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Article: Alpacas are STILL Seriously Trending!

03/26/2019
by NEAFP Co

Although it might seem like yesterday, it has been almost two years since our article “Alpacas are SERIOUSLY Trending!” If you paid any attention to social media, local events, or mainstream news, you probably realized that alpacas are no passing fad-- they continue to captivate audiences across media platforms.

If you didn’t take our advice then, it’s not too late! Alpacas are more popular than ever and as an alpaca farmer, you are in the perfect position to take advantage of the ongoing buzz!
 


 
From clothing for all ages, to artwork, office supplies, and toys, alpacas are a hot commodity.

#LOVEALPACA


Roses, chocolates, and… an alpaca-gram? A Peruvian hotel garnered international attention when it advertised that Panchita, an adorable cria, would be sending out a select number of personalized “alpaca-grams” on Valentine’s Day. Increasingly, alpacas have become linked to romance and romantic gestures. Celebrity Hilary Duff shared her beloved Valentine’s gift with social media: an alpaca named Ivan, and soon received over 240,000 likes on Instagram.
 
 

So maybe you’ve brought your alpacas to a market event, but a wedding? Yes, alpaca weddings are still all the rage. Whether you simply offer use of your farm as a backdrop for photography or find ways to involve your animals in the big day, 2019 is a great time to explore opportunities in the wedding and event planning business. Not only could this be a great revenue stream, it's also a creative way to bring your farm more exposure, and boost sales for your fiber products!

 

#weddinggoals: Check out more gorgeous photos of Danika Hoo-Fatt's Big Day

#NAMASTE

Perhaps you're unlucky in love... No worries! Alpacas have also made an appearance outside of the wedding industry. Rosebud Alpacas in South Molton, Devon, England went viral for offering alpaca yoga classes, in addition to alpaca walking, alpaca picnics, camping, alpaca art and photography sessions, and alpaca meditation. Alpaca yoga is also popular on this side of the pond. Our friends at Grist Mill Farm Alpacas and Island Alpaca Co. have tried out yoga in the barnyard.
 

Here is a video of what appears to be a widely successful Alpaca yoga event at 313 Farms.

Alpaca Yoga from Layer Video Imagery on Vimeo.

 

At the recent AOA National Alpaca Show in Denver, visitors could enjoy both alpaca yoga classes and an alpaca selfie booth! Apparently, the selfie booth at the show was so popular in recent years that it wrapped around the building! The more photo-ops you have on your farm, the more potential social media exposure you'll get!

 

(Speaking of selfie booths, come to our booth at the next show and take a photo with Backpaca Jack!)

Your Turn!

So, how can you easily capitalize on the overwhelming popularity of the alpacas online?

If you haven’t jumped on the alpaca social media marketing train, then it is time to consider starting both a Facebook and Instagram page for your farm.

(Looking for inspiration? Check out Good Karma Ranch Alpacas, River Hill Ranch, and Borgstein Alpacas just to name a few! All three post great content often in the form of photos or videos, stay active with their followers, and are smart about tagging content!)

Although they may seem to serve the same purpose, Facebook and Instagram attract two different markets, with some overlap. Facebook's interactivity attracts a slightly older demographic, while Instagram is much more popular with the younger crowd. A Facebook page is a great place to begin, but venturing onto Instagram can bring in an entirely new market of influencers who are more than willing to share your content across the platform.

The key to success on Instagram is not only the strength of your content, but how you share it using hashtags. These hashtags allow for users to find material relevant to their interests. We’ve created a handy cheat sheet to get you started!  Next time you share a photo of an alpaca, a product, your farm, or a day in the life, think about adding some of these hashtags to boost your search and get more views! 

We hope that these Business Resource Blog Posts have been helpful. Is there a topic you'd like us to cover in a future post? Write to us at support@neafp.com