Social Media

Using Social Media to Communicate about Mosquito Control

Ashley Mcleod-Morin, Ricky Telg, Phillip Stokes, Alena Poulin, Shelli Rampold, Angela B. Lindsey, and Sandra Anderson

Streaming Science #4: Using Podcasts for Engagement with Your Target Audience

Jamie Loizzo, Christine Krebs, Caroline Nickerson, Amy Vu, Phillip Stokes, Michaela Kandzer, Lara Milligan, and Shannon Carnevale

This is the fourth publication in the Streaming Science EDIS series focused on how to use mobile hardware and software for engagement with your target audience. The following article focuses on how to produce podcasts to share science-based information with adult audiences and engage listeners in conversations about agricultural and natural resources topics impacting their everyday lives. Educators, scientists, Extension professionals, and students at land grant universities and other organizations can cost effectively produce their own podcasts for niche audiences (Chivers et al., 2021; Rose et al., 2021; Beattie et al., 2020).

Clickbait

Nicole Patten, Ricky Telg, and Kevin Kent

This publication provides an overview of clickbait and its characteristics. The publication also discusses a few implications of clickbait use. Written by Nicole Patten, Ricky Telg, and Kevin Kent, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, March 2024.

Storytelling through Social Media

Brandon Telg, Jaron Jones, Ricky Telg, Becky Raulerson, and Olivia Doyle

A UF/IFAS numbered Fact Sheet. in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: ==Special Handling==

Introduction to Youth Online Peer Support: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers

Angela Nielsen and Larry F. Forthun

The purpose of this publication is to inform the reader about online friendships between teens, mental health and suicidality in teens, ideas for supporting a teen whose online friend discloses thoughts of self-harm and suicide, and the importance of safety and self-care. Written by Angela Nielsen and Larry F. Forthun, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, January 2024.

Choosing the Right Visual for Social Media: Comparing the Engagement of Stock Photos Versus Natural Photos

Anissa Zagonel, Lauri M. Baker, Jarred Shellhouse, Cheryl Boyer, Hikaru Peterson, and Aly Morrison

Social media is an important piece of Extension outreach efforts. Across many different platforms, photos or graphics accompanying social media posts have repeatedly yielded greater results, in terms of engagement and success. Thus, it is imperative to include a visual element with each social media post because it would be considered a missed opportunity without one. This publication explores the question of whether stock images are as effective as natural images. Facebook posts from the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement (CREE) team were analyzed to determine differences in engagement rates for stock images and natural images taken by the CREE team. Results indicate natural photos had significantly higher engagement rates than stock photos. Thus, it is recommended that content creators strive to create and use their own photos for posts; although, in times of need, a stock photo can produce better engagement than no photo at all.

Introduction to Youth Online Peer Support: A Guide for Teens

Angela Nielsen and Larry F. Forthun

This publication provides information about adolescent mental health and suicidality, ways that adolescents can provide empathetic support to a friend they met online, ways that adults can help, and the importance of self-care. Written by Angela Nielsen and Larry F. Forthun, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, August 2022.

New Florida laws to take affect January 1st 2025.

Alicia Betancourt

Starting January 1, 2025, nine new laws will go into effect in Florida, addressing topics such as social media restrictions for minors, building regulations, and protections for vulnerable adults. For full details, you can visit the Florida Legislature’s official website: Florida Statutes & Constitution. HB 3 – Social Media Restrictions for Children Bans children under […]

When pricing produce to sell directly to consumers, farmers urged to know their costs

Brad Buck

Instead of taking what the broker or retailer feels like paying, small- and medium-sized farmers who sell directly to consumers should track costs, determine what they want to earn and set their own produce prices, University of Florida experts say. Growers should base their prices on their costs, said Kim Morgan, a UF/IFAS associate professor […]

Learning about Youth Online Peer Support

Amanda Quintos

For better or for worse, the Internet has had profound effects on the ways that people connect. When I was younger, face-to-face interactions and phone calls with peers I saw at school or extracurricular activities largely shaped the landscape of my social life. Now, with a plethora of apps, platforms, and online forums, it has […]