Is Social Media the New Website?

Is Social Media the New Website?

Don’t be surprised if that’s the case.

Websites have always been the primary factor search engines took into account when it came to their rankings. But the times are changing, and the savviest marketers know that social media is revolutionizing the way business is being conducted online.

While agribusinesses are often thought of as being behind the times when it comes to social media, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many agribusinesses have embraced social media and are using it to their advantage.

Updates in Google’s algorithm means much more interest is being paid to where farmers and ranchers are hanging out online. Google and other search engines also are looking for quality, engaging content that is shared and commented on. And where is this type of content most likely to be found? Social media sites.

Social media is fast becoming the website of the 90s. This is true for several reasons in addition to SEO. If you have a farmer or rancher who wants to learn more about your business, in many cases they are no longer going to look at your website only. They are going to check you out on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Social media is actually moving in the same direction as websites did in the beginning. First, it was important to just have a website. Then you had to make sure that you kept that website updated. The same is now true of social media. Many Ag businesses once felt that if they had a basic Facebook or Twitter account set up they were good to go.  That is no longer the case. Social media sites need to have fresh, new content posted on a regular basis.

Think of your own life when you research a company. You land on a site, and then click on their Facebook, Twitter and/or Blog icons, only to see a blank page, or maybe worse, the last post being in 2014. What did you think? How did that make you feel about that company? Even if it were just for a split second, you may have perceived the company in a negative light. Most businesses can’t afford that. We can’t afford spending money to bring visitors to our site, only to have our website and our social media sites work against us.

Fresh, new content is so important to your online presence and visibility. Social media is a great way to engage and strengthen our relationship with farmers and ranchers.

Many business owners understandably are concerned it is difficult to measure social media’s ROI. And truth be told, for most Ag businesses it’s probably not a primary medium when it comes to a purchase. But it also isn’t a stretch to think that social media plays a huge role when it comes to influencing someone’s decision to purchase. We all know the slightest negative vibe can ruin a deal. It’s always worse when it’s something we could have controlled.

Social media can do so many great things for your business. What’s best, it doesn’t take a huge investment to stand out among the competition. What it does take is some time and effort. Many companies will choose to outsource their social media management if they feel they don’t have the time or expertise to do it themselves. If this is something you would be interested in, US Farm Data can help. We think you will be surprised at how affordable it can be to keep your social media sites fresh, engaged and garnering the attention they deserve. If you want to learn more about how social media can help your business, contact us at 800-960-6267 or email us at info@usfarmdata.com.