In the agriculture industry, we have a very low tolerance for fluff.
Farmers and producers are some of the busiest people on the planet. They don’t have time for filler content, and they certainly don’t have time for brands that only talk about themselves. Yet, when many agriculture brands launch a social media page, they inadvertently fall into a selling mindset. They post overly polished product shots, corporate press releases, and “buy now” calls to action. This usually leads to low engagement, slow follower growth, and the need for paid ads to get your content in front of more people.
At McCracken, we believe you should treat your social media as a hub for connection.
Start Conversing
Most brands treat their social media feed as a megaphone. They use it to shout about their latest product launch or their newest award. But in an industry built on handshakes and multi-generational trust, defaulting to promotion-only content isn’t the way to build a relationship.
When you manage organic social by starting conversations rather than just broadcasting messages, you move from being seen as a vendor to being a partner. You stop pushing information at your audience and start creating a space where they want to engage with you.
Organic Can Be a Slow Process
We’ll be transparent: organic growth is slow. It doesn’t have the instant hit of a paid ad campaign that buys you 10,000 impressions overnight. However, in the long run, an organically grown audience is significantly more beneficial for your bottom line.
Here’s why:
Authenticity Over Algorithms: Anyone can pay for reach, but you can’t pay for a farmer’s genuine attention. Organically building an audience is a more authentic way to grow because every follower chooses to be there based on the value you provide.
Loyalty Through Repetition: Real loyalty comes from showing up every day. When a grower sees your brand providing value, answering questions, and sharing the reality of the industry consistently, they stop seeing you as a logo and start seeing you as a resource.
Building Trust Before the Sale: When you focus on community before you ever ask for a sale, you’ve already lowered the barrier to entry. By the time your sales team makes a call, the prospect already knows your values and your expertise.
Proof in the Process
It’s easy to get discouraged when a post doesn’t go viral. But social media in ag isn’t about internet fame; it’s about industry influence. We have seen firsthand how a disciplined, organic approach outperforms.
If you want to see the specific impact our approach to social media had for our partners this past year, including how we tripled growth rates and saw triple-digit increases in reach, check out our latest white paper. These results aren’t just vanity metrics; they represent a high-quality community of people who actually want to hear what a brand has to say.
Don’t Get Discouraged
If your social media feels like a one-way street right now, change the approach. Stop selling and start listening. Share the behind-the-scenes struggles and the honest wins of your team.
Stay the course. The trust you build today through a simple, organic conversation is what will secure the sale tomorrow.
Is your social media strategy building a community? If you’re ready to turn your digital presence into a conversation that actually converts, McCracken is here to help.
