Smithills Open Farm Website Design and Development
When Smithills Open Farm first approached us in 2018, they needed a website that could properly showcase their family-run Farm to visitors. We’ve worked with them ever since, and six years later, they returned with an exciting new challenge: their business had grown massively, and they needed a website that could keep pace with their success.
The (New) Challenge
The Farm had evolved from a simple farm visitor attraction into a multi-faceted operation including farm visits, a holiday cottage, doorstep milk deliveries, ice cream production and shop, wholesale supply, on-site eateries, and a conservation zoo zone.
With over 90% of traffic now coming from mobile devices and multiple distinct user types visiting the site, it was time to restructure the digital experience to serve their diverse audiences better and reduce the volume of phone enquiries for information that could be found online.
Our Approach
We began with comprehensive research, analysing 12 months of user data to understand actual behaviour patterns. The numbers revealed that the homepage, planning information, and milk deliveries were the most frequently accessed pages, providing us with clear direction on where to focus our efforts.
Our strategy centred on mobile-first design for the 90% of users on smaller screens, clear user segmentation to create distinct pathways for different audiences, strategic information architecture that reflected user needs, and FAQs throughout the site to enable self-service.
The Solution
We rebuilt the site architecture around user intent, creating clear top-level categories that made sense from the visitor's perspective.
'Visit the Farm' became the hub for practical information, while 'Explore' shows exploratory content about animals and attractions.
Deliveries now has a dedicated section with clear pathways for new and existing customers. The Holiday Cottage received prominent positioning as a key revenue driver, and Wholesale got its own B2B section.
Every page was designed with a mobile-first approach, featuring sticky booking buttons, touch-friendly navigation, and quick-access FAQs. We balanced the existing illustration style with authentic farm photography, showing the real animals, facilities, and family-run atmosphere that makes Smithills special.
Making things resonate
Throughout the site, we emphasise three key aspects: Smithills is an authentic family-run farm with a personal touch, home to both zoo and farm animals, and a working farm with genuine conservation focus. For wholesale customers, we highlighted how Smithills eliminates intermediary suppliers.
The new website efficiently serves multiple audiences, each with clear, tailored journeys.
Most importantly, the site reflects Smithills' full offering as thriving farm offering multiple ways to engage with locally produced, ethically sourced products and authentic animal experiences. As they grow, the website is structured to support new revenue streams and seasonal events while maintaining their warm, family-run character.
Our tried and tested approach ensures that our clients connect with the right audience.
how we work