Nowadays, word of mouth isn’t normally enough to keep new customers flowing into your bar or restaurant. Considering that 75% of consumers who were surveyed said they chose a restaurant to dine at based on its search results, it is paramount that you have a good, accessible website. By having a strong online presence, you are more likely to draw in new customers, whilst simultaneously ensuring that those who have visited your restaurant are likely to return.
It builds your identity
Having an identifiable image is an important thing to build if you want people to remember your establishment. One way you can achieve this is by mirroring the design of your website with the image of your bar or restaurant. For example, if your establishment is Mexican themed, then using fonts and themes on your site which match the style of your bar or restaurant means that site users are more likely to remember your image and brand identity.
Having a strong online identity also allows you to get creative – if there’s a certain aspect about your bar or restaurant which is unique to you then you can explain this in a section about yourself. If, for example, you use local produce in your ingredients then you can write about this, explaining why this makes your establishment different from the others around. This highlights your USP – unique selling point – and helps you to stand out from the crowd.
You can feed the customer information about your establishment
Considering that most people lead hectic lifestyles, it is incredibly convenient if you provide all the necessary information about your business online. By ensuring your details are only a few clicks away, your phone won’t become inundated with people asking menial questions, or moving on to a competitor that does provide this information. By uploading images of your most recent food and drink menus, people are able to visually try before they buy: a site user is much more likely going to want to visit you if they’ve seen a well-written, informative menu.
When building your website, you should also include key pieces of information such as, your address, a booking form, an email address, a telephone number, and any other specific pieces of information which you might want your customers to know.
It’s a free way to advertise your business
Spending an extensive amount of money to advertise your business on TV or within the media is not an effective way to market your bar or restaurant. Not only is the cost extortionate, but it could also mean you lose some of the authenticity within your establishment, reducing the human element of bar or restaurant.
A better, more cost-effective way to market yourself is by linking your social media accounts to your website. Creating sites such as Instagram for your business means that you can post appetising and aesthetic images onto social media, showing your followers just how tantalising your dishes and drinks can be.
Social media is also another great way for others to spread the word about you. By encouraging people to tag you in pictures they upload of your food and beverages, friends and family of that person are more likely to see what you have to offer. You can also use sites such as Facebook to advertise any deals or discounts that you have on offer. Whether its a 2-4-1 cocktail or discounted dessert, everyone loves a bargain; meaning more people are likely to seek out your bar or restaurant.
Posting reviews
In the food and drink business, good reviews play a key role in drawing new customers into an establishment. Considering that BrightLocal reported that 84% of customers trust online reviews as much as recommendations from people they know, publishing your reviews is vital if you want people to trust your bar or restaurant.
To ensure site users can see that your reviews are authentic, you could link well-known review sites such as TripAdvisor to your review page. By providing users of your site with unfiltered, unbiased views of your establishment, you are paving the way for them to become more interested in what you have to offer.
How to start
Starting a website completely from scratch can be complicated and time-consuming. Luckily, Go Sitebuilder is one of the best website builders in the UK for small businesses – it’s simple, hassle-free, and does all of the difficult bits for you. Their 14-day free trial ensures you have a ready to go website at your fingertips, completely free of charge.
