From Farm to Social Feed: How to Create Viral Content for Your Food or Ag Business
Ever wonder why your homemade jam reels get crickets, but a random cheese pull video racks up 100,000 views overnight? But viral content isn’t magic. It’s marketing infrastructure disguised as good fun. And ok…sometimes it’s a little magic.
Many small food and ag businesses assume going viral is like winning the lottery: rare, random, and not worth banking on. But in reality, the folks hitting the algorithm jackpot are the ones who understand what to post, how to package it, and why people care. (Spoiler alert: it’s not just about the product.)
This guide will walk you through the ingredients of viral content and how to turn your content into a product that your customers crave.
Understanding What Makes Food Content Go Viral
Remember Grandma’s famous cinnamon rolls and how your whole house smelled like sugar and comfort for hours.
That’s how viral food content works. It’s not just about showing what you made. It’s about how it makes people feel.
Here’s what works:
Emotional connection: People share what makes them feel something: nostalgia, laughter, pride, awe.
Visuals that tell a story: Think golden sunlight hitting a crate of just-picked tomatoes. A single droplet of cream hitting hot coffee in slow-mo.
Trends + twist: Take a viral format (like a "Day on the Farm" vlog or ASMR soap-cutting) and make it your own with your story and your voice.
Pro Tip: Your job isn’t to follow trends blindly—it’s to translate them into your context. Don’t just copy. Customize.
Choosing the Right Social Media Platforms
Social media isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s more like choosing the right tractor for the job.
Instagram & TikTok = your shiny new market booth. Great for beautiful displays (photos & reels), quick storytelling, and trending content.
Facebook & YouTube = your storytelling stage. Excellent for long-form video, live sessions, community comments, and older demographics.
Pinterest & Blogs = your quiet sales reps that never sleep. They drive steady traffic to your recipes, how-tos, and product pages long after you post.
Use this rule of thumb:
If it’s visually appealing → Instagram/TikTok.
If it’s educational or behind-the-scenes → YouTube/Blog.
If you want direct connection with buyers → Facebook.
Content Strategies for Maximum Engagement
A lot of ag and food content online feels like a feedlot. Overcrowded, all looking the same.
To stand out, you need realness, personality, and strategy.
Behind-the-Scenes:
Show what really goes into getting that jar of pickles to market or your cattle mineral tubs delivered on time. People love seeing the process, especially if it involves something they don’t normally get to see or an opportunity to see how they can apply it in their life.
User-Generated Content:
Ask your customers to share how they use your product. Make it easy: offer a prompt, use a hashtag, and feature them on your feed.
Giveaways & Polls:
Need fast engagement? Run a poll on which ice cream flavor to make next. Offer a free product in exchange for tagging a friend. It works.
Video Marketing & Storytelling for Food Brands
Video is like farm-fresh eggs: once you’ve tried it, there’s no going back.
The key is intentional simplicity. You don’t need a fancy set up. You need to make time for it and cross it off the list, imperfections and all.
Short-Form Video (TikTok & Reels)
Try:
"Harvest Day in 30 Seconds"
“What People Think Farming Looks Like vs. Reality”
“How We Make Our Best-Selling Butter (ASMR style)”
Live Streams & Raw Clips
Go live at the market. Share your canning day chaos (sweat and all!). Walk your pasture during golden hour.
ASMR for Farm & Food
Crunchy carrots. Sizzling bacon. Cream sloshing in a jar. People love satisfying sounds. Use it to your advantage!
Working with Influencers & Content Creators
You don’t need a Kardashian to move your meat sticks.
What you do need is someone whose audience trusts them and who genuinely loves what you do.
How to Pick:
Find creators already passionate about food, agriculture, sustainability, shopping local, etc.
Look at engagement, not just follower count. Do their followers leave comments? Share their posts?
Ask: “Would they use this even if we didn’t pay them?”
How to Collaborate:
Send them product and ask for honest feedback.
Co-create a reel or recipe.
Host a giveaway with them or give their followers a special discount code.
Key Takeaways & Action Steps
The Big 3 Takeaways:
Viral content starts with emotion, story, and authenticity.
Different platforms require different types of content.
Collaborate and connect. We grow when we reach beyond our normal circle.
Ready to Turn Farm-Fresh Into Feed-Worthy?
Start with one small piece of content this week:
A behind-the-scenes video.
A poll for your audience.
A customer story worth sharing.
Viral growth isn’t luck. It’s trial and error and dedication - and sometimes luck.
Need help building a content plan that fits your life and business goals?
Reach out - we’re here to help!
