My most recent article for Living+Lifestyle magazine, "Pets with profiles".
Pets with profiles
Pets with profiles
Companion
animals have become a ubiquitous presence in the digital environment, writes
Susannah Waters.
The
appeal of six-year-old Pomeranian, Boo, is plain to see: the tiny orange dog
exudes buckets of cuteness. His endearing looks have attracted a legion of eager
fans who hang on his every move via his Facebook profile page.
Widely
lauded as “the world’s cutest dog”, Boo’s popularity has reached feverish
proportions. Updates and photos posted from his page attract hundreds of
thousands of “likes”, and he has several million followers. And Boo’s star is
still rising – he has inspired a photo book and even a soft toy in his likeness.
Boo
is a social media superstar.
But
while Boo may be an extreme example of the reach a pet’s social media profile
can achieve, he doesn’t traverse the digital space alone. Companion animals are
cropping up online with an ever-increasing frequency.
Petworking
As
social media becomes more heavily integrated into our lives, it’s only logical
that the conversation often revolves around family members such as companion
animals. But in recent years, the phenomenon of pets with their own profiles has been growing.
A
2011 study revealed that one in 10 British pets have their own social
networking profile, while statistics in Australia show that one in 20 have a
dedicated Facebook page.
Reasons
people set up profiles for their pets include ease of sharing images and videos
with loved ones, having a central forum to diarise and discuss a pet’s daily
adventures, to connect with other pet owners, and to share an animal’s unique
personality as it is experienced by the pet owner.
Melbourne
resident Kealey Nutt set up profiles for her nine-week-old puppy, Zee, to share
updates of her progress with friends. “I didn’t want to bombard everyone with a
constant stream of dog-related things, so I decided to make profiles for Zee so
that those who were actually interested could follow them”, she says.
While
Zee has not attained a cult following to rival Boo’s, her social media presence
is prolific. The Boxer/Staffy cross has inspired a blog, Facebook fan page and
Twitter account. Nutt’s updates are crafted using Zee’s “voice”. For Nutt, this
allows her to explore the world through Zee’s eyes and “wonder what she would
say about things”. Nutt clearly enjoys Zee’s digital escapades, and concedes
that it’s all in good humour.
Sydneysider
Joanne Ryan also communicates from her dog’s perspective via a Twitter account.
Having joked about her Whippet’s funny mannerisms, and what words he may utter
if could speak, she thought it would be “a bit of fun” to tweet what Wil might
be thinking.
Ryan
aims to connect with other dog owners through Wil’s profile. He is currently
followed by other socially-connected Whippets and Ryan’s family and friends.
Web Dogs
Blogs
dedicated to companion animals are also flourishing. Anne Frazer of Adelaide is
currently undertaking a 365-day photo project: the ambitious task of
documenting her canine companion Yogi every day for a year. Blog entries
comprise snapshots of the fluffy Cavachon and a written chronicle of the day’s
events.
Frazer
believes the blog gives insight into Yogi’s outlook on life. “I often keep up a
running commentary for Yogi at home, so the blog just feels like an extension
of that”. The blog’s current audience is fellow dog bloggers and Frazer’s
friends, and is “aimed at anyone who can appreciate just how adorable and funny
Yogi can be”, Frazer says.
Many
pet-related businesses are also utilising their own pets’ image and “personality”
in the digital sphere to become more accessible to clients.
Donna
Cameron-Prosser’s Sunshine Coast business, Just Dogs Photography, has
incorporated her two Golden Retrievers into its social media strategy. Stunning
images of the dogs pepper the Facebook page and are showcased on the company’s
website.
“People
who like dogs generally love theirs like their children, so they can relate to
our two gorgeous fur-babies”, she explains. Cameron-Prosser says that client feedback
is very interactive, with many sharing stories about their own dogs.
Alice
Needham of Melbourne’s Diamond Dog Food & Bakery can identify. As the
company’s ambassador, her Golden Retriever frequently features on the shop’s
Facebook page. The client response is overwhelmingly positive.
“Being
a dog-specific business, it seemed obvious to base the social marketing around
Monty”, she says. “We get the highest response to posts that include a photo of
Monty”.
Connected companions
While
masquerading as, and posting about, companion animals on the internet can be viewed
as frivolous, this is precisely the point. The tone is often light-hearted, and
people generally don’t take themselves too seriously.
For
many, it’s another outlet to express affection for their pets. As social media
is an interactive forum, it can also build a sense of community among those
with companion animals.
Ryan
is set to continue Wil’s social media ventures, declaring that a Facebook page may
be on the cards next. For Frazer, Yogi’s “triumphs and tribulations” are an
endless source of inspiration, and at nearly half way with the blog, there’s
definitely no risk of her throwing in the towel early.
Nutt
reveals a virtuous long-term goal for Zee’s profiles: to introduce content with
“more depth” to raise awareness of animal welfare. Socially connected and socially conscious? What’s not to
“like” about that?!
