How to Host A Virtual Adoption Event

Social media is a powerful tool in getting animals adopted, especially when it comes to dogs, cats, and horses who don’t show well at the shelter or are in foster homes. Virtual adoption events, where your organization showcases a number of adoptable animals in succession on your social media pages, are a great and easy way to engage your community and find adopters. Follow these steps to host your own virtual adoption event:

• Take a look at your population and decide which animals may benefit most from being featured in this virtual event. Which dogs cats, or horses don’t show well in the shelter setting or could use an extra push?
• After you’ve selected your featured animals, source lots of enticing content from your staff or foster parents. Ask them to send photos, videos, and biographies that really show off the animal’s true personality. Note that vertical photos and videos work best in a social media story format.
• Choose your platform and get posting! Facebook and Instagram stories work well for this type of quick, compelling content. Make sure your first story notes that this is a virtual adoption event, then move into showcasing your animals. Add captions over the photos and videos that include the animal’s name, likes and dislikes, and what type of home would be a good fit for them. Your final slide should have a link to where potential adopters can go to learn more about these pets. If you can include a swipe-up link, use that tool. If not, post the URL and consider making it the temporary link in your social media bio.
• Before your virtual adoption event, cross-promote it across all your other marketing channels, including email, website, and static social media posts. 

Curious what a virtual adoption event looks like when it’s all said and done? Check out this recent example from the ASPCA’s Los Angeles Kitten Foster Program. 

If you’re considering hosting a virtual adoption event through a video conferencing platform instead of sourcing materials from your foster caregivers, take a look at these examples from Angels Among Us Pet Rescue and Nashville Humane Association.

And review this Virtual Adoption Event Guide from Pedigree.