When you’re looking for a new perspective on your restaurant site design, it can be tough to know what will work best for you. Not everyone has the same wants or needs, so there are many different factors to consider. That being said, following these tips and tricks is a great way to make sure all of those needs have been met.
Design with your target market in mind
This is one of the most important factors to consider when it comes to a restaurant website. It should be noted that if you’re a small business running out of your home, you may not have to worry about every detail as some larger chains do, but there are still many aspects that should be taken into account.
First of all, finding out who your audience is can be crucial. If you’re a smaller business, your staff will know this better than anyone. Also, those who visit your restaurant will know who they are as well; they’ll know their age range and if they have children or not.
Include social media site links
The best part about a restaurant website is that the entire surrounding community and city is your audience, and if they want to hear what your business has to say, they’ll be able to. There’s no way around this: Tell them! The more ways you can provide them with information on your website, the better.
One of the best ways to do this is by including links to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. This will allow those who visit it daily check-in with you on these platforms for updates on new menu items or valuable restaurant news.
Keep it interesting
This may seem like common sense, but there are so many ways you can keep your restaurant website interesting that it should be noted. Putting in new and exciting pictures is a great way to get customers to come back for more. Use images of your staff, hours of operation, and menu items. How else will they know what has changed? For example, if you add a new steak dish to your menu, remember to post a picture of the steak on the website as well!
Include real-time updates
One of the most popular ways to inform customers about new products is during changeover periods. This is when you have time to write out some new information, post it on your website, and let it live there until the next changeover. You can even ask customers to respond with comments about the new dish!
There are tons of ways you can get people involved with your website, and that will only make them more likely to want to come back. Allowing them a way to give direct feedback or talk directly with staff members is a fantastic way to gather information and create a bond between you and your customers.
Keep it simple
There’s a reason that restaurants have been using website designs like these for so many years. They’re easy to use and simple to navigate. They’re also easy to update without having to worry about a lot of details. This makes them ideal for small business owners who aren’t as likely to be familiar with every program out there.
Sure, you may want your website to be the best it can possibly be for you and your staff, but it also needs to be user-friendly enough that some of those clients aren’t intimidated by it. It’s important that they know exactly where everything is located and what they can do on the site without having too much trouble using it.
Keep track of your data
If you want to be able to review your stats, you’ll need to have a place where you can keep track of it all. For restaurants, the most important thing to monitor is the number of customers who visit on a regular basis. Learning what exactly these people are looking for when they visit your site will allow you to make changes and improvements as necessary.
For example, if they notice that there are a lot of new pictures but nothing has changed in terms of content or updates, then maybe they’ll think it’s time for an update of some kind. So, after they get back from a trip or two, maybe you’ll want to change the content and see if it helps.
Offer a free download
You might be surprised at how many people will take you up on this offer, but providing them with valuable information is a great way to make them feel appreciated. Maybe your restaurant has its own recipes that clients always request, and it’s easy for them to print out so they can show their friends when they come over for dinner. This is a great example of something that could be offered as an instant download from your website. Also, many customers like to print out your menu for reference.
Consider a mobile site
It goes without saying that most people are visiting your website via their smartphones these days, and there’s no way around this. They’re busy and everywhere, so of course, they’ll want to see what you have to offer on the go. Having a mobile version of your site will allow for better access and usability that may result in more sales or reservations. Plus Google will ding you if you don’t have a mobile-friendly website.
Conclusion
Having a restaurant website is ideal for many small businesses out there today, but it’s important to consider the way you’re using it as well. We can help you realize these tips and tricks, so contact us today to discuss. We’re proud to help you create a website that will increase your business and bring in as many new customers as possible!