Video is becoming the primary way to get farmers’ attention in a world of marketing disruption and information overload.
How many times has someone asked you, “What’s the plan for our Facebook page?” Over the last few years, agrimarketers have pushed and prodded brands to vest in social media channels. Many of these marketers consistently promote Facebook as the place where every brand should build a social media presence. But is it just a cool trend or is it serving a real business purpose?
For farmers, the answer is neither. Of course, Facebook is still a part of farmers’ lives, but it should come as no surprise that 98 percent use it only as a way to stay in touch with family and friends, according to the Meredith Agrimedia’s “Tech in Ag” report.
Half of farmers use YouTube for farm business information
The same report says that 48 percent of farmers use YouTube to acquire information on products or services for their farm.
As the second largest web search engine, YouTube has become the de facto destination to find out about stuff. Have a problem with your washing machine? There’s a video or two on YouTube showing you how to fix it, step by step. Want to watch how to make five-tier wedding cakes? You’ll have your choice from dozens of video.
It’s no different for farmers. When there’s a need for information to help their farm business, they prefer to watch a short video on the benefits of a new seed trait made by a peer in their same geography. Used in this testimonial type of way, it is powerful believability, served up visually, to satisfy farmers’ no BS “just show me, don’t tell me” mindset.
In another study on internet trends, video now accounts for 55 percent of all mobile traffic – up almost 10 percent in three years. The fact is around 90 percent of farmers own some sort of a mobile device, and they can access videos from the cab of their equipment out in the field. Plus, 72 percent of farmers access the Web at least once a day using their mobile device. Alternatively, they could also be watching their favorite movie.
Brands predicted to spend heavily on marketing through video
Penton’s “Ag Marketing Trends & Insights” predicts video advertising to be the number one place to increase brand spending. Video as a digital tactic in ag marketing is increasing to nearly 80%, outstripping all other digital tactics. And the primary use for that video content is equally divided between product education and brand awareness.
The case for digital video marketing, especially on YouTube, seems clear. Digital video will continue to play an increasingly important role in connecting your brand to farmers. Ensuring the content is aligned with their informational needs and easily available via YouTube can help maximize your success.