We live in a time where our lives are integrated with the digital space so much so that even our dining is influenced by restaurant websites. In fact, one report notes that 85% of people who search for food online, end up completing their purchase. This calls for restaurateurs to ensure their digital channels, including their website, paint the best picture of their brand and draw customers in.
Get a winning SEO strategy
When customers are looking to dine in your area, your website should show up on the first page of the search results. This doesn’t happen by accident but is a result of careful planning. Your website needs a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. In simple terms, in order for your website to be found and ranked highly by search engines, there are a number of things you need to do. The basic thing is to ensure that all the images, videos and articles you upload to your website have keywords that customers may use when searching for the services you offer.
Another way to improve your ranking is to update your website content regularly. A good way to do this is by having a blog and adding new articles and images at least once a week.
Optimize your website for mobile
Research indicates that people browse the web on mobile phones more than they do on laptops or desktops. In light of this, your restaurant’s website needs to be optimized for use on mobile phones. While designing your site, your design team should show you how your site will look and function across various platforms.
Sites that are not optimized for mobile, are difficult to use, customers may find it hard to find and read your information. If your site is difficult to use on mobile, your potential customers may choose to leave and go elsewhere for service.
Make your menu interactive
Visitors to your website will most likely be interested in the food you have to offer and would be eager to peruse your menu. Some restaurants make the mistake of having the menu solely on pdf. This presents a couple of challenges, the first being that opening the pdf may probably lead your customers off your site.
However, you need your visitors to remain on the site for a while, with their visit culminating in an order or reservation. The best thing to do is to have a page dedicated to your menu on your site. You may choose to have a downloadable menu in addition to the main menu page.
t Napkin, we create dynamic menus for takeaways that allow customers to click on the items they want from the menu and see their total order. After that, the restaurant owner will receive a notification of the order via SMS and email.
This makes it easy and efficient for customers to get what they need from your restaurant, from the comfort of their homes or anywhere they are.
Make it easy to find you
When visitors come to your website, they may likely be looking to find out where your restaurant is located and how they can contact you to make a reservation. Ensure that this information is readily available. Some restaurants have a reservation form on the home page, while others have a “contact us” link available across all pages.
The key is to make sure that customers do not have to go through a lot of pages in order to find your restaurant locations. Some restaurants with multiple venues have a page dedicated to showing where each of their venues are. This makes it easy for customers for finding them, no matter the area they live in.
Invest in a good photographer
While the main reason people come to your website is to find out the kind of dishes you serve, equally important is the style, and ambiance of your restaurant. Nothing portrays this more effectively than pictures. You cannot afford to skimp on this detail.
Get a photographer who will advise you on the right lighting as well as the optimal angles to take the shots. The result should be breathtaking imagery that ensures your customers can picture themselves sitting at your tables or reclining on your couches.
Restaurant owners need to understand that their website is a powerful marketing and sales tool. Websites are no longer just a source of information but they offer an opportunity for you to interact with your customers, thereby building trust and loyalty.
If you would like to refresh your website, or are looking to design a completely new site for the restaurant, talk to us at Napkin. We design and develop customized websites that help you draw customers and boost your restaurant’s revenue.
This November we are running a special offer for incorporating a dynamic menu into your restaurant’s website. This will allow your website to help you gain more orders and turn visitors into paying customers.
Contact us today and let us take your restaurant’s website to the next level!
