If you’re a restaurant owner, don’t settle for a Flash website! Why?
In the last couple years browsing by cell phone as increased ten fold! Apple has still not incorporated the ability to read flash files in their mobile devices. When I’m out and about with friends and we’re searching for a place to dine, the first thing everyone does is reach for their phone to see what’s local. The next thing that happens is the click to view the restaurant’s website to see the ambiance and of course, the menu. So often I am disappointed because the website is either so poorly designed, the menu is a PDF and doesn’t load quickly, or the flash won’t play rendering the site useless.
I truly believe that most restaurant owners have a website simply because they think they should. What they do not realize is that a website is an incredibly valuable tool that can drive their business to new levels in so many ways!
I’ve put together some very simple concepts that every restaurant should incorporate within their website. These are the bare essentials:
- A full menu that can be printed which is easy for the restaurant staff to update with a simple click or two.
- A specials menu that changes daily. (Also easy to update with a simple click or two!)
- A page telling of the restaurant’s history or their story is always interesting to readers.
- Services the establishment offers are important for extended business. An example would be catering.
- Galleries – both video and pictures can sell a potential patron on trying a particular restaurant. Good quality pictures taken from a digital camera utilizing the proper lighting and capturing the essence of the establishment is a vital part of the presentation.
- While not every restaurant offers events or live entertainment, it’s truly something that should be considered and implemented. A calendar with a list of events always helps to sell an evening. We incorporate a module that is built into your website and is easy to update. We have also utilized Google Calendar and Microsoft’s Outlook Calendar modules upon request.
- Reviews are an essential part of a restaurant’s business. Perhaps I should say “good” reviews! It’s not always a written review that sells someone on a place to dine. Reviews can also be video reviews. If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine what a video is worth!
- A contact page with a custom form or forms that are directly sent to one or multiple email accounts of your choosing.
- A live interactive map that will allow a patron to get and print directions from their location directly to yours without ever leaving your site!
- As an additional option, a live reservation system can be put into place so your clientele can manage and book their reservations online.
- As another additonal option, a live ordering module can be added to your website that allows your clientele to place pick-up orders via your website. You can be notified of a new order by email.
