Farmers are more connected online today than they ever have been.
According to a 2023 survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one-third (32%) of farms currently use the internet for buying agricultural inputs, and nearly one-fourth (23%) use it for online marketing. This means that whether you’re a livestock feed supplier, a farm implement dealer, or another ag-related business, digital marketing should be an essential part of your strategy to reach farmers.
However, reaching farmers can present unique challenges, such as the limited free time farmers have available, varying levels of tech-savviness, and the wide range of needs they face. That’s why it’s important to create a strategy that accounts for the specific characteristics of the farmers you are targeting. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the best digital marketing strategies for farmers.
Understanding Farmer Demographics
There are nearly 3.4 million farmers in the United States. That means that one of the first steps to reaching them online is to narrow your target audience. You can’t reach them all at once — nor do you want to! It’s important to zero in on who, exactly, you’re trying to reach.
The needs of farmers overlap in some areas but are very different in others. For example, dairy cattle farmers won’t be seeking out the same products as alfalfa growers. And the needs of a small-scale farmer will be different from those of a large commercial operation. Doing research and sketching out profiles of your ideal customers will help you zero in on your audience, their needs, and their motivations to create your marketing strategy.
With that in mind, here are some of the ways to better engage farmers through digital marketing.
Leverage Social Media Platforms
Surveys that track the use of social media among farmers have found that it’s increasing, with a vast majority of farmers now using one or more platforms regularly.
Once you’ve honed in on your target audience, you’ll want to identify the right social platforms to reach them and the right content to create. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok can help you reach farmers through videos, while Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter will let you share fun or informational posts while engaging with your users. Examples of good content could include behind-the-scenes videos, informative articles, and Q-and-A sessions.
A valuable aspect of social media is it allows you to showcase your brand’s personality while interacting directly with your customers. Look for ways to increase engagement and build a community, including responding to comments and joining or creating relevant groups.
For one example of how to weigh the strengths of various social media platforms, see our guide to which social media channels are best for cattle feed companies.
Utilize Email Marketing
Building an email list of your most loyal and interested customers is a great tactic to help target your marketing efforts to high value users.
There are several ways to collect information to build your list, including:
• Promotions at trade shows.
• Newsletter subscriptions.
• Incentives that encourage users to sign up for emails.
Email marketing allows you to provide your customers with valuable content like special offers, newsletter updates, industry insights, and news on product releases. Doing this demonstrates your value and continues your relationship with them.
Tracking your email metrics will also allow you to see the rate that people open your emails and click other links on them, which will help you tailor future emails to boost engagement.
Invest in Mobile-Friendly Websites
For the past several years, more web traffic has come from mobile devices than from desktop computers, a trend that holds true for farmers.
Creating a good user experience for mobile users is essential to helping users find information and take action on your site. Meeting best practices for mobile site speed also helps your website appear in search engine results, meaning it can increase your visibility among potential customers.
Some best practices for mobile friendliness include:
• Creating a site that’s responsive and adapts to different screen sizes.
• Reducing image and video file sizes so they don’t bog down loading times.
• Making sure that buttons and other interactive elements are easy to tap and interact with on a small screen.
Use Influencer Marketing & Partnerships
Reaching customers in any industry, including farming, requires creating brand awareness and building trust. Partnering with influential people and groups in the farming community can help with that.
Look for those in the industry who already have a large following and identify who might be a possible connection for you. Ways to collaborate with influencers could include videos, special events, giveaways, and more.
You can also partner with other agricultural businesses to share opportunities to promote your products and expand your visibility.
Leverage Content Marketing & SEO
Producing high-quality content is one of the keys to becoming more visible on the web. Well-researched, helpful website content builds your reputation and can help you appear higher in search results.
Search engine optimization, or SEO, involves researching the keywords that people in your industry are looking for on Google to help you structure your content around the things they’re searching for. You can make yourself a go-to information source in the industry by writing insightful blog posts, creating engaging videos on trending topics, or publishing reports on issues that your target audiences are interested in.
Again, knowing your audience is key in content marketing. If you’re marketing to a certain type of farmer in a certain geographical area, it’s best to structure your content around the subjects that people in that area will be interested in. The more you can narrow down the keywords and phrases that they are searching for, the better you can optimize it for SEO.
Work With a Company That’s in Touch With the Farming Industry
Are you interested in strengthening your digital marketing efforts to reach farmers? You don’t have to do it alone.
At EDJE, we specialize in digital services for the livestock and agricultural industries. To work with our team of digital marketing, branding, and web design experts, contact us today!