The rise of pet influencers

Activity 1 : Spend a few minutes reading the paragraph about pet influencers.

In recent years, the world of social media has seen a fun and exciting trend: the rise of pet influencers. These are pets, like dogs and cats, that have large numbers of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Many pet owners are turning their furry friends into social media stars. A survey from ManyPets found that about 40% of people prefer to see pets on their feeds instead of other people. This means people love watching cute and funny pet videos!

Brands have noticed this trend and are now partnering with these pet influencers to promote their products. For example, pets like Doug the Pug have millions of followers and can help companies reach more customers. When a pet influencer shares a product, it feels more real and relatable to their audience, making people want to buy it.

This shift in marketing is not just about selling products; it’s also about building a community. Many pet influencers share their daily lives, funny moments, and even their challenges, which makes their followers feel connected. As a result, pet influencers are not only changing the way brands advertise but also bringing joy and laughter to people around the world.

The pet industry has grown significantly because of these social media stars. According to research, about 25% of pet owners are trying to create a social brand for their pets. This means they want their pets to be famous online! With their charming personalities and unique stories, these pets are capturing hearts and changing the marketing world at the same time.

Activity 2: Complete the True or False below.

• a. Pet influencers are only dogs. True / False
• b. Many people prefer to see pets on social media instead of other people. True / False
• c. Pet influencers help brands sell products by being relatable. True / False
• d. The pet industry is shrinking because of social media. True / False
  

Activity 4: Fill the blanks with the vocabulary from Activity 3

1. Companies pay pet influencers to ___________ their pet food and toys.
2. My favorite celebrity has millions of ___________ on Instagram.

3. A strong online ___________ can make people feel connected and engaged.

4. Many brands work with a social media ___________ to advertise their products.
5. The video was funny and ___________, so a lot of people enjoyed watching it.

Activity 5: Choose one of the following prompts and write a short paragraph (share it below) or record a voice note.

a. Why do you think people love watching pet influencers? Describe your favorite pet influencer and what you like about them.

b. How do you think pet influencers change the way brands advertise their products? Do you think this is a good or bad thing?

c. If you could create a social media account for any pet (yours or someone else's), what would you want to share? Explain your ideas.