O. A. Rushchitskaya, E. S. Kulikova, E. M. Kot, T. I. Kruzhkova
Ural State Agrarian University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
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Volume 26 No. 5
Date of paper submission: 15.01.2026, date of review: 18.03.2026, date of acceptance: 01.04.2026.
Published: 05/31/2026
Abstract. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that small farms, under conditions of saturated regional food markets, growing competition from retail chains, and changing consumer behavior, face not so much a production problem as a problem of sustainable and reproducible customer acquisition. For small-scale farms, the digital environment is especially important because it helps compensate for limited retail infrastructure, weak offline distribution, and territorial remoteness from major demand centers. The purpose of the study is to develop a digital lead generation model for small farms and an algorithm for forming and evaluating customer flow that links channel selection, entry point quality, and the economic effectiveness of customer acquisition. The methodological basis combines systems, process, and comparative analytical approaches, expert audit of farm digital infrastructure, analysis of official statistical and sectoral data, and case analysis of publicly available practices of farm projects in Sverdlovsk Oblast. The scientific novelty lies in the development of an original digital lead generation model for a small farm that integrates demand segmentation, value proposition design, digital entry point architecture, trust-building mechanisms, conversion, retention, and analytics; in the construction of an integral website index as a lead generation center; and in the proposal of a system of indicators for empirical assessment of acquisition channels. The results show that the most effective solution for a small farm is not an isolated channel but an interconnected multichannel structure in which the website, search visibility, social media, messengers, delivery, agritourism, and partner retail outlets form a single conversion system. It is demonstrated that the quality of digital infrastructure directly affects the reproducibility of customer flow, the level of trust, and the share of repeat purchases.
Keywords: small farm, digital marketing, lead generation, customer flow, agritourism, farm website, sales channels
For citation: Rushchitskaya O. A., Kulikova E. S., Kot E. M., Kruzhkova T. I. Digital lead generation model for small farms: an algorithm for forming and evaluating customer flow. Agrarian Bulletin of the Urals. 2026; 26 (05): 955‒971. https://doi.org/10.32417/1997-4868-2026-26-05-955-971 (In Russ.)
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