Matt Nelson never intended to create one of the most popular social media accounts on the internet. In fact, when he debuted on his Twitter account in 2014, his only real goal was to practice his comedy routine while studying professional golf management at Campbell University in North Carolina.
Nelson, 27, has noticed that whenever he shows off his golden retriever or includes her in a joke, his posts do really well. “They were pretty widely loved,” he told The Daily Beast. “I thought, ‘Oh, wow.’ I think the internet loves dogs as much as I do.”
In that recognition, WeRateDogsThis account was created in 2015 and is dedicated to rating dog photos on a scale of 1 to 10, with the final total always exceeding the standard. The account quickly became popular and stood out from the typical noise and cynicism of Twitter.
“It was the perfect storm that Twitter needed. It had funny animal accounts. [at the time]But no one put effort into captioning those photos,” Nelson said of the account’s near-instantaneous virality. Eventually, he gained over 15 million followers across his social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Watch any video and it’s easy to see why. A recent post featuring a Dalmatian curled up in a perfect circle received over 950,000 likes and earned the animal a 12/10 rating. Another piece featured a dachshund named Stanley who befriends a seal and received a rating of 13/10, 1 million likes and his 5 million views. obtained.
This is a valid formula, and there’s real science to back it up.Pamela Rutledge, psychologist, author Exploring positive psychologytold The Daily Beast Nelson’s success is based on human psychology and behavior.
“It’s easy to see the appeal of accounts that make you feel good without the social baggage,” Rutledge explained. “Social media has anthropomorphized pets to give their opinions and statements about the absurdities of life. Laughing and smiling changes brain chemistry and activates reward centers.”
She added that dogs are thought to be “safe love objects” that induce oxytocin in humans. “What don’t you like?”
How to evaluate dogs and influence people
The initial concept for Nelson’s account was to walk around taking pictures of dogs and then write captions with ratings for the content.
“I forgot to turn off my DMs after my first post,” he said. “Then I got flooded with DMs like, ‘Please rate my dog,’ and I thought, ‘This is so much better because it’s a never-ending stream of content.'”
By early 2016, the account had grown to 1 million followers. Nelson said it’s “hard to ignore” the influence his platform has, especially the level of engagement he regularly receives on his posts. It only grew from there.
In addition to people submitting photos of their dogs to be evaluated, families have also started submitting GoFundMe accounts to help cover their pets’ expensive medical bills. Nelson resisted posting a link to the fundraiser because he wasn’t sure how his audience would react, but he was given the chance to test the waters.
Matt Nelson (right) and his dog (left).
Alex Hopes Photography/Matt Nelson
“We featured a family of dogs, three pugs and a yellow Lab, and they always dressed up for the holidays,” he explained. “And one of the pugs needed a wheelchair for transportation due to a common geriatric illness, but we didn’t have anything specific.” [illness]”
Nelson said he knew “if there ever was a time like that.” [our audience] I will support anything. It’s a dog they know well,” he posted the campaign. In 45 minutes, he had raised all the money for a $700 mobility wheelchair, much to Nelson’s shock.
“Not only did we get this done, but everyone was excited about this. It was like they had been waiting for this opportunity,” he said. “Somehow, we had assembled a very passionate and empathetic audience before we even started fundraising.”
rocky recovery
WeRateDogs, active on Dog Rates on X, formerly known as Twitter, continued to experiment with sharing fundraisers throughout 2016.
“We learned that there are no limits to our abilities,” Nelson said, adding that his most successful campaign of the year was raising more than $10,000 in a few hours. By the end of the year, Nelson has committed to making fundraising the cornerstone of accounting. In 2017, WeRateDogs began posting fundraisers every Friday, and he would only skip a week if there was an emotional change from the previous week, such as a dog dying.
“Posts are very similar to traditional content,” Nelson said. “Instead of a short sentence that is meant to be funny, it is a short sentence that explains their condition and why they deserve this funding.”
As the account’s following grew, so did the need for dogs across the country. Nelson has set up a link where followers can post to his GoFundMe page. Then, the page started receiving “more than 200” posts every week. “And we had to choose one,” he said.
Nelson said that thanks to its generous following and partnerships, the brand is typically able to fund three GoFundMe accounts a week. However, he realized that his viewers were funding campaigns faster than GoFundMe could keep up, and ended up overfunding many dogs, so he decided to share the financial excess with the dogs. Realizing there was no way to reliably allocate medical care for patients, he faced a crossroads.
Without full control of our funds, we couldn’t ensure we had what we needed for our campaign and allocated any excess to other dogs in need.
As Nelson began adding team members to support the brand, he began brainstorming ways to make his fundraising efforts better. They focused on giving their rescue dogs “complete control over everything.” Thus, the team’s non-profit foundation “15/10” was born in November 2021.
“The Foundation supports shelter dogs in need of medical care and who are unlikely to leave the shelter,” Nelson said, adding that viewer support over the years has helped guide the Foundation’s mission. Ta.
Rocky the dog. 15/10 With the help of the Foundation, Rocky was able to see a cardiologist and receive careful heartworm treatment. The dog eventually passed away after less than a year, but was able to die comfortably in his foster home.
Presented by One Tail at a Time
Chicago-based animal rescue organization One Tail at a Time is accepting donations until October 15th, and marketing manager Kim Thomas said, “We have forever changed One Tail for the better.” said.
“This means we can say ‘yes’ to more medical cases knowing we have the support of 15/10 and the WeRateDogs team,” Thomas told The Daily Beast. “We take on complex cases. We take on high-value cases. We take in animals that may never arrive. But every dog should have a chance, so we have a huge It helps me know that I have support.”
One such case is Rocky, who came to One Tail in May 2023 with congestive heart failure and severe heartworm disease. He lived outdoors without an owner or medical care.
“He was too sweet to be left suffering outside, so we agreed to take him in, even though he was potentially a very expensive dog to treat,” Thomas said. said. 15/10 With the help of the Foundation, Rocky was able to see a cardiologist and receive careful heartworm treatment. The dog eventually passed away after less than a year, but was able to die comfortably in his foster home.
Every dog has its day.
Since the platform began sharing fundraisers, WeRateDogs has raised more than $3.5 million for dogs in need across the country. According to Nelson, this reward is far greater than any social reach.
“Seeing how we are making a difference has energized our team,” Nelson said. “Measuring success through rescued dogs is much more fulfilling than liking a post. ”
But Nelson said that even the most wholesome content, such as reviews of cute and funny dogs, can generate polarizing opinions in the comments section, especially if the dog has been treated unfairly by someone or something. He said that there is a possibility that “We’re not immune. It’s the internet,” he added.
However, the voices from behind the dogs obediently accept it. While this account may not be completely exempt from the wrath of internet trolls, there is no doubt that Nelson is exercising digital anomaly for good.
Along with two business partners and 12 independent contractors, he accomplished a rare feat on the Internet. It’s about cultivating accounts that unite people across beliefs, politics, class structures, and ideologies.
While the account’s original intent did not include transcending social structures, many online posts feel instantly polarizing, and if keyboard warriors are lurking, waiting to fail. , this seems to be a particularly noteworthy achievement.
But just like with dogs, a little humor, loyalty, and goodwill go a long way.
“It’s a dopamine roller coaster to post and get engagement and see the numbers and see how many people you’re reaching,” he said. “But it’s so rewarding to see that support have an impact on the foundation and in the real world.”
