fantastic followers.
