Pictures & stories
A picture is worth a thousand words. But words are important, too. It might be strange to think about "marketing" a cat for adoption, but the same techniques apply as any other type of marketing, whether it's selling a product, setting up a dating profile or convincing your friends to help you move.
How and where you market your foster cat for adoption can make a huge difference. Where would you look if you were interested in adopting? What types of social media posts grab your attention? Also think of the messaging. Sad, emotional stories may tug at our heart strings but they don't motivate or inspire. Positive stories about animals are much more shareable and likely to result in an adoption!
Read more about how you can help market your foster cat for adoption using photos and story-telling.
Cat photos 101
A photo is often an adopter's first impression of your foster cat. It needs to grab attention and give insight into the cat's personality. Blurry, dimly lit and (to put it frankly) bad photos aren't really doing the cat any favors. But bright, funny, cute and interesting photos will get everyone talking! You don't need to be a professional photographer, and most smartphones have decent cameras.
Things to think about when photographing a cat:
- Background - is there a dirty litter box? Laundry strewn about? You don't need to set up a photo studio, but ensure that anything in the background of the image is tidy and appropriate.
- Lighting / time of day - natural lighting is always ideal, although not always possible. See if you can capture your cat when the room is at its brightest (usually in the morning), and preferably with the light shining at the cat, and not behind it.
- Engagement - is the cat looking at the camera, or is it mid-blink? Did a flash go off and make the cat look like it has lasers for eyes? Experiment with camera placement. Getting on the same level as the cat often helps, as well as making silly noises or using a toy to get the cat's attention.
- Action - what is the cat doing? Are all of your photos of the cat napping? Try to capture different parts of your cat's routine - playing, cuddling, window-watching, using enrichment items, etc. Photos of cats yawning are often great for making fun captions, but are trickier to capture on camera. Avoid taking photos of your cat eating or using the litter box - they're usually not at their most photogenic.
- People and other animals - if your foster cat is super social, or gets along with resident pets or children, include them in some of the photos! It helps an adopter picture the cat in their own home.
Examples of amateur cat photos that work:
No background distractions means the cat is front and center!
Attention-grabbing and in focus. What a curious cat!
Don't be afraid to show the cat's silly side, tongue and all.
If one of a group of photos, it shows off the cat's friendliness.
If it's not working...
Many cats are camera shy, and it may take a few dozen photos before you get a good one. Or, if your camera skills just aren't up to par, ask a friend or family member to come over and take a few photos for you! It really will make a huge difference in promoting your foster cat for adoption.
Writing a great bio
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Video and other media
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