The CFAES Center for Cooperatives, OSU Direct Food and Agricultural Marketing program at OSU South Centers, and OSU South Centers Small Business Development Center recently collaborated to present Food and Farm: Social Media at the Fairfield Agricultural Center in Lancaster, Ohio on March 19.  The free workshop hosted 13 participants with interests in learning and gaining information on marketing their food and farm businesses with different social media platforms.

Christie Welch, Direct Food and Agricultural Marketing Team for OSU Extension, interacting with participants.

Attendees were introduced to connecting better with their customers. Christie Welch, who leads the Direct Food and Agricultural Marketing Team for OSU Extension, provided detailed information on best practices and keeping your profiles current and up-do-date. Understanding short videos, how to create them, and applications that can assist you with content was reviewed. Christie went over the importance of engaging with your customers on social media and how to make interactions meaningful.

Melanie Sherman and Melissa Carter, Business Counselors with the OSU South Centers Small Business Development Center, presented on how artificial intelligence can be beneficial for marketing and how to use AI content to assist with marketing needs. Different AI platforms were explored as a group.

During the workshop, attendees were able to review their social media profiles and update to make current. Different platforms were reviewed with the group and worksheets were provided that went over the necessities of what information should be included on social media.

Contact Ann Luther (luther.111@osu.edu) with any questions about the Food and Farm Marketing: Social Media.