The 10 most important features of a food truck website
Food trucks should have a website. Prior to the Internet, a food service business’s printed menu was its first point of contact with its customers. The first impression of a food truck today is more likely to come from its website than its physical location. People will visit your website before they ever visit your service window after hearing about, reading about, or driving by your truck and becoming curious. In order to provide information to potential customers, a food truck website should have the following features.
Make sure your site looks great on Mobile devices
We believe that food truck websites must be able to be found by anyone, no matter what type of device they use to look for your truck. Make sure your website looks great on both computers and laptops, but also on smartphones, since millions of people use them.
Tell people what you are about with a recognizable theme
You should be instantly understood to your audience right away. It is imperative that you introduce yourself and your food truck right away. Even if you think the name of your mobile food business is self-explanatory, people still seem to appreciate how you describe yourself. A great time to highlight your unique selling points (locally sourced or seasonal ingredients, vegetarian options, etc.) is now.
Share your Locations and Routes
A food truck usually does not have a permanent location. The consumer needs to know where you are and how to reach you as a result. It’s not necessary to provide directions from every corner of the city. Link to a website that provides directions, such as Google Maps, and include an address, or an intersection. First-time visitors will recognize your truck with ease if you include a picture of it.
Hours of operation
Diners need to know when you will actually be at the location where your truck is parked on a particular day in order to find where your truck is parked. Keeping to your schedule will ensure you don’t upset customers who track you down only to discover your truck isn’t where your website said it would be.
What about your menu?
It is your business to serve food from your truck. A mouth-watering menu would be the most influential and distinctive selling point. It’s about words and pictures, really. Instead of scanning a paper menu into a PDF file, make it an interactive PDF. You should also invest in a digital menu to accompany your printed menu.
Food Photos
Photographs communicate so much. Use vivid imagery to illustrate what you’ve described in your menu. Let your food speak for itself. Show your staff and a picture of the inside of the truck. It is important to give prospective customers a glimpse of what they can expect.
Social Media Accounts
This may seem obvious but it take care to set up your socials properly. The right social media marketing strategy can make or break your food truck business. Providing your customers with easy access to your social media accounts will allow them to stay up-to-date on your services.
Highlight Your Catering Services
People will be able to book your truck for catering events if you make it easy. Making it easy will encourage consumers to book. Include an email contact form, as well as an easily accessible phone number.
Testimonials and reviews
Trying something new can feel risky to a new customer. Give them a little bit of social proof to nudge them towards taking the plunge. Nothing motivates a wavering customer more than seeing that a friend or neighbor has written a glowing review about their truck. You can use sites such as Yelp or social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to display the positive reviews you receive on your website.
Create Fresh Content
The last feature you must have on your food truck website is what will make it different from others. The content must be original. You will have a very informative website if you have all of the items listed above, but there is one more ingredient I believe food truck owners should add to the mix and that is not just having a static website that is updated with monthly calendars and menu changes.
Keep your customers coming back by giving them a reason to do so. Share your business news on your website and let the community get to know you better through a blog.
Don’t take shortcuts when it comes to marketing and your online visibility. Your website is your first step. Having an online presence that gives your customers the impression that you mean business is crucial. Here are a few suggestions for food truck websites to get off to a good start.