We’ve been saying it for years….what would happen to cattle marketing if Facebook went away?
And sadly, as the events of the last few weeks have unfurled, it seems this huge nightmare to many marketers is now a reality. As a middle aged, conservative consumer in rural America, I’ve seen my news feed filled recently with posts like:
- Taking a break from social media for awhile…
- Leaving Facebook….
- Follow me on (Insert other social media outlet name here)
And as we’ve also seen, in just a moment’s notice, an individual’s Twitter or Facebook can instantly be shut down, or put on hold, simply because you post something that the corporate leaders don’t agree with.
For years, we have enjoyed a lot of tremendous perks of social media use, mostly at no cost, but old school marketers like me have often said “What would happen if one day, we woke up and Facebook was gone?”
And while I’m not saying Facebook is going to be gone….and I’m still actively on it myself…I do think things are changing, and top marketers must be ready to face these changes. You can’t simply put ALL your marketing eggs in the Facebook basket anymore.
In the aftermath of Trump’s twitter shut down, and Parler’s shut down, I started getting a flood of emails and calls from many of my most forward thinking clients. All asking the same question: “What do we do now?”
Well, for one, you go back to your website. (Of course I was going to say that). But, if you can remember, think back to the pre-Facebook days. How did people find out news about your business? They checked your website.
Today, a blog is just about as close to a social media feed as we can get. And, blogs are a great tool to have on your website to post news updates on the go. Here are a few examples of clients who have frequently updated blogs.
- BR Cutrer (my own website) Blog – I’ve been a longtime believer in blogs, and try to keep ours updated at least once a week. This is an option to getting people to your site to find out your news.
- Matt Lautner Cattle Website Blog – Here’s an example of a website who’s entire home page is basically a blog feed. So, the newest information is always there, right on the home page as you go to his website.
Second, do not underestimate the power of print marketing. As people are trending away from social media, there is a large demographic who will be relying on newspapers and magazines to get their information. You want to make sure you are in the most important publications for your category – for example, your breed association magazine or your state cattlemen’s magazine or even a national magazine. And, you must make sure your printed advertisements stand out. Here’s how RHD can help…
Third, your own “owned” media. What is owned media? It’s contacts YOU own, and can directly market to. Primarily, this is your postal mailing list and your e-mail mailing list. This is crucial. If you don’t have some sort of email list going for your company, you have to start one now. This is also another reason to have a website – so you can capture contact information from people who visit your website.
Truly, if my Facebook shut down (which I hope never happens), I could pick up my marketing without missing a beat, because I have a combination of print marketing, a great website, a blog, and a very solid email list. If I had a major announcement to get out tomorrow, and I couldn’t use Facebook, I am 100% confident I could get it out to the right people using my existing marketing methods.
Can you say the same about your business?
If not, we need to talk. We have spent the few two weeks on numerous conference calls and email discussions helping the biggest agricultural companies make plans for shifting the bulk of their advertising dependency away from Facebook and into other options. We are happy to do the same with you.
Click here to setup a call with Rachel for a consultation about how Ranch House can help you with your website and overall marketing in 2021.
Or, visit us at www.ranchhousedesigns.com to learn more about what we offer.
Good luck to everyone, and thanks as always for being a subscriber on our list!
Your friend,
Rachel Cutrer