While social media seems to be all the rage — from Instagram to TikTok — a farm website is what a consumer will likely see first when searching for your farm.
Every business can be found on search engines (such as Google) when people want to learn more. If you haven’t Googled your farm name, you should, and then click on the links that come up. This is what consumers will see and read about.
If you want to assure they see the most accurate story about your farm, then you should have a website, which will help you build trust with consumers and the entire dairy industry.
The biggest problem I find with building farm website is that farmers aren’t certain what to include or say about their farm. Below is a template I’ve used to build farm websites.
Remember, as you create or gather the videos, photos, and text, this material needs to showcase to your consumers why you love to farm and how your farming and way of life benefits them.
First Step: Write down the basics about the farm
- What’s the name of the farm?
- Why did you pick this name?
- Where is it located?
- What is/are your name/s?
- How did you get into farming?
- How long have you been farming?
- Do you know the history of your farm and the land?
- What are your future plans for the farm?
Second Step: Write down the products and services you provide
- What crops are you growing?
- How are you growing those crops?
- What excites you the most about the crops?
- What animals are you raising?
- How are you raising them?
- What excites you the most about your animals?
- What products do you produce?
- How are you producing them?
- What excites you the most about these products?
- Why do you farm?
- How does your farming help consumers?
- What family values mean the most to you and why?
Third Step: Pretend you are giving a farm tour
What would you say about these different areas on your farm?
- Business area
- Calving area
- Barn/Housing
- Cow feed
- Milking parlor
- Maternity/Hospital barn
- Employees
- The fields
Fourth Step: How can people get in touch with you through the website?
Consider including your:
- Address
- Phone
- Social media connections (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc…)
All of this information will be placed on the website in different sections.
HOMEPAGE:
- The farm name and who you are.
- Why do you farm?
- How does your farming help consumers?
What family values mean the most to you and why? - Use the best photos and videos of your animals, buildings, employees and family.
ABOUT US PAGE:
This page would address these questions:
- Why did you pick that farm name?
- Where is it located?
- Who are the people on the farm who can be contacted?
- How did you get into farming?
- How long have you been farming?
- Do you know the history of your farm and the land?Please make sure your family values are in the text.
OUR COWS PAGE:
- What breed of cow is at your farm?
- How big is a dairy cow?
- How much milk do they produce?
- Where do they live?
- What excites you the most about them?
- This page could include a frequently asked questions section
OUR LAND PAGE:
- What crops are you growing?
- How are you growing those crops?
- How are the crops used at your farm?
- What do cows typically eat?
- How much food do they eat and how much is grown at your farm?
- How do you manage cow manure?
- What is your sustainability story?
- How are you handling the manure from the cows?
- This page could also include questions (along with your answers) that you get from consumers about the land.
OUR PRODUCTS PAGE:
- How much milk do your cows produce?
- Where does that milk go?
- How can consumers be assured their milk is safe?
- What steps do you do at the farm to assure its safety?
- When will milk from your farm be at the store?
- What excites you the most about the milk you produce every day?
- Again, this page could include questions (along with your answers) that you get from consumers about your products.
DAIRY FARM TOUR PAGE:
I would encourage you to produce text or videos about each one of these different sections on the farm:
- Home/Business area/Family life
- Calving area
- Barn/Housing
- Cow Feed
- Milking Parlor
- Maternity/Hospital Barn
- Employees
BLOG PAGE:
You could also publish a blog on your website so that you can easily share farm updates or address timely issues or questions from consumers. Blogs are a great tool to effectively communicate your farm’s story.
CONTACT US PAGE:
- Address
- Phone
- Social Media Connections
If you have questions about building a website for your farm, please reach out to your local checkoff or you can ask me at don.schindler@dairy.org.
To learn more about your national and local dairy checkoffs, visit www.USDairy.com or send a request to join our Dairy Checkoff Facebook Group.
