The trucking industry is a unique one, but it is not exempt from the digital age that we are living in today. According to our invoice factoring company, while truckers of the past may not have seen a need for a website, there are a few reasons why you should consider creating one.
You use freight brokers and load boards, why would you need a website? In today’s busy and competitive market, you want to make it easy for brokers and shippers to find you. Have you thought about building your own trucking website? Have you wondered if it could help your trucking business? Here’s what you need to know.
Why Your Trucking Business Needs a Website
Think about what you do when you are looking to buy a product or hire someone for a service. The first thing you do is jump online and search for it, right? You go to different websites, you read reviews, and you might even watch some YouTube videos related to your search.
So if you do all of that, why wouldn’t a broker or shipper potentially do the same before they hire you for a load? Or maybe they’re looking for someone in a certain geographical area or were referred to you by another driver. There are a lot of reasons why having a simple website can help your profile and your business. Here are a few: things
- Get Found: The first and most important benefit is that a website will allow your business to be found. You can use your website to add important contact information for brokers to reach you.
- Build Your Reputation: Websites are a great resource for client testimonials; you can have past clients leave reviews about their experiences that can then be shared on social media. Additionally, people will likely throw away your business card, but if you send them an email with a link to your website, they might take a look.
- Establish Authority: If you’ve been on the road for a while or work in a niche area, you can keep a blog or vlog on your website to share lessons and experiences from the road. This can help garner attention around your business and allow you to establish yourself as an authority in the field. This also leads to a better chance of getting additional referral income with affiliate links and partnerships.
- Look Professional: A good website can instantly boost credibility and show clients that you take your business seriously. Clients will feel more confident in you and will be more likely to trust you with their business. Take the time to include a photo and a little bit of your personal story. Believe it or not, people like to get a sense of someone’s personality before working with them.
How to pick the right domain name for my trucking business
There is a lot of creativity that can go into building your trucking website. But when it comes to your domain name, you want to be as straightforward as possible. Remember, you are building this site so people can find you.
The most obvious choice for your domain name is your company’s business. If I own Triumph Transportation, I am going to look for triumphtransportation.com. There are several websites that you can buy and register your domain at. You can use GoDaddy, for example, to see if your domain is available. If it’s not, they’ll suggest other ideas for you to consider. All in all, you might spend $8 to $20 a month a year for your domain.It’s well worth it to make sure you own your little piece of the internet.
How to create a website for your trucking business
You might have always thought that a website was good for your business, but maybe you got hung up on how much time you think it would take or how much it would cost. But now there are a ton of great, easy-to-use website templates and builders that can get you up and running in a few hours.
Here are some simple ways you can build a website for your trucking business.
- Look into website builders like Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, and many others that have pre-designed templates and simple features all for free or a low monthly fee.
- Ask around your network and see if any of your friends or family have experience building simple websites. See if they’re willing to help.
- Outsource the job to a freelancer. Check out freelance websites like Upwork, where you can contract freelancers according to your budget that can build your website for you.
Building a website doesn’t have to cost you big or even take up much time, but it will require some effort. This small investment can have a huge payoff for your business.
What other tools does your trucking business need?
A business website is just one part of you reaching your business goals. As a growing trucking business, you need a steady stream of cash rolling in to keep you operating. That’s where working with a freight factoring company can help you get paid quickly for your delivered loads. Learn more how Triumph, formerly known as Triumph Business Capital helps thousands of owner-operators get their money and many times faster than a QuickPay.
Trucker’s Guide to Freight Factoring
Our Trucker’s Guide to Freight Factoring explains what exactly invoice factoring is, how it works, and if it’s a right fit for your trucking company.