by
Jessica Weber
| Sep 26, 2017
When big news hits your Industry or breed, are you prepared to leverage it?
Last weekend at the historic Fort Worth Stockyards a Texas Longhorn bull, Cowboy Tuff Chex, sold for $165,000. While some speculated that he'd bring a half of a million dollars, this sale amount was still a big deal for Longhorn breeders across the nation.
ABC News awarded the event national coverage and dozens of other local news sources also put out stories.
But how do you, the general Longhorn (or any) breeder, who may not have a $165,000 bull or an $80,000 cow, leverage the national buzz and increase awareness of your breeding program? How could you try to increase your private treaty sales in conjunction with the popularity of the breed under topic?
These 10 tips are aimed at helping you make the most of big news by using the social media platforms available to you in conjunction with your Hired Hand powered website.
#10: Put A Facebook Ad to Work for You
#9. Create Your Own Hashtag
If you haven't created a specific hashtag to use for your ranch, you should. Using a specific hashtag allows for customers to click and see all photos associated with that hashtag.
- Hashtags can be used on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+
- Keep them short and don't use too many at one time
- Depending on the platform, use nor more than 9 different hashtags
- Adding popular hashtags or general interest like #longhorns allows for a broader exposure.
#8. Follow hashtags for the event.
- Ask sale hosts if they have specific hashtags they will be using for their event
- Pro tip: Follow Hired Hand's social media marketing and tie into our hashtags for additional exposure! Our Hashtags are well researched and aimed at getting the best results for the event or news topic at hand.
- Location hashtags are very helpful
- Trending topics like Holidays or celebrations #TalkLikeAPirateDay #WorldPizzaDay prove successful
- Days of the Week #TBT (Throw Back Thursday) , #FBF(Flash Back Friday), #MondayMotivation are also very popular and typically trending
#7. Follow People & Businesses with Similar Interests
Liking other ranch or business pages, following new people, and commenting on others content are all ways to get people to like, follow, and share your content back.
Leverage PR during the big sale or event by making sure you are following all media outlets attending event, event hosts, and other event sponsors.
For example, various media outlets were covering this weekends' event due to Cowboy Tuff Chex being a Guinness Book of World Record holder and having the potential of selling for $500K.
That is something to take advantage of. Those outlets audiences reach a huge number of people which means you can in turn also reach that number of people. If you visit our Hired Hand Twitter feed, you'll see that we retweeted or mentioned Cowboy Tuff Chex and the Hudson Valentine Sale approx. 10 times from 10 different sources throughout the weekend. That reach and coverage is huge!
#6. Share, Share, Share
Click your "Share button" when you're on such pages as the sale page, hosts ranch page, Facebook event, etc. to generate interesting content and tie into the news of the big event.
In return, you want your social media to be filled with information that others can share. Having content others can share is important. By having your name in other places you gain additional exposure.
#5.. Update your SEO
When big news is coming, make sure your website has these 3 features:
1. Organic (fresh, interesting, genuine) Content
2. Links
3. Is Mobile Friendly/Responsive
If your website is powered by Hired Hand you can also go the extra step of completing your page descriptions. The image below shows this section within the Hired Hand admin system:
#4. Leverage all Social Media channels.
Are you on
Facebook...
Twitter....
Instagram....
Snapchat?
Each social media platform has a different way to reach an audience. Make sure yours cater to your target audience's needs on that specific platform. By being on several or all these can increase your exposure online, reach various target markets, segments and demographics as well as drive traffic to your site.
While something may not resonate well with Twitter, it may on Facebook. And you wouldn't post something on Snapchat that you would post on Instagram and so froth. Test these various platforms while showing off the event you're attending.
You should also consider promoting that you're on other social media platforms on other platforms to gain additional followers and fans. For example, if you're on Facebook and Instagram, do a Facebook post encouraging your fans to follow you on Instagram. Be sure to include your account name so that they can find you easily.
#3. Include Photos and Video
Just as you want to use a variety of platforms, you also need to use a variety of media. Don't rely solely on text but also include photos, videos, graphics, etc. These items trend better across all platforms and make your posts more visually appealing and more likely to be shared.
#2. Consider Geotargeting
For the more advanced user, Geofencing and location targeting can be powerful tactics for driving engagement among a concentrated group on-site. You can deliver premiums such as exclusive content or prizes.
#1. Respond Promptly
Despite utilizing various social media networking channels, if you fail to communicate real-time with your target market, efforts are often wasted. Responding frequently is as important as audience engagement and customer service. If you are active around the issues in the social world, more attendees will come to you, producing loyal customers.
In Conclusion....
Remember to always use strategy when integrating social media. Create a one-of-a-kind experience relative to your breed, your program, your ranch identity; and one that appeals to your niche market's interests.
The right tools can help you quantify the time and money you're spending on social media. Hired Hand is always here to help and is proud to offer social media marketing assistance and services for your breeding program or ranch. Please contact Molly today to schedule an appointment to learn more.
Here are some examples of the news coverage we retweeted on our Twitter page.
