b'Forage and Turf Breeding isLAURA BURTNYKPROJECT MANAGER, CREATEBecoming Increasingly Global lburtnyk@seedworldgroup.comseedworldgroup.comAS A WORLDWIDEcompany,Our database is organized DLF is present in Europe, thebased on where that species mightWhat Should You Expect from Americas and Oceania. We alsofit or might have an appropri-operate in Asia and Africa, touch- ate use. A product bred in NewYour Website in 2023?ing virtually every corner of theZealand might have characteristics globe. This worldwide networkthat could be used to build a game- YOUR WEBSITE ISthe most essential part of your informs our breeding and helps uschanging variety for the Canadianonline presence. It is your companys book cover, provide the best products we canor American Midwest markets. Theand no matter how much you stress about it, people for our customers. system we have perfected is ever- always judge a book by its cover. The same goes for Of course, that global networkchanging in light of rapidly advanc- your website: first impressions are always the ones is made up of a huge team thating technology, such as genomicthat matter. includes local breeders like me. Iselection and the effects of climateA strong website will act as the backbone of your breed for DLFs North Americanchange.digital presence. If its not stellar, all other digital initia-business unit. Turf and forageCustomer needs are alwaystives (social media, podcasts, videos, email campaigns, customers in this part of the worldshifting, and that means our breed- etc.) have nowhere to drive potential customers to. So have unique needs when it comesing priorities have to shift as wellwhat should you expect from your website in 2023? Are to seed varieties, be it for animal(Im thinking of things like drought/ you setting yourself up for success? This is what your feed, lawn grass or sports turf.heat tolerance). Germplasm createdwebsite should be doing for your business to grow: DLFs status as a global playerin drier/warmer parts of the globe1) User-centric. If your site is designed with yoursomething that were taking timeare perfectly suited to this. In pastuser in mind, it will make it easier to attract new and to highlight in light of our recentdecades, it may have surprisedreturning visitors, and help convert those visitors into rebrandingis a key part of oura lot of people that a turfgrassleads. A user-friendly site that shows you understand local breeding work. More thandeveloped in North America wouldyour customer and their needs can go a long way to ever, it has to be. have uses in Europe or even partsbuilding trust.Turf and forage breeding isof Canada, but this is a reality DLF2) A powerful website should drive traffic to your global. For example, many foragebreeders are encountering morekeywords and content. A site with optimized SEO and perennial ryegrasses grown aroundoften as the climate changes andlanding pages will have the ability to generate more the world come mainly from greaternorthern environments becometraffic from search engines and social media, which will Europe or Oceania When it comeswarmer and drier. give you more page views.to orchardgrass and tall fescue,Our DLF breeders around the3) Position you as an expert. People searching for they often come from southernworld are keenly attuned to whatyour product or service are looking for answers, and Europe and/or North America. their local markets need, but ouryour website should be providing them. Your content, Our trial sites around the worldglobal presence and germplasmwhether its videos or text, should showcase your provide us with data on countlessbank means our company is oneexpertise as well as provide clear specifications about populations and/or varieties andthat has learned to operate with ayour products and services. where they perform best. When ittruly global business model that4) Deliver insights. Having analytics set up on your comes to the wide range of germ- benefits our businesses worldwide. site can help you unlock some very powerful informa-plasm we use to breed with, eachtion. If you dont know where your leads are coming species could be bred for a couplefrom, what they are looking for, or how long they of places or just one, in addition tostayed, how can you tell what content or marketing multiple traits, such as drought tol- initiatives are moving the needle? erance or nitrogen use efficiency. 5) Never be finished. It doesnt matter if your site is two weeks old or two years old. A website should never be thought of as finished. A website should be considered a living thing that you need to keep updat-ing with content and undergo regular wellness checks STEVE REID to ensure it is operating to serve your marketing goals.HEAD OF R&D NORTH AMERICA, DLF So, is your website delivering? Carefully weigh your sreid@dlfna.com goals and your needs. If a poor online experience is dlfna.com holding your business back, it might be time to write a@DLFUSAnew chapter and take your website to the next level.38/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2023'