Restaurants: Step Up Your Website Game!

Reported by foodem.com, the online wholesale food marketplace-

Either way you look at it, consumers are information hungry. No matter what industry you’re in, having a web presence is mandatory, especially if you’re a restaurant, bar or club. According to a Pew Research Center study, 51% of adults head for the internet when researching information about local restaurants, bars and clubs. Search engines, websites and social platforms are the top resources they rely on.

What do those stats mean exactly and why are they important?  If you are a restaurant owner they can mean a few different things. Without a website or at least a well-designed website:

• You are missing out on using one of the best marketing tools available.

• You are losing out on potential customers.

• It is probable you will lose existing customers to competitors.

• You will eventually lose money, which is the bottom line.

With that said, it’s never too late to make a change. I know this is rare these days, but if you are an establishment without a website of some sort, then creating one is your very first step. Do that PRONTO! Now, for those with existing websites, it’s time to spruce it up a bit. Below are useful tips to not only help bring more customers into your dining establishment, they will help Google like you too.

1. No More Flash: Google hates Flash and doesn’t read it; therefore you are relying solely on your domain name. For those who are unfamiliar with your restaurant and/or your domain name, you will have a hard time being discovered; to be clearer, you will lose visibility.
2. Go Mobile: By 2016 it is estimated that the number of smartphone owners will reach 259 million. Due to the rampant pace in which we live our lives, most consumers are and will continue to use their mobile devices to find local information, which includes restaurants. Optimizing your existing site for mobile rendering is A MUST!
3. HTML Is Your Friend: Mobile device users and web users alike hate having to take time to download files. They would much rather have information presented to them as quick as possible. For those restaurants that have PDF menus, make them mobile-friendly by converting them to HTML. You can take it a step further and present both options (PDF and HTML) to mobile users.
4. Get Social: This is nothing new. Consumers want to be socially engaged and now it’s as easy as ever to draw them in. Social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn give restaurants the ability to share news, photos, videos and events with their customers. These platforms also afford restaurant owners the opportunity to be proactive about their online reputation by responding to comments, questions and inquiries from customers.
5. Keep Relevant: Google will show you love in page results if you keep your website fresh with content. This will also good for website traffic, giving your customers a reason to stay interested and continuously visit your site.

Implementing these tips will help increase your online presence, enhance the overall online experience of your customers and potential customers, and eventually fill the seats in your restaurant.

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