2021-2022 UMaine Extension’s Digital Presence

Piscataquis County Staff contributed by writing and editing new publications and websites; conducting and promoting online events through newsletters and social media, and responding to individual clients that had questions.

Website

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s website at extension.umaine.edu – a combination of 57 interconnected websites consisting of nearly 12,000 pages – received 3.1 million pageviews from visitors in the 12 months between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. Visitors searched for and found information on a wide variety of topics, including planting in Maine, small business management, harvest and storage of tree fruits, tussock moth caterpillar identification, and tractor safety. Image galleries helped users identify pests, plant diseases, and weeds. A wide variety of interactive web forms allowed users to request assistance, presentations, newsletters, and updates; report volunteer hours; make donations, and respond to surveys. Nearly 65,000 web visits were referred from social media, more than nine times the previous year.

Social Media

More than 45,000 followers followed or subscribed to UMaine Extension’s 62 county and program-specific social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok. Nearly 600 educational videos were available to visitors on our 14 YouTube playlists; many were also embedded in our web pages. Extension’s YouTube videos were the most watched on the University of Maine Channel, which received 1.4 million views and 70,000+ hours of watch time. Top videos included Lobster Cooking and Eating, How to Prune a Blueberry Bush, How Do I Prune Raspberries, Tick Removal, How to Prune a Lilac Bush, and How to Seal Windows for Winter and Summer.

Publications

More than 700 research-based publications on a broad range of topics were available for free download at extension.umaine.edu/publications. Our most popular fact sheets received tens of thousands of pageviews each. New publications in 2021 included Tips for Growing Houseplants in Maine, Using Checklists to Increase Productivity on the Farm, Best Practices for Plant Sale Donors and Buyers in Maine, Too Much Water or Not Enough Light? Irregular Growth Commonly Seen on Plants Grown Indoors, and How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken.

Online Registration, Brightspace, MailChimp, and Constant Contact

  • Nearly 5,000 customers registered for workshops, events, webinars, and more through our online registration system.
  • Nearly 200 participants took online courses via Brightspace. Classes included Master Gardener Volunteer training, a Home Horticulture class, and a 4-H Aquaculture course.
  • More than 9,500 subscribers received a total of 53,880 e-notifications via MailChimp.
  • More than 10,650 subscribers received a total of 162,670 e-notifications via Constant Contact.