Most people think successful dog influencers happen by accident.

A cute puppy. A few lucky videos. Thousands of followers. Brands start sending free products.

The reality is very different.

I recently joined Alex from The Westies & Besties Podcast to discuss what actually makes a pet brand successful, drawing on nearly two decades of experience in marketing and brand strategy. We explored why some dogs become household names online while thousands of other accounts, despite having equally adorable pets, struggle to gain any traction.

The answer has surprisingly little to do with the dog itself.

Instead, it comes down to understanding the same principles that have built some of the world’s biggest brands.

During the episode we cover everything from storytelling and positioning to social media algorithms, AI, consistency and the common mistakes that stop creators growing their audience.

Whether you’re hoping to build the next famous pet account or simply want more people to engage with your content, the same marketing principles apply.

What we discuss

• What branding actually means (and why it isn’t just a logo)
• Why storytelling beats simply posting cute photos
• How to stand out in an increasingly crowded social media landscape
• The biggest mistakes aspiring pet influencers make
• Choosing the right social media platform
• How AI is changing content creation
• When it’s the right time to monetise an audience
• Why authenticity is becoming more valuable than ever

One of my favourite parts of the conversation is discussing why some of the biggest brands in the world succeed because of the stories they tell, not because of the products they sell. The same principle applies whether you’re Coca-Cola… or a Westie.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your dog could become an influencer, or you’re interested in how branding works in practice, I hope you’ll find something useful in this conversation.

I’d like to thank Alex for inviting me onto the podcast. It was a genuinely enjoyable discussion covering marketing, branding, AI and content creation, and I hope it’s useful for anyone looking to build an audience around something they’re genuinely passionate about.

If you’d like to learn more about branding, storytelling and marketing psychology, you’ll find hundreds of free articles throughout Marketing Made Clear covering the same principles we discuss in the episode.