TikTok: the new social media platform, but is it for farmers?

By: Emma Peters

There is a newer social media platform that could help you connect with consumers, or inspire those looking to get into the industry. 

TikTok is a new global social network based on video content that started in China. The audience tends to mostly consist of younger people under 30 years old and is around the size of Instagram with about 1 billion users. 

It is still a very new social media platform, but if you are looking to reach young people and want to share some cool videos such as livestock, big machinery, farm life funnies, and more then this might be the new platform for you. 

It is also a great way to inspire those looking to get into the industry and show your potential consumers where their food comes from. 

Here are some answers to questions you may have when asking if this is a platform for you.

How do you use Tiktok? 

It’s fairly simple. All you need is to download the app onto your smartphone. You don’t even need an account to view videos, but in this case, you will need to set up an account, which is super simple.

 (Tip: Make sure you have a unique username, like the name of your farm!) 

Once your account is all set up and ready to go, TikTok will start showing you videos on your ‘For You Page’ or “FYP,” which are videos they may think you want to see. The app will get smarter and more personalized to your liking the more you watch and likes videos you enjoy seeing. 

These videos are 30-60 seconds long. It is super easy to get consumed into the app and keep scrolling. 

You can even use the search bar and search simple hashtags or interested such as “farming” like it is shown in the picture here. 

How do you post a video to TikTok?

Being familiar with Snapchat or Instagram will really help your understanding in using the app.

Start by pressing the “+” button in the bottom middle part of your screen. Hold the red button and show off your farm, talk about yourself, or even just take short clips and combine them into a longer video with some music behind it. 

You can create a 15- or 60-second video or even upload an existing video from your camera roll. 

One big difference is that when you post a video, it can be shared, downloaded, and made into a gif by users. They actually encourage this type of behavior.

You can also layer sound over your video; other networks have a hard time with this. You can create audio mash-ups or choose from TikTok's massive song library.

How do others see your videos?

Hashtags!!

 

Simply put, a hashtag is an easy way for people to categorize, find and join conversations on a particular topic. The hashtag is used to highlight keywords or topics that are featured in your posts. 

 

Hashtags, like with Instagram, are used by others to find your videos. It's good to do some research for your hashtags — #foryou and #foryoupage are used to get on the TikTok front page. 

 

Here are some about farming: #dairyfarm, #dairyfarmer, #dairyfarming, #farmer, #farming, #localfarm, and #farmerlife. 

 

It can even be as simple as hashtagging your products you make, such as #organicjuices or #freshmadecheese. 

 

Be creative and don’t be afraid to use a lot of hashtags. The more hashtags you use, the more your video is most likely to be seen by potential audiences. 

 

What could you do as a farmer?

This is an opportunity to share your farm life and where food comes from in a fun new way. 

Since it's a fledging network, there aren't a lot of brands. It’s mostly people trying to entertain one another by sharing their lives, but there is a lot of weird humor and inappropriate pranks, so be prepared.

Click here to watch some videos for example: Video 1 and Video 2.

Anyone can do it

A Victorian farmer has taken the platform by storm and going viral from a few simple posts. 

Mittyack farmer Peter Vallance, who runs a mixed cropping and beef enterprise along with a few sheep on the side, joined TikTok in mid-2019. 

He started sharing his farming escapades on TikTok. At first he thought nothing of it other than personal enjoyment to share. But it turns out, people from all over the world enjoyed it too. 

Over a year later from using the app he has gained 430,700 followers and 6.1 million likes on his hundreds of videos.

The videos provide a humorous take on everyday farm life and include anything from a sheep getting lost from the flock or a bull that won't move out of the way of the car.

Vallance said the TikTok account began as a way to pass time sitting in the tractor but eventually turned into a whole lot more.

"I kept getting more people asking really basic questions about farming and I just realized that there was more I could do with it" he stated in an interview with the Weekly Times. 

He then used his newfound platform and impact with his audience to continue to inform them about the farming industry and his daily farming life. 

Remember it’s all about entertainment, so try to show something about farm life that they wouldn’t normally see. Quick cuts, music overlays, fun on the farm. 

Remember the audience is young. Don’t try to educate — entertain them.