Why Customers Can't Find Your Farm Online (And How to Fix It)
Hey Reader
Most farms are working hard online.
Posting on Facebook. Sharing on Instagram. Maybe even doing a little video here and there.
But there are five things I almost never see farms doing, and they matter more than any of that.
1. You need a home base.
Social media is rented land.
Facebook can change the algorithm tomorrow. Instagram can shut your account down without warning. And if either of those things happen, your audience is gone overnight.
Your website is the one place online that you actually own.
Every post you make, every story you share, every product you sell - it should all lead back there. Think of your website as your farm's headquarters. Social media is just the road that brings people in.
2. Stop creating five pieces of content. Create one.
If you're trying to keep up with Facebook, Instagram, Threads, your email list, and your website. You're probably exhausted just reading that sentence.
Most farms either burn out trying to post everywhere or give up and post nowhere.
Here's what I do instead.
I focus on one thing: my email list. I write one email every week. Then I take that same email and post it on Facebook, share it on Instagram, drop it on Threads, and put it on my website as a blog post.
One piece of content. Five places. 5 extra minutes.
And every time I post it on social media, I put a link in the comments that says something like "Want to get these every week before anyone else? Sign up here. [newsletter or website link]"
That way you're not just posting into the void. You're funneling people off social media and onto your email list (which is hopefully on your website), where you actually own the relationship.
Pick your one main thing. Write it. Then put it everywhere. Think of it as "Content Repurposing"
3. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile.
This one is we do for clients at Homegrown Hosting, but you can do for free and takes about an hour to set up.
When someone searches "beef farm near me" or "fresh eggs [your town]" on Google, the farms that show up first in that map section almost always have a complete, optimized Google Business Profile.
Most farms either haven't claimed theirs or filled it out halfway.
Go to Google Business Profile and claim your profile. Add your hours, your products, your photos, a description of what you sell, and your website link. Fill out every single field.
It's one of the highest-return hours you'll spend on marketing all year.
4. Get other websites to link to yours.
Almost nobody talks about this, but it's one of the most powerful things you can do to get found on Google.
Every time another website links to your website, Google sees it as a vote of confidence. The more votes you have, the more Google trusts you and the higher you show up in search results.
Here's the thing: you're probably already doing things that could earn those links. You just aren't asking.
- Sell at a farmers market? Ask them to list your website on their site.
- Member of your local Chamber of Commerce? Make sure your website is in their directory.
- Done a podcast interview or been featured in a local article? Ask for a link back.
- Made a donation to your church or a local school and they want to thank you publicly? Ask them to include your website link on their website.
Every one of those links tells Google: this farm is real, it's trusted, and it's worth showing people.
It takes five minutes to ask. Most people never do.
5. Ask for reviews. Every single time.
Google reviews are one of the biggest factors in how high your Google Business Profile shows up in local search.
A farm with 40 reviews will almost always outrank a farm with 4, even if the other farm has a better website.
But here's the problem: most farms never ask.
Your customers love what you do. They're just not thinking about leaving a review unless someone reminds them. So remind them.
After every pickup, every delivery, every farmers market sale — send a quick follow-up message that says something like:
"Thanks so much for your order. If you have a minute, we'd love a Google review — it helps other families find us. Here's the link: [your Google review link]"
We do this at my farm (Longbottom Farm) in our customer emails (feel free to copy this).
That's it. No begging. No awkwardness. Just a simple ask.
Those five things: a home base, a simple content system, a Google Business Profile, backlinks, and consistent reviews, will do more for your farm's online presence than posting every single day on social media.
Pick one this week and start there.
Talk soon, Jason
