10 ways farmer's markets can use social media
DESCRIPTION
Farmer's markets often feel they lack the time and resources to manage a successful social presence. Here are 10 things on which they should focus.TRANSCRIPT
MINNESOTA FARMER’S MARKET ASSOCIATION | MARCH 22, 2012
SOCIAL MEDIA FOR
FARMER’S MARKETS
AGENDA
• Why is social media important?
• 10 ways to use social media
• Discussion/questions
2
WHY IS SOCIAL MEDIA IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESSES?
3
Five main reasons businesses use social
media
1. Communicating information
2. Customer service
3. Deepening relationships
4. Branding via content and
conversations
5. Responding to crises
4
There are 130 farmer’s markets in Minnesota alone.
5
7,175 in the U.S. *up 17 percent in 2011
What are people doing at modern
farmer’s markets besides buying food?
6
Checking in Taking photos Updating their status Tweeting
I JUST SAW FRANK AND JUNE CHECK IN AT THE FARMER’S MARKET ON FOURSQUARE. IT SOUNDS FANTASTIC!
10 WAYS FARMER’S MARKETS CAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA
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1. Be a prolific source of information.
8
Facts are valuable currency: Location, hours, reminders – What can people expect if they go?
“The strawberries are almost gone!”
9
2. Give real-time updates
What would you talk about in person?
10
3. Share relevant and interesting content
Blogs can be a good home base for planned content; Syndicate via social channels
And be prepared for criticism or a crisis.
11
4. Answer questions
Photos have the highest engagement
rates on Facebook.
12
5. Be sure to include visual content
15 million instagram accounts – and counting. 60 photos uploaded every minute.
“What do I do with this food I just bought?”
13
6. Tie in to cooking
Post recipes; partner with local chefs, hold cooking competitions
7. Leverage geolocation
14
Establish official Foursquare
location, offer specials or
contests
8. Connect people with their food sources
15
Profiles of farmers, Q&A’s, photos
from farms.
9. Publish post-event content
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Highlights from the day: photos,
anecdotes, thank-you’s,
announce winners of contests
10. Come together
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Promote other farmer’s markets
and interact with their pages.
Highlight the national trend of
“fork to food.”
18
Thank you. Questions?
19
Steffen Ryan
Digital Strategist, Weber Shandwick
Twitter:
@redguitarpick