My Digital Farmer Podcast — Episode 349
What Do I Put on My Farm's Website Homepage?!
Host: Corinna Bench
Date: February 18, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, Corinna Bench, CSA farmer, marketing specialist, and founder of MyDigitalFarmer.com, dives deep into exactly what should go on a farm business’s website homepage. Corinna shares her tried-and-true “pancake stack” framework, breaking homepage content into manageable, purposeful sections ("pancakes") to help farm businesses maximize clarity, lead generation, and conversions. She walks listeners through each stack’s role, common pitfalls, and practical examples—making it an actionable guide for anyone wanting to improve their farm website.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why a Strong Homepage Matters
- The homepage is your farm’s “source of truth.” Visitors form quick judgments; unclear or outdated info leads to lost opportunities.
- “Your website is the source of truth for your farm brand. Or at least it should be. All the important information should be listed there...” (04:05)
- Corinna likens weak homepages to “comfy pants”—comfortable, but not suited for making a strong, professional impression:
- “A lot of farm websites are like comfy pants websites...they technically exist...but they’re not doing the job of representing the business and the offer super well or really professionally.” (07:14)
2. The “Pancake Stack” Framework for Homepage Content
Corinna’s approach: stack distinct content blocks in a deliberate order for maximum impact. You don’t need every single pancake, but order matters.
The 10 Core Pancake Stacks
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Header Stack (Hero Section) [13:30]
- A compelling image clearly showing what you sell.
- Strong tagline/headline and (optional) subheadline.
- Prominent call-to-action (CTA) button.
- Common mistakes: pretty farm shots with no product; unclear or poetic headlines; missing CTA button.
- “Pictures are a form of copywriting. They are a form of persuasion and messaging.” (13:44)
-
Problem/Meet the Farmer Stack [20:30]
- Brief, customer-centered intro tying your story to customers’ needs or values.
- Shows empathy and positions you as their guide.
- Small farmer photo and a button—optionally linking to the full “About” page.
- “Do not go into the weeds here, that's what your about page is for. It's very customer-centered.” (22:54)
-
Solution/What We Offer Stack [23:55]
- Highlights main product lines or services—don’t try to list everything.
- “Focus on your primary revenue drivers here.” (26:21)
-
How to Buy (3-Part Plan) Stack [28:28]
- Simple, step-by-step explanation: what the customer does and what happens next.
- “People will not step into confusion. They want to see what are the stones in the creek that I’m going to have to hop on.” (29:41)
-
FAQ/Objection Handling Stack [33:22]
- Answer the three to five most frequent pre-purchase questions or objections.
- Examples: “Where are the pickup sites?”, “Are you organic?”
- “Each frequently asked question is actually an objection in disguise…” (34:05)
-
Lead Magnet/Email Signup Stack [36:11]
- Offer a valuable resource (recipe guide, cut list, storage tips) in exchange for the visitor’s email.
- Email is your long-term asset; nurture new leads over time.
-
Primary Value Proposition Stack [37:54]
- Briefly answer: Why buy from us?
- Highlight values or unique positioning (e.g., regenerative practices, rare varieties, family-run).
- “This is where you’re differentiating your brand, your farm from your competition or from the other options that are out there...” (38:18)
-
Testimonials/Reviews Stack [39:37]
- Three to five short reviews or a testimonial slider. Optionally use real-time widgets (e.g., Google reviews).
- “People are looking for testimonials before they buy...something unlocks in their brain and they’re ready to move forward.” (40:00)
- Headline example: “Over 2000 happy customers!”
-
Credentials/Badges/Trust Signals Stack [42:40]
- Optional: Certification logos, awards, media mentions, association badges.
- “I don’t think this one is required, especially if you have the testimonial review stack…” (43:08)
-
Final Call to Action (“Closer”) Stack [44:13]
- Short, clear CTA at the page bottom, repeating offer and action.
- Place CTA buttons in most or all stacks so it’s always easy to convert.
3. Optional “Deck of Cards” Pancake Stacks [45:34]
- Audience-Specific Pathways / Rabbit Trails:
Let customers self-select their path (e.g., “Shop Vegetables,” “Buy Meat,” “Join CSA”). Useful for diverse farm operations. - Location/Service Area Stack:
Quickly show where you’re located and deliver, using a map or town list. - Visual Storytelling/Photo Collage:
Curated grid of farm life/product photos for trust and authenticity. - Content Preview Stack:
Feature latest blog post, recipe, or video to keep customers returning.
4. Website Architecture Tips [48:55]
- Menu (Navigation): About, Contact, Products/Shop, Blog (if applicable); fewer items is better, submenus can help organize.
- Footer: Farm name, address, phone, email, important links, social icons; important for both SEO and usability.
- “Make sure that your social icons are listed in the footer.” (50:48)
5. Common Mistakes
- Unclear or missing CTA.
- Too much or too little info on homepage.
- Lack of testimonials or “social proof.”
- Outdated or missing photos and information.
- Overly detailed personal stories up top.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“If your home page is confusing or it's missing information and people have to think too hard, they'll leave. And if they leave, well, there's no conversion that time.” (04:18)
-
On “comfy pants” websites vs. professional presence:
“A lot of farm websites are like comfy pants websites...they technically exist. They do the job, they're comfortable for the farmer, but they're not doing the job of representing the business and the offer super well.” (07:14)
-
On the purpose of each stack:
“Each pancake has a specific job, usually one job and one job only, before it passes the messaging onto the pancake below.” (11:42)
-
On funneling users to action:
“You are missing money on the table when you do that. Your call to action button should be simple, should be directional, one or two words.” (17:05)
-
On why to limit information:
“Simplicity trumps completeness. You don't have to throw the entire kitchen sink onto your homepage… But we do need to give enough information to make your offer compelling and clear so that they take that first step.” (53:08)
-
On website improvement as a project:
“What if you just focused on your website homepage? Shrink the container and let’s just decide: this is going to be a project.” (55:02)
Actionable Tips
- Audit your homepage using the “pancake stack” as a checklist—note what’s missing or what could be removed.
- Decide your “gateway offer”—what do you want most visitors to do first? Make that prominent everywhere.
- Add a testimonial section if missing; even a few will boost conversions.
- Periodically review and refresh homepage content and photos.
- Leverage the free PDF (“10 Most Common Website Mistakes”) from mydigitalfarmer.com/websitemistakes.
Useful Timestamps
- 04:05 — Why your homepage clarity matters
- 07:14 — The “comfy pants” website metaphor
- 13:30 — The “header pancake” explained
- 20:30 — “Problem/Meet the Farmer” stack
- 23:55 — The “Solution/What We Offer” stack
- 28:28 — The “How to Buy/Three-Part Plan” stack
- 33:22 — FAQ/Objection handling
- 36:11 — Lead magnet/email signup
- 39:37 — Testimonials and review stack
- 42:40 — Credentials/badges/trust signals
- 44:13 — Final CTA stack
- 45:34 — “Deck of cards” optional pancakes for special cases
- 48:55 — Website architecture: menu, footer, organization
- 53:08 — On simplicity vs. completeness
Episode Wrap-Up & Resources
Corinna encourages listeners to treat their homepage as a focused project—“not something you build in 10 minutes,” but a deliberate effort with step-by-step improvement. She points to Farm Marketing School’s “Website Homepage Makeover” course and a curated PDF of website examples for further help (available to subscribers). She emphasizes that small improvements compound, and clarity will convert more visitors into buyers.
Final encouragement:
“Your website is not just comfy pants, my friends… It’s a salesperson.” (58:23)
Show Notes & Resources: mydigitalfarmer.com/349
Connect with Corinna:
- Free marketing email series: mydigitalfarmer.com/subscribe
- Instagram: @mydigitalfarmer
- Farm Marketing School: mydigitalfarmer.com/fms
This summary is crafted to help you transform your farm website into a real sales tool—clear, inviting, and ready to turn more visitors into loyal customers.