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 Nicki (Ella'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?
Polise: I started sharing photos of Ell as a puppy, since I took so many and wanted a place where family & friends could find them. I was so excited to just have her, and share her with everyone. And then, little by little, her following started to grow (ultimately, to over 50K; until a mistake with Meta's AI system permanently disabled her original account, leaving us to have to start the current one last year!), and I started to connect with other dog parents and their accounts, and it just...took off from there! Now, I just love the idea that she can make people all over the world smile as much as she makes me.
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Polise: I think what makes Ella extra special is her huge personality. Our whole account is how she's basically a super sweet, super sassy millennial girl, and an everyday supermodel, and that is so close to her actual self. She is just as sassy and spicy personality-wise as I try to make her come off on her account - and she just has the biggest heart to top it off. Plus she absolutely loves to be in front of the camera and wearing clothes, so it shows through to her posts.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Polise: I take inspo from our everyday life, my own sense of humor and experiences (as a full time creator myself), and from other content creators I enjoy/trends that I like. But most of Ella's content is based around our relationship, and things that I actually feel like she would say. I always keep a list of content ideas and topics to talk about in her posts that fit in with her personality!
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Polise: Yes! We have faced the usual negative comments - about how she's a frenchie, so she's automatically "unhealthy" and living a poor quality of life in some people's eyes, or how she must hate the outfits I put her in. Honestly, most of the time, I try to either just ignore, educate them, or if I'm really seethed by what they wrote, fight back with kindly-worded retorts about how they really must not have a lot to do in their life if they're bullying a dog on Instagram, and maybe they should go worry about that. All in all for us however, it's been a much more positive experience than negative, and the love has far outweighed the rude comments!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Polise: I would say - DO IT. 100% do it, and don't overthink it! If you're doing it for the right reasons, it will come naturally. It's not about the following, or the likes (though I do recommend doing research on what works with the algorithms and such now, so you're not wasting a ton of time creating awesome content that no one sees!) - have FUN with it, and have fun with your dog creating it. Get to know your dog's personality and run with it - creating her account has brought me even closer to Ella, because I know her so well now.
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Polise: Oh my goodness, in so many ways. She has made me (a person with really bad social anxiety, and anxiety in general) get out of my comfort zone, connect with people, go on trips...everything. She even started me on the path to a different career because of starting her Instagram (and because I didn't want to be away from her all day)! So much of it I never would have done if it wasn't for her. I always say she's my everything, and I really, truly mean it! Plus, at the end of the day, no matter what happens in my life, I look down and she's there with that perfect little face just wanting me to love on her. She's my heart and soul.
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?
Polise: Yes! I can think of two things, actually. First, one day early on, we were shooting photos at an outdoor mall location which included a diner. Ella is incredibly chill and well behaved usually, but she was sort of...distracted and bouncy that day. So, in an effort to calm her down, I started to walk her around. That was all good...until she spotted a piece of random bacon that had fallen off of someone's bagel in front of the diner, and dove on it. Hard. Needless to say, it's the worst thing she's ever eaten, and the best photoshoot snack she ever received! Second, the funniest part to me is having people walk or drive by when we're shooting outside, and they either stop her for a picture or compliment her on what a great model she is. Cars will literally stop and it cracks me up.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Polise: I'm torn between three things! The extra time I've gotten to spend with Ella, the experiences and fun we've gotten to have because of it, and the creativity that goes into it! All so good I can't choose.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Polise: We have a lot planned, including some really fun brand collaborations and giveaways, and her usual creative photography& street style photos! But honestly, we're going to see where this year takes us - and hopefully gear up for a summer full of travel, fashion and fun to share with everyone!
