Fifth-generation farmer Greg Peterson (above center) was majoring in agricultural communications at Kansas State University when he had the idea to film a parody music video that drastically changed the course of his and his family members’ lives.
It took some convincing, but Peterson got his younger brothers, Nathan (above right) and Kendal (above left), to be part of the video, which is named “I’m Farming and I Grow It.”
“At first, they definitely thought it sounded like a waste of time,” he says.
In 2012, after countless hours of writing lyrics, filming and editing, Greg Peterson posted the music video to the newly created Peterson Farm Bros YouTube channel. The video had five million views in one week.
The brothers’ viral hit convinced the Southeast of Saline FFA Alums, who currently work on their family’s cattle and row-crop farm in Kansas, to continue posting clever videos. Their YouTube channel has since grown to 307,000 subscribers.
Looking to level up your advocacy skills by sharing your stories online? Greg Peterson shares the following five tips for leveraging digital platforms to share agriculture-focused content.
1. Post consistently.
Your audience wants to know when to expect new content. For example, the Peterson Farm Brothers post content ranging from music videos to photos and Instagram reels almost daily.
“The algorithm [on platforms like Instagram, YouTube and TikTok] likes consistent content and returning viewers, so it’s important to post as consistently as possible,” Greg Peterson adds.
2. Pick your platform.
Some, like YouTube, are better for posting long-form videos, while others are designed to showcase shorter video content or photos.
According to Greg Peterson, knowing the type of content you want to post and the audience you want to reach can help you choose which platforms to use.
3. Find what’s popular.
Creating content that’s based on current trends “automatically sets you up for success,” Greg Peterson says. Audiences use keywords to find trending videos, which helps boost content in the algorithm.
4. Stay committed.
Creating social media content to promote agriculture is hard work, and building an audience doesn’t happen overnight.
“There is a lot of patience involved,” Greg Peterson adds. “If you’re not getting enough views, you may have to look at what other successful content creators are doing and try to emulate that.”
5. Honor your roots.
Audiences can tell when content isn’t genuine, and “authenticity is really important,” Greg Peterson says.
Since the Petersons grew up on a farm and participated in music and FFA in high school, these passions shine through in their content. Now that they have families — Greg, Nathan and Kendal are all married and have eight children between them — their content reflects this, too.
“Something that really connects with people is your story, which includes personal struggles and triumphs,” Greg Peterson says. “We’re giving people a glimpse of what our lives look like, but we also throw some entertainment in and try to show that agriculture is there to inspire the next generation.”
Connect and Engage
Want to share your passions for agriculture with others? If so, then consider applying for New Century Farmer, which will be held this summer, and check out the #SpeakAg Pioneers program.
