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 Melanie (Ruby'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?
Rigden: Our social journey started like many; I wanted to share cute pictures of my dog on Instagram and at the time my personal account was about my international travels so a dog account just made sense. A few years in as I grew as a photographer, brands started noticing our content and reaching out to collaborate. As a full-time digital marketer, I started taking our social accounts more seriously. I developed a proper strategy with content pillars and continued to hone my content creation skills to lean into Hello Ruby Doodle as a side hustle.
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Rigden: How well-traveled she is. I have a passion for travel and I believe that our dogs deserve to experience the world just like we do. My hope for sharing our travels is to inspire others to do more with their dogs and make traveling a bit easier by doing some of the research that comes with travel.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Rigden: I draw inspiration from a lot of our travels, certain creators I follow, the time of year/seasons, and just everyday real-life moments. Ideas can strike at any time so I manage my content calendar in Notion and am constantly writing down ideas - some make it to production and some don't. As I work through ideas, I write down the details of the concept in Notion and align them to dates. I also use my content pillars to always stay aligned with my strategy and keep a decent mix of content week to week across my three pillars.
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Rigden: I thankfully don't receive a lot of hate on social - except for trolls complaining about San Francisco. I did have a big challenge last year where my follower growth just went stagnant. I try not to care too much about follower count, but when you're producing a lot of content that you feel is good it's hard not to have some expectations. I took last year to push myself to test different types of content and styles and that's how our Dog-friendly Days in the Bay and Unique Dog-friendly Places to Stay series were born.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Rigden: To have an idea of what makes you stand out on social, but don't let perfection paralyze you. Just go for it. A lot of us figure things out along the way and by testing different content styles you'll start to learn what your audience loves and can then lean into that.
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Rigden: Ruby is the absolute best and is the center of my life. She's influenced me to get outside more, to enjoy the little moments, and that it's ok to just rest and relax.
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?
Rigden: I think the most memorable moments for me are when Rue gets particularly excited during our adventures or tries something new. She's pretty low-key most of the time, but when her paws hit the sand or snow for the first time she really can't contain her excitement.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Rigden: The other dog parents I get to connect with and even meet in person.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Rigden: Nothing major. I'm trying to prioritize my blog more this year and I'd love to write a book one day about Rue and I's adventures.
