Tips for Starting a Dog Instagram

Have you ever heard of Grumpy Cat or Doug the Pug? They’re world famous pets with substantial social media accounts, especially on Instagram. To make an account for your beloved furry friend doesn’t necessarily mean you want them to be famous. You could just want to create an account for your friends and family to stay updated on your canine companion, or to share your pup’s cuteness with others to make them smile. Whatever your intentions may be, here are some tips on how to get started.

Setting up your pup’s profile

Take a look at other Instagram pet accounts to gain some inspiration. Take note of things you like and things you don’t and try to incorporate that uniquely onto your own profile. To edit and manage your profile all you have to do is click the “Edit Profile” located on the top of your personal profile. Once there, you can create or change your name, username, website link, bio, and private information. When you’re done making those changes don’t forget to click “Done” in the top right corner to save your work. Remember, this account is your pup’s online persona, so try to design it in a way that matches their personality.

Engaging with other people and pets

Instagram is an image and video heavy platform, so you’ll want to ensure your content is up to par before trying to get others to follow you. Once you have a couple of useful posts up (nothing blurry, pixelated, or belonging to someone else) go and start liking other people’s posts and following accounts. Do not make the mistake of spamming or begging people to follow you, though. The last thing someone wants is 25 likes in a row or multiple messages from the same account blowing up their phone. Leaving casual comments here and there and liking photos as they’re posted will keep people from getting annoyed with you. Also, don’t forget about your friends, family, and their pets! To get an excellent foundation of followers, have your loved ones support your account with a follow and a few likes. If they have pet accounts as well, even better!

The Art of #Hashtags

Try to use at least 10 hashtags on every photo and video you upload; your max though is 30 per post. Using the appropriate hashtags will help share your content to those who will enjoy it most, allowing your account to grow slowly. You won’t gain a bunch of followers overnight though. You have to be patient and consistent. Many people keep track of their hashtags to see which ones are working and which aren’t. You can use excel, notepad, or any other platform to keep track of that data. There are even some websites and apps that help generate hashtags for you.

Is this just for Fun or is there a Business Aspect

You have the choice to make your Instagram account a business account. You can always decide to change it back to a personal account if you want, though. With a business account, you can add a phone number and email to be reached at if you would like. You also get access to some analytics that pertains to your profile. If you think your furry friend’s account has the potential of becoming a business and plan on going down that road the change it to a business account. This decision is solely up to you and something you can decide on and change at any time. If you ever want to switch to a business account or back to a personal account, all you have to do is go to “Account Settings.”

Final Tips & Advice

Now that you have all the basics under your belt, you can start to dive into more detailed plans of action. When using hashtags, try not to be too generic on a constant basis, or you could get flagged as a spam account. Also, when it comes to hashtags, use the location tag to be specific to your location – it will help you reach particular audiences better. Plan out themes for at least a week at a time. You’ll be adding an appealing aesthetic while also helping yourself out by having things planned out ahead of time. Posting more than 2 photos or videos a day can cause people to be annoyed by your account and unfollow you, so don’t saturate your daily feed. Update your Instagram story regularly to help you stay active and allow people to get to know your pup more. Finally, NEVER buy likes or follow and then unfollow accounts when they follow you back, it will only backfire.

Instagram dog accounts can be a fun way to show off your canine companion while also getting to spend quality time with them. Whether your pup is the next big thing, or this is a “just for fun” account your dog will love the extra attention and time they get to spend with you.