Affiliation:
1. Texas State University, USA
2. University of Texas, Arlington, USA
Abstract
There are more than 64 million social media influencer accounts as of June 2023, evidence influencers are not a passing trend (trendHERO, 2023). Influencers have shifted the way information is disseminated, how public opinion is swayed, and how brands are promoted. However, pet influencers are an under-researched type of influencer. These influencers create content that shares their pets' personalities and adventures with others. The pet is the star of the social media account – not the owner. Millions of social media users follow the pet influencers such as Grumpy Cat, Smudge – Table Cat, and Doug the Pug (Feedspot, 2023).Pets with large followings such as Venus the Cat or JiffPom can earn thousands to millions of dollars for their promotional efforts (Myers et al., 2022). A survey of more than 400 followers of pet influencers found they deem pet influecers credible and likeable. They also find the brands being promoted credible and have high purchase intent. The more time one spends on social media influences perceptions of pet influencers.
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