Agriculture Answers: 3 ECommerce Tips and Tricks for Farmers
It’s a dream for many farmers to have their products sold at supermarkets or at other traditional retailers. The truth is that farmers only receive about 15 cents for every dollar that consumers spend on their products.
That means in order to be profitable selling to these outlets, you have to produce and sell a large volume of goods. A more profitable way to sell to consumers is directly at farmer’s markets or through an ecommerce site.
How can farmers take advantage of ecommerce? Keep reading to learn the top ecommerce tips to find out.
1. Build a Website for Users and Search Engines
There are plenty of platforms that you can use to build your ecommerce site. The drawback to many of these platforms is that they can be expensive and they don’t give you full control over your site.
The best way to go is to have a site that’s customized for your needs. Having professionals do the job will ensure that your site is built for performance, which matters to both search engines and users.
The longer your site takes to load, the more likely people will leave your site without becoming customers.
2. List Your Top Products to Sell
As you plan out your site, you need to decide which products and services you’ll sell on your site. For example, you may want to make it incredibly easy for people to sign up for a CSA or farm share.
This is an opportunity for you to tell the story of your farm. People can learn how it started, why you love it, and the products that you grow.
Seasonal items that people love, such as fresh corn and tomatoes will appeal to many people looking for boxes of these items during canning season. You want to understand what people are looking for and set up your website to offer these products online.
3. Build Value to Drive Traffic
The thing about doing ecommerce is that you need to find creative ways to drive traffic to your site. You can do so through social media, search engine optimization, and by promoting it at in-person events.
You want to find ways to build value for your audience. The more value you build with your customers, the more they’ll want to support your farm and tell their network of people.
How can you build value? You can start by educating them about your growing practices. You can also share recipes and tips to make the most of your products.
Ecommerce Tips for Digital Farmers
It’s never been more challenging to be a farmer. You’re competing against major corporations with huge influence and budgets. There’s hope though, as more consumers recognize the value that locally grown produce brings to the table.
You can help your farm out by building an online presence and having an ecommerce website. These ecommerce tips will help you get started. You want to make sure that you have a web presence that builds value and is appealing to users.
For more information about reaching people online, contact us today for a consultation.