From our last blog post, you already know why it’s important to share the spotlight with your dog every once in a while. But we understand that this may be easier said than done! You could be shy, hate pictures of yourself or just think “who cares about me when everyone already loves my furbaby?”

Let’s think about it this way: imagine you’re at the dog park and, while your dog is experiencing a major case of the zoomies with a new friend, you start chatting with the other dog parents. Consider how you’d introduce yourself?

You’d probably start with your name, where you live, and perhaps what path in life led you to your fur baby. Maybe you’d tell them a funny story about your dog, discuss a health challenge they’ve gone through, or mention your favorite activity together. You could also provide a little insight about how your dog behaves at home or share information about your dog’s favorite toys or treats.

SO, the next time you’re at the dog park and you’re chatting with your new dog parent friends, don’t be afraid to share a little more information about yourself! What do you do for a living? Ask them about their job, their family, and their dog. People love to talk about their furbabies and to hear about yours. Maybe you’ll even share some important advice about your dog’s health or compare training techniques. And don’t forget to ask your new friends to tell you about their dog too! During these conversations, you might find you have some things in common with your new friends!

Now that you’re warmed up thinking about how you’d introduce yourself to your local dog community… how do you feel about doing the same thing with your followers on social media? 

You can DO it!

Start by introducing yourself in stages. Gradually drop breadcrumbs to your followers allowing them to see a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes. The more genuine you are when you introduce yourself, the higher the likelihood that your followers will connect with you. Who knows, they may even turn into genuine friends and Super Followers! Remember, just be yourself. Authenticity is key! 

Make sure you follow up with engaging, genuine feedback on your account. Ask enticing questions through your Instagram Stories and Posts. For example, if you tell a funny story about you and your dog in your caption, ask your followers to share a funny story about their dog in the comments! Using a CTA (Call to Action) is a great way to increase your engagement by encouraging followers to interact with your post.

If you’re sharing dog training tips, demonstrate your pup’s new skills on a video showing both you and your dog, and ask your followers if they have any suggestions about your training methods. And if they comment with tips and suggestions, be sure to respond to their comments right away. Sharing tips and tricks with other dogmoms and dogdads is a great way to increase your reach on Instagram and other social media!

Just as important is to show your interest in your follower’s pup too. Go to their account and leave a meaningful comment on their post. Try to avoid less-engaging comments like “Oh that’s so cute!” It’s ok to say something is cute but put a little more meat on that dog bone! Try commenting something more specific about their post, like “Oh, I love that cute look on Luna’s face when she looks up at her dog mom like that!”

Each time you introduce yourself to followers, share a little bit more information and insight with your audience. You will be well on your way to becoming an influencer, attracting new followers, brands, and affiliate marketing opportunities!

PRO-TIP:  DO NOT introduce yourself for the first time and start pushing products. Followers need to get to know you before they will start to consider your recommendations. Spend the time building your community before you try to sell them something – you’ll see this pay off in the long run!

Looking for more ways to put yourself out there? Share your Dogstory with us to be featured on Dog Like Me! 

If you could still use some guidance before revealing yourself to your online community, not to worry! Download our FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Sharing the Spotlight” Workbook when you subscribe to our mailing list to keep you on track and on brand! Workbook only offered for a limited time.