How Many People Have a Social Media Account for Their Pet? The Interesting Answer!
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Social media has certainly taken the world by storm and changed life as we know it. More than half of the world’s population now uses some form of social media platform, which includes at least 82 percent of Americans. While most animals don’t have opposable thumbs or Internet access, plenty of pets have their own social media accounts.
Let’s face it, most of us would rather follow someone with four legs and fur than even the most popular influencers out there, but exactly how many people have a social media account for their pet? The short answer is that about a third of Americans have a social media account for their pet. Keep reading to find out.
Social Media for Pets
Pets can garnish quite a bit of attention among fellow animal lovers, which has led many social media enthusiasts to take things a step further and create a social media account for their pets. Here they can share pictures, videos, and stories about their pet’s life and have it completely separated from their own social media account.
It has been shown that one-third of Americans have a separate social media account just for their pet. This can include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, and more. Mars Petcare, a leader in the pet industry, has conducted surveys to learn more about the world of pets and social media. Here’s some of what they found out:
- 65 percent of pet owners post about their pets on social media at least twice per week, with 16 percent posting more than four times per week.
- 1 in 2 people state their pets get more attention on social media than they do.
- 30 percent of pet owners follow celebrity pets on social media.
- 34 percent of pet owners post about their pets as often as they do about their own life.
- 55 percent of those surveyed said they care more about likes from their pet’s posts than they do on their own.
Reasons Why People Create Social Media Accounts for Their Pets
So, why is it people feel the need to make social media accounts for their pets? Well, there are several reasons why one may make that decision. Here’s a look at the most popular excuses for pet social media accounts:
To Connect with Other Animal Lovers
There’s no way around it, a social media page for a dog, cat, or any other pet is only going to draw in other animal lovers. This prevents the owner from showering their page with pet posts that may not be as welcomed by their friends and family as they would other animal lovers.
Creating a separate social media for a pet is a way to connect with other pet parents and animal lovers to create friendships, share your stories, and revel in the admiration of your beloved animal friends.
To Gain a Following
Many people aspire to be social media influencers, so it’s no surprise that pet owners may use their precious companions as a way to gain a following and increase their popularity. Sure, they won’t be at the forefront of the attention, but what better way to convince people to follow you than being anything other than human?
Grow a Business
People in the pet industry and any other business industry often take to social media to help grow their businesses and bring awareness to what they have to offer. This isn’t just for influencers aimed at growing a following that can end up paying off.
Having a social media account aimed at your pet can help promote the sale of pet food or pet products, help reputable breeders get their name out there, or even assist those needing to market their completely unrelated business. Animals have a way of capturing people’s attention, after all.
To Provide Education
Plenty of social media accounts belonging to pets will provide various forms of education. This can include information about care, nutrition, things to do, pet-friendly getaways, or even spreading awareness about certain issues. There’s really no limit to the types of information one can provide others through a social media platform.
Many pages dedicate themselves to sharing uplifting news and heartwarming stories and photos for other animal lovers to enjoy. Watching the news can be quite disheartening and really put a damper on your mood, but reading stories about pets and other animals and seeing their adorable faces can easily turn a frown upside down.
To Speak for Those That Can’t Speak for Themselves
Certain pet platforms work tirelessly to help spread awareness of the issues that plague our companion animals. Some may be able to use this type of account to promote the adoption of shelter and rescue pets, bring awareness to animal abuse, and shed light on what needs to be changed in the pet industry.
Social media has helped save the lives of many homeless pets that had limited time or were in abusive or neglectful situations. It has also helped many people reunite with their lost pets by spreading the word more quickly and allowing more people to be on the lookout for lost pets.
Conclusion
As many as one-third of Americans have a separate social media account for their pets. That’s quite a staggering number, considering that at least 82 percent of America’s population has a social media account for themselves. Much good can come from these kinds of pages, including friendships with other animal lovers, the sharing of positive content, business growth, education, and spreading awareness of issues that could use attention.
Featured Image Credit: filumx, Shutterstock
