Going digital isn’t as scary as it sounds, even for South African farms in South Africa. There are many reasons why farms should have a website and more, which we will explore. Traditionally, smaller commercial farms usually aren’t as digitally savvy as they could be. But it’s crucial. Change is good and it can, at most times, assist and progress your business.

Why South African farms should have a website?

1. Credibility

Every time you want to find out more information about a particular business, your first instinct is to go onto the internet and quickly google it. It is vital that your farm has a presence online. It gives the farm just that much creditability.
Tip: It is very important that the information that you have online for your farm is constantly updated.

2. Easy to set up

Many people think that building a website is an expensive exercise. It is not. In this day and age, there are many create-your-own-site options or agencies that can assist with tailor-made options.
Tip: It is always a good idea to plan and lay out the content that will go onto your website, including the correct keywords, before starting to build the website.

3. Improves customer service

Online presence brings with it an opportunity for your customers or clients to voice their opinions on your business. In this regard, a website can be a great customer service tool.
Tip: Always check your website and social media platforms to see if there is any feedback from any of your customers, and be sure to reply to the comments promptly.

4. Business accessibility

Your business is always on if you have a website. Customers will go onto your website or social media platforms at any time of the day. There are no rules as to when someone will go onto your website. Your farm’s website is always marketing your business by providing updated information about your products.
Tip: This presents an opportunity to encourage more interaction with your customers online at different times of the day, as this will lead to more engagement.

5. Reach is greater

Think about all those customers who don’t live close to your business. A website is one way to give them access to your products by making your products widely available online for everyone.

6. Show off your work

A website is a great way to display your business and its products and offerings. Even the customer reviews that you receive are a form of showcasing your business.
Tip: Remember that a website is ‘open’ for 24/7 so try to make it as current as possible, at all times.

7. Return business

Websites allow customers to have the freedom to search for your farm details online and get more information on it. In the past, people used to give out business cards, but sometimes those could get lost or misplaced and therefore did not work effectively. You can now simply give a person your farm’s name and they can look up the details online.
Tip: Customers can save your business website under their ‘favourites’ and easily return to the site when they need to.

Social media platforms that can help South African farms

1. Facebook

Your farm can create a business profile on Facebook to get more traffic to your website. It is a great platform to expand reach and build an audience, who will hopefully later become customers. Many Facebook users spend an average of 40 minutes on the platform, so it is a good opportunity for your farm to interact with its market.

2. Twitter

Twitter’s largest demographic consists of young adults who are 18 to 29 years. It allows users to read and send short messages. The platform can be used to send more people to the farm’s website, as well as interact with potential customers and partners. Twitter is very fast paced, meaning tweets can be hidden if you don’t post regularly on the platform. You can also look into using the correct hashtags to gain some traction on your tweets.

3. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is designed specifically for the business community to connect with each other. You can use the platform to connect with other South African farms. It can also be used to post job opportunities should anything open up at your farm.

Don’t just jump into creating a page on the above platforms, but rather have a look and see which ones will work best for your farm’s business plan.

It is time fr South African farms to get a website and begin the move toward making things more digital. There is so much information that the farm can share online about its products and offerings. Get in touch with us if you’re a farmer looking for ways to make your business more digital.