The Dog Business Side Hustle System (Part Two)
In today's newsletter, I'm going to continue with the dog business side hustle I started last week. In part one, I showed you the system behind a simple dog side hustle, from building a breed-specific email list to creating a basic setup that runs largely on autopilot.
You've seen how it works, what you need, and how quickly you can get it off the ground, even without spending any money. If you haven't read part one, go read it first, then come back here.
And for those saying Amazon S3 isn't free, I have two things to say:
The first year is free for new customers. And if you don't want to use it, I mention two other free options in the first part of this guide.
In part two, we're going to focus on what really gets this system moving: how to drive traffic and stay consistent with just one hour per day.
I've decided this will now be a three-part series, given the amount of content to cover. So with that said, let's get into it.
Traffic Methods For A Dog Business Side Hustle
For every type of business, traffic always comes down to two options: paid and free. Free traffic requires a bit more legwork and time on your part, while paid traffic is often quicker to set up and see results from.
Which one you go with depends on you and your budget. You can also do both.
Let's start with the free option.
Best Free Traffic Method For Dog Business Owners
It's worth noting that this is what I specifically recommend for this side hustle. There are plenty of other methods out there, many better, but this is the one that actually worked for me.
And I'm recommending it because it's simple, easy to do daily, and results can be seen quickly.
It's Instagram.
Free Method To Drive Traffic To Your Dog Business Using Instagram
As this isn't a workshop (one may be coming at some point 😉), I'm not going to walk you through how to create a reel, post, or carousel in detail. If you don't know how to do this yet, head to YouTube and watch a few tutorials. It's all stuff you can pick up in a few hours, and the rest comes from doing it and learning as you go.
The process involves posting daily, engaging with other people's posts, and using software to automate part of it.
Simple.
Just make sure your Instagram bio is set up well and links to the landing page you created in Part 1.
Each morning, spend about ten minutes liking and replying to other accounts in your niche, meaning owners of the same dog breed you have.
Make your comments useful and show you know what you're talking about. Don't just reply with a single word. Write at least a decent-sized paragraph. When you do this, people who own the same breed will naturally check out your profile, and some of them will click through to grab your free guide or cheat sheet.
One tip worth knowing is to set notifications for popular accounts in your niche so you can be first to comment on their posts. This way, more people will see it.
Focus on accounts with a solid following, as they tend to carry more trust and visibility regardless of what people say about engagement rates.
On top of that, actively grow your own following by searching for your breed, say "Cavapoo" or "Labrador," and following their followers and the accounts Instagram recommends. Around twenty new followers per day is fine.
However, go overboard on Instagram doing this, and you'll get suspended, so keep it steady and only follow people who actually own the breed you're targeting.
The next step is to post once a day. Carousels and reels tend to perform well. Look at what similar accounts are doing and take inspiration. Not sure where to start? Watch videos, copy what others are doing, use design software, even AI. Just get something out there.
Make sure each post includes a call to action that directs people to your bio and free offer.
You can also mix things up by asking people to comment on your post. If you use ManyChat (they have a free plan), you can set it up so that when someone comments a specific word, they automatically receive a direct message with a link to your landing page. For example: "Comment the word DOG and I'll send you a free cheat sheet." ManyChat handles the rest on autopilot.
Your Step-by-Step Instagram Strategy
- Follow roughly twenty new accounts in your niche every day.
- Spend a few minutes each day liking and commenting to keep the algorithm active to your presence.
- Set up ManyChat to automate the direct messages.
- Make sure your bio is written clearly and links to your landing page.
- Post at least once per day and reply to any comments you receive on your posts.
- Rinse and repeat.
That's it. It's straightforward, nothing special, and it works.
If a post gets good traction, lots of likes and comments, that's a signal you've done something right. You can boost it for a few days to extend its reach. That's a paid option, though, so I'll cover it separately another time, but it's worth keeping in mind.
For free tools to help create your posts, Canva is the obvious choice, and Instagram's own Edits app is worth trying too.
Wrapping It Up
Honestly, this is a simple strategy that works well for this type of side hustle if you're running a dog breed email newsletter. Yes, it's basic, it won't work miracles overnight, and this isn't a full course or workshop. But if you're looking for a way to build your email list for free, it's a solid place to start.
Just spend time getting to know Instagram, and learn by doing. Over time, your posts will improve, your knowledge of the breed will become second nature, and writing comments and captions will no longer feel like a chore.
Part three will be out next week, where I'll cover a paid traffic option (not boosting a post) to build your list faster.
For now, get to work.
And if you're interested in another free method, take a look at my dog visibility system.