You want a great experience for every diner who opens the door to your operation. The same is true for your website, especially your mobile site. Many first-time visitors discover your business on their mobile device.<\/p>\n
New customer or a regular, and no matter whether they\u2019re using a tablet, phone or watch device, their experience should be as smooth as the service at your tables. Here are some ways to achieve that success:<\/p>\n
A responsive website\u2014an industry term referring to a site that conforms to fit screens of any size\u2014is vital to success, Ken Seneff, founder of Restaurant Logic, a Jackson, Michigan-based website design company. <\/p>\n
\u201cUsers hate to pinch, expand or scroll just to find the information they want,\u201d he says. \u201cA great site is a one-thumb experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
The numbers speak to this importance. A 2015 study by inMobi says 60 percent of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, a number expected to increase. And a Confluent Forms restaurant survey showed 53 percent of all mobile sessions began with a Google search. One of the ways to show up near the top of a Google search is to adhere to the search engine\u2019s mobile-friendly specifications, which include having a responsive site.<\/p>\n
According to Paula Buohl, Director of Communications at Text Ripple, an Asheville, North Carolina-based mobile marketing company, the best test of your site is to visit it as if you were a customer. \u201cIf it\u2019s not responsive or doesn\u2019t load quickly, there\u2019s another restaurant just a click away.\u201d<\/p>\n
While most websites, when searched for on a mobile device, will show up and open; not all of them will display properly. The web pages won\u2019t fit the device\u2019s screen size correctly and some features on the website may not even work or be hard to navigate around. When your website is mobile-friendly, however, it means it is responsive. When opened, your website will display perfectly on the device\u2019s screen, making it easy for visitors to navigate and get hold of your information. <\/p>\n
One of the first things visitors look for is your menu, Buohl says. <\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure it\u2019s up to date, and I\u2019m a big proponent of showing prices,\u201d she says. \u201cOtherwise, I\u2019ll think you\u2019re out of my price range.\u201d And when listing prices, always make sure the prices are current and use the same best practices you apply on your in-house menu\u2014avoid currency symbols, don\u2019t place them conspicuously in a line down the right side of the page, and round your prices up while always respecting the 99-cent rule ($10.99 will be perceived as a better value than $11.00).<\/p>\n
Seneff says about 70 percent of customers will visit the menu page, and he points out that people aren\u2019t likely to download a PDF menu, nor will they stay long if they have to squint at a JPEG menu. He advises breaking the menu into clickable segments\u2014starters, sandwiches, desserts, beverages, etc.\u2014 to make viewing more manageable.<\/p>\n
He also suggests trying to hook customers before they move on. \u201cOffering a free appetizer if they sign up for your emails is a great way to get their business and engage them long term. \u201c<\/p>\n
Avoid text walls, Seneff says. Full screens of text that tell your restaurant\u2019s story are not user-friendly. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou need text more for Google search recognition than for customers,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you have an \u201cAbout Us\u201d icon on your page, people interested in your story can go there, just make sure you add photos to add visual appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n
When using photos, whether on menu pages or elsewhere, Buohl says to make sure they are optimized, load quickly and are clear. \u201cEverything is instant gratification, and if it doesn\u2019t load fast enough, people will move on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Think mobile devices are for millennials only? Think again. The National Restaurant Association reports 40 percent of millennials and 26 percent of boomers are embracing mobile technology for their dining decisions. Meanwhile, 35 percent of customers from all age groups are more willing to use restaurant technology than they were two years ago. <\/p>\n
Seneff advises operators not to think about an app without a mobile-friendly website first. RetailMeNot says one in four U.S. consumers have at least one restaurant app on their phone, but Seneff says most people don\u2019t want to add more downloads\u2014unless you have already engaged them through your mobile-friendly website.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn app needs a purpose\u2014a loyalty program, a \u2018rate my bar\u2019 feature or take-out ordering link if you have it,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s not a stand-in for a website.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buohl and Seneff both say social media is a good way to reach beyond your website to connect with customers, just make sure to keep active on the social sites you choose. <\/p>\n
\u201cCustomer testimonials from those sites help sell your brand,\u201d Seneff says, as does engaging with customers on social media. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For new customers and regulars, your website is an extension of your service and should function just as well.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4500,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-your-business"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n