precision agriculture education: using social media
TRANSCRIPT
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Precision Agriculture Education:
Using Social Media
Amy Thompson WinsteadAlabama Cooperative Extension System
10th International Conference on Precision Agriculture • July 18-21, 2010
Denver, Colorado
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Goals
• Generate information to help farmers’ decisions related to Precision Ag
• Increase program recognition
• Promote agriculture through Extension and education efforts
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Cooperative Extension
• Extension Brand Value Research Survey:
– 27% of US population knows who we are
– Of those that have heard of their state Extension Program, familiarity is very low
– 16% of US 18-35 year olds know Extension
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Internet Use
• 74% of US adults use the internet
• 70% of Alabama farmers use internet to obtain precision ag information
• 22% of the time an individual spends online is on social networking sites
• From 2009 to 2010 average visitors time spent on social media sites has increased 66%
The Nielsen Company, June 2010
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Social Media Use
World Users US Users Use
Facebook 400 million 112 million500 billion min/month
Twitter 105 million 19 million75% traffic from
outside site
LinkedIN 70 million 30 millionHalf of membership
international
You Tube2 billion videos/day
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
AL Precision Ag Web Campaign
• Deliver current information to producers and practitioners in timely manner
• Broaden audience nationally and internationally
• Increase outreach of educational information
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Alabama Precision Ag Website
• Website redesign– Modeled ACES layout
– PA logo
– New URL www.AlabamaPrecisionAgOnline.com
– Blog
– Upcoming Events
– Announcements
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Alabama Precision Ag Website
• Information organized by topic and content– Publications
– Presentations
– Research
– Team members
– Links
– Tutorials
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Precision Ag Blog
• Precision Ag Blog– Team member approach
– Updated weekly
– Current topics
– Quickly disseminate information
– Linked to SM efforts
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Social Media
• Social Media Efforts
• AlabamaPrecisionAgOnline
• @AL_Prec_Ag
– YouTube
• alcoopextensionvideo
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Results
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Alabama Precision Ag Website
• June 2009 – 2010
– 133% increase in website hits
– 32% increase in views
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Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Precision Ag Blog
• Blogs increasingly picked up & redistributed
– Farm Press
– Precision Pays
– AgLeader
– PrecisionAg.com
– Farms.com
– AgFax
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Social Media
• 209 Facebook fans
– Since January 2010, 127% increase
• 200 Twitter followers
– Retweets
• 589 YouTube views0
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Facebook Fans
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Summary
• Web campaign has extended our outreach
• SM efforts have provide outlet to disseminate information
• Unique opportunity to connect with others in industry
• Increased our presence as source for PA information
Precision Agriculture Education: Using Social Media
Thank You
www.alabamaprecisionagonline.com
Improving producer profitability and environmental stewardship
Twitter: @AL_Prec_AgFacebook: Alabama Precision Ag Online
John Fulton Amy Winstead Anne Adrian [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
334-844-3541 256-353-8702 334-844-9660