6 Digital Trends for Agriculture in 2024

Brand Safety in the Age of Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s acquisition and ongoing involvement in X - formerly known as Twitter - has had an influential role on how advertisers have used the platform. He has fully encouraged free speech on X, inciting and encouraging plenty of questionable opinions from users.

In light of these difficulties, brand safety has become a critical concern for marketers. It is a difficult issue to navigate, as we need to balance the small risk to the brand with the benefit of the improved performance we see when using programmatic and social advertising on X.

Many ad platforms provide options for brand safety and exclusions, but ultimately programmatic and social advertising will always remove an element of control regarding the specific placement of advertising content. As the situation with Elon Musk’s handling of X develops, many advertisers may need to shift the way they interact with the platform to preserve their brand’s integrity.

X’s Evolution in Agriculture Marketing

X has undergone some significant changes over the last 12 months, impacting how marketers leverage the platform. X has long been useful for reaching and engaging with #agtwitter and provides an ideal space for connecting with farmers.

Beyond concerns with brand safety, we have seen major changes to the platform that have impacted performance. The sudden introduction of verification for advertisers (with no warning or information) gave us all headaches early into 2023 and we have witnessed more shifts in advertising performance over the last 12 months than ever before. Elon Musk isn’t going to be changing his approach anytime soon, so we should expect ongoing changes and disruption.

We typically look to mitigate risk by expanding our advertising and social media usage to other platforms to find additional ways to reach and engage with our audience. Reddit has begun to show some promise, and early trials of TikTok advertising have also shown potential to reach relevant audiences in the ag space.

The Influence of AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we work, especially in the world of marketing. It has already impacted how ads are built and presented, the available formats of digital advertisements, and the targeting strategies that we can leverage. AI-powered tools enable marketers to analyze vast datasets, personalize content, and optimize campaigns, enhancing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of digital marketing efforts.

Historically, marketing in the ag industry has been slow to adopt modern tactics, and the AI boom is putting advancement in ag at risk. It’s important that we are aware of the options and open to experimenting with new approaches and tactics that leverage modern AI.

Performance Marketing and E-Commerce

The current state of the global economy is putting additional pressures on businesses, and as a result we’re seeing that marketing budgets are flat or decreasing in 2024. This puts an increased pressure on understanding return-on-investment (ROI) and return-on-ad-spend (ROAS) so that we are allocating our limited budgets to the most effective tactics. The emphasis on performance marketing in 2024 allows for a more measurable approach, enabling companies to track and evaluate the success of digital campaigns.

Performance marketing is a digital technique where we only pay and optimize for measurable results. These results are typically online leads or sales. The ag industry has been slow to embrace and adopt online lead generation, sales enablement, and ecommerce tactics, but we are seeing more companies experiment and learn how performance marketing can yield positive results.

Contextualization for Farming Audiences

Tailoring messages and ads to provide value based on the context of the farmer’s activities is gaining prominence. Contextualization is focused on delivering value to the audience via digital marketing initiatives. Ag marketers are increasingly focused on delivering relevant agronomic content and educational materials, ultimately enhancing engagement by understanding the unique needs and interests of their target audience.

The Power of Video

This is an item you would see in every digital marketing trend list over the last decade, but it continues to ring true. Video assets continue to outperform static content on social media, regardless of the campaign objective. Ag marketers are leveraging the engagement and appeal of video to tell compelling stories, showcase products, grab attention, and connect with their audience.

The rise of TikTok specifically has further advanced the adoption of video content and evolved the way we think about and approach video for social media. Embracing video in 2024 will improve your marketing performance.

Conclusion

As digital marketing in agriculture evolves, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success. Embracing these trends in 2024 will empower agrimarketers to effectively navigate the digital landscape and cultivate meaningful connections with their target audience.

Taking full advantage of trends isn’t easy – putting your brand in the hands of an agency that understands ag can give you an edge