The Content Marketing Playbook for Agtech [100k visitors]

In the US alone, the agribusiness sector represents a market of $390 billion in produce and products. Subsectors like farm equipment, agricultural machinery, chemicals, supply-chain services, crop production and processing, and many more are on the rise. Competition is at its highest levels, and to stay on top of the chain, businesses need to adapt to new ways of promoting their services and products. This means — digital marketing in agribusiness is the go-to strategy. 

But before getting to the actual strategy, let’s have a look at where agribusinesses stand in the bustling world of digital marketing.

According to a paper published after the 2016 ENTRENOVA Conference Proceedings, the adoption rate for digital marketing in agribusiness is situated at only 78%, compared to other industries, where the average is 88%. There seems to be a disconnection. And the reason for it might be that agtech companies gravitate towards a more traditional approach rather than digital — and assume that it is not possible to sell online to their customers.

Breaking the barrier between traditional and digital marketing seems like a hard task if we think about it. Nonetheless, it’s the right decision. For instance, promoting a revolutionary agtech solution through digital means might be more appropriate than an old-school channel when it comes to creating a trustworthy and cohesive impression on a potential customer. And below you have the arguments that will tip the scale in favor of digital marketing in agribusiness: 

•   Reaching a wider audience

 From a geographical perspective, it’s hard to say whether the classical marketing tactics will convert into viable business leads, especially when you have little guarantee that your advertising process will, in fact, reach your target audience. Not only that, but it’s significantly harder to generate business leads in places where the old-school marketing channels have been replaced with newer ones.

• Connecting with customers 

Giving potential customers the opportunity to engage with your content through social media makes the algorithms work for you, increasing your visibility on the market. Having customers interact with your content benefits them as well, as they become a part of your company’s story; also, creating a sense of loyalty among your customers is a key component when it comes to consolidating your brand’s identity.

• Cost efficiency

Sure, in the short run, digital agriculture marketing services come with a price tag, but let’s put it another way. When analyzing cost v. efficiency, you may discover that paying for newspaper ads, TV spots, etc. time and time again with very little control over who connects with your business might not be in your best interest.

Moreover, you need to keep in mind that this approach gives you a higher degree of flexibility. Being able to adapt your message according to your specific subsector, therefore keeping up with any updates and developments, is essential when expanding your customer base.

• Digital marketing generates growth 

The level of personalization provided by digital data is unlike any other way of creating a strong customer base and staying connected with it. In order to understand digital marketing for agriculture, you need to realize that it is the best option when it comes to building a strong long-term marketing and business strategy and boosting sales.

•  Faster conversion rates 

Digitalizing your marketing approach provides your customers with the option of taking action as soon as they connect with your content. Saving a post or a link helps your customers move along the sales pipeline right away. 

Even if they don’t make a decision on the spot, they stay connected with your brand and provide you with the opportunity to interact with them further down the line. That proves especially efficient when considering that the old-school approach creates a significant time gap that decreases your impact when approaching potential customers.

•  Quantifying your results

Of course, if you stick to the traditional approach, there is always the option of asking every single one of your customers “Where and how did you find us?” But the answer to that question will probably not be accurate enough to help you create a long-term plan of action, as the results of this business strategy are difficult to measure.

Digital marketing in agribusiness, just like in any other field, needs to be tailored to your specific subsector and, as mentioned earlier, requires a very good understanding of the agtech business. The easiest way to do that is in real time, by assessing how many customers it attracts and how much revenue that could generate over time.