How to Use Instagram Stories for Ag Business

1. Educate Through Video Content

Educating our customers is probably one of the most important and valuable things we can do as ag businesses. Today average consumers are more removed from agriculture than ever before. It’s up to us to bridge the gap and tell people the truth about how their food is produced, our lifestyle, and why we do what we do.

One of the best ways to do this is by sharing short video content in your Instagram stories. Instagram videos are 15 seconds but you can post a longer video and IG will break it up into multiple stories for you when posting.

It’s easy to hop on video a couple of times a week to share some facts or teach people more about what you do at your farm or ranch.

2. Share new content (blog, post, etc)

There are 400 MILLION users watching Instagram stories each day! Stories are a great place to reach your audience with your latest content. Post a new blog? Share it in your story. Have a new post up? Share it in your story.

Tons of people get on Instagram and just watch stories - make sure you're reaching your audience there too!

3. Increase Engagement

Feel like your getting crickets every time you post? By using Instagram stories you can quickly re-engage your audience while also utilizing direct messages to build relationships and get to know your followers.

4. Promote Products

Share branded graphics or images to promote your products on Instagram stories. You can even add a product button to your story so your customers can click through to shop easily!

5. Get customer feedback (polls, questions)

Not sure how your customers would feel about a potential new product, blog topic or offer you're putting together? Ask them to vote on it in an IG story using the poll sticker!

You can also do a fun pop-quiz and test your follower’s knowledge by using the quiz sticker!

6. Do Q&A

Not sure what to talk about in an IG story? No problem - do a Q&A! Use the question sticker to allow your followers to ask you questions - then go through and answer them in your stories!

This is a great way to allow your followers to help you create content they want!

7. Use hashtags and location to reach a broader audience

Use hashtags in your stories relevant to your content to reach a broader audience - this will help you show up in front of people who are interested in what you offer!

You can also use location tags when trying to reach local audiences or if you’re at an event.

8. Share a day in the life

People want to know more about what you do - whether you farm, ranch, make amazing western products, or even homestead! There’s an audience out there interested in YOU and what you do!

Don’t be shy - hop on and show people what a day in your life is like. This not only creates trust but can also help your audience learn new things.

9. Use Instagram Story Highlights

Use Instagram story highlights as an extension of your about section - have a highlight featuring your product/service, have one for your blog, a day in the life, your favorite things, and anything else you find your share regularly in your IG stories!

10. Reshare user content

Did someone share your post? Reshare on your story! Did someone post a photo of your product? Share it on your story! Whenever someone tags you in a story (in good light of course) reshare that in your story.

Recommendations are powerful, even just casual ones on Instagram can go a long way. Be sure you always acknowledge them and reshare them in your stories - this is a great way for your followers to hear about your business from someone else’s point of view.

And of course, create an IG story highlight for all customer or (user-generated) content!

So there you have it - 10 ways to use Instagram stories for Ag Business!