Welcome to the ultimate destination for dog enthusiasts and social media mavens alike. At Dogfluencers, we're passionate about showcasing the best and brightest in the world of four-legged fame.
Whether you're looking for adorable photos, heartwarming stories, or expert tips on how to turn your own pup into a social media star, we've got you covered.
Today we got the honor of interviewing Melissa (Koa's Human). You can find a direct link to their Instagram here.
Here is their story:
Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a dog influencer? What inspired you to start sharing your dog's adventures on social media?
Rivers: We first made the account when we got our dog Stark and our friends joked that we were posting too many photos of him. So, we made him an Instagram account, and tapped into this amazing community of fellow dog owners. This was before the days of Instagram Reels, and Stark was the best dog model!
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Rivers: Koa is a lovable, goofy golden retriever that just wants to make people smile. A lot of what content we post has that goal in mind... making someone smile. He is also an active dog that loves to go swimming, hiking, and traveling with us. This allows us to capture unique content to share with our followers through Koa's point of view. Over the years, we have built many strong friendships and relationships with our followers. I think these personal relationships are what really set us apart.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Rivers: Some of our best content is from organic, silly moments that we're able to catch on camera. If we plan on traveling or taking Koa somewhere for the day, we will usually capture content to use later, but we rarely go into a situation with a specific idea in mind. One thing Koa has become known for is walking himself home from our daily walks - so now we try to always capture his strut back to the house. We've tried to jump on different trends in the past, but we've had the most success showing moments of Koa's day and life.
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Rivers: We have had a few negative comments pop up, which we typically ignore. The only time we have responded to a negative comment was if the person was stating false information. There's also some types of content we will never post about. For example, we will never promote or share any dog food information. We feel this is a personal decision each dog owner needs to discuss with their vet and understand their dog's unique nutrition needs.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Rivers: Make sure your dog likes to be on camera! Capturing content with a dog is a lot different than capturing content of yourself. You will want to make sure they know basic commands, and in some situations, you may need to recruit a helper. After that, start small. Pick one platform to start on, and capture as much content as you can. Film everything your dog does during the day and see what sticks out. Then start crafting stories from there to share with others. Lastly, engage and respond with the community you are building. The best part of social is being social!
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Rivers: Koa brings us so much joy and happiness. He has become our therapist in some of our saddest moments of life, and is always there to give us the biggest Koa hug. He also encourages us to get outside more and be active. Our daily walks help both of us mentally and physically. We also love to find new dog-friendly places we can take Koa to and experience travel together. Last summer, we took a trip to Banff National Park and brought Koa along. Experiencing this adventure together was a core memory for both of us. By giving Koa his best life possible, we are also creating the best life possible for ourselves.
Can you tell us about a particularly memorable or funny moment you've had with your dog during one of your photo shoots or adventures?
Rivers: There have been so many bloopers over the years! One time Koa was swimming in a pool and I was sitting on the side filming his jumps into the water. The next thing I knew, he was headed towards the step I was on, jumped out and landed on me. I was soaking wet, and he wanted to give my face kisses. If you start laughing while he is doing this, he will give you even more kisses on your face, so it was minutes of him standing on top of me, dripping all over me, giving me kisses.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Rivers: Sharing the joy Koa brings us every day with others. And meeting other dog lovers all over the world.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Rivers: Our account wasn't as active last year as we were all mourning the loss of our older dog, Stark. But this year we are really looking forward to being active again and engaging with our followers. We have a couple of trips planned that Koa will be joining us on and we can't wait for pool season to start so we can get some great action shots!
