The way food truck vendors have used social media has continually evolved. As the mobile food industry evolves so have social media strategies, tools and best practices. All of these issues are dependent upon the latest social media changes. However there are some things that seem to always stay the same, which include avoiding social media mistakes.

Social Media Mistakes Food Truck Vendors Can Avoid

Spreading Yourself Too Thin

The first of our major social mistakes food truck owners can avoid is overburdening yourself by using every social media platform available. Building a social media presence for your food truck takes a lot of time and effort. You have to engage with people continually, and communicate highly informative messages to stand out from the crowd.

It’s hard enough to do this on one social platform, let alone two, three, or on every one available to you. The easiest way to do this is to know your limits and take on one social media platform at a time. Once you’ve mastered one, move to add another.

Not Responding To Comments

It’s amazing how many food trucks forget that social media is social. When a customer or followers reaches out to your business with a comment, you must respond. Not only that, but your response must be quick and thought out. If you get to a point where your truck’s social media accounts take on the perception that you don’t listen to the consumer, your business is in BIG trouble. Your truck will be labeled as one that is only interested in self-promotion.

Rather than avoiding a response, use comments as opportunities to shine? Respond thoughtfully and promptly to both positive and negative comments, and use them as opportunities to showcase your commitment to excellent customer service.

Buying Followers

Buying Likes, Fans and Followers not only looks obvious, but can actually see your food truck social media accounts shut down altogether. Facebook and Twitter are improving their monitoring techniques and how they deal with this behavior. The quick fix? Don’t do it, build your fan base organically through great food, great service and word of mouth.

Failing To Setup Metrics

Many food truck owners that have been on social media for a few years have absolutely no idea how well a social media campaign is working. Obviously, not having a way to evaluate a social media campaign leads to wasted time and money and an inability to improve faulty campaign strategies.

Some useful metrics include tracking mentions; social shares of your food truck’s content; referred traffic from social media sites to your food truck website; and the number of engaged community members as measured by comments, direct messages. and the number of people who track your truck down through social media.

Not Watching The Competition

Tracking your food truck’s competition isn’t cheating or in bad taste. Keeping track of the competition is sensible and in our opinion, essential to help stay ahead of the crowd. This can be done as easily as following other food trucks. Also look at restaurants you’ve determined as direct or indirect competitors and put them into a list. Watch what they are doing and make sure you aren’t left in their dust.

RELATED: Change Your Social Media Passwords Before Firing Employees

The Bottom Line

Avoiding these social media mistakes all comes down to ensuring you and your food truck’s social media team are properly trained. Use your resources wisely and respond to your fans and followers professionally. When it comes down to it, treating your social media followers the same way you’d treat the customers that stand in line at your truck will help you avoid many typical social media mistakes.

Do you have any other easy social media mistakes food truck vendors should avoid? Share your thoughts in the comment section below or on social media. Facebook | Twitter