The pet-centric turn: how self-disclosure and anthropomorphism shape audience engagement in pet influencer marketing

Purpose This study examines how pet influencers' use of two communicative strategies – self-disclosure and anthropomorphism – shapes audience engagement on Xiaohongshu. Design/methodology/approach A hybrid approach integrating data mining and content analysis was applied to 244 short videos posted by the six most influential cat influencers on Xiaohongshu. Variables such as advertising inclusion, owner self-disclosure, pet anthropomorphism, video length and audience engagement metrics were systematically coded. Attributes of posts were used to predict audience engagement. Findings Advertising inclusion demonstrated a negative impact across all engagement metrics. Higher self-disclosure had a negative correlation with audience engagement, suggesting that audiences preferred pet-centric to owner-focused content. Video length exceeding one minute was consistently associated with diminished engagement across all metrics. Anthropomorphism showed selective effectiveness. Strategies depicting pet-owner communication positively influenced marking, but showed no significant effect on liking or commenting, indicating that different engagement behaviors reflect distinct user intentions. Originality/value This work extends human-centric influencer literature and constructs a dedicated analytical lens for pet influencer research. It provides compelling evidence that the engagement mechanisms of pet influencers differ from those of human influencers. By revealing how anthropomorphism and self-disclosure exert differential effects across distinct engagement metrics, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of engagement as a multidimensional construct. These findings offer empirical and theoretical foundations for creating more effective content in the growing pet economy.