Your food truck’s website design matters. In the days before the Internet a printed menu was usually the first point of contact between a food service business and its potential customers. Today, however, a food truck is more likely to make its first impression via its website. When people hear about, read about, or drive past your truck and become curious, they will likely pay a visit to your website before ever showing up at your service window. The following is our list of food truck website features that every mobile food business website should have in order to provide customers with the information they’re seeking.
10 Must Have Food Truck Website Features
Make It Mobile
Item number of our must have food truck website features is to make sure your website can be found by everyone no matter what type of device they are using to track down your truck. Not only should your website be designed to show well on a pc or laptop, but you need to make sure the millions of smart phone users get the same experience.
Related: Top Responsive Food Truck WordPress Themes
A General Overview
A basic introduction to you and your food truck is an absolute must. Even if you think the name of your mobile food business is self-explanatory, people still seem to appreciate how you describe yourself. If you have any unique selling points (locally sourced or seasonal ingredients, vegetarian options, etc.) now is a great time to mention them.
Locations
Food trucks don’t normally have permanent locations. Because of this, consumers need to know where you are, and how to get there. You don’t need to provide directions from every part of town. Include an address, or intersection, and link to a direction-giving site like Google Maps. As if you didn’t know this already, you need to include a photograph your truck, so first-time visitors will recognize it easily from the street.
Hours
Basic stuff, here. If a diner is looking for the location your truck is parked a particular day, they need to know what time you’ll actually be there. Make it a priority to stick to your schedule to avoid upsetting customers who attempt to track you down to find your truck isn’t there when your website told them you would be.
Menu
The food you serve from your truck is your business. If ever there were an influential and unique selling point, it would be a mouth-watering menu. Words and images will paint a picture, here. Don’t just scan a paper menu into an annoying PDF file, either. Invest in having a digital menu designed to complement your physical one.
Photos
A picture speaks a thousand words. Show what you’ve described in your menu, and make the imagery vivid. Show off your food. Display the inside of your truck, your staff, and the truck itself. The food is the star, but give prospective customers a preview of the experience they can expect.
Social Media Accounts
Another no-brainer. Food trucks can live or die with the proper social media marketing strategy. Why not make it easy for your customers to find your social media accounts so they can follow any updates you may provide along those channels.
Catering & Contact Info
Make it easy for people to book your truck for a catering event. Do this and consumers will be more likely to do it. Provide an easy-to-find phone number, of course, include an email contact form.
Testimonials
As I’ve discussed before, nothing gives a wavering customer a little nudge more than seeing that a friend or neighbor that had given a truck a glowing review online. Take your positive reviews from sites such as Yelp or social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and transfer them to your website for all to see.
Related: Embedding Twitter Testimonials on Your Food Truck Website
New Content
The last of our food truck website features you mus have is what will differentiate your website from other food trucks. Original content. If you have each of the items above you are going to have a very informative website, but the last ingredient I feel food truck owners need to add to the mix is not just having a static website that only is changed with monthly calendar or menu changes.
Provide your customers a reason to keep coming back. Run a blog on your site to share the news of your business and let the community get to know you better.
Related: Developing a Blog for Your Food Truck Website
The Bottom Line
Running a food truck is no easy task. Don’t use this as an excuse to take short cuts when it comes to having online visibility. Begin with your website. It’s vital to position yourself online with a professional destination that gives customers the impression you mean business. With this in mind, consider these suggestions for food truck website features to start properly.
Did we miss any must have food truck website features? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section, our food truck forum or social media. Facebook | Twitter