Startups

How this entrepreneur turned her dog into a social media influencer

Who am I?

I’m a neurodivergent dog mum who used to run a creative branding business in Melbourne. Most of my work involved helping small businesses – especially those in “dry” industries like insurance and finance –bring their message to life through visual storytelling using social media.

I’ve since left my branding business and now run a travel and lifestyle platform with my dog, Bentley, at the helm. Bentley also has his own social media presence, which generates income through YouTube ads, sponsorships and affiliate links.

This journey of growing my dog’s social media channel has added a whole new layer to my marketing knowledge. It’s taught me valuable lessons like no other experience. I’m here to share some key points with you, so you can apply them to turn social media posts into profit.

Lesson #1: The value of emotion in branding

If business represents the left brain and logic, branding embodies the right brain and emotion.

Previously, I ran an Airbnb business and used Bentley as a marketing strategy. I quickly found that including Bentley in the branding made my platforms more engaging and marketing. That emotional connection is what helped turn posts into bookings.

I featured Bentley in listing photos to stand out and themed the house around him with posters and polaroids of guests with Bentley displayed on the fridge. The impact of my dog was palpable: Some guests booked specifically to meet Bentley, some only confirming their stay if he was present!

Back when Airbnb was booming in Queensland, listings were everywhere. Many were more luxurious than mine, and I didn’t have the budget for high-end renovations. So I worked with what I had: Bentley. I knew Bentley’s presence elicited an emotional response, and this helped my brand stand out in a crowded market.

Lesson #2: Community is much more important than virality

I’ve applied a few principles from How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie to connect with Bentley’s audience. Here’s what I do:

Show genuine interest – I still take the time to reply to most of Bentley’s followers. Some of them I even know their names and where they’re from.
Encourage them to share their experiences – People love talking about their own experiencse, stories, and opinions. I invite them to do that.
Make them feel important – I answer their questions, create content they’ve asked for, and involve them in decisions.
Instead of always chasing the next viral trend, use some of that energy to build real relationships.

Talk to your audience. Ask questions. Get curious about them.

Because those relationships are the real fuel behind long-term growth

An engagement-focused social media presence that acts as your direct market research, FAQ, and community hub help your business grow into something even bigger.

At the end of all this, you’ll have customers who truly believe in you, support you, and want to buy from you.

Lesson #3: Views are nice, but engagement builds the brand

I’ve had posts hit 1 to 3 million views, and I can tell you – they didn’t translate into income anywhere near that scale. While algorithms can push your content, only real humans choose to engage.

Getting viral is more common than ever, but that doesn’t guarantee breakthroughs.

Sure, you can ask bots to like and follow, but those fake accounts will eventually get removed and your own account can get banned. So let’s count that out of the conversation.

What really matters is action-based engagement like real comments, DMs, answering questions, and link clicks. Don’t get discouraged if your first few posts don’t get much engagement. Some people are shy about commenting publicly. They might DM you instead, which is even better.

If people aren’t engaging, you might not have hit the right audience or the right sore point yet. But that comes with time and consistency.

Information + emotion = long-term memory
Want people to remember you? Make them feel something.

That’s what my dog Bentley has taught me, through joyful social media posts that have made thousands of people smile.

This story was originally published on Inside Small Business