How ag industry can use social media to reach consumers

Producers in the agriculture industry are continually seeking opportunities to reach consumers in order tell their real story and show off their farms, combating the negative light often shed on the industry by animal activists. Social media platforms provide an ideal way to reach not just one’s own consumers but other non-farmers and potential customers around the world.

Members of the agriculture industry can use social media as an effective tool for brand and trust building with consumers.| Bigstock.com, kbuntu
Members of the agriculture industry can use social media as an effective tool for brand and trust building with consumers.| Bigstock.com, kbuntu

Producers in the agriculture industry are continually seeking opportunities to reach consumers in order tell their real story and show off their farms, combating the negative light often shed on the industry by animal activists. Social media platforms provide an ideal way to reach not just one’s own consumers but other non-farmers and potential customers around the world.

These tools have proven to be an effective means of brand and trust building for those already using them, said three pig farmers who gave tips on leveraging social media in the ag industry at World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 7.

Why you need to be on social

Members of the ag industry have many opportunities to network and discuss farm operations directly with each other at live industry events, farm visits, or via a direct phone call or email; however, this is certainly not the case for reaching meat and poultry consumers, who are increasingly concerned with animal welfare and food safety but often miseducated on how that food is truly raised and where it comes from.

“Find other outlets. Don’t talk to farmers; farmers know,” said Erin Brenneman, Brenneman farms.

Erin-Brenneman-speaking

Erin Brenneman, Brenneman Farms | Alyssa Conway

Brenneman said that social media is a great way to find these different outlets because it allows you to connect with other non-farmers about shared interests, and then from there begin the conversation about agriculture and share your brand’s story. Like Brenneman, Brad Greenway, Greenway Farms, and Logan Thornton, The Flying Pig Farm, praised social media as an outlet that allows them to start a conversation and connect with people worldwide to promote their business.

Logan-Thornton-speaking

Logan Thornton, The Flying Pig Farm | Alyssa Conway

“The little things that we think are normal and nobody is interested – people are, and especially when you get out into the bigger consumer audiences. They really want to know what’s going on. The things you think are the norm, post it out there,” Greenway said.

Tips for beginning on social media

The first step to beginning social media is understanding the different platforms and what works best on each of them for your business. Identify what makes your business or your farm unique, figure out what you are passionate about and take the time to figure out how these social media platform(s) can help to show off your farm, advised Thornton.

On Facebook, for example, a variety of media types (videos, photos, text) can be posted with relatively no limit to the content’s length. Greenway advised new users to post often, and said he has found pictures or videos of animals like pigs and children to be successful in this social channel.

 “It really draws people to it – add some humor and personality to it,” he said. “People want to know that you’re excited about what you’re doing.”

Brad-greenway-speaking

Brad Greenway, Greenway Farms | Alyssa Conway

Greenway also said not be afraid to ask for help from more-familiar social media users when testing out new communication tools like Facebook Live, which he said can be a good way of engaging in direct conversation with consumers and responding to their questions.

Brenneman said that one of her favorite platforms for sharing her farm’s story is Snapchat. While you may be on the farm seeing day-to-day operations, consumers are not, and so Snapchat is a useful platform for providing consumers with a “raw and real” look of daily farm life in short clips.

Instagram, she said, provides a great outlet for posting pictures that show your operation in a positive light, with posts that are less-focused on being informative but rather more-focused on putting yourself out there to make consumers aware that you are a resource for them to learn the truths about the ag industry.

How to deal with internet trolls

Regardless of the platform, social media users in the ag industry often receive criticism online not just from animal rights groups but from internet trolls, as well.

 “If you don’t have someone trolling you, you’re probably not getting your message out far enough,” said Brenneman.

And while this is true, social media users in the ag industry should be sure to follow a few dos and don’ts to help deal with any criticism on social platforms, Thornton and Brenneman advised:

  • Don’t post questionable images
  • Do show how you ensure proper care and health
  • Do know your audience and be prepared to answer their questions accordingly
  • Don’t be afraid to block users – if they can’t be respectful, they aren’t worth your time
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