We’re back for the fifth year running with our annual ‘Marketing to Farmers’ report to help you better understand your farming audience and identify exactly how you can reach them.
There’s little overall change in terms of behaviour, which shows clear saturation in terms of digital marketing adoption. The shift towards digital purchasing habits aligns now with other industries. There can be no doubt that farmers are online - browsing, searching and buying.
While trends are continuing as predicted, there are some key changes we can highlight, like the final demise of X as a useful marketing channel and the impact of AI on research and buying behaviours.
One thing is clear. Across both digital and traditional channels, the power of brand has never been clearer. Its impact on influencing research, recommendations and final purchasing decisions is huge, and it plays an essential role in bridging the digital and traditional divide.
You’ll find everything you need to know in the report, which surveyed 942 farmers from across the country.
Andy Venables Chief Executive Officer
01260 541400
workwithus@hillsgreen.co.uk
As with previous years, we’re thanking participants by donating £5 to farming charities for every completed survey - a total of £4,710 this year to support the industry we are proud to be part of.
And if you want to dig deeper into our research, focus on specific farming demographics and explore the brand, digital and influencer marketing that can increase your performance… drop us a line.
We’d love to chat.
Andy
AT A GLANCE
INFLUENCE OF BRAND
The influence of brand has never been clearer, or more important
The 21st century farmer is undeniably digital… but offline channels remain important when connected to online activity.
MOST FREQUENT DIGITAL ACTIVITIES FOR FARMERS RANKED BROWSING WEBSITES IN THEIR TOP 3 CHANNELS OF INFLUENCE 62%
68%
OF FARMERS BROWSE SOCIAL MEDIA AT LEAST ONCE A DAY
EMAILING USING SEARCH ENGINES BROWSING SOCIAL MEDIA
MOST POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
UNDER 30S
27%
OF FARMERS RANKED EVENTS AND TRADESHOWS AS THE NUMBER ONE CHANNEL OF INFLUENCE
63% ARE COMFORTABLE SPENDING UP TO £5,000 IN A SINGLE ONLINE TRANSACTION
A MULTI-CHANNEL PRESENCE IS ESSENTIAL
Farmers split their media use, so success comes from integrated campaigns that include social media, digital, events and print.
>50%
OF FARMERS USE AI FOR RESEARCH, INFORMATION AND ADVICE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK
DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT DRIVES RECALL
Brands with strong digital content and engagement (including video, social posts, and online demos) punch above their weight.
CONSISTENCY MATTERS
The most recalled brands are visible across platforms and communicate a strong, distinctive identity, not just product features.
WHO WE SURVEYED
FARM SIZE AGE
UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE
There’s no such thing as the “farmer” persona. All our research and insights over the last 5 years shows that the agriculture sector simply isn’t dominated by those older, stubborn male stereotypes.
It’s as diverse as any other. Your audience is diverse, and if you want to influence those decision makers, you need to understand exactly who they are and appeal to them with a brand that speaks their language.
WHO MAKES THE BUYING DECISIONS?
Stop thinking about ‘farmers’ as a generic term, and instead target your marketing around specific personas that help you identify how they think and what they want from your products or services.
From our extensive experience marketing to the industry, we’ve identified 8 key personas you should be aware of (you’ll find them throughout the report).
THE BEDROCK
SHOW ME IT WORKS, SHOW ME IT PAYS, THEN WE’LL TALK.”
Who: 58, beef & sheep farmer, decades of farm experience.
Decision-making role: Sole (but influenced by neighbours experiences).
Primary pain points: Profits squeeze, regulation burden, succession planning, a long time in the job.
Digital behaviour: WhatsApp for local network, online market price checks.
Responds to: Face to face reps. Use cases.
KEY PERSONA
I KNOW DATA AND TECHNOLOGY CAN
HELP US FARM SMARTER”
Who: 28, arable farmer, agriculture degree.
Decision-making role: Jointresearches and recommends.
Primary pain points: Proving ideas and suggestions, justifying spend.
Digital behaviour: Active on Instagram and TikTok, following influencers, using software, consuming webinars and podcasts.
Responds to: Data and trial results. White papers. ROI calculators.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR MARKETING?
FARMER SENTIMENT IN 2025
There’s no denying the fact that it’s tough out there for farmers. If you want to market to them effectively, you need to understand the challenges they face.
Costs, government policy and the weather continue to have a huge impact on farming. Compared with 2024, we’ve seen some movement around which financial factors are impacting farmers most, but it’s clear that cashflow, input costs and profitability still dominate their concerns.
Year on year, farmers remain a resilient bunch. While they will always ‘find a way’ to get through whatever they face, there’s clear worry this year about current financial circumstances.
The lack of support, current government position and proposed inheritance tax changes weigh heavily across responses.
I’D
LOVE TO INVEST, BUT WE JUST DON’T HAVE THE CAPITAL RIGHT NOW.”
Who: 48, risk-averse, and runs a mixed family farm.
Decision-making role: Main. He controls the purse strings and is reluctant to spend.
Digital behaviour: Online forums and research, searching for deals and offers.
Responds to: Flexible finance. Testimonials and proven use cases.
FARMERS’ INTENTIONS
THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE
For the last 5 years, we’ve asked farmers how they behave online. We want to know what they do to inform their buying decisions and when they are most likely to access content online.
SPENDING TIME ONLINE
Evenings remain the most popular time for farmers to be online. Over ¼ spend the most time online after 9pm, an increase on previous years, and we have seen more farmers this year (11.4%) online early, between 6am-9am.
MOST POPULAR ONLINE
Farming apps have surged in popularity this year as software uptake continues to grow. There’s been a drop in farmers accessing online resources daily… but has this been replaced by information sourced from generative AI like ChatGPT and Gemini?
THE FARM CEO
MY DECISIONS ARE BASED ON P&L, RISK MANAGEMENT & LONG-TERM GROWTH”
Who: 45, multi-million, multi-site farm business manager.
Decision-making role: Joint - Final sign off, but looks to others for recommendations.
Primary pain points: Managing big budgets, impact of Gov. policy, operational clarity.
Digital behaviour: Professional requirement - LinkedIn, business news, premium publications.
Responds to: Traditional B2Bcontent focused on enterprise-level ROI and risk mitigation.
KEY PERSONA
Email remains the most popular channel, checked more than any other. If you want to drive action from farmers, get in their inbox.
Don’t turn your paid media spend off too soon - 26% of farmers are online after 9pm.
AI is here. To show up in responses you need a strong brand footprint across multiple channels.
SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS
Farmers continue to use and engage with a wide variety of social media channels, depending on their persona type. WhatsApp remains the most used, used by multiple age groups.
Facebook and YouTube use grows, and Instagram remains steady. Video content leads across all these channels.
MOST POPULAR % USING DAILY
QUARTERS
LEAST POPULAR % NEVER USED
X (Twitter), continues its rapid decline and most likely isn’t worth your time now. LinkedIn marketing is unlikely to cut through with most farmers, but you should consider it for talent attraction and retention (see The Aspiring Agronomist persona) and to engage agri-professionals.
THE ASPIRING AGRONOMIST
I WANT TO APPLY THE THEORY IN THE REAL WORLD AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE”
Who: 22, recent graduate, first ‘trainee’ role.
Decision-making role: Future influencer - no buying decisions yet, but she’s absorbing information everywhere.
Digital behaviour: LinkedIn - for professional work, Instagram and TikTok for her passions.
Responds to: LinkedIn and event presence (to attract her to a job role). White papers and guides to expand her knowledge.
While TikTok and Snapchat daily use appears low overall, they’re much more prevalent - and influential - amongst a younger audience. And they’re growing in popularity with older demographics too.
At least once a week:
Your brand likely needs a strong, tailored presence across all channels.
Stop bothering with X - but don’t delete your account, so you can retain control of your username.
Prioritise video content if you want to make the most of Instagram, Facebook and TikTok feeds.
CONTENT CONSUMPTION
Brand is clearly king in 2025. Every piece of content your audience consumes should clearly and effectively promote your brand if you want to influence their buying decision.
To build a resilient brand, it needs to be instantly recognisable and immediately relevant. That means content tailored to device, to channel, and to every stage of the buying journey.
BLOGS MAY NOT APPEAL DIRECTLY TO FARMERS, BUT THEY REMAIN IMPORTANT FOR SEO AND AI… WHEN THE CONTENT AND FORMAT IS RIGHT.
WHAT TYPE OF CONTENT DO FARMERS FIND MOST USEFUL?
THE DRIVEN DIVERSIFIER
WE STAY RESILIENT BY LOOKING AT NEW REVENUE STREAMS.”
Who: 50, runs a mixed farm with diversified enterprises.
Decision-making role: Main - with support from family.
Primary pain points: Juggling multiple roles, variable income streams, public pressure.
BEFORE BUYING A NEW PRODUCT
Digital behaviour: Marketingfocused. Facebook, Instagram and online platforms to promote businesses.
Responds to: Anything that saves time, anything that can be used for her own marketing.
read reviews
search on Google 86% ask a fellow farmer
watch a video about it
search for it on social media
SOCIAL MEDIA USE
There’s no denying that the vast majority of farmers are now all online, using social media regularly.
KEY PERSONA
Most farmers actively use social media, and more and more are using it to search for
Target your audience where they are, with the types of content they want to see. Always check your formatting for the best user experience on social media and mobile devices. Prioritise targeted paid social activity to engage farmers looking at products and services on social channels.
INFLUENCING THE BUYING DECISION
Farmers are influenced by a range of channels when making a buying decision, largely unchanged from last year. But whether it’s digital, PR or word of mouth, there’s one thing which unites them all… the power of brand.
TOP 3 SOURCES FOR RESEARCH % RANKED
STILL RATE WORD OF MOUTH AS THE SINGLE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON FUTURE BUYING DECISIONS
THE OPERATOR KING
IF IT’S NOT RIGHT FOR ME, I WON’T BE USING IT ON-FARM.”
Who: 20, machinery operator for large arable farm or contractor.
Decision-making role: Influencer - no buying authority but his views carry weight.
Primary pain points: Poor, unreliable machines, comfort, clunky software, tools not fit for purpose.
Digital behaviour: Always online. TikTok shorts, Instagram reels and YouTube videos.
Responds to: Product/machine specific content. Feature demos, comparisons and influencer reviews.
DO INFLUENCERS INFLUENCE FARMERS?
Well-known farming personalities continue to influence buying habits. They have a clear role to play in brand visibility.
MOST POPULAR INFLUENCERS RISING STARS
1. JEREMY CLARKSON
2. Olly Harrison
3. Kaleb Cooper
4. Gareth Wyn Jones
5. Grassmen
6. Cammy Wilson
7. Tom Pemberton
8. Hoof GP
9. Hannah Jackson
10. Farm Flix
1. EMMA GRAY
2. Ally Hunter Blair
3. Charlotte Ashley
4. Crawfords Farm
5. Ioan Humphreys
6. IFarm, We Farm 46% OF FARMERS FOLLOW JEREMY CLARKSON
KEY PERSONA
OF FARMERS FOLLOW INFLUENCERS TO GET RECOMMENDATIONS OR DISCOVER NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 46%
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR MARKETING?
If you want farmers to recommend your brand to others, it needs to be memorable.
Shows and events remain a key channel of influence. To stand out at these, you must have a strong, clear brand.
Identify which influencers are active and relevant to your target audience and see how they could grow your brand profile.
ONLINE SPENDING HABITS
Farmers continue to buy all types of products and services online, from machinery and clothing through to livestock and chemicals.
There’s very little change here, other than small variations. Farmers will buy online - or, at the very least - will research and decide online before buying face to face. The face to face final deal is still essential.
% WILLING TO SPEND ON SINGLE ONLINE TRANSACTIONS
WHAT
ARE FARMERS PURCHASING ONLINE?
THE GREEN GUARDIAN
PROFIT IS IMPORTANT, BUT SO TOO IS OUR ECO-SYSTEM”
Who: 42, runs a small, organic or regenerative farm.
Decision-making role: Jointvalues collaboration from her team.
Primary pain points: Finding ethical and ecological products, aligning market with ethos, labour intensive.
Digital behaviour: Niche Facebook and forum communities, Instagram and blogs.
Responds to: Scientific studies. Insights and knowledge-based content. Genuine brand value alignment.
KEY PERSONA
Farmers continue to prefer online interactions for all key stages of the buying journeyresearch, comparisons, reviews and checking prices - except the final purchasing stage. That’s where face to face remains vital.
If you want farmers to buy online from you, make sure your website prioritises all essential trust signals.
72% look for product reviews. Create an efficient process to collect these from customers.
BRAND IS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL
From our report, it’s clear that farmers are recognising, recalling and interacting with brand-based content on and offline.
From adverts and mentions on social media, search engines and AI responses, to word-ofmouth recommendations on farm, it’s ‘brand’ that starts conversations and drives conversions.
THE MOST POPULAR AGRI-BRANDS
To uncover brand recall, we asked farmers which businesses had stood out most in the last 12 months. While there are some industry mainstays on the list, the popularity of smaller, challenger brands shows the impact of focused social media marketing.
T
REASONS FOR BRAND RECALL
THE ROI OF REPUTATION
Brand drives conversions. Those who are active both online and offline are the ones farmers turn to first for information, for price comparisons and to ultimately buy.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR MARKETING?
Decide whether you want a business or brand. Where businesses work for sales, brands build awareness, interest and desire that drives conversions. Beyond that, strong brands generate more advocacy and more retention that further drives success. To do this, you need to combine a powerful brand identity with a strong digital presence, for seamless, performance driven marketing on and offline.
Get crystal clear on who you are, what you stand for, and what you’re saying offline, before applying that brand consistency online across every marketing channel.
If you want recommendations, you need a clear tone of voice and simple messaging that farmers can repeat AND a digital advertising campaign that keeps you front of mind.
