Business and Policy February 2026 – Digital Marketing: Making your Farm or Croft Stand Out

With livestock to feed, fences to repair, and spring sowing around the corner, it is not surprising that marketing is often a job which falls down your to-do list.  However, neglecting it risks putting your business on the back foot.  As business owners and consumers become increasingly digitally savvy, not taking the time to consider how you represent yourself online is leaving the door open to your competition.   

Good marketing will help you: 

• Increase your returns 

• Build a loyal customer base 

• Raise awareness of your products and/or services 

• Tell your story 

 

This article will take you through the fundamentals of promoting your farm or croft online, give you tips for either getting started or taking your online activity to the next level. 

 

Step 1: Understand what makes you stand out in the market 

The key to marketing any product, service, or experience, is to start with “Why.” It is often easy to describe what you do or how you do it, but in doing so you may miss the importance of why you do it, and why someone should buy from you.  

Ask yourself: Why would someone be interested in buying your bull, your store cattle, renting your cottage?   

Why would a fellow sheep farmer be interested in your breeding stock?  It could be: 

• Key genetics 

• Specific characteristics/traits 

• Their good-nature 

• Easy calvers/lambers 

 

Outside of livestock, consider other assets unique to you or your business: 

• Your unique location/product 

• Do you have a good reputation in the industry? 

• Have you got proven track record? 

• Are you reliable and good to work with?  

• Have you been serving the same area for a long time? 

Making sure that your target audience knows what makes your business valuable strengthens your case when they are weighing you up against your competitors.  

So, figure out your ‘Why’ and start thinking about how you’re going to talk about it in the different places people might come across your business online.  

 

Step 2: Understand your audience 

Everyone has emotional drivers in why they choose to buy from certain people, farming businesses, or brands, so it is important to understand your customers motivations and tailor your communications to their needs and wants.  

Many farmers and crofters are savvy buyers and will rarely buy on impulse.  They are likely to do their research reviewing products and brands online, discussing options in forums and groups, watch YouTube videos, and speak to other farmers and crofters to seek their opinions before finally making a purchase.  

The next generation of farmers and crofters are digital natives and rely heavily on social media, websites, and online resources for their information and decision making.  

 

Step 3: Make yourself visible 

The online world can feel vast, so for the sake of simplicity, this article will focus on three of the largest and most-used marketing channels.  These are: 

1. Social media 
2. Websites 
3. Email marketing 

Each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and you do not need to be on all of them to be successful.  A tight focus on one rather than an unfocused attempt at all three is likely to return more value to your business and keep things simple. 

 

Social Media 

Social media marketing provides followers with the opportunity to feel connected to your farm, brand, your values, and meet the people/family behind the business.  Sharing real stories, images, and short videos from day-to-day life on the farm/croft showing people why your products, service, tourism accommodation, campsite, store cattle, ewe lambs etc. can benefit them, their family, or their farming business can gently persuade them in their decision-making process.  

Regardless of what you are selling, it’s important to be authentic, trustworthy, and helpful to encourage sales, bookings, or enquiries on social media.   Post regularly, even once a week, so people remember you. 

Instagram and Facebook 

Instagram and Facebook continue to be the dominant forces in the social media world.  Facebook is a great way for farmers and crofters to speak to peers, engage in conversations in Facebook groups, find out information about a specific thing, and hear about others’ experiences.  

Instagram continues to be very popular in the food and drink and tourism sectors and is a good platform for farmers and crofters to connect with the public and consumers.  Instagram is favourable if you are adding value to your produce, have tourism accommodation, and/or farm tours and experiences on offer.  

Instagram is better for visual storytelling i.e. food, produce, farm stays, or experiences.  With posts, stories, and reels, you can very quickly and easily tell the story of your farm, croft, brand, and people behind the business.   

Followers like to see regular updates from your farm, daily and seasonal activities throughout the farming calendar, which helps to raise your profile and incentivise sales, bookings, or enquiries.  

 

What makes a good image or video?  

• Behind the scenes visuals:  Followers love to see people, faces, animals, and activities that happen in your business.  

• Authenticity: Photos and videos don’t need to be polished.  Most smartphones can produce high quality images for social media.  Keep it real and relatable to your audience.  

• Consistency: As you build your online network, your followers will become used to your style and tone on their feeds.  Post regularly, even just once a week to remind your audience of your presence in the marketplace.  

Virtual farm tours, farm walks, sunrise/sunsets over your tourism accommodation, short reels showcasing your livestock ahead of a sale, as examples, can all help to drive interest among potential customers.  

 

Website  

A simple website for your farm or croft could be a good way to raise your profile and tell your farming story.  Creating a single (landing) page that gives viewers a clear message about you, your farm/croft, business objectives, products/services for sale, along with contact details can be effective in communicating that you are open to business and welcoming enquiries.  

It is possible for you to create your own website using the following website builders:  

• Wix

• Squarespace 

• IONOS 

Another benefit to building a website, and thorough use of social media, is it expands your geographical possibilities. For example, livestock businesses based on Orkney, Shetland, or Western Isles can promote their livestock to a wider pool of potential buyers on the mainland ahead of sales and they may generate private enquiries from individual buyers.    

 

Email Marketing  

Email marketing can be an effective way to provide monthly or seasonal updates throughout your farming calendar, convey your farming values through storytelling, and act as a subtle reminder of your presence in the market with products or services on offer.  For example, farmers selling beef direct to consumers could provide a seasonal harvest update, what’s happening around the farm at that time of year, including a recipe of the month using a particular cut of meat to stimulate ideas and sales.   

Mailchimp is a popular and user-friendly option for email marketing. 

 

Step 4: Keep up momentum 

Trust and reliability matter most. Many farmers buy from the same farm or buy machinery from the same dealer because they have built a relationship with them for years. Similarly, consumers tend to return to the same brand, product, accommodation, experience or activity, if they have had positive experiences in the past.   Keeping in touch with your client base helps to underpin that trusted relationship. 

 

Specialist Advice Funding 

If you are new to marketing or are looking to review or refresh your existing website, social media, marketing channels, or create a marketing plan for your business, applications for Specialist Advice | Helping farmers in Scotland funding are likely to re-open again in April 2026.  

 

Calum Johnston, Calum.johnston@sac.co.uk  07917 263 256.