6 Important Instagram Tips for Pet Stores that Will Drive Business and Foot-Traffic

Instagram is our favorite tool for marketing at Your Cat Backpack. One of the big benefits of carrying Your Cat Backpack (yes, we do wholesale, learn more here) is that our products are incredibly social media-friendly!

We've learned a lot growing @YourCatBackpack to 33,000+ followers and over 1,000+ posts using our hashtag #YourCatBackpack, and our background is in digital marketing. 

We want to be sure all of our retail partners — and all the incredible pet stores out there — know how to drive traffic to their store using Instagram.

Here are some of our biggest tips for driving business to your retail store with Instagram!

1. Pick a hashtag and include it in your bio

Make it easy for your customers to know what hashtag to use. Be sure to add it to all of your posts too. You can always add it to old posts. This way you can easily find and share posts your customers have posted!

2. Use story highlights for evergreen information

FAQs, store hours, the brands you carry, and press are examples of information you want people to see at all times. Make story posts and create story highlights with that content so people have easy access to it.

3. Research hashtags and locations relevant to your customers

What hashtags and locations are your (potential) customers using in their posts? Think more specifically, niche, and local than #dogs, #cat, #ilovemypets. After you find them, engage with folks who use them.

4. Run giveaways with other relevant businesses

Giveaways drive engagement. Have folks like, follow, and tag people in the comments to enter. Promote your giveaways through email too.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 🐈🎒Your Cat Backpack (@yourcatbackpack) on Mar 13, 2019 at 7:10pm PDT

5. Encourage people to message and interact with you

Make your profile a business account (it's free), so people can contact you in multiple ways and use direct messages (DMs) as a customer service channel. You can use "Quick Responses" to save messages about common questions, like your address and store hours.

6. Post about your new product arrivals

Let people know when you get new products and brands in-store — it's one of the best ways to get people to follow and keep coming back!

View this post on Instagram

The backpacks have arrived! This is the Fat Cat backpack from @yourcatbackpack and they are legit! Can carry over 20lb of fluffball and are super comfortable and well made! 😻 Come take a look and try one on!

A post shared by Happy Cat Feline Essentials (@happycatvancouver) on Jul 2, 2019 at 2:26pm PDT

What are your favorite tips? Your favorite retail stores to follow on Instagram? Share in the comments! 

Want to bring Your Cat Backpack into your independent pet store? Fill out our wholesale interest form here.