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Pondera County

Harnessing Social Media For Extension Education

Published: 2020
By Adriane Good
MSU Extension Pondera County took advantage of the power of social media for Extension education in 2020, when over 223 million Americans used at least one social network site. This number includes 90% of 18-29-year-olds and 82% of 30-49-year-olds. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have more users than other popular social media sites, so these are the platforms where MSU Extension Pondera County decided to increase our presence. Using social media for Extension education has become an effective tool to reach clientele without requiring traditional face-to-face meetings or programs. By posting non-biased, research-based information on social media platforms, we have reached thousands of people. Posts on our social media accounts include, but are not limited to: • MontGuide Mondays on Facebook and Instagram, highlighting available MontGuides. • #DidYouKnowFridays on Facebook and Instagram, where we share services offered by MSU Extension. • Kids cooking tips on Facebook and Instagram. • 4-H project learning activities on Facebook Live and YouTube. • Recorded webinars on YouTube. • Food Fact Fridays on TikTok and Instagram, a series where we share facts about Montana-grown food. • Gardening Tips on TikTok. Our posts on Facebook reach the largest audience, averaging 3,500 people and growing. On Instagram, 150 users follow us, and our video posts regularly receive over 1,000 views. On TikTok, we have 85 followers and videos are viewed an average of 250 times, with some receiving up to 1,800 views. The YouTube following is smaller with an average of 40 views per video. Many of the Extension posts are shared by other social media users which increases their reach. We frequently receive positive comments from people discovering MontGuides or services Extension offers, or from people learning new things about gardening, healthy eating, 4-H projects, and agriculture. Using social media for MSU Extension education has allowed us to expand our impact in Pondera County, across the state, and beyond.
Pondera County MSU Extension's TikTok Page