Reaching Rural Communities Through Social Media
Rural communities are very active on social media. People living in rural communities are unique in how they leverage this technology to consume information, connect with organizations, and share experiences. While urban and suburban populations tend to use social media as more of a lifestyle or status enhancer, rural populations tend to use social media in a more functional way - relying on social media to support communication, information, and media needs. Understanding the online behaviors, interests, and needs of rural populations is essential for organizations interested in strengthening connections with rural communities.
The Unique Role of Social Media in Rural Communities
Rural residents rely on social media for a variety of essentials, including community news, information access, resource recommendations, and social networking. Over the past decade, smartphone ownership rates in rural areas have skyrocketed. As more and more rural residents increased internet connectivity, so did social media usage among rural communities. Additionally, traditional media outlets such as newspapers, television, and radio that previously serviced rural areas have decreased coverage; thus, social media emerged as a viable substitute for this type of information distribution.
Social Media Usage During the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted rural communities through job loss, social distancing, and both long and short-term cessation in community programming and networking. For many rural residents, social media served as a lifeline during the pandemic - a one-stop-shop for information related to the ongoing crisis. Rural residents frequented social media to learn more about pandemic regulations and precautions and to connect with supportive resources in their community. As social distancing became a public health recommendation, many rural residents relied on social media to communicate with friends and family.
Learn more: Marketing to Rural Communities
Rural Populations’ Favorite Social Media Networks
The two most popular social media networks for rural residents are Facebook and YouTube.
Social media app usage comparison between urban, suburban, and rural residents:
Facebook:
73% of U.S. adults from urban areas use Facebook
69% of U.S. adults from suburban areas use Facebook
66% of U.S. adults from rural areas use Facebook
Youtube:
77% of U.S. adults from urban areas use YouTube
74% of U.S. adults from suburban areas use YouTube
64% of U.S. adults from rural areas use YouTube
Facebook and YouTube are not the only popular social media apps among rural residents. As with any marketing strategy, you need to consider the age demographics of the audience. Rural communities are home to many Millennials and Gen Zers. These generations tend to prioritize social media apps that offer more ephemeral content, such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
Rural Residents Love Pinterest
Another popular social media app to prioritize when trying to reach rural residents is Pinterest. Rural populations report higher usage of Pinterest than urban or suburban populations. Pinterest's popularity among rural residents shouldn’t come as a surprise when one considers key lifestyle differences between urban, suburban, and rural residents. Rural residents are more likely than urban residents to own their own homes. Additionally, rural residents may not have the same type of access to food options and delivery services that urban and suburban residents have; thus, they must prepare meals and cook more at home. Pinterest’s content cornerstones are home improvement, do-it-yourself projects, cooking instructions, and recipes. This app-specific content focus aligns with the nuances of rural life.
Learn more: 6 Social Media Tips for Rural Audiences
Rural-based vs. Urban-based Social Networks
Social media behavior is often observed as an integrated extension of how people interact and connect with each other. We can observe this in the differences in how rural and urban residents develop social networks both on and offline. According to Gilbert, Karahalios, & Sandvig, rural communities tend to prefer strong social ties vs. urban populations that prioritize having multiple weak ties. Online, rural residents may have only 200 Facebook Friends, while urban residents may have 2,000; however, rural residents are more likely to have stronger relationships with fewer connections than urban residents, who tend to focus on many connections with weaker ties. Additionally, rural residents tend to live closer in proximity to their social media friends, when compared to urban residents. Rural communities may be smaller in size than urban communities, but they tend to exhibit a high degree of active, strong relationships within those community groups.
Online Civic Engagement Among Rural Residents
Another key observation of rural audiences is that they tend to be more engaged in civic participation and discussion online than urban or suburban-based users. Rural residents are less transient than urban residents and often exhibit more “equity” in their local community than suburban and urban residents. This is evidenced by rural residents' higher home ownership and entrepreneurship rates. Social media provides rural residents with a platform to drive community change, stay apprised of community developments, and engage their neighbors in support of needed or prioritized initiatives. Public-facing organizations, such as government agencies and nonprofit organizations, can use this impetus of online engagement to connect with rural leaders and spread awareness of community-focused initiatives.
Learn more: Rural Community Engagement Strategies for the Public Sector
Reaching Rural Social Media Users
Public sector organizations that want to engage rural populations online should consider the rural audience’s social media behavior. What social media apps are they on? How frequently do they go online? What lifestyle demand or need prompts their social media behavior? How does this differ from urban and suburban populations? Once communications professionals understand the rural audience, they can begin to develop a rural-informed social media strategy. Recognize that the digital engagement strategies that work in urban and suburban areas may not have the same results in rural communities. Remember: Rural residents are very active on social media, they just use social media differently than their urban and suburban counterparts.
Rural social media strategy resources:
If your organization is looking for a creative partner to provide marketing consulting and management services, contact Becker Digital. We specialize in going beyond the screen and engaging diverse communities in a meaningful way. All of our work is customized to the organizational client’s needs.
Contact us to schedule a complimentary call and learn more about how marketing strategy can enhance your organization’s mission.
Download the “Rural Outreach” White Paper:
Rural America is a vibrant segment of the United States population. Rural communities account for the majority of America’s landmass and approximately one-fifth of the country’s overall population. This geographically dispersed demographic is unique in lifestyle, needs, and priorities. Organizations that embrace a rural-focused strategy will be better positioned to foster long-term relationships in diverse rural communities.
Download a free copy of the “Rural Outreach” White Paper to discover what makes rural life unique, and learn how organizations can effectively engage rural populations!