New year, new farm website (or at least it's due for some updates). In this age of screens and clicks, your farm's website is a virtual farm stand, and we want it bustling with sales. So, let's chat about how to get your website all spruced up for a killer 2024.

This blog post is your go-to guide for making your online space not just a plot of land but a thriving marketplace. We cover how to make your website a sales magnet, connect with your audience, and make your farm stand out on Google. No coding knowledge needed! Let's jump in.

Optimizing Your Website for SEO and Sales Conversions

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. 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 “regenerative farm San Diego”, the search engine would crawl the internet to find the best options.

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

Conduct SEO Keyword Research for Your Farm

Begin, by conducting keyword research to identify the search terms and phrases potential customers use to find products like yours. Here are the steps to getting started:

1. Define which keywords you’re going to use. You can do this by thinking about a few core keywords (e.g. “food”, “produce”, “beef”) and then start adding modifiers to create search terms (e.g. adding “local” to “food” to create “local food”, or “local beef”). Keep a list of these.
2. Identify your competitors. Which keywords are they ranking for? A great way to do this is by reading through their website and taking note of common phrases they use. If they mention “local beef in Maryland” a lot, try searching those terms and see if they come up!
3. You can search for keywords using a keyword tool, such as Search Response, Answer the Public, or Screaming Frog.
4. Use your keywords! Start by incorporating the phrases you are targeting into three main places: first, your page titles (more on that below!), body content, and meta descriptions.

Incorporate these keywords naturally into your website content, including product listings and blog posts, to improve your visibility in search engines.

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

Optimize Your Farm Website for Mobile

With an increasing number of customers shopping on their mobile devices, it's crucial to ensure your website is mobile-responsive. This means that your website is just as functional and aesthetic on mobile as it appears on your desktop. Test your website on various devices to guarantee that it functions flawlessly and provides an optimal user experience.

Most website builders allow you to actually design and edit your website in mobile-view. This allows you to create a design that both looks good and is functional on mobile. Be sure to leverage this feature when building your website. 

Did you know that Local Line also offers an affordable website builder? Learn more.

Improve Your Farm Website's Navigation

Simplify your website's navigation. Have you ever been on a website that is clunky and confusing? What does it make you want to do? Most likely - navigate off the page. Consider this when building out your navigation. Create clear and intuitive menus that help visitors find what they're looking for quickly. We recommend having one clear head navigation bar that includes a Shop button, About Us, and Contact Us. These are normally the three most important things a potential customer is looking for. If you have additional sections, such as About the Products, a Blog, etc. You can add these to the header as well. 

Also, leverage the footer of your website to add additional pages that might be less frequently visited but still relevant.

A great example of a website with clear navigation is Cold Spring Organics. They have a dedicated Shop button in the top right corner and a clear header with other relevant pages.

For even more tips and tricks to optimize your farm website, download our free guide: The Farm Website Basics. 

Add Customer Reviews and Testimonials to Improve Social Proof

Leverage the power of social proof by displaying customer reviews and testimonials on your website. Positive feedback from satisfied customers can build trust and encourage new customers to make a purchase.

Include a Clear Shop Now CTA to Get Farm Sales

Turn website visitors into customers by ensuring you have a clear Shop Now CTA visible in multiple places on your website, such as: 

• In the Main navigation bar
• Within the first section of your home page
• Anywhere you mention or talk about your products

Pro tip: If you mention any specific products, send them directly to that product link. Remember, the fewer the clicks, the better!

Prepping your farm's online presence for 2024 is crucial to staying competitive and achieving your sales goals. With these steps, your farm is well on its way to a prosperous and successful year ahead. To help you better prep for the 2024 sales season, we’ve created a series of articles covering topics such as: Setting Up Your E-Commerce Store, Optimizing Your Website for SEO, Preparing Your Instagram Profile for Sales, and Re-Engaging Your Email List.

At Local Line, we want to help you succeed. If you need support with your website, check out our website building and SEO service.