How to Grow Your Social Media Following
Who is Dobby
Let's kick things off by introducing you to Dobby, an adorable cat with over 70,000 followers across social media platforms. 🐈
Interestingly, the journey to social media fame for Dobby began as a casual bet. The bet was whether it was difficult to grow a pet's social media following or not. Fast forward to today, and Dobby boasts 32,000 followers on Instagram and around 34,500 on TikTok, all gained with a minimal amount of effort.
The reason we're using a cat as our case study may be surprising for dog breeders like you, but the strategies are universally applicable. The main takeaway is that you don't have to put in grueling hours to grow a significant following on social media. A strategic approach can bring you similar results with far less time investment, which is vital for busy breeders.
Now, let's dive into the core principles and tips that can help you amplify your social media presence.
Know Your Voice, Style, and Audience
The first step to growing a social media following is understanding your target audience.
Who do you want to reach? Other breeders, prospective pet parents, or both?
Your content should be tailored according to this target audience.
For example, cute puppy pictures would resonate well with a broader audience, but a behind-the-scenes look at breeding practices may be more valuable for other breeders.
For Dobby's social media presence, a playful and sassy tone, replete with cat puns, was central to the brand's voice. This light-hearted approach made Dobby's profile a sanctuary for people looking to escape stress. Importantly, the account steered clear of controversial topics, focusing instead on providing a happy and engaging space for its audience.
Another point to note is that Dobby's account was not primarily for business, so it avoided the pitfall of "over-branding."
💡 One concern that dog breeders may have is whether or not to watermark their photos. While watermarks can protect against theft—particularly given the frequency with which breeder photos are stolen and misused—they can also limit the image's shareability and engagement. It's a trade-off you'll have to consider based on what is most important for your social media strategy.
Highlight the Unique
What sets you apart?
It could be a specific breed you specialize in, your eco-friendly breeding practices, or your involvement in the dog community. Leverage your unique selling proposition (USP) to create a strong brand identity. Make sure your uniqueness reflects in your posts, captions, and even in your profile bio.
For Dobby's Instagram, the unique features like her large ears and distinctive breed, the Devon Rex, helped her stand out in a sea of cute pet photos. Moreover, her sassy personality also helped differentiate her from the crowd.
💡 As breeders, you have to identify what sets your dogs or program apart. It could be anything—from living in a unique part of the country and showcasing your beautiful farm setting, to creating unique puppy packs for go-home days.
These unique features will help you differentiate your posts from the millions of other pet posts on social media platforms.
Share Consistently
Consistency is key to keeping your audience engaged.
Design a posting schedule and stick to it. Whether it’s daily or weekly, make sure that you have fresh content rolling out regularly. Additionally, maintaining a consistent voice—whether it’s you speaking as a breeder, your pet, or as a communal voice—creates a sense of familiarity and reliability among your followers.
It's important to post regularly, but not so often that you overwhelm your followers.
Dobby's Instagram was updated once or twice a week, and any hiatus led to a noticeable drop in followers and engagement.
💡 You don’t need to create content every single day. You can schedule a day where you create multiple posts for the month and schedule them using free tools like Canva's scheduling tool. This allows you to maintain a consistent posting schedule without it taking up too much of your time.
By applying these lessons—highlighting unique features and sharing content consistently without overwhelming your audience—you can improve your social media strategy, increase engagement, and better connect with your community.
Give an Inside Look
Sharing the day in the life of a breeder or a pet can provide invaluable insights and authenticity that followers appreciate.
Whether it's a tour of your breeding facility, attending a dog show, or a ‘day-in-the-life’ of one of your pets, these intimate looks into your daily routine can build stronger relationships with your audience. Sharing aspects of your day-to-day life provides a connection that your audience craves.
You can also repost photos or stories from pet parents who have bought pups from you, thus keeping your community involved and giving new followers a glimpse into the post-adoption lives of your dogs.
Today's social media landscape values raw and authentic content over the polished and staged posts of yesteryears.
For example, a simple picture of Dobby sleeping on the cable box sparked a lot of engagement and conversation, providing an inside look into her personality that people wouldn’t otherwise see.
💡 Giving an inside look at your breeding program can deepen your audience's engagement. Photos or videos of puppies eating, playing, or even going to the vet can offer an exclusive peek into their lives. It's these 'normal' moments that you might take for granted, but your audience will find fascinating.
The desire for real, relatable content extends beyond social media to your website's 'About Us' page.
While sharing is great, it's crucial to remember that you control your online presence. You can choose the level of detail you share, especially if you're concerned about inviting unnecessary criticism. Your audience will appreciate whatever level of 'realness' you're comfortable offering.
By giving people an inside look into your program, showcasing real and relatable moments, and controlling your online narrative, you can effectively foster a deeper connection with your community, something that's increasingly valued in today's digital landscape.
Cross-Promote
💡 Cross-promotion is a marketing strategy where two or more entities collaborate to promote each other's products or services to their audiences.
Collaboration and cross-promotion are potent tools for audience expansion. In the context of dog breeding, this could mean a variety of partnerships.
A simple shout-out, a joint giveaway, or even guest posts can expose your profile to a whole new set of followers.
For instance, breeders can collaborate with pet supply brands by including branded pet supplies with each puppy sold, while the supply company features the breeder in their advertising.
Another example would be breeders forming alliances with veterinary clinics, where the breeder refers new owners to a particular clinic and the clinic, in return, offers first-visit discounts and promotes the breeder.
Breeders who specialize in different dog breeds might also refer buyers to one another, thereby broadening the options available to prospective owners.
Additionally, social media shoutouts between breeders can expose each breeder to the other's follower base, amplifying reach and credibility for both.
Through such cross-promotional strategies, dog breeders can not only expand their business but also offer additional value to pet buyers.
Take Quality Pictures and Videos
Your social media is only as good as the content you post.
Visual content is king, and poor-quality photos and videos could undermine even the best strategies.
Invest in taking high-quality photos and videos. Learn the basics of good photography—like lighting, angles, and composition. Just focus on capturing moments that tell your unique story. Most modern smartphones offer sufficient quality for social media, so there’s no need for high-end camera gear.
The emphasis on having clear, focused, and minimally filtered photos and videos speaks to the larger trend of authenticity and realism that social media users appreciate.
Trends indeed evolve, and what used to be fashionable can quickly become outdated. Right now, clean images and videos without text overlays are generally more well-received on platforms like Instagram.
💡 Lighting can significantly impact the quality of an image or video. Natural light is generally preferable, but light boxes can also provide an even and controlled lighting environment, making the subject stand out better.
Videos are now more favored by algorithms, making them a good tool for reaching a broader audience.
However, photos shouldn't be entirely ruled out. They still have significant value, especially for conveying detailed or intricate subjects that benefit from the viewer's extended focus.
💡 Ensure that your dogs and puppies are clean and properly groomed before taking photos of videos. You want your content to represent the very best of your breeding program!
Food for Thought
As you continue to develop your social media strategy, take some time to ponder these questions:
What do you want to achieve with your social media presence?
Are you seeking fame, spreading awareness, or simply creating a legitimate portfolio?
How much time are you willing to invest in maintaining your social media?
Your objectives will shape the kind of content you produce and how you engage with your audience. After all, the essence of social media is interaction. Make your followers feel heard, valued, and most importantly, engaged.
Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all strategy. Take the time to experiment, assess, and tweak your strategy according to the analytics and feedback. TellTail's resources and community support are always here to guide you, making sure that like Dobby, you too can be a social media sensation.
Whether you aim to become a famous breeder or just want to share the joy your dogs bring into the world, remember that social media is a powerful tool when used effectively.
Happy posting!
