Digithoughts

I would consider myself a card-carrying member of the “social media generation.” I have seen the world of social networking evolve from AOL profiles and chat rooms to the present day where sites like Facebook and Myspace are the most visited destinations on the Internet. I have seen the birth of the blogosphere and its subsequent child, micro-blogging (most commonly known as Twitter). I have created and abandoned more profiles than I care to mention.

But the world of social media isn’t just for people anymore. Now our pets can connect to each other on the web. Bloggers call it “social petworking.”

At first thought, it seems totally ridiculous. Pets are obviously not computer savvy (your cat sitting on your keyboard and accidentally sending an e-mail of gibberish doesn’t count). People speak for their pets, frequently AS their pets to connect with other pet owners. Often times, like in the case of popular sites like I Can Has Cheezburger, they even spell…or rather misspell words in order to convey the tone of voice they believe their animals would use. Apparently, almost all of them would speak like two year olds.

It isn’t surprising to me. There is a human need to document your life online. And for many of us, myself included, pets are considered members of the family. YouTube is filled with just as many videos of baby’s first steps as it is with puppy’s first bath. Pets, or rather their owners, are also Twittering, keeping us updated on the highlights of their day and occasionally what they think of us. I will admit, it can be a little on the crazy side.

But there are sites that are using this trend to their advantage and creating communities where owners and pets alike can thrive and participation can potentially be monetized. One such site is Cute as Hell. Even though they are new to the game, they go beyond a simple, free profile site. They run a cutest pet contest (called Thunderdome!) and have an online store where users can rate and purchase products and link to them on their profiles. Soon the site will become a full-fledged pet resource, providing links and information for veterinarians, shelters, and other pet service providers. In addition to the great functionality, the site’s design is simple, clean and easy to navigate. Kudos to Cute As Hell for a job well done!

Still think this trend will pass? According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent $43.2 billion on their pets in 2008. Chew on that for a minute. It will be interesting to see how much revenue will be generated in the future. For right now, it’s another form a social media to keep your eye on.

Reena Leone Marketing and Social Media Coordinator

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