You put time into creating your menu, designing your restaurant, choosing your service team and all of the details that make your restaurant special. It’s essential that you put use that same careful consideration for your website.
In a survey by OpenTable, 87 percent of consumers report they “always or frequently” go online to find a restaurant before dining out – making your website an invaluable resource for them and you!
To create a website that is appetizing to your customers, here are some of the key ingredients:
Make it Mobile-Friendly
You have likely heard that mobile search has surpassed desktop search. We use our mobile devices for everything, and finding a place to eat is no exception. (For some of us, it’s one of our most common searches!)
According to a study by Chadwick Martin Bailey:
- 81 percent of diners say they have searched for a restaurant on a mobile device;
- 75 percent say their dining decision is influenced by those mobile results;
- And 62 percent report they of consumers are less likely to choose a restaurant if they cannot read the menu on a mobile device.
If your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices, not only is it a bad user experience for web visitors, but the likelihood of them finding you via mobile search is diminished. When searching on a mobile device, Google uses mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor. So if your competitors are doing a better job creating a website that works well on mobile, they’ll outrank you.
Show Your Goods
Create your website content with your customers’ questions in mind. They want to know your hours, get your address and find out where to park, see great food photos and more.
Sharing your menu on your website is a MUST. 86 percent of consumers regularly check menus online before dining, according to OpenTable, so providing your menu the way they want to access it will provide a great initial interaction for your guests!
Don’t Make Them Call You
We love our phones, but we hate using them for phone calls! Make it easy on your consumers who prefer to interact without a phone call by providing online solutions to reservations and ordering.
When traveling or at home, 78 percent of US consumers want to make reservations online and 61 percent want to order food online according to TripAdvisor. Give your customers what they want with online information and services that save them a dreaded phone call.
Is your website serving up what your potential customers need? Contact us for a free consultation!
