BarkBox and Pinterest

As many of you might know because you either subscribe to personalized, monthly boxes or have seen them advertised on different social media platforms, this same concept is available for dogs. BarkBox offers themed boxes that, as their website states, "delivers monthly toys, treats, and crazy dog joy." Unless you are a dog parent, you most likely have not seen BarkBox's advertisements because you are missing the key to their target segment: owning a dog. However, companies such as Birchbox, graze, Allure Beauty Box, and Book of the Month all share the same concept. Offering personalized items on a monthly basis.

A lot of the time, the ads on Facebook are based off of previous search history. Because I'm in the process of adopting a dog, I've been combing the internet for everything I'm going to need to be a successful dog mom. As a result, BarkBox has popped up repeatedly as a sponsored ad along my news feed on Facebook. Furthermore, I was scrolling through Pinterest over the weekend and saw pins about BarkBox that had been promoted by the company to pop up in my search of all things dog related.

In class last week, we talked about Pinterest and how it is a conversion powerhouse - averaging order values $10 higher than the one's from Facebook, which is fascinating when you really think about it. Because users on Pinterest spend more per order on average than Facebook, I think it would immensely benefit companies that are not already using Pinterest's promoted pin option to reconsider why they aren't using it if their target market(s) are actively engaging on Pinterest.

Smooch a Pooch

In case you forgot, today is Valentine's Day. It doesn't matter whether today is one of your favorite days of the year or a dreaded holiday created by the card industry. However, showering your pampered pooch in love does matter. If you're like me, that means coming up with some grand gesture because I'm constantly smothering my pup in as many cuddles as she'll allow, so here are some ideas!

• Bake a cupcake for your furry pal
• Spend a few hours at the dog park with your dog and his/her best friends
• Take your four legged friend for a nice stroll around the neighborhood
• Create a scavenger hunt for your pup throughout your home with his/her favorite toys and treats

Additionally, the Athens Area Humane Society is hosting a fundraiser that will have a kissing booth with pups available for adoption. I don't know about you, but that's where I'll be going to get my Valentine's kiss! All of the information for that is on their social media pages. I wouldn't have known about the event had they not posted about it, which further emphasizes the importance social media platforms play in communication in today's society.

Profitable Pooches

Last December, MarketWatch published a video about famous dog Instagram accounts that make anywhere from $1,000-$10,000 per post. I don't know about you, but I think I just found my life's calling. Now, all I have to do is adopt a dog.

A friend of mine recently created an Instagram account for his Brittany. In less than three weeks his dog had over 3,000 followers, which astonishes me. As you know, I am an avid dog lover and follow more dog accounts on Instagram than I'd like to admit. However, I had not taken the time to think about how many dog accounts exist. I made one for the guide dog I raised for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, but I didn't think anything of it beyond wanting to share cute pictures of Jetta. There is an entire community of dog owners with Instagram accounts for their dogs that are cashing in on something they are passionate about. Additionally, for every "famous" dog Instagram account, how many accounts are there that did not hit the lottery in followers?

Furthermore, I was fascinated by what was mentioned at the end of the video about pet specialty stores needing to notice this trend and stay ahead of it. Social media is like kudzu. It appeared and can't seem to die. Because of this, a lot of industries have had to factor in certain things to accommodate any changes from trends that pop up on social media overnight. I think this is one example that truly shows the power of social media and the ripple effect it has into other industries.

Pupper Bowl

In honor of the Atlanta Falcons' second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, I wanted to refresh our memories with ads containing dogs from previous Super Bowls. Here is a list of my top five Super Pup Bowl commercials:

(You may want to grab a box of tissues before you hit play)

"Get a Dog" - Pedigree (2009)

"Wiener Stampede" - Heinz (2016)

"Dog Tested" - Subaru (2016)

"Lost Dog" - Budweiser (2015)

"Puppy Love" - Budweiser (2014)

I know I said I was only going to include previous Super Bowl ads with dogs in them, but this last one really encompasses all the feelings and is an important message to remember.

"Someone Waits for You At Home" - Budweiser

Also, don't forget to tune in to the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet before the Super Bowl this coming Sunday February 5th at 3pm. Check out the starting lineup and any other information you may need regarding the Puppy Bowl here. Which pups are in your starting lineup for the Puppy Bowl fantasy game?

Guide Dog Foundation

Continuing with my theme from last week, using digital media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, can extend a company or anyone's reach significantly, specifically when it comes to dogs. Last week I focused on adopting from local shelters, such as the Athens Area Humane Society. This week, I'm going to shift gears a little bit and talk about an organization that has a big piece of my heart, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind (GDF). I recently raised Jetta, a golden retriever puppy, for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind and could not be more proud of all she has accomplished and will continue to accomplish during these next few months of final training before she is matched with her future handler. 

Over the last several years, service dog awareness has increased tremendously and is continuing to increase. One of the main reasons for this increase in awareness is due to the fact that many more people are using service dogs. Another reason, the one I'm going to focus on, is GDF's ever increasing presence on social media. From their Instagram to their Facebook page, GDF is constantly posting pictures and articles about what the foundation does and how they do it.

Recently, GDF used Facebook's live feature and live streamed a video featuring Hallie Wells, GDF's Puppy Program Manager, talking about the volunteer puppy raising program and answered any questions people posted throughout the live stream. I felt like this was a great way for GDF to stay connected with its followers, especially since Hallie was able to answer questions as people asked them. In addition to GDF's constant presence on Facebook, a lot of people currently raising puppies for GDF create Instagram accounts for their pup. Jetta had one (@jetta_futureguidedog), and I still use it to post updates whenever I get them from her trainer in New York.

Furthermore, the Guide Dog Foundation's sister program, America's VetDogs (AVD), has been in the spotlight  because the Today Show is sponsoring Charlie, a black lab, to be raised as a service dog for a veteran once his training is complete. The amount of exposure the Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs has received is overwhelming; as a result, awareness about both of these incredible programs has skyrocketed. The Today Show posts pictures on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook of Charlie with celebrities and other people who appear on the show every day, which continues to drive traffic back to GDF and AVD. This traffic is incredibly important because it teaches people about the organizations and their purpose.

Finding a "Fur"ever Home Through Social Media

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of animals being adopted, and part of that increase is due to humane societies’ social media platforms. A lot of people like pages on Facebook for humane societies near where they live and other animal rescue groups. As a result, these people's news feeds are flooded with adorable pictures of dogs and cats searching for their "fur"ever home. 

Throughout the adoption process, people are asked how they found out about the specific dog or cat they are inquiring about, and an answer that is growing in popularity is through social media. The Athens Area Humane Society constantly posts pictures of dogs and cats available for adoption on their Facebook page and Instagram account; thus, whoever is following the Athens Area Humane Society sees the posts and shares them.

I think a large part of the reason social media is helping to increase the number of animals adopted is because of how easy it is for people to share the animals up for adoption with their friends and family. If I share a picture the Athens Area Humane Society posted about a dog up for adoption, the Athens Area Humane Society's reach increases. Now, factor in 15-20 shares. The reach the Athens Area Humane Society and other pages in general have the possibility to achieve is incredible.

Before the Internet, if someone wanted to adopt an animal, he/she had to physically go to the humane society/local shelter/wherever and look at the available pets in person. A lot of the time, he/she may have gone home empty-handed. However, nowadays it's incredibly simple and convenient to look through pets that are available for adoption from the comfort of your own couch. Then, the only thing someone has to do is fill out an application online. Not only does this save a lot of time, it also enables people to share certain animals with friends and family that they otherwise couldn't. For example, I'm currently looking to adopt a dog because I recently raised a guide dog for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind and I want to have a dog of my own now. My friends know this; as a result, whenever they see a dog they think I would like on the Athens Area Humane Society's Facebook page or Instagram, they comment with my name so I will see it. 

Additionally, through the use of Facebook and Instagram and other social media platforms, I can look for dogs that are up for adoption outside of Georgia, which I would not be able to do unless I visited the shelters in person. I think, at times, social media can have a negative association because of cyber-bullying and the spread of fake news, but, at the same time, it can also be used for good.

If you're like me and are searching for your new best friend, consider looking at fur babies available at the Athens Area Humane Society!