This document provides guidance on using social media and e-newsletters for farms and food businesses. It discusses the key social media platforms of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, explaining who should manage accounts, content strategies like pushing your content or pulling in engagement, and tips for each platform. E-newsletters are presented as a way to regularly share longer stories, news, and information with subscribers. The document encourages experimenting to find the best social media times and e-newsletter frequency for each business. Hands-on help with social media is offered.

1. Becoming
Social Media Savvy
Maggie Cramer (freelance communications)
Rachel Brown & Susan English (English Farmstead Cheese)
Dawn Robertson (East Fork Farm)
Business of Farming Conference - 2014

2. Lay of the Land
• Who, what, when, where, why, and how (we’ll go a
little out of order!) of popular social media sites and
e-newsletters
• Personal experiences from Rachel, Susan, and Dawn
• Questions
• Hands-on help if time allows

3. Social Media: Who
• Good communicator(s) on your team
• Can establish singular voice or use multiple voices

4. Social Media: Why

5. Social Media: Why
• Online presence; meet expectations
• Relationships with customers & potential customers
• Connection/link with local food scene/movement

6. Social Media: Where
• 2013 stats (throughout): 71% of online adults use
Facebook; despite “rumors,” it’s still most popular
and worthy of time

7. Social Media: Where
• 18% of online adults use Twitter

8. Social Media: Where
• 21% of online adults use Pinterest

9. Social Media: Where
• 17% use Instagram

10. Social Media: Where
• Said to be world’s 2nd largest
search engine

11. Social Media: Where
• 300+ listed on
Wikipedia
• Ask your
customers where
they are online

12. Social Media: Where

13. Social Media: What
Your Content (Push), Engaging Content (Pull),
Shared Content
Push social users to your content
Pull them into your story with questions and
conversation starters
Share others’ content to participate in social network
Utilize combination of types of posts, throughout week
and even within a post

14. Social Media: What
Push
• News & events: Changes to the farm (both exciting and
difficult), announcement of intern position, CSA start
dates, awards and accolades, farmers market locations
and what you’ll be offering
• Photos: Images of farm, you at work (called a felfie,
seriously), animals; utilize collage tools
• Facts about your farm that customers and potential
customers may not know; tips for growing based on your
experience

15. Social Media: What
Pull
• Questions and polls related to your farm or
agriculture/local food in general
• Fill in the blank: start a conversation with a
scenario or statement and end with a blank, asking
them to complete
• Ask for followers to caption a photo

16. Social Media: What
Share
• Current news: share your opinions, tie into your
farm operation
• Connect to holidays and theme days
• Re-post from fellow farmers, ag organizations, ag
media
• Share inspirational quotes

17. Social Media: What
Tips, Facebook
• Utilize all tools as appropriate: create events, photo
galleries, groups, change your cover photo and
profile photo, etc.
• Check on changes and learn what they mean for you
at newsroom.fb.com
• Use hashtags; tie into the community

18. Social Media: What
Tips, Twitter
•
Use hashtags to increase visibility like #avlag #avleat #farmersmarkets
#felfie
•
Participate in appropriate Twitter conversations and events
•
Use all methods: simple RT, RT with comment, favoriting, responding for
your followers and others to see, direct messages where appropriate
•
Follow customers and other related orgs and biz; make lists if you have
time to stay organized
•
Speak the language, it’s okay to abbreviate; aim for slightly under 140
characters

19. Social Media: What
Tips, General
• Post consistently; share if you’ll be away
• Create backlog for slow days; watch others for ideas
• Create and utilize a social media calendar
• Develop voice, show your personality, mix in humor
• Have “crisis communications” plan
• Use help, forums, Google searches to answer ?s

20. Social Media: When
Experiment!
Using analytics/insights and trial and error, learn your
followers and post when they’re online

21. E-newsletters: Why
• Same reasons as social media
BUT
• No algorithm or 12-second chance! You can’t make
them open, but you’re guaranteed to reach the
inboxes of subscribers.
• Social connection: call attention to your social
efforts; encourage engagement

22. E-newsletters: Where
• My Newsletter Builder (local)
• Constant Contact
• iContact
• Vertical Response
• MailChimp
• All very similar; utilize free trials and/or experiment
when lists are small and free to find right fit for you

23. E-newsletters: What
• What you can’t say in 140 characters or one photo
caption:
•
•
•
•
•
Stories
News
Lists of offerings
Calendar; looking ahead
Lengthy quotes or testimonials

24. E-newsletters: When
Think of purpose and your available time: If your
subscribers want to know ahead of markets what
you’ll have, go weekly. Don’t have market news or
time to compose each week, think monthly.
THEN
Experiment!

25. Thank you!
You can reach me with questions and for
affordable social media and
communications help at
mcramerwrites@gmail.com.