Creating a farm website is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to increase your visibility and increase your sales. A well-crafted website will turn brand awareness into sales by showcasing your products, enhancing overall searchability, and directing visitors to purchase from you.

Building a website from scratch might sound like a daunting task – but with the tools available today, anyone with a plan can create a great website. In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps to build a high-converting farm website in 2024.

How to create a farm website in 8 steps:

1. Define Your Target Audience and Purpose
2. Plan Your Farm Website Structure
3. Pick Your Domain
4. Choose the Right Website Builder
5. Design Your Website
6. Integrate Your E-Commerce
7. Optimize for Search Engines (SEO)
8. Maintain and Update Your Website Regularly

1. Define Your Target Audience and Purpose

Before diving into the website-building process, you want to define the main purpose of your website. For example, the primary purpose of your website could be to sell more produce online, educate customers about sustainable farming practices, or share your farm's story. The goal of your website will inform tons of important designs you make along the way, such as the messaging, the navigation, and which themes or templates will work best for your site.

Next, you want to define who you’re trying to reach with your website. Who is your ideal customer or target audience? Are they individuals seeking organic foods, families interested in joining a local CSA, or restaurants sourcing grass-fed beef and GMO-free products? For example, your ideal customers could be busy families looking to purchase meat conveniently and easily from local farmers. Once you determine your target audience, ask yourself:

• What kind of imagery relates to them? 
• What further information are they looking for before they decide to purchase?
• What kind of language or messaging is important to them? 
• What certifications do they care about? Do they care about certifications? 
• Who do they want to shop from? 

Different audiences will be looking for different things. It’s crucial to address the distinct needs and values of different family types on your website. 

Target Audience Examples for Farms

For the busy family, convenience is key. These families are looking for ways to integrate quality food choices into their fast-paced lifestyle. Highlighting flexible delivery and pick-up options, such as those offered by farm eCommerce platforms like Local Line, on your website can greatly appeal to them, demonstrating how your farm's offerings can fit seamlessly into their schedule.

On the other hand, there’s the environmentally conscious family, deeply invested in all-natural, animal welfare, and locally sourced products. For these families, the ethical and environmental aspects of food production are top of mind. They are more likely to be drawn to content that details your farm's sustainable practices, showcases your commitment to animal welfare, and emphasizes the local nature of your products. This could include imagery and stories that reflect these values, such as photos of your free-range animals, details of your natural farming methods, or stories about your involvement in the local community. 

Having a clear goal and audience before designing your website will allow you to create a website that does the selling for you and will make deciding the structure of your website much easier! 

2. Plan Your Farm Website Structure

Your website structure is essentially how your website is built, i.e., what sections go where and which pages you include. It defines how your customers navigate your website. A well-organized website ensures a seamless user experience, which in turn increases your website’s ability to convert visitors into customers. 

Important pages to include on farm and agricultural websites include:

Homepage: The page your visitors land on when they visit your website. Your home page should effectively communicate who you are, what you sell, and how they can buy.  

About Us: This is your opportunity to share a bit more about your farm, how you got started, the history of the land, and more. Because we are selling food online, you want to dedicate the time to putting a face to the name. This will help to build trust with your prospects and help convince them to shop from you – especially if you don’t have the chance to chat with prospects as you would at the farmers’ market, for example.

How to Shop: Every farm or food hub might have a slightly different ordering process. For example, you might have online store hours (i.e., ordering is open Mondays to Thursdays), delivery cut-off times, order pick up protocols, CSA-member instructions, etc. You want to provide a dedicated page to outline how this all works, so that when they land on your e-commerce store, they’re well-equipped to shop from you. 

Quick tip: Don’t forget to add a button to your online store on this page! 

Check out this great example of a “How to Shop” page by Spray Creek Ranch.

FAQ Page: If you notice you’re getting many of the same questions from your audience, dedicate a page to this on your website. For example, if you sell bulk options for meat, you could add: 

• Why bother buying meat in bulk?
• How much freezer space do I need for bulk meat purchases?
• Who is bulk buying meat for?
• What are the payment options available for purchasing meat online?
• Can I visit the farm? Do you offer farm tours or events?
• Do you offer delivery services, and what are the areas covered?
• How does buying from your farm benefit the local community?

Policy Pages: Ensure you’re keeping up to date with which policy pages to include on your website, such as a return or shipping policy.

In addition to these pages, you could also consider adding a blog, a separate Contact Us page, or a testimonials page.

3. Pick Your Domain

Think of your domain name as your digital business name – it’s how people can find you online. Not only is your domain name the URL of your website, but you can also use it as your email address. 

Choose a Domain Name That Resonates with Your Farm Name

When picking your domain name, you want to pick something that resonates with your brand the most, i.e., your farm name or business name. If your business name is already taken, consider adding a variation of your business name and your location. For example, if your farm name is Happy Acres but happyacres.com is taken, consider happyacresnj.com, as a nod to your home state New Jersey.

Geographic Considerations for Your Domain

Additionally, consider the geographical scope of your business when selecting your domain extension. If you are a Canadian farm primarily selling to Canadian customers, a .CA domain might be more appropriate, signaling your local presence. On the other hand, if you are based in the US or aim to reach an international audience, a .com domain could be a better fit. This helps set the right expectations and can influence local search engine results, making it easier for your target audience to find and identify with your brand online. For instance, we at Local Line chose localline.ca as our domain to reflect our origins as a business that started in Canada.

4. Choose the Right Website Builder

Next, you’ll want to pick the best website builder. Depending on your website needs, design, and previous experience building a website, you might be looking for something different in a builder. 

Most website builders today are “drag and drop” or “no-code”, where you can select a template and fill your copy, colours, fonts, and images to make it your own. Each template will come with pre-built modules (common website sections that are used like building blocks to create pages), so you can re-arrange your page to share information in your desired order.

If you know HTML and CSS, many website builders will also allow you to modify existing modules or create your own.

At Local Line, we also offer an affordable, easy-to-use farm website builder. Choose from pre-defined farm website templates, add your own domain, and the best part is you can access your website tool inside your Local Line account. One login for everything! 

5. Design Your Website

Now, it’s time to design your farm website. The more visual appeal your has – the better. Using high-quality imagery and video, preferably your own, rather than relying solely on stock farm photos, will help draw visitors to your site and continue to scroll. When designing your website, think, “I have 10 seconds to convince someone to stay on my site: how will I do this?”.

Next, when building your site, refer back to your website structure:

• What information do you want to relay first? 
• What information should be reserved for the home page? 
• What pages do you need to build? 
• What information should be included in the header? In the footer?

You also want to dedicate some time to designing a website theme. If you already have a brand kit or branding guide, you’ll want to pull the fonts, colours, messaging, and brand imagery from your brand guide. The farm website should succinctly match your other brand assets, such as your logo, social media, and print material. If you’re using Local Line to build your farm website, you can choose from several free farm website templates to get started.

If you need support creating a custom brand, Local Line has a logo and brand service for farms. In our package, you’ll receive:

• Consultation meeting to understand your needs.
• A unique logo that fits your farm. 
• Custom brand guide that includes brand assets, fonts, colors, and more.
• Multiple rounds of revisions to create a brand you love!

6. Integrate Your E-Commerce to Showcase Your Products

Because your website is not only a marketing tool but predominantly a sales tool – you want to showcase your products and services upfront. Leverage your website to showcase your products, production methods, how to order from you, and any other services you offer, such as farm tours, summer camps, workshops, etc. 

Be sure to learn how to take high-quality farms and produce images showcasing your products and brand. You want to reflect your brand, quality, and story. More importantly, you want your website to do the talking for you. It should be better at selling than your best salesperson at the market.

Next, you’ll want to integrate your e-commerce storefront within your website so visitors can easily navigate to shop from you.

E-commerce tips for farm businesses

• Shop Now Button: Include a prominent 'Shop Now' button in the header of your website. This should link directly to your online storefront, making it easy for visitors to start shopping.
• Shopping Instructions: Provide clear instructions on how to shop and purchase produce online from your business. This guidance can be invaluable for first-time online shoppers.
• Effective Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Strategically place CTAs across your website to guide visitors toward purchasing or learning more about your products.
• Make Online Payments Simple and Secure: Incorporate online payment options to streamline the purchasing process. Using platforms like Local Line offers a secure and convenient way for customers to complete their transactions. Learn more about online payment options for farms.
• Food Subscriptions: Consider offering food subscription services using a subscription management platform. This model can be particularly attractive to customers who value regular deliveries of fresh farm produce.

7. Optimize for Search Engines

To start, what is SEO? In simple terms, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is how your website gets ranked on a search engine, such as Google or Bing. Search engines look for different elements in your website that make it more or less trustworthy as the answer to what is being searched. For example, if someone searched “local farms near me”, the search engine would try to find the most relevant websites to show first.

In short, SEO helps you get discovered online, which helps get more eyes on your website and (hopefully) more sales in the long run.

SEO Tips for Farm Websites

Here are a few SEO tips to help agriculture and food websites rank on Google:

1. Define Your Core Keywords: Identify a few key phrases you want your website to rank for. These could be terms that are relevant to your farm's offerings, such as "local farms," "buy farm produce online," or "grass-fed beef." Consider what potential customers might search for for products like yours.
2. Optimize Page Titles and Meta Descriptions: Ensure each website page has a unique and descriptive title and meta description. Incorporate your core keywords naturally. For example, your homepage might have a title like “Fresh, Organic Produce from [Farm Name] | Local Farm” with a compelling description that includes key phrases.
3. Create Quality Content: Develop blog posts, articles, and other content that provide value to your audience. Topics could include the benefits of buying local produce, guides to seasonal eating, or the process of ethical animal rearing. Use your keywords naturally within this content.
4. Leverage Local SEO: If your farm targets local customers, optimize for local search. This includes listing your farm on Google My Business, adding location-based keywords to your site (like the city or region of your farm), and getting listed in local directories.
5. Use Alt Text for Images: When you upload images of your farm and produce, use descriptive alt text that includes your keywords. This not only helps visually impaired users understand the content of the images but also allows search engines to better understand and rank your site's content.

Implementing these SEO best practices can help improve your farm website's visibility in search engine results, attracting more potential customers to your site.

Download our free guide farm SEO checklist to get started with your website’s on-page SEO.

8. Maintain and Update Your Website Regularly

Regular website maintenance and updating are vital for user experience and SEO. Ensuring your content, messaging, and contact information are current is essential for keeping your audience engaged and informed. Here's how you can effectively manage this:

Tips to Keep Your Website Up-to-Date 

• Schedule Regular Updates: Set a recurring reminder to review and update your website every 3-4 months. This ensures that all information, especially product availability, prices, and contact details, remains accurate.
• Refresh Existing Content: Periodically revisit your existing pages and blog posts to update them with new information, statistics, or relevant changes in your farming practices. This keeps your content relevant and interesting for returning visitors.

• Add New Content: Consider adding new blog posts, farmer’s stories, or updates about your farm. This not only provides fresh material for your audience but also new content for search engines to index, which can improve your site's visibility.

• Check for Broken Links: Regularly scan your website for broken links. These can negatively impact the user experience and harm your SEO rankings.

• Update Event and News Sections: If you host events or there are new developments on your farm, keep these sections up-to-date to engage your audience and encourage repeat visits.

By following these practices, you can keep your website a dynamic and engaging representation of your farm, ensuring it continues to serve your business and community effectively.

Ready to Build the Best Farm Website?

Let’s recap the steps to build a successful farm website:

1. Define Your Target Audience and Purpose:

• Clearly define the purpose of your website (e.g., educate, drive sales).
• Identify your target audience, considering their preferences, needs, and values.
• Tailor your website design, imagery, and messaging to appeal to your specific audience.

2. Plan Your Farm Website Structure:

• Establish a well-organized structure for your website to enhance user experience.
• Important pages to include: Homepage, About Us, How to Shop, FAQ, Policy Pages, and optional pages like Blog or Testimonials.

3. Pick Your Domain:

• Choose a domain name that aligns with your brand or business name.
• Consider variations if your preferred name is unavailable.
• Your domain is not just a URL but also serves as your email address.

4. Choose the Right Website Builder:

• Select a website builder based on your needs, design preferences, and experience.
• Many builders are "drag and drop" with pre-built modules for easy customization.
• Consider using an all-in-one platform like Local Line for simplicity.

5. Design Your Website:

• Focus on visual appeal using high-quality imagery and video.
• Align your website design with the predetermined structure and theme.
• Refer to your brand kit for consistent fonts, colors, and messaging.

6. Integrate Your E-Commerce:

• Showcase products, production methods, and services prominently.
• Integrate an e-commerce storefront for seamless shopping.
• Use clear CTAs and guide visitors on how to shop from you.

7. Optimize for Search Engines (SEO):

• Conduct keyword research to identify relevant search terms.
• Incorporate these keywords naturally into titles, content, and meta descriptions.
• Stay updated on SEO best practices to enhance online visibility.

8. Maintain and Update Your Website Regularly:

• Regularly monitor and update content, messaging, and contact information.
• Refresh content to improve SEO ranking and overall visibility.
• Set recurring reminders for routine website maintenance every 3-4 months.

Frequently Asked Questions for Building a Farm Website

What are the costs involved in building a farm website?

Costs vary based on domain registration, hosting, and additional features. Local Line offers transparent pricing for building a website and ecommerce store with our platform. Build your farm website using Local Line for only $9/month!

Can I build a website myself, or should I hire a professional?

This is dependent on your time, previous skill, and what you’re hoping to achieve. If you have some experience building websites and have the time to dedicate to it, Local Line's user-friendly website builder for farmers makes creating websites easy. However, if not, Local Line also offers professional farm website design services for those seeking a more customized approach.

How long does it take to build a farm website?

The timeline depends on factors like complexity and content. With Local Line's website builder, farmers can quickly create a site within 30 minutes, while more intricate designs with custom modules may take longer. This depends entirely on your skill set and what you hope to build. 

What are the best ways to promote my farm website?

Utilize social media, newsletters, and SEO strategies. Anywhere you promote your business, you should also be linking to your website.