Megan's Blog

In the past couple of years, one of the fastest growing social media sites on the web is Twitter. The concept of Twitter, in my own words, is taking the concept of Facebook status updates, and transitioning them into a way to advertise and promote oneself or company.

My parents tell stories about how their family didn't get their first microwave in their house until they were in high school or my mom didn't have her first slice of pizza until college. When they tell me things like this, I want to look at them and say "Really?" I can't imagine my life without these things. However, looking back on the past couple of year, I can one day tell my kids the same thing about Twitter. I can honestly remember a time before it and have watched it grow and become viral and now a mainstream public relations and marketing tool for both small and large companies around the world.

I began actively "Tweeting" this summer. Once again, word-of-mouth proved to be the most effective way to market, and I began Tweeting because my peers and mentors at my summer internship Tweeted. Since then, I have expanded my network and researched how my Twitter account can help me professionally. (By researched, I mean clicked around and observed how other people had used Twitter successfully and began mimicking their actions). As an student with a degree in Agricultural Communications and an avid supported of the Agriculture industry, I quickly learned that Twitter was a way to not only network with people in my industry but also stay up to date on ag facts effecting our industry.

I use my Twitter account, @megcrud, professionally. I say to myself, Facebook is where I can stay connected to friends and have silly status updates. However, if I want to be taken seriously in my profession then I need to use Twitter professionally and make a name for myself in the industry.

I began using TweetDeck about a month ago. Since then, the opportunities for me to stay more connected and up to date with issues affecting agriculture have become more easily accessible. TweetDeck allows you to follow hashtags (for example #agchat) that you specify. One of the most popular hashtags that I follow is #agchat. By posting Tweets with the #agchat in them that are worth people's time to read, I have developed a social network of important influencers in agriculture that I have never met.

Technology and innovation has come a long way. From my parents using a microwave for the first time in college to me observing Twitter form and become viral, I have seen that technology is ever changing. I am proud to say that I see the opportunities that Twitter provides and am utilizing them to the best of my ability. Sometimes it is a struggle to Tweet information that others might find meaningful, but I know that if I keep working hard it will ultimately pay off in the end.

Please check out my Twitter account and follow me @megcrud. Maybe you too might learn something about agriculture that you never knew before. Because after all, as an agricultural communications major, that is my duty-- to spread the message about agriculture to a world that is moving farther and farther away from it.