What If Dogs Taught Online Marketing?

This one is for all the dog lovers out there who are building online businesses.

I’ve often wondered what my dog might think of what I do all day on my computer, and what advice she might have for me on how to market my products online.

After much thought, here’s what she might say…

1: Be authentic and show your personality. As dogs we each have unique personalities and quirks that endear us to our owners, like the way I tip my head when you call my name or how I snatch food off your plate when you’re not looking.

Similarly, as a marketer, it’s important to be genuine and show your brand’s unique character to your audience. This could mean using humor, sharing personal stories, or showcasing the dogs… ruff… I mean humans behind the brand.

2: Use engaging visuals: We dogs are visually-oriented creatures, and we respond well to bright colors, interesting shapes and movement.

To capture the attention of online shopping humans, use high-quality visuals that show off your product in a compelling way. Consider using videos, GIFs, and images that highlight your product’s features and benefits.

And add in a few dog photos, too. People like us and maybe they’ll buy more stuff if they think it’s doggy endorsed.

3: Use social media to build relationships: Dogs are social animals and we thrive on interaction and connection.

As a marketer, you can use social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to build relationships with your customers. Respond to comments, share user-generated content, and create a community around your brand.

Put your dogs in your product photos, too, to get more shares and likes.

4: Be persistent and consistent: Dogs are known for their persistence and dedication to their goals, especially when it comes to food, treats, belly scratches and ball throws.

Similarly, as a marketer, you should be persistent in your efforts to promote your brand and consistent in your messaging and branding. This means maintaining a consistent visual identity, tone of voice, and content strategy across all your marketing channels.

Also remember to be consistent in walking your dog, too, since the exercise will fire up your brain with lots of ideas of what to post on social media. And we like walkies. We like them a lot. A LOT.

5: Offer incentives and rewards: Dogs respond well to incentives and rewards (TREATS!) and so do humans. Offer discounts, promotions, and loyalty programs to encourage customers to engage with your brand and make repeat purchases.

For example, give away free doggie treats stuffed bunnies with every purchase and we’ll be your customers for life.

Overall, if we dogs were to teach how to market dog bones…ruff… I mean products online, we would tell you it’s important to build friendly relationships with human customers and tell the humans they’re good boys and good girls for using your products.