Photo by Tran Mau Tri Tam ✪
Introduction
Cats are the best. They’re cute, they’re fluffy, and they have fur that doesn’t shed all over your furniture. But did you know that your cat can be even better? Cats have been around for thousands of years as pets—but not until recently have they become internet celebrities with millions of followers on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. The key to turning your cat into an internet sensation is simple: make them look adorable! If you can do that, then you just might turn your kitty into their very own YouTube star or Instagram celebrity (at least in their eyes).
The popularity of pet content on social media
Pet content is a growing trend on social media. Pet owners who post photos and videos of their furry friends online are helping to drive pet-related search terms to the top of Google’s most-searched list, which includes “cats”, “dogs”, and “dogs eating.”
According to eMarketer, the popularity of pet content has led to an increase in consumer spending on pet products and services. In fact, spending on pets is expected to reach $75 billion by 2021—a figure that would make it one of the largest categories in U.S. retail sales.
Preparing your cat
Preparing your cat to be comfortable around a camera is important. Cats are naturally shy, so they need time to adjust to being in front of the camera. If you have a kitten, it’s critical that you start teaching them basic commands and tricks early on. Cats learn faster than dogs do, so if you want your cat to perform well in front of the camera, it’s best to start training as soon as possible!
The key is patience: don’t expect immediate results. Some cats will take longer than others depending on their temperament and personality. Even if you think they’re ready for their first shoot tomorrow, give yourself at least two months before booking any appointments with potential clients or agents—especially if your furry friend is still quite young (under one year).
Creating content
Setting up a social media account for your cat: Choose a platform that is popular among pet influencers such as Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. Create an account and set up a profile that showcases your cat’s personality and unique features. Consider using a catchy and memorable handle that is easy to find and remember.
Taking high-quality photos and videos of your cat: Use a good camera or smartphone to take high-resolution photos and videos of your cat. Use natural light when possible and experiment with different angles and backgrounds to capture your cat’s best features. Consider hiring a professional pet photographer if you want to take more advanced and high-quality shots.
To optimize the video quality and reduce the size of videos when uploading them to social media, it is recommended to use a video compressor. This can help ensure that videos upload quickly and smoothly without buffering, and also save storage space on your device. It’s also important to check the social media platform’s guidelines on video size and format before compressing and uploading your video. You just need to learn how to compress a video. You can also use GIF compressor if you would like to create fun cat GIFs and memes.
Creating a consistent theme or aesthetic for your cat’s content: Develop a consistent theme or aesthetic for your cat’s social media account. This could include a specific color scheme, editing style, or specific types of content (e.g. cute candid shots, funny videos, etc.). This will help your audience easily identify your cat’s content and make it more memorable.
Engaging with your audience and other pet influencers to grow your following: Engage with your audience by responding to comments, direct messages and encourage them to share their own photos and videos with your cat. Collaborate with other pet influencers and cross-promote each other’s content to gain more exposure and grow your following. This can include tagging each other in posts, doing joint livestreams or creating themed challenges for your followers.
Monetizing your cat’s fame
Once you’ve amassed a sizable following, there are ways to monetize your cat’s growing fame.
Consider sponsored posts and collaborations with brands. When you’re getting paid for each post about a product or service, it will be much easier to justify spending time taking photos of your cat in different settings or putting together silly videos of him acting strangely (and possibly even posting them yourself).
Launch merchandising and product lines. With the right licensing deals, you could have all sorts of products featuring your kitty in stores across the world—everything from toys to clothing to snacks!
Conclusion
Reminder to always prioritize your cat’s well-being and happiness over gaining fame or money: While it can be exciting to turn your cat into a social media star, it is important to remember that your cat’s well-being and happiness should always be your top priority. This means avoiding putting your cat in situations that may cause them stress or discomfort, and not pushing them to perform or do things they are not comfortable with. Also, be sure to monitor the amount of time your cat is spending on social media and make sure they’re not getting overwhelmed with the attention.
