Marketing

7 tips on tapping Instagram to drive the food truck business

Social media is invaluable to food truck operators and knowing how to use each channel -- in this case Instagram -- can prove vital in driving business and building a customer following.

Photo by istock.com

June 28, 2021 by Richard Traylor — Writer, WebstaurantStore

Setting up an Instagram for your food truck not only allows you to share enticing images of your food, but it also creates a space to interact with customers before and after they leave your establishment. The best part? Much of social media is free advertising for your food truck. Check out these seven tips to utilize Instagram to the fullest.

1. Stay on brand

This goes for both your voice and aesthetic. Adhere to a certain tone in all of your posts, and create a page that encompasses your brand's look.

What is most important is that you are consistent on your page. In this way, guests and followers will feel fulfilled when they see that your food truck brand continues to offer what they have grown to expect of it.

2. Be searchable

#hashtag

Select an easily recognizable Instagram username, and use relevant business keywords in your profile to help increase your search results. Tag posts with hashtags, and be sure to make them relevant to your brand, image, and location so users can find you.

3. Integrate Instagram with other advertising

Overlap Instagram with all of your social media accounts.

Even if a user doesn't follow you on Instagram, they still might follow you on Facebook or Twitter. Share photos on all of your networks to increase views and gain followers. Utilize Instagram's embed feature.

You can add photos and videos to your website or blog, even if you're not an HTML code wizard. This user-friendly web embed feature lets you simply copy and paste an Instagram photo's code to easily place the image on your website or blog.

Stay Twitter friendly

Keep your Instagram caption word count under 280 characters. Any caption longer than that will be cut off if someone shares one of your images on Twitter.
Post your Instagram handle in and around your space.
Consider printing your Instagram account name and Twitter handle directly onto your food truck menu. That way, patrons need only to look at the menu to tag you in their latest foodie post. Consider displaying your accounts on your sidewalk sign as well, for those who walk or drive by your food truck.

Of course, keep your clientele in mind when integrating social media into your food truck marketing plan.

4. Interact with followers and reward them

Create fill-in-the-blank posts

Follow the lead of Pinkberry (they have over 60K followers) by posting interactive fill-in-the-blank posts. For example, "The best #pinkberry frozen yogurt flavor is ____"
Ask for customer opinions.
Offering a new ice cream flavor, beverage, or dish? Ask customers to help you name it! By enrolling customers in the process, they'll feel compelled to continue following you to learn the end result of the contest.
Hold photo challenges.

Encourage customers to share photos and add your food truck tag. Ask followers to post an iconic image of the city your food truck is located in or an image of their meal at your food truckwith your business name tagged in the photo. Offer winners gift cards, a free meal, or a similar reward.

Reward customer shares

Encourage Instagram users with more than 300 followers to post a photo that mentions your food truck (a hashtag, Foursquare check-in, or similar shoutout) and reward them with a free treat! After all, they just advertised your food truck to potential customers for free.

5. Make your space and dishes insta-worthy

Not only will you have more quality shots to take, but your guests will be more likely to take photos and share them if your food business has attractive dishes and interesting decor. Consider upping your plate presentation.

They will likely tag your business in the photo, especially if they can easily find your Instagram handle. In this way, you are getting free advertising and exposure to your guests' followers who will become aware of your food truck and may follow you or visit in the future.

6. Share videos and stories

Videos and stories allow you to take customer interaction one step further. They give you the chance to share behind-the-scenes action. They also add a personal touch and make your followers feel included. Below are some ideas for creating engaging videos and stories:

Introduce diners to your chef at work in the kitchen
Ask diners for reviews (get permission before posting!)
Show a "before" shot of ingredients, the food prep process, and the final dish being served.

7. Food photography tips

If taking your own photos, it's essential to to understand some basic food photography tips. In this way, you can take high-quality images and share polished content without hiring a professional photographer.

Lighting

When showing off your entrees, avoid using flash and harsh overhead lights. Instead, snap photos near a window or softer light source for a natural-looking appearance.

Create action with simple kitchen props

Place chopsticks by sushi, or a spoon resting in a bowl of soup. Add a piece of silverware to a plated dish. You can also include a person interacting with the food or drink, which makes it appear even more inviting.

Add texture

When photographing food with a "mushy" texture (such as soup, stew, or ice cream), add a garnish that contrasts in color and texture from the dish to add more defined dimension to the photo. For example, bright berries are a great accent for ice cream and sorbet, while rich green garnishes like parsley add dimension to soup.

Filter images with easy-to-use apps

A little filtering goes a long way to enhance the quality of your images. Applications like VSCO, Snapseed, Afterlight 2, and A Color Story are all popular for a range of adjustments, like color correction and exposure. They also have a variety of filters to chose from that are not available on Instagram.

Branch out

Don't just show off your menu items! Snap a warm, inviting image of your restaurant's interior. Capture photos of your staff working or guests enjoying their food (with their permission, of course). Please note — if you show staff, make sure they're practicing food-safe procedures (such as wearing gloves) to avoid negative feedback for unsafe food handling captured via image.

Stick to the rule of thirds

Break away from front-and-center pics, and use the rule of thirds to create intriguing images. Imagine your photo being broken down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically), so that you have nine total parts. Place points of interest at intersection points for a more balanced image.

Instagram is an excellent opportunity to advertise your food truck business. By following these tips, you can increase your following, engage your followers and boost your guest base.

About Richard Traylor

Richard Traylor graduated from Temple University in the winter of 2014 with a degree in Strategic Communications. After graduating, he taught English in South Korea for two years, during which he was fortunate enough to travel and see the world. In October 2016, he returned home and started to work in SEO Content at Webstaurant Store. This blog previously ran on Webstaurant Store.

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