Step-by-Step Guide on How to Get Your First Brand Ambassador Deal as a Doggy Influencer

How Many Followers Do You Need to Become a Pet Brand Ambassador on Instagram?

Here’s the exciting part: you don’t need to have hundreds of thousands of followers to land your first brand ambassador deal. Many brands, including Luther Bennett, are looking for smaller accounts with highly engaged audiences. Let’s break down the common influencer tiers and what they mean for you:

Nano-Influencers (1,000–10,000 followers)

This is the sweet spot for new influencers. Brands love working with Nano-Influencers because their audiences are tight-knit and highly engaged.

If you’re in this range, don’t underestimate your value—you’ve already built a solid foundation for brand collaborations.

Micro-Influencers (10,000–50,000 followers)

Once you hit this range, you’ll have even more opportunities. With a larger audience and tools like Instagram’s swipe-up feature (available at 10k), you can drive serious visibility for brands. 

Brands may start offering paid partnerships and long-term deals due to your growing reach

Mid-Tier Influencers (50,000–100,000 followers)

At this stage, your platform becomes a powerhouse for collaborations. Brands should absolutely start only offer paid partnerships and long-term deals due to your growing reach and professional presence.

Macro-Influencers (100,000–1,000,000 followers)

Macro-Influencers are seen as industry leaders with significant reach.

Mega-Influencers (1,000,000+ followers)

This is the celebrity level of influencer marketing. While exciting, it’s a long-term goal for most and not necessary to begin landing brand deals.

If you’re in the Nano or Micro range, don’t worry—your chances of landing a deal are much higher than you might think. The key is to focus on engagement, authenticity, and creating content that resonates with your audience.

💡 Pro Tip: Stay tuned until the end of this article, and we’ll share how you can land your first affiliate/ambassador deal with Luther Bennett today! 🐾

Create Content That Brands Will Love—Even If You Don’t Have a Deal Yet!

You don’t need a brand deal to start creating scroll-stopping content that grabs the attention of pet brands. By showing your potential as a creator, you can position yourself as an ideal partner before brands even approach you.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Feature Products You Already Use and Love

Start with the products your dog already enjoys—whether it’s their favorite treats, a cozy dog bed, or a fun toy. Highlight how these products fit naturally into your dog’s daily routine. For example:

• Share a video of your dog enjoying their favorite chew toy, paired with a caption like, “Our daily dose of playtime happiness! 🐾”
• Post a photo of your dog snuggling in their bed and tag the brand, explaining why it’s perfect for your pup.

This builds a foundation of authentic, relatable content that resonates with other dog owners—and gets noticed by the brands you tag.

2. Create Advert-Style Content

Even if you don’t have a brand deal yet, treat your posts like you do. This means:

• Using good lighting and framing to make your photos and videos pop.
• Including captions that highlight the product’s features or benefits, just as you would in a collaboration.
• Using trending music or captions to make your content feel fresh and professional.

The goal is to show brands you’re ready to create high-quality promotional content that aligns with their image.

3. Tag and Engage With Brands

Tagging a brand in your posts and Stories is an easy way to get noticed. But don’t stop there—engage with them too! Comment on their posts, reply to their Stories, and build a genuine connection. Brands are more likely to work with creators who actively engage with their community.

💡 Pro Tip: Use hashtags the brand follows, like #DogMomLife or #PetLover, to further increase your visibility.

4. Be Honest and Authentic

Pet parents trust content that feels real, not overly polished. Share honest reviews and experiences, and don’t be afraid to include moments of humor or imperfection. For example, if your dog has a quirky reaction to a treat, show it—it’s relatable and memorable!

5. Save Your Best Work

As you create content, save your best posts and videos in a dedicated folder on your phone or cloud storage. This will become your content portfolio—a collection of examples you can share with brands when they ask to see your work. Even better, save these posts to a Highlight on Instagram labeled “Reviews” or “Favorites” so potential collaborators can easily browse your style.

6. Experiment With Different Formats

Don’t just stick to photos—experiment with videos, Reels, and Stories. Brands love seeing a variety of content formats because it shows versatility. For example:

• Create a Reel of your dog playing with their favorite toy in slow motion.
• Post a Story showing a quick “unboxing” of a product you love.
• Share a carousel post with before-and-after shots of your dog using a grooming product.

7. Stay Consistent

Consistency is key to building your presence as a creator. Aim to post regularly, even if it’s just a few times a week. The more active you are, the more likely brands are to notice you and see your potential as a partner.

💡 Pro Tip: Treat your profile as if you’re already a brand ambassador. By acting the part now, you’ll naturally attract opportunities down the line.

The bottom line? Start creating the type of content that brands want to see, even before you have a deal. Authentic, high-quality posts that showcase your love for your dog and favourite products are the key to catching a brand’s attention—and the first step toward landing your dream collaboration! 🐾