Enhance Your Website

ENHANCE YOUR RESTAURANT’S WEBSITE

A website gives you the power to enhance your brand, customer relationships, and ultimately drive sales.

It is important to control what potential customers see, as your website is the only place online that you have complete ownership over.

WHAT YOU NEED ON YOUR WEBSITE

Location and phone number are visible and hyperlinked

For your location, use a clickable feature to link directly to a site like Google Maps. Include hours of operation in this section as well. It is recommended that your address and phone number are visible on every page. An extra option is to include an email to inquire about catering events or to include a link to book a reservation.

Mobile responsiveness

A difficult mobile site to navigate can lose you customers. Make sure your layout is not too crowded and as straight forward as possible. Features such as sticky navigation and short drop-down menus, can make it an easier mobile experience.

Menu that is easy to navigate

Stay away from using PDFs or a file a customer needs to click on. PDFs are difficult to update and not so mobile friendly. Giving people no other option than to download a PDF of your menu instead of listing your menu directly on the site will turn many people away out of frustration. Include your menu as text on a page on your site (HTML based). Effective menus have clickable categories which lead to a page of dishes for that category.

Convenient online ordering option

According to the National Restaurant Association, 55% of millennials say that the availability of online ordering makes them more likely to choose one restaurant over another. Have your “Order Online” button clear on your homepage in a color that pops. This button would ideally link to an interactive menu where orders can be placed. It can also link to a third-party delivery service.

High quality photos of your food

Give your customers a taste of what they will expect your food to be like. Include your customer favorites, such as your best selling specialty pizza pie. It is better to have a few great quality photos than many low quality ones. Which food photos got the most engagement on social media? Try to include these. The Last Bite // 64

An ‘About’ or ‘Our History’ section

Some restaurants choose to highlight their background and their passion for the business. Is your restaurant a second or third generation business? Highlight your restaurant’s path to what made it where it is today. Do you have an old photo of your days starting out? Include it here to enhance this section.

A website theme that is consistent to your restaurant

Does your website create a virtual version of the same ambiance or theme your restaurant offers? Try to use the same color palette and fonts. Mastering this will really take your website to the next level. Showing consistency on all customer touchpoints is important.

Link to your social media

Add the social media icons somewhere at the top or bottom of your landing page which links to your active accounts. Keep Instagram visually appealing with delicious photos of your food or behind-the-scenes shots. Use Facebook to share updates and create promotional events. All links should open up in new tabs on their browser to make sure people don’t exit from your website.

Information about upcoming events or promotions

Would it make sense for you to have a page on your site with important upcoming dates? Some restaurants host events during occasions people gather for, such as a soccer or football game. You may also choose to create a meal discount around these events. Another occasion you could announce is a live performer or band.

Customer testimonials

Ask permission to use a review a customer submitted about you or a post they made complimenting your food or service. Look on Google, Yelp or any other platform like these to highlight your satisfied customers.

A place to collect emails to keep customers informed

Place a form on your site to collect emails from customers wanting to stay in the know about your promotions, specials, or any other business updates. Send this group of people exclusive deals and coupons. This is an effective tool to keep your business in the top of your customers minds and ultimately get them back through your door.

Highlight any press coverage or awards your restaurant has earned

Any positive media coverage you have gotten should be present, whether it is a link to an article, video or quote from a publisher or influencer. Even if the media outlet was a small local newscast, find a way to include it because it shows your reputation and position within your community. Creating a secure and professional looking website is no longer a tedious and daunting task. There are sites for website building and hosting that allow users to use pre-built website templates and drag-and-drop features to create and edit webpages without any knowledge of coding. These sites have built in tools to optimize search engine visibility, mobilefriendly responsiveness, as well as ensure a secure experience. They also have options for orders to be placed directly on your site with certain plans and subscriptions.

Wix

allows users to create websites by using online drag and drop tools. Wix.com

Squarespace

All-in-one solution for creating a website that allows users to use pre-built website templates and drag-and-drop elements to create and modify webpages. Squarespace.com

Weebly

Website builder that has customizable templates, domains, and easy-to-use tools for a wide range of businesses. Weebly.com