EMBRACING social media to promote regional businesses has helped keep many in operation during drought and a pandemic, with new data showing a social media campaign has put more than $5 million into small communities across Australia.
For Kapunda giftware business Tiny Nest, the impact of its inclusion in the Buy From the Bush campaign, shortly before Christmas, was instantaneous.
Owner Kim Kerr says within an hour she had hundreds of new social media followers to her shop's page, growing to nearly 1500 new potential customers.
Tiny Nest is one of the 275 regionally-based small businesses, from drought-affected areas, featured on the BFTB Instagram and Facebook pages in the first four months.
An economic impact evaluation found, on average, those featured businesses experienced a 300 per cent lift in sales revenue within one month of being profiled, while more than $5 million flowed into local economies.
Ms Kerr's first post, about some locally-made headbands from Barossa supplier Love Em, was featured by the campaign in late November.
"The phone started ringing instantly and it went on from there," Ms Kerr said.
A second post came just days later, this time with Christmas wrapping paper, designed by Freeling business Borrow Street.
Ms Kerr said she had hundreds of orders of each, selling out both products - although the headband is returning shortly.
She said the sales were not confined to those items.
"We certainly do still have customers gained from BFTB, that contacted us and still order from us," she said.
She said they shipped to every state in Australia.
This was particularly helpful with the shop closing its doors during April due to COVID-19 restrictions.
RELATED READING: Retail campaign assists SA bush businesses
Ms Kerr said the drought has had an impact on the store.
"Without a doubt it was the quietest Christmas we've ever had for retail," she said.
"The percentage of sales from BFTB in that two to three months, I don't know if we would have still been open without that."
Of the businesses featured, 97pc were owned by women, with 57pc generally earning less than $5000 a month.
Many - 38pc - reported they started shipping interstate, double the number doing so previously, while 19pc sent stock overseas.
About one-fifth of the businesses hired new staff, while 48pc of the business owners say they learnt new skills, including marketing and advertising, IT proficiency and business and financial literacy. About 90pc also reported they felt connected to a support network of other entrepreneurs.
BFTB founder Grace Brennan said this research illustrated the capmpaigns impact on individuals, businesses and communities.
"With ongoing investment I believe BFTB has the potential to significantly improve economic and social outcomes for rural Australia in the long term," she said.
Facebook Australia and New Zealand policy director Mia Garlick said social media could be an "equaliser" for regional businesses.
Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Click here to sign up to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.
Elizabeth Anderson
Editor of Stock Journal.
Editor of Stock Journal.
