Insight
Growth of Digital Marketing
While it’s true that the digital era in marketing and communications officially began in the ‘90s, the rise of social media platforms in the last two decades has fueled a digital marketing boom, and projects like social media that were once a side project for an intern are now key components of marketing and marcomm strategies.
Welcome back to the 3rd installment of lessons we’ve learned over 15 years as a full-service ag marketing agency. We started with a celebration of helping brands achieve big goals over the years. We talked about how the foundations of marketing and communications are still solid roots to grow from, how your brand’s story is critical, and now we’re going to discuss how to navigate the changes in traditional Agri-marketing to today’s digital landscape. And don’t worry, we aren’t saying traditional media is dead or doesn’t have its place. But statistically, if you don’t have your digital footprint covered, then you’re at risk of losing major ground.
First, we need to acknowledge that digital media is not new. The first commercial website was launched in the early 1990s. But with the rise of social media, most digital communications and touchpoints now occur on a few channels, so we’re focusing on social media for this segment and tying it to our journey through marketing fundamentals and storytelling.
With more than 3 billion active daily users on Facebook alone in 2025, even niche audiences for brands are likely to use one or more social platforms. Brands used to extensively maintain blogs to help their SEO rankings and keep content fresh. Today, keeping a presence on social media is even more important, especially if your brand is focused on a digital omnichannel campaign.
There was a decline in brick-and-mortar traffic prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. But in the post-2020 world, a brand’s digital presence is its doorstep, billboard, and signage all in one. Rather than stopping into your business to discover and get a feel, consumers seek answers digitally before they even consider purchasing.
Today, a brand’s digital footprint is used for brand awareness, lead generation, PR, sales and revenue, customer engagement, customer support, marketing, integration, and messaging combined. While each of these areas can seem like a mission on its own, here are some of the best lessons and benefits we’ve seen in the digital marketing/social media marketing boom.
- Adaptability and Flexibility:
- The marketing landscape constantly evolves, so it’s crucial to be adaptable and willing to experiment with new tools and strategies. This includes embracing new technologies and understanding shifts in consumer behavior.
- Digital is real-time; there is no waiting to go to print, missing a window of opportunity, or complicated tracking.
- You can update and make changes in real time.
- With the high amount of content on digital platforms and our current news cycle, even a misstep can be easily rectified and/or buried by tomorrow’s headlines.
- Embracing AI and Automation:
- AI and automation technologies can help streamline marketing processes, personalize experiences, and improve efficiency.
- AI isn’t new, but how we use it is.
- Don’t look for AI to provide the answers, but to supplement the work you’re doing.
- AI is a tool that is not going anywhere but should be used judiciously. Careless and unnecessary use helps no one. Caution and objectivity are paramount before feeding it data.
- AI in agriculture has been used for a while and helped bring progress from the field to the table—it’s not all bad or good, but an option to be evaluated on where its use adds value.
- Data-Driven Decisions:
- The ability to track, analyze, and interpret data is essential for making informed marketing decisions. This includes using analytics tools to measure campaign performance and optimize strategies.
- The importance of measurement – tracking and measuring marketing results.
- Customer-Centric and UX Approach:
- Understanding customers’ needs, pain points, and how they use your product/service.
- Personalized interactions can tailor your customers’ unique needs and let them feel valued.
- Enhances customers’ experiences and consistency.
- Help boost brand loyalty.
- Establishing Brand Identity and Culture:
- Today’s customers want to know who they’re supporting and what their mission is.
- Your voice online should match who your brand is in person.
- Your audience should be able to see your values and benefits to them through your digital presence.
- Power of Collaboration:
- Targeting your audience and adjacent audiences can help expose your brand to new potential customers.
- User-generated content helps connect you to broader audiences and improve authenticity.
- Cross-brand collaboration is a key factor in the future.
As you can see, there are many important lessons learned in the boom of digital and social media for Agri-marketing. And even as these platforms and channels evolve, it is important to remember the fundamentals of knowing your customer and your story.
