Websites for cafes and restaurants are some of the most visited sites on the Internet. Whether it’s to find hours, see a menu, or look for the right place for a first date, a restaurant’s website is often the first impression a potential customer will have. It’s important that it makes the right first impression. Here are some essentials every restaurant or cafe website should have.
General Info
Just like any other website, you have to have basic information: address, phone number, contact email address. A common place to put this info is on a separate page, like a Contact Us or About page, but it should also be in a prominent place on the homepage and in the footer of the website. This makes it very easy for people who just want some quick general info to find it. Adding an embedded Google Map of your location is becoming standard practice, making it easier for visitors to get directions to your restaurant.
Menu
A major reason someone would come to your site is to see the menu. Be sure to put the menu in a prominent place in the navigation or other notable location on the site. A menu should be detailed and have its own page. Adding menu items directly into the site takes a little more time than simply uploading a scanned or PDF version, but the payoff is more than worth it: the menu is easily adjustable, the design is consistent with the rest of the site, and the keywords in the menu items will help improve your Google SEO ranking.
Real Images of Food and Location
Just as someone comes to your website to see what kind of food you offer, they’ll also want to see examples of what the food looks like. Many restaurant websites use gimmicky stock images that don’t remotely resemble what is actually served to their tables. Invest in high quality photography that highlights the food you actually offer. Just as important as the food is the interior of your restaurant. Showcase real images of what customers can expect when they walk in.
Responsive Template
More and more consumers use their mobile devices to visit websites on the go. So while you might think that your site looks great on a laptop, the woman on the CTA trying to find a nice where can i buy gabapentin uk dinner spot might not be so enthusiastic about your mobile web experience. Make sure that your website has a responsive template so that the personality of the desktop site also shines through on a mobile device.
Easy Navigation
The navigation menu should help site visitors easily identify what they’re looking for and where they need to go. Don’t try to complicate it with icon-heavy options or lots of dropdowns. Simplify by using one or two words per menu option, with a clear font and size.
Security
It’s always important to have security measures in place on any website, and a restaurant website is no different. Spammers and malware love to take advantage of vulnerabilities, including forms unprotected by CAPTCHA, comment sections, and easy-to-guess passwords. Beef up your security and help prevent your site from being hacked. See how here.
Reservations
Adding the OpenTable plugin, or other reservation application, to your website allows customers to easily and conveniently make reservations to your restaurant directly from your website. If they’ve already perused your menu, seen inside your restaurant, and can view it on the go, take the guesswork out of where to eat tonight by putting the option to reserve right at their fingertips.
Make your website the one-stop place for your restaurant. Make it easy for potential customers to find what they want, to see what they need to know, and to commit to dining at your restaurant.
Bonus: Google Local Business Listing
Technically, a Google Local business listing isn’t on your website, but it is nonetheless essential in the eyes of your customer. A Google Local listing provides location, hours, and easy-to-use links on mobile to make a call, find directions, and visit the website. Keeping your Google Local page up-to-date is an easy way to help potential customers find where they should eat. It also allows you to have a virtual tour, which takes the images of your location to a whole other level. It allows viewers to walk through your space to make sure it’s the perfect fit for the mood they’re in. Learn more about the benefits of a Google Local listing here.
Want to know more about how to make your restaurant’s website extraordinary? Download our free ebook now!
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