Website Essentials for Farmers’ Markets

You do not need a fancy, expensive, or complicated website to run a successful farmers’ market.

You do need a place online that:

• Lives outside social media
• Clearly explains who you are
• Answers basic questions without friction
• Works well on phones
• Can grow with you over time

A strong website supports attendance, fundraising, vendor recruitment, and long-term sustainability. It becomes a working tool, not just a digital flyer.

A website:

• Shows up in Google and AI-powered search
• Builds confidence with funders, sponsors, and partners
• Reduces repetitive questions through clear information
• Creates a permanent home for programs, rules, and events
• Works even when algorithms change or accounts get restricted

When someone searches:

• “Farmers market near me”
• “Does this market take SNAP?”
• “What time does the market open?”

Your website, not Facebook, is what search engines and AI tools prioritize.

You can start small. These are the non-negotiables.

1. A Clear, Effective Home Page

Your home page should answer these questions immediately:

• What is this market?
• Where is it?
• When does it run?
• Who is it for?

If a visitor can’t tell those things in under 10 seconds, you’ve lost them.

2. Basic Pages (Minimum Set)

You do not need 20 pages. Start with these:

• Home
• About the Market
• Visit the Market (or Plan Your Visit)
• Vendors (even a simple list)
• Contact

Optional but powerful additions:

• Programs (SNAP/EBT, Kids’ programs, vouchers)
• Events
• Blog or News

This information should be visible without scrolling:

• Market day(s) and hours
• Season dates
• Exact address
• Town and state

This is not optional. This is the number one reason people visit your site.

Home Page Must-Haves

Clear Headline

Plain language beats clever every time.

Examples:

• “A Weekly Community Farmers’ Market in [Town]”
• “Fresh Food, Local Farmers, Community Connections”

Location + Schedule (Front and Center)

Don’t hide this. Repeat it if needed.

Food Access & Voucher Programs (Clearly Visible)

Make it easy to immediately see what food security programs you offer.

On the home page, clearly list or highlight:

• SNAP / EBT
• Matching programs (if applicable)
• WIC / senior vouchers
• Kids’ programs
• Veteran or community voucher programs

This information should be:

• Easy to spot
• Written in plain language
• Reinforced visually (icons or short bullets work well)

You can expand on each program elsewhere on the site, but visitors should not have to hunt to know whether the market is accessible to them.

This is critical for:

• Community members
• Funders
• Partners
• Search visibility

What Makes Your Market Special

Pick 3–5 things:

• Local farmers & food producers
• Food access and voucher programs
• Kid-friendly activities
• Live music
• Community partnerships

Clear Calls to Action

• Plan Your Visit
• Become a Vendor
• Join Our Newsletter
• Support the Market

Strong Photos

People > food > atmosphere. Authentic phone photos are absolutely fine.

Strong Header and Footer (This Matters More Than You Think)

Header: Your Most Valuable Real Estate

Every page header should include:

• Market name
• Main navigation
• Market day(s), time, and season
• Town/location

Best practices:

• Information visible without scrolling
• Navigation limited to 5–6 items
• Clear, predictable labels

If visitors have to hunt for when or where the market is, the site isn’t working.

Footer: Reinforce the Essentials

Your footer should repeat critical information:

• Market name
• Market day(s) and hours
• Full address
• Town and state
• Email or contact link
• Social media links

People scroll to the bottom instinctively looking for answers. Make sure they find them.

Markets are dynamic. Your website should reflect that.

Include a small “Updates” or “What’s Happening” section for:

• Weather notices
• Holiday schedule changes
• Special guests
• Program reminders
• Seasonal announcements

This:

• Keeps the site feeling alive
• Reduces social media pressure
• Builds trust

Clearly Represent Your Mission

Your mission should be:

• Easy to find
• Easy to understand
• Written in plain language

Clearly communicate:

• Who you serve
• Why the market exists
• What you value (local food, access, farmers, community)

Best practice:

• Short mission statement on the home page
• Fuller explanation on the About page

Donation Access: Make Supporting You Easy

If your market accepts donations, link to it clearly.

Many markets use Give Lively because it:

• Is easy to set up
• Works well for nonprofits
• Feels familiar and secure to donors
• Can be linked directly from your site

Best placement:

• Header button (“Donate” or “Support the Market”)
• Footer link

Occasional home page callout during fundraising season

Your website is one of your strongest sponsorship tools.

Sponsor Banner (Homepage)

A simple sponsor banner:

• Signals legitimacy and community support
• Gives sponsors visible value
• Shows that your market is organized

Best practices:

• Place near the bottom of the homepage or above the footer
• Use clean logos (don’t overcrowd)
• Link logos to sponsor websites when possible

Sponsor Profile Page

Create a Sponsors or Community Partners page with:

• Sponsor logos
• Short descriptions
• Why they support the market
• Optional quotes or impact highlights

This strengthens renewals and shows funders real community buy-in.

A blog isn’t about posting often.
It’s about answering real questions clearly.

Blogs support:

• SEO (search visibility)
• AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) — being the answer in AI-powered search

Strong topics include:

• SNAP / EBT explanations
• Kids’ and voucher programs
• What to expect at the market
• Seasonal guides
• Weather policies

Prospective Vendor Page (This Saves Time)

Every market should have a Vendor Information page—even when applications are closed.

Include:

• Who the market is a good fit for
• Commonly asked questions
• Application timelines
• Review process expectations

Link Rules & Regulations directly from this page so vendors can easily assess fit before applying.

Your audience is overwhelmingly mobile.

Best practices:

• Use authentic images
• Resize and compress photos before uploading
• Avoid overloading pages
• Prioritize fast load times

Mobile-first checklist:

• Text readable without zooming
• Buttons easy to tap
• Hours, address, and programs visible immediately
• Simple navigation

Platform Recommendation

Website builders like Wix work especially well for farmers’ markets because they:

• Look professional out of the box
• Are easy to update
• Are mobile-optimized automatically
• Include tools for blogs, forms, SEO, and donations
• Empower staff and volunteers to manage the site themselves

Bottom Line

A strong farmers’ market website is:

• Easy to navigate
• Clear at a glance
• Transparent about access and programs
• Updated when it matters
• Built for real people on phones

Your website is the digital front door to your market.
Make it welcoming, dependable, and easy to walk through.

Find Your Next Step With These Links

Reaching Your Community