Want to increase your social media likes? Get a pet

The quickest way to boost your likes on social media is with the help of a four-legged friend, according to new research.

A whopping 90 per cent of people have admitted they are more likely to engage with a post if it shows an animal, the report from network Three found.

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The new insight suggests Brits are barking mad as 50 per cent of people confess to posting a picture with an animal in the hope of getting more ‘likes’, with Londoners the most obsessed with increasing their engagement (60 per cent).

Perhaps in a bid to boost the love, pet owners claim to post a picture of their animal at least once a week.

The reason for this may be down to the powers of animal attraction as over half of people asked cited that someone who posts a picture with a pet is more attractive - with Ireland found to be the place you’re most likely to find love with a furry friend in tow.

However, not owning pet didn’t prove a barrier to garnering social likes as 80 per cent of people claim to have posted a picture with someone else’s pet. Poaching a pooch is the top choice as 65 per cent take on the role of 'pupparazzi' to snap a shot of someone else’s dog to share on their own social channels.

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A post shared by Doug The Pug (@itsdougthepug) on Apr 19, 2018 at 4:46pm PDT

Most pawsome pet on social

In fact, man’s best friend comes out on top as the post popular animal on social media with 50 per cent citing a dog as the animal that will make them hit ‘like’ - settling the age-old debate of cat versus dog.

Topping the breeds was the trusty labrador, with the husky coming in second followed by the pug, with 1 in 10 people saying the squash-faced pooch would get them to double tap.

While labradors were the most popular breed, it was in fact a pug that stole the crown of the most loved social pooch with ‘Doug the Pug’ voted the nation’s favourite internet dog, followed closely by ‘Boo (the pomeranian)’ in 2nd place.

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With one in three Brits admitting to following a famous ‘pet’ it seems that social media is to blame for sending the nation canine crazy. In fact, 71 per cent of people said that seeing a picture of a pet on a digital platform makes them want to own one.

And, when it comes to picking the perfect pooch - social media influencers and celebrities are paving the way as 60 per cent cite they would be influenced by the breeds that famous faces post about, with men the most likely to be swayed.

Shadi Halliwell, Chief Marketing Officer at Three UK, said: “From singing kittens to moonwalking ponies, at Three we understand online behaviour and have never been able to resist a cute animal."