Be Social Media Savvy on the Farm
November 28, 2012 Know whom you are talking to. Find out where they are. Tell a story. Share photos. Talk about what you know. Those pieces of advice sound like the basics of a good relationship with your family, friends, colleagues, and customers, don’t they? They are also the building blocks for engaging, through social media, the individuals and groups who are most important to your business or organization.
The Agriculture Institute of Florida held the final event of its 2012 Luncheon Workshop Series, “Farm Roads to Urban Intersections: Meeting People Where They Are,” in October. The half-day workshop featured social media experts who shared sound advice on reaching people through blogs.
The speakers were Dr. Tracy Irani and Rachel Divine from the University of Florida’s Center for Public Issues and Education (PIE Center), Sue Otten of Otten Associates, and rancher/blogger Ryan Goodman, who writes the “I am Agriculture Proud” blog.
By now, social media shouldn’t be a mystery to anyone who cares about communicating about agriculture. But there are right ways and wrong ways to use it effectively for your company. The Ag Institute workshop was filled with much more information than I could possibly summarize here (which is why you should consider attending Ag Institute events). However, I will offer some blogging best practices suggested by the experts.
Be Authentic
“Transparency” is an over-used word these days. But there’s no question that people long for authenticity in communication. Goodman’s advice for blogging is to show your enthusiasm for what you do and be candid about your point of view. He certainly practices what he preaches. He is down to earth and plainspoken about his passion for cattle ranching in particular and agriculture in general. He recommends keeping posts simple and to the point. You can’t go wrong if you stick to your experience and what you know.
Tell A Story
Besides first knowing your audience and their networks, the best way to engage readers is to tell a story. Create a narrative that involves more than just imparting information. Draw folks in by talking about what you do and why you do it (there’s that “passion” again).
Be Visual
You can’t tell a good story without pictures. What’s more, visuals make coming up with content so much easier, Goodman said. Take a picture, post it, and talk about it. How-to videos also are an extremely effective way to engage people and de-mystify agriculture. Show visitors to your blog or website how you grow a crop or care for your cattle, for example.
Talk About It
Don’t be afraid of a conversation. Dealing with comments online can be a daunting realm for many. Goodman writes about animal agriculture, a topic that the general public often has questions about. First, he recommends having a policy for moderating comments on blog posts or website content. He also suggests taking a negative and turning it into an opportunity to educate, although you don’t have to know everything. In addition, it’s important to recognize when to engage. Respond to those who are legitimately open to conversation. And don’t hesitate to ask for a link or source from the “naysayers” for the facts they cite, Goodman says.
Look Around
Check out who’s blogging successfully and you’ll find that they’re following these tenets. Some recommendations from Goodman and the PIE Center folks include:
• Mom at the Meat Counter
• The AgChat Foundation
• The Dairyman’s Blog.