Social Media Training Telling your farm’s story online
Cathy Lee Fredrickson Senior Social Media Strategist
The Integer Group
Nice to meet you
• Central Iowa Farmgirl
• Greene County 4-H Pig Showmanship Champion – 2 years in a row
• Senior Social Media Strategist
What we’re going to cover: Why get involved Social Channels and Case Studies How to get your message out How to build relationships
We’ve always gathered to share our passions
We’ve evolved the way we share and consume information
It’s how we communicate
Who uses digital?
• 73% of people 18 +
• 78% of people 30-49
• 65% of people 50-64
• 70% of rural people
Social Impact
• Facebook users are much more politically engaged than most people
• 60 million Americans have used the internet for help with major life decisions
1B active users
Launched 2005
(8 Years Old)
Monthly Active Users by Channel:
Don’t just think social, think mobile
Telling your story
Agriculture + Advocate = AgVocate
How you see the world, is not how others see the world.
Farming “Experts” are everywhere
Becoming an Agvocate:
• YouTube
• Blogs
Facebook:
• Average user has 300 friends • 250 billion uploaded photos • Average time per visit, 20
minutes
Getting Started:
• Locate “Pages” Tab
• Create a Page
• You’re an Artist! (or not)
• Terms
• Image
• Description
• Ads?
• Download APP
• VOILA!
Monitoring and Publishing:
Engage • Images
• Short captions (1-2 lines, MAX)
• Ask a simple, one-word-answer question
• Know your personality and let it show through
• More images
• 403X403 or 843X403
• Post Image with Link vs. posting link
Case Study: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl
• Who: Erin Ehnle , www.facebook.com/lens.of.a.farm.girl
• About: Combine the art of photography with the happenings around her agriculture-based community.
Image based information
Positive stories
Promotion
Online interactions
Twitter:
• 40% of users don’t tweet, but watch others tweet
• 10,000 tweets happen per minute
• 60% of users access via mobile phone
Getting Started:
• Find sign up box • Select a username • Confirm via email • Find users to follow
• #AgChat
• Download APP
Engage
• Home Feed
• @Username
• Direct Messages (DM)
• #Hashtags #Hashtags #Hashtags
• Favorites
• 80/20 rule
Incorporating Images and Video
• Vine
Your Twitter audience is different than your Facebook
Case Study: #AgChat/#FoodChat
• Who: Ag Chat Foundation, www.facebook.com/Kansaspork
• Creating an ongoing, open dialogue among the various players interested in agriculture and how food is produced.
Open communication
Informative
Ongoing
• 16 Billion photos shared
• 1.2 Billion daily photos “likes”
• Just launched Direct and Promoted photos
• 70% of users log-in daily
Getting Started:
• Download APP • Select a username • Select Public • Control Notifications • Link up your accounts • Add photos • Filter • Tag/Caption • Share!
Engage
• Home Feed
• Explore – Popular
• Find People to Follow – Suggested
• Search #hashtags
Case Study: #Felfie
#Felfie – Farm Selfie
How: Started in UK as a way to put a face on the farmer that feeds you
Highlighted on Mashable
Easy and engaging
Adorable and informational
Positive
YOUTUBE
YouTube:
• 40% watch on mobile devices • Over 6 billion hours of video
are watched each month on YouTube—that's almost an hour for every person on Earth
According to Nielsen, YouTube reaches more US adults ages 18-34 than ANY cable network
Getting Started:
• Linked to Google+ • Create a channel for business • Fill out profile • Verify via Text • Add images • You’re Set!
Engage
• Make and add videos to the YouTube community.
• Track your favorite users by subscribing to their channel.
• Manage your favorite tracks, videos, and online episodes.
• Comment on videos and socialize with other members of the community.
Case Study: Peterson Brothers
• 49 videos
• 65,000 subscribers
• 29,000,000 + views
• How:
Interesting, fun content
Parody of popular music
Promotion
Online interactions
BLOGGING
Blogger:
• Most popular blogging platform
• 54 million site visits through Blogger
• Linked to Google accounts and analytics
• 77% of internet users, read blogs
61% of us consumers have made a purchase based on a blog post
81% of US consumers trust advice and information from blogs
Getting Started:
• Create an account – linked to Google+ • Name your blog • Pick your template • Write!
Engage
• You don’t have to create a blog to engage
• Follow blogs that interest you
• Answer questions, comment and participate in the communities
• Be positive and informative • Don’t troll – even if you want to!
Case Study: Dairy Carrie and Panera
• Who: Carrie Mess, www.dairycarrie.com
• Held Panera Break Company responsible for fear based marketing and helped shut down EZ Chicken campaign
Responded with facts
Bold topics
Online interactions
Stayed professional
What social media is right for you?
Time
Connection Connection
Audience
What do I post?
• Videos
• Fashion of the producer
• Current events
• Pictures of your farm or your family working on the farm
• Pictures of your favorite litter
Seriously, Images.
How to build Relationships
• It’s just like real life.
• Know what the people you are connecting with want
• Bring value
• Encourage conversation
• Be likeable
• Bloggers are passion, Journalists are credentials
Dealing with critics
• Everyone has critics, think of them as opportunities
• Be proactive and create some “rules of the road” or a comment policy
• Is it a troll? Or a real question?
• Respond to that person, but also everyone else
• Never be rude or offensive
Authenticity and transparency rule the day
You get out what you put in
It’s a relationship, are you committed?
How can you tell if you’re successful? Metrics, baby!
• Video views
• Facebook fans – wall posts
• Visitors and link-backs to your blog
• Tonal reaction (positive/negative)
• Benchmark reports (beginning/end; weekly/monthly)
• How engaged, lasting, meaningful was the experience?
Just Remember:
1. Pick your platform
2. Post content people find helpful, interesting or entertaining
3. Actively seek out and engage with people who are active and engaging
4. Be positive
5. Stay consistent
Questions?