Strategies Behind the Communications: An Analysis of Social Media Platforms and Online Communication Channels Utilized by Agricultural Organizations in Texas

There is very limited literature surrounding agricultural organizations in today’s society, specifically communication efforts regarding online and social media. This mixed methods study sought to explore how agricultural organizations in Texas, who are current members of the Texas Agriculture Council (n = 63), utilized online communication tools to communicate with members and nonmembers. Ledingham & Bruning’s (1998) Organizational-Public Relations Theory was used to create the foundation of this study based on the principle that the agricultural organizations create and maintain relationships with its publics through frequent and consistent communication. A quantitative communications audit was conducted to determine what platforms and online channels the agricultural organizations were currently using and how often. Based on the findings of the audit, qualitative interviews were conducted to gain further insight into the communication directors’ strategies regarding the organization’s communication efforts. Results from phase one indicated that Facebook and websites were the most popular forms of communication between organizations and the public. The eight interviews from phase two provided valuable insight into the strategies and perceptions of the communication directors. The findings showed that while agricultural organizations recognize the value of being present online and on social media, these communication efforts often get pushed down the priority list. There is immense opportunity for researchers, agricultural organizations communication directors, and social media strategist to improve communication online between agricultural organizations and their key publics.