Content Opportunities for the UK Dog Owner Audience on TikTok in Q3 2023

Purpose of This Research

• ‍Identify white space content opportunities‍
• ‍Identify replicable production elements (formats, editing techniques, etc) that contribute to those content opportunities‍
• ‍Identify content themes that are not performing well and may be avoided‍

In order to drive the most effective TikTok content strategy to resonate with the Dog Owner audience based in the United Kingdom.

‍

Target Audience of this Research

Majority of the audience members meeting the following criteria:

• ‍Interested in dogs
• Located in the United Kingdom
• Between the ages of 25-54*
• Majority female*

*Could not verify for all creator accounts due to data availability on TikTok

Demographics not applied on all social entities requested due to the size of their audience.

‍

The 1-Minute Gist

The UK Dog Audience responds to content that is funny, relatable and impressive.

Share this in your brand through videos that include:

• Compelling storytelling to show your audience why your dog food is a great fit that meets their needs.
• Content that participates with its trend-forward social audience to increase impact and user engagement.
• Content that is meaningful and relatable to the dog community and shows all the facets of dog ownership.

‍Let creative editing and quality of content be the champion for Tails.com dog food.

Audiences need to be inspired or wowed with memorable content that: 

• Educates while keeping content brief enough to generate enough curiosity to try a new dog food.
• Inspires viewers to participate in the community and share their own experiences with dog foods/ownership. 
• Showcases interesting charismatic dogs who genuinely enjoy Tails.com food for social proof. 

Visual trends…

• Top-performing organic content is more often cleanly filmed in good resolution and…
• Tends to use video compilation with a visual focus on the dog to tell stories and... 
• Uses text and music (when appropriate) in videos to enhance meaning and emphasize key points.

‍

‍

Top TikTok content themes in the UK Dog space.

‍

Excellent TikTok content themes in the UK Dog space.

‍

Good TikTok content themes in the UK Dog space.

‍

Okay TikTok content themes in the UK Dog space.

‍

Poor TikTok content themes in the UK Dog space.

‍

‍

Dog Challenges

Connect with the dog owner community and complete trending challenges.

These videos feature dogs completing various challenges, which engage their skills in specific tasks, to capture their unique reactions to them. This category also includes dog-themed challenges for humans. 

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍14 seconds in duration on average.
• Top videos feature popular TikTok challenges for humans adapted to dogs like the Flower Challenge.
• Use music mixed with natural audio and a close filming angle. Allow viewers to experience both the challenge and the reaction of the dog. 
• Popular videos include TikTok effects and filters, which is an opportunity to create branded filters.
• Keep up to date with current trends on TikTok for #dogchallenge and take advantage of the potential high virality. If you can adapt trending human challenges to creatively include dogs, even better. 

Examples

Views + Engagements 48M 

‍

This example is not from a UK creator but remains a high performing example.

Views + Engagement 47M 

‍

Views + Engagement 4.1M 

‍

Defying Stereotypes

Challenge stereotypes & assumptions people have about “dangerous” dog breeds. 

Dogs are only dangerous if you don’t train them. These videos show the sweet natures of aggressive dogs  when properly trained.

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍20 seconds in duration on average.
• Most videos use music to enhance the emotional feel of their videos.
• Top videos feature text, to set the tone to show the contrast between their dogs and the normal stereotype for the breed. 
• ‍Captions are short with only 3 hashtags in the top videos.
• Produce relatable content that makes this emotionally invested audience feel heard.

Examples

Views + Engagements 13M

‍

Views + Engagement 12M

‍

Views + Engagement 1.6M

‍

Working Dogs

Demonstrate how dogs play a functional role in people’s lives. 

People are interested in the jobs dogs take on in society. These videos showcase high performers with their impressive job performance. 

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍31 seconds in duration on average.
• Videos are shot panoramically from a distance to capture the full scope of the dogs’ abilities.
• Top videos use 3-7 hashtags and keep captions short.
• Videos have minimal text, instead letting the dog’s performance speak for itself.  
• Look for collaboration opportunities with creators to demonstrate the routines and meals that are associated with these smart pups. 

Examples

Views + Engagement 12M

‍

Views + Engagement 12M

‍

Views + Engagement 3.9M

‍

Pranking My Dog

Dogs reacting to their humans’ silly antics. 

These videos capture the joy and humour that come with owning a dog and provides a fun way for them to be creative and showcase their dog’s personalities. 

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍14 seconds in duration on average.
• Videos feature original audio without music to share the full experience of the dog’s reactions.
• ‍Short captions and 3-4 hashtags are used to keep focus on the prank itself. 
• Videos are filmed stationary, which allows for minimal distraction from the prank setup, execution and dog reaction. 
• Use the popularity of prank videos to produce organic content that incorporates dog food for product placement. 

Examples

Views + Engagement 13.9M

‍

Views + Engagement 2.7M

‍

Views + Engagement 1.3M

‍

Man’s Best Friend

Combine various shots into one video. 

These videos showcase the best of human-dog relationships and the depth of care, hilarity, life enrichment and companionship mutually enjoyed. 

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍20 seconds in duration on average.
• Top videos used storytelling to engage and immerse viewers in the experience and joy of dog owner life.  
• ‍Humorous and heartwarming content performs best in this category. 
• Videos are filmed at a medium distance to capture both dog and human reactions.
• Appeal to dog owner sentimentality to produce relatable content that showcases companionship and additionally how caring about dogs is inclusive of caring about what they eat.  

Examples

This video is extra relatable because of its hilarious cultural relevance to regional British accents.

Views + Engagement 7.9M

‍

Views + Engagement 7.7M

‍

Views + Engagement 5.8M

‍

Dog Breeds 101

Everything you need to know before buying a particular dog breed.

Educational videos that share information about different dog breeds and what to consider before choosing one as your pet.

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍55 seconds in duration on average.
• Videos include descriptive text to highlight key points about each dog breed.
• Use montages to illustrate dog behaviours and quirks being described. 
• A combination of voiceovers and music are used in top videos. 
• Create educational content so viewers receive helpful information and know they can rely on you for educational and informative content.

Examples

1 Minute Animals is the top creator in this category using a short form documentary style narration.

Views + Engagement 7.3M

‍

Views + Engagement 3.1M

‍

Views + Engagement 2.9M

‍

Talented Dogs

Jaw dropping, impeccably trained dogs.

These dogs shine in their respective disciplines, wowing viewers with their creative, impressive talents. Some of them may even be more talented than us humans! 

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍22 seconds in duration on average.
• Top videos are filmed at a medium range, keeping focus on the dog and their talent. 
• Use music and original sounds  together to emphasize the feel of each video. In cases where the talent displayed benefits from original audio for maximum effect, music is absent. 
• Top videos use 3-4 hashtags & minimal caption text.
• Create content that highlights the incredible feats of dogs and how they’re rewarded with food before or after. 

Examples

This video, while not from a UK creator, uses storytelling & montages to share her training & dog’s talent.  

Views + Engagement 4.7M

‍

Views + Engagement 4.1M

‍

Views + Engagement 2.3M

‍

Dog Accessories

What’s a dog without its toys?

These videos feature all accessories relating to dogs from toys to outfits to dog carriers. Videos showcase product unboxing, demonstrations and dog enjoyment. 

Production Elements From Top Performing Posts

• ‍28 seconds in duration on average.
• Top videos use music to make the videos more enjoyable to watch.
• Videos showcase how to use products with proof of dogs enjoying the product.‍
• ‍Continuous filming style and minimal text are used to let products speak for themselves. 
• Give viewers insight to what the buyer and pet experience is like with your product through unboxings, demos and reviews. 

Examples

Views + Engagement 8.2M

‍

Views + Engagement 6.9M

‍

Views + Engagement 5.8M

‍

Viral Outliers

Viral Outlier posts exceed the average view and engagement benchmark for their content theme by 3x.

Defying Dog Stereotypes

This heartwarming video shines in its category by cleverly using a lyric from the song it’s sampling to deliver the message that “dangerous” dogs are not all bad dogs. 

Views + Engagement 14M

‍

Dog Accessories

This cute, humorous video showcases a dog dressed as a cow, responding to its owner’s prompt of “What did the cow say” with a growl that sounds a lot like a “Mooo!”.  

Views + Engagement 9.5M

‍

Dog Breeds 101

An educational 1 minute breakdown on the Jack Russell terrier, including its strengths, habits, temperament, how easy it is to train, and the type of dog owner it’s suited to. 

Views + Engagement 12.6M 

‍

Dog Breeds 101

This video shares what to expect if you want to own a rottweiler, delivered with fitting music (Toxic by Britney Spears) to enhance the breed’s very loving, but very clingy nature. 

Views + Engagement 10M

‍

Working Dogs 

This video shares a highly user-requested unedited version of another video previously set to music, allowing return users to discover what the dogs were focusing on. 

Views + Engagement 19M

‍

Dog Owner Humour

This relatable video features an exasperated dog owner talking to her dog to berate it for barking when there’s nothing there and showing it the evidence.

Views + Engagement 11M

‍

Dog Owner Humour

A very relatable skit, which hilariously sketches out the common interest people have in interacting with any dogs they come across, but not the humans attached to them.  

Views + Engagement  8.1M

‍

Dogs Being Dogs

This video features the best of Dogs Being dogs, starring Nala, a naughty dog who escapes her owner to take a daring dash, leaping over the already open gate to jump joyously into freedom (a pool). 

Views + Engagement 20M

‍

Dogs Being Dogs

A normal video of 2 bulldogs drinking water, made infinitely cooler by being filmed in slow motion to music, to capture additional detail in the otherwise fairly normal footage.

Views + Engagement 16M

‍

Man's Best Friend

This video makes great use of TikTok’s dog vision filter to show what colours the dog is seeing, which illustrates heartwarmingly, why his favourite movie is 101 Dalmatians.

Views + Engagement 19M

‍

Then & Now 

A heartwarming video showing a top Then and Now, with the palpable excitement of the original unboxing of the new dog, to present day grown up dogs who are the best of friends.  

Views + Engagement 17M

‍

Working Dogs 

This video takes viewers along as a sheepdog herds some very scattered sheep all the way into their gate within a minute. 

Views + Engagement 32M

‍

Viral Outliers

While these categories did not generally have high views & engagement, these videos were viral outliers.

Dog Food Reviews

An informative collaboration video with Great British Dog Walks detailing the benefits of Butternut Box dog food, with the notable moment being a human taste test to deliver social proof. Finishes with a discount code. 

Views + Engagement 10M

‍

Dog Art 

This video featured a timelapse of a life-size rottweiler sculpture being made, merging both art and dog interests together. 

Views + Engagement 21M

‍

Content Theme Definitions

Dog Challenge: Videos featuring popular challenges for dogs such as the #flowerchallenge, which take advantage of what’s trending on TikTok, whether it’s fun filters, trending sounds, a dog trick of the day, clever edits, or more.

Defying Stereotypes: "Dangerous" dog breeds defy stereotypes with their surprisingly gentle, well-behaved, adorable natures.

Working Dogs: Dogs with jobs. Videos featuring the impressive training and feats of hunting dogs, shepherd dogs, police dogs, service dogs and other “employed” dogs. 

Pranking My Dog: Dog owners pranking their dogs, and their hilarious, adorable reactions. 

Man’s Best Friend: Videos showcasing the amazing connections people have with their dogs, and the depth of their relationships ranging from heartwarming to hilarious to exasperatingly disobedient.  

Dog Breeds 101: Educational content about different types of dogs, their temperament and typical behaviours. Everything you need to know about different dog breeds before buying one. 

Talented Dogs: Videos featuring incredibly well-trained, intelligent dogs shining with their diverse talents. 

Dog Accessories: The unboxing, reviews, marketing and unveiling of different dog accessories, dog toys, dog outfits, and dog fashion.

Then & Now: Videos featuring people’s adorable puppies and the amazing dogs they’ve grown up into. 

Dogs Being Dogs: Dogs doing what dogs do best: being themselves. Everything cute, loveable, silly, funny, naughty and most importantly, undeniably dog at its best/worst.

Dog Grooming: Dog makeovers. Dogs getting groomed, trimmed, cleaned and styled. 

Rescue Dogs: Heartwarming stories about dogs on their journey from their rescue, to fostering, to still looking for a home, to adoption and finally adapting and thriving in their new homes.

Dog Friendly: What good is it doing things if you can’t bring your dog? Everything dog-friendly from vacation spots, to lodging, to local restaurants and cafes, to dog friendly activities. 

Dog Owner Humour: Funny, relatable videos about life with dogs, common dog owner and dog lover stereotypes, and dog owner quirks.

‍

‍

TikTok Accounts Included in Analysis

‍

*For videos in this content category. View + Engagement data collected via direct social media platform API.

*Measured by Average Views + Engagements