One of the most important aspects of vending is marketing. From wrapping their trucks and vans with logos, to taking out ads in magazines and newspapers, vending operators work tirelessly to get their brand out there. So it stands to reason that vending operators would want to get a leg up on the digital market as well. Search engines are the new phone books and people use social media as an alternative news source, yet, according to Neil Swindale of VendCentral, most vending operators aren't utilizing the Web to their full potential.

"If somebody lands on your website, chances are they don't know who you are," Swindale said. "So they're going to base their perception of your company on your website."

Swindale, who owns VendCentral, a digital marketing firm specifically dedicated to helping vending operators grow their business, began his career in vending as a Coca-Cola sales rep 20 years ago. He went on to open his own vending company, before selling and starting VendCentral 15 years ago. According to Swindale, it's important to budget for, and plan the creation of a website before committing to creating it. Having a cheap website is almost as bad as not having one at all.

The Basics

According to Swindale, there are two main concepts to focus on when developing a website—conversion and search engine optimization (SEO).

Conversion

Conversion refers to the website's design and navigability. First impressions are everything in sales, and when consumers come to a vending website, their first impression of the entire operation lies in what the website looks like, and how much it can tell them. There are three key factors to conversion that can make or break a vending operation Website or set them apart.

1. Design: Having a modern design that dazzles the consumer is the first step to drawing them in. The home page of the site should be well-representative of the operation. Having a large, strong logo, images of the operation and interactive links that clearly inform the consumer and navigate them through the site is a must for any vending Website.
2. Information: Consumers will not go out of their way to find information, so making it accessible and easy to find is important. Having links on the homepage that lead to subsequent pages dedicated to information is a good way to help consumers navigate the site. Links can include:
   1. About Us: Detailed history of the operation, including background, achievements and affiliations.
   2. Products: Complete listing of products available in all channels, be it vending, OCS or micro markets.
   3. Technology: Include any new and innovative technology that might intrigue consumers.
   4. Contact Us: Should include all contact information including phone number, address, fax number and a direct email link for a visitor to leave a message without leaving the page.
3. Images and video: part of having an interactive site is engaging the visitor. Having up to date photos and interest video snip-bits are a good way to inform the consumer about the operation and add to a website's appeal.

Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization is all about being found. Consumers use search engines to find information on businesses. Having a strong SEO presence ensures an operation's spot toward the top of search engine listings, and improves its chances of being viewed. The more consumers that find a business through SEO mean more site visits for that operation, which in turn brings potential sales. Some tricks to utilizing SEO are:

1. Localize: Most consumers will narrow down their searches by entering local keywords like cities or states. This ensures the consumer a more concentrated list of operations for them to do business with. This is to the operator's advantage. Because consumers are searching locally, vending operators don't have to compete at a national level. Instead of solely using the word *vending* as a keyword, a business can accompany that keyword with a city or state, narrowing the number of sites they're competing with and giving them a better chance of being found.
2. Free Local Business Listings: Search engines such as Google offer free local business listings on their pages. In order to sign up for the listings simply create a Google account, and visit the Google Places website (places.google.com). There will be information to fill out including name of business, address, phone number and a brief description, and a few additional questions about the business. Once the information is submitted, Google will find keywords within the information and use them to suggest businesses for consumers searching locally.
3. Pay-Per-Click Advertising: All search engines also allow businesses to pay for advertising on their site. An operator can budget how much money they will pay per click, and determine how much money per month he or she is willing to spend. The search engine will then act as an auction, giving precedence to the highest bidder of payment per click. There is no limit to how much a business can bid, and the search engine will generally only charge you $.05 to $.10 more than the second lowest bid. Once the bidding is done, when a person searches keywords, for example vending, the vending operator whose bid was highest will have their advertisement displayed on the top of the page.

Success story

William Mandile, president of Champion Vending in Astoria, N.Y., integrated a website with the focus on conversion and SEO three years ago, using Swindale as a consultant. Since then, due to a strong SEO presence and well-crafted site, Mandile says the website has entirely taken the place of his sales department, and gives him the opportunity to pick and choose who he does business with.

"A vending company without a website is like a store without a sign in front of it," Mandile said. "A majority of people look online for vending, and if you don't dedicate the money into making the site the way it should be, it can really hurt your business."

It's clear that the digital marketing platform is something that vending operators can't ignore. With search engines and social media playing such a large role in consumer's lifestyles, being a part of the virtual world is a must. An effective website is a way for vending operators to set themselves apart from their competition all while sharing their brand with a potentially new market-base.