Since I’ve been working for dairy farmers, I’ve answered a lot of questions about farm websites and how to build one. Here’s a quick-link reference to these older posts that will help get you up to speed on building a website, and you can always reach out to your local checkoff if you need more assistance. (You can also contact me directly at don.schindler@dairy.org – I’m happy to help).
Should you have a website?
The short answer is yes. Every business needs one because that’s how people find your farm and you can control the message on the website. It’s also a keepsake for the farm – a dairy diary of your proud history.
Read more: Six reasons why you should have a farm website
What’s a domain name and where can I get one?
Domain names are like addresses on the internet. They are not your website but they point to it.
Read more: Buying a domain name for your farm
Can I build my own farm website?
Yes, you can, but do you really want to? Today’s website builders are pretty good compared to back in the day, but do you have the time to do it? Do you have the ability to write the history and do the marketing, take beautiful photos, and create some farm tour videos? You are going to need all of these things to make a good website.
My recommendation is to find a good local professional who can save you a lot of time and effort (and potentially help you make money if you sell merchandise on the website).
What should be on your farm website?
There’s a lot here that consumers want to know about why you farm, how it benefits them, and how you are taking care of the cows, the land, and your employees.
Finally, if I have a website, should I worry about social media?
Yes, because this is how you’ll get in front of your consumers and drive them to your website so they can see your wonderful photos and videos and read your content.
Remember, if you need more help, please reach out to your local dairy checkoff to find out what resources they offer to help farmers with digital promotion.
Don Schindler
The author is a Senior Vice President of Digital Initiatives at Dairy Management Inc.
