5 Reason Your Agribusiness Should Join the Social Media Party

You’re invited! That’s right, I’m inviting you to a party where a majority of your business’ customers will be. That makes this event a great opportunity to network and build relationships. It’s also the chance to promote products and services, notify your customers about upcoming events and educate them. Plus, who doesn’t love a good party?

Hopefully, I now have you wondering where and when this party is. Well, what if I said you didn’t have to leave the comfort of home to attend? Grab your laptop and cozy on up because I’m inviting your agribusiness to join social media.

According to a study by the USDA, 71% of farmers now own computers with Internet access.¹ Another study reported by Successful Farming stated that 42% of farmers who use Facebook and Twitter use it every day.² That means if your agribusiness isn’t on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or other networks, you’re missing the chance to interact with your customers.

5 reasons why your agribusiness should be on social media

1. Social media gives your brand a voice.

More exposure for your brand is always a plus, but social media provides the opportunity to define your brand’s personality. Social media can easily take you from just another agribusiness to an agribusiness customers connect with. Try posting a humorous quote your customers can relate to. It’ll foster a sense of camaraderie.

2. Social media builds relationships.

This is where the SOCIAL in social media comes in to play. The best part: There are so many options for getting conversations started on social media. You can encourage customers to share their stories (for example, a photo contest). Bring together customers who are facing a similar situation. Use social media to gain feedback. And the list goes on.

3. Social media enhances company trustworthiness and credibility.

Your agribusiness has a team of knowledgeable, agricultural experts ready to assist your customers with their needs. Social media is a great way to remind your customers of your expertise. Write blog posts on relevant topics and share the links on your social media accounts. If your company has any news releases or was in the media, post it to your social accounts. These posts will establish your agribusiness as an industry leader.

4. Social media helps increase your online exposure.

People spend a lot of time on the internet, but how are they spending that time? Multiview.com says individuals are spending 28% of their online time surfing social media, and the average time spent on social media per day is two hours.³ If you want to create an online presence for your business, it’s important to be where people are spending their browsing time—social media.

5. Social media expands potential sales.

If your customers are using social media, it means your prospects are as well. This gives your agribusiness another potential selling point. More and more producers are sharing their on-farm successes through social media that others are using to influence their buying decisions. Make sure to include posts tailored to this audience.

 

Sources:

1. Farm Computer Usage and Ownership, USDA, 2015 (http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1062)
2. Farmers Making Use of Social Media, Successful Farming, 2015 (http://www.agriculture.com/news/technology/farmers-making-use-of-social-media_6-ar50861)
3. How People Spend Their Time Online, com, 2016 (https://www.multiview.com/resources/infographics/time-online-breakdown/)

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