Van signage that sends people to your website
Your van is seen by more people every day than almost any advert you could buy. Most of them see it for a few seconds, at a junction or parked on a street. Good signage works within those few seconds.
Say what you do, big
The trade matters more than the name. 'Plumbing and Heating' readable from across a road does more than a clever logo nobody can decode. Then the business name, then one way to contact you.
One phone number, one web address
People rarely write a number down from a moving van, but they remember a short name or web address and search it later. Keep the web address short and simple to spell. Use the same name and number on the van, your website and your Google profile so a search for what they saw finds you.
Leave things off
Long lists of services, small print, multiple phone numbers and social media icons nobody can read at a distance all make the important parts harder to see. If in doubt, leave it off.
Make sure the website delivers
When someone does look you up, the website has to back up the van: the same name, your trade and area clear on the first screen, a tap-to-call number, and photos of your work. A van that sends people to a dead or out-of-date site wastes the effort.
Keep it clean and consistent
A dirty van with faded or peeling signage tells people something about how you work, fairly or not. Keep it clean, replace damaged lettering, and make sure the details are current. A van advertising an old phone number is worse than a plain one.
Your other printed bits
Business cards, quote templates, invoices, workwear and job-site boards should all match the van: same name, same colours, same phone number and web address. Consistency makes you look established and makes you easier to find again.
A small sign at a job, where the customer allows it, shows neighbours who is doing the work while they can see it happening, which is often the moment they decide to ring.
Common questions
- Should I put my website on my van?
- Yes, if it is short and easy to remember. People often search later rather than ringing straight away.
- Is a QR code on a van useful?
- Rarely. People cannot scan a moving van. On the back doors of a parked van it can work, but a short web address is more reliable.
- What colours work best?
- High contrast between text and background, and colours that match the rest of your branding so people recognise you.
If you would rather somebody just did it
I build websites for self-employed tradesmen and small businesses across the UK: £249.99 to build, then £49.99 a month to host, maintain and update it. The sites I have built show on page one of Google for 103 searches between them, in Search Console.