Time and again, research underscores the crucial role that websites play in long-term restaurant success. In fact, 77% of consumers check out restaurant websites before deciding where to eat.
Additionally, 30% of diners turn away from restaurant websites that look outdated and have menus that are difficult to read. There is no arguing the importance of an attractive, functional, and frequently updated website for restaurants.
Here’s how to create a restaurant website that entices customers to visit or order from your establishment, plus some tips on how you can keep improving your site throughout the year.
All websites have to be built, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be the one to build it.
You have several options when it comes to building a restaurant website and putting that technology into use.
There are lots of restaurant website design tips available for those who want to “DIY” their website, but first, you need to tackle the basics.
Your restaurant website is not an island. There are some key integrations that you can leverage to make your website more functional and to help support your other goals, including increasing traffic, boosting customer engagement, and increasing overall revenue.
Food delivery has been popular for years, but delivery and curbside pickup surged in popularity during the pandemic. When you build your restaurant website, an online ordering system should be high on your list of must-have integrations. While you can build your own ordering system, that technology may be complex to construct and difficult to manage. A better option may be to partner with a third party that already has a platform that integrates with your existing point-of-sale (POS) system.
Those little Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram widgets on websites are useful because they allow people to instantly share your content with their friends on social media. Make sure your blogs, menu, and promotions are sharable so your fans can help spread the word. Can you say free advertising?
Your restaurant POS system is a major part of day-to-day operations. The right software and platform can track key data points such as inventory information, customer analytics, sales data, and more. This info can be collected and sorted into various reports to help inform everything from how you staff your restaurant to whether you turn that one-off special into a standard menu item.
Guest feedback can be a scary proposition for restaurants. After all, there’s always someone looking to complain about the temperature of their food or that they waited too long to be seated.
The truth is that these bits of feedback are all opportunities to improve operations and better serve your guests. Including a feedback form and other contact methods on your website gives guests a way to let you know what you’re doing right, what you could do better, and what they’d like to see from your brand in the months and years to come.
Restaurant websites are not “set it and forget it” marketing tools. Just because you created an incredible website doesn’t mean your work is done. It’s important to keep your website updated. This includes:
To be competitive and successful over the long term, all restaurants should consider developing websites to attract consumers who are looking for information and a way to make reservations or place orders.
Clover offers a wide range of business solutions that can help you bolster your online presence and ensure your restaurant runs more smoothly, even as you scale. That includes a restaurant website and commerce platform that provides all-encompassing marketing and commerce help for restaurants just like yours.
For more information, reach out to one of our Clover Business Consultants today.
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