The Real Maine agricultural promotions program was created by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to promote Maine agricultural products. The Real Maine website is a valuable resource, connecting consumers to Maine farms and agricultural businesses. The site provides an opportunity for people to search for products or agricultural experiences they are interested in (e.g. apples), learn about the businesses that offer those products (e.g. a pick-your-own apple farm 10 miles away), and even build an itinerary of farms and businesses to visit (e.g. a apple farm, a corn maze, a cidery, and an alpaca farm that offers cozy knits).
For farmers, the Real Maine website offers a platform to reach people interested in Maine agricultural products, farmers’ markets, and agritourism experiences. Site visitors are often people interested in buying local, shopping at places other than a box store, and/or looking to spend a day connecting with farm animals, picking their own produce, and/or enjoying delicious, fresh produce and value-added products like apple cider donuts, ice cream, cheese, and craft beverages.
In September, more than 1,000 unique viewers visited the Real Maine website. 654 of these site visitors used the Real Maine website as an entry point to a farm or food business’s website. More than 200 people utilized a Real Maine member’s profile to get directions to that member’s business.
What were site visitors searching for?
Among the common keyword searches on RealMaine.com in September:
Apples – There are more than 150 Real Maine members offering apples when in season. Visitors may filter their search by apples in a specific town or within a certain mileage radius.
Plums – There are nearly 50 Real Maine members offering plums when in season. Did you know that Maine grows both native beach plums, an endangered species in the state, and cultivated varieties of European and Asian plums?
Maine Beef – Real Maine has hundreds of members who produce and/or sell local beef, which can be used in a variety of great recipes and meals.
Which Real Maine member profile had the most interactions?
The Real Maine profile for Birch Bog Farm in South Oxford, the only organic cranberry bog in Maine, had the most visitor interactions in August.
