Starting your own restaurant can be really exciting; you’ve finally got an outlet for your talent, and you get to put your own touches into the decorations, menu and location. There are so many things to consider, but one thing that is easy to forget is your presence online. It’s really important to have a website as a company, because you’ll be relying on third party listings otherwise, which might not be completely accurate. There are many reasons to have your own website, so I thought it might be helpful if I listed some of these in this blog post. Here are my top picks…
Show off your Menu
There’s one main thing that people want to know about when they look on your website: your menu. This helps people to decide whether a restaurant is suitable to their tastes and budget, especially if they are heading to your establishment as a large group. You should make an effort to have the most up-to-date menu online as possible as it can confuse people when they arrive and see something different.
Be Seasonal
Speaking of menus, you can also use your website to display your seasonal offerings. Perhaps you’ll have a set summer menu that uses the best British ingredients, or it might be that you’re going to create a special menu just for the Christmas period. Make sure these are easy to view on the web; PDF documents are commonly used so your competitors can’t easily copy and paste your menu.
Cater for Parties
Cash in on the private event market by dedicating a portion of your website to describing what you can do to help. You could give the prices and breakdown of a number of packages for weddings, christenings, birthdays and anniversaries. If you have a private function room then make sure you include a couple of images as well as the dimensions of the room.
Be Social
If you want to engage with your customers and potential clients, why not make it easy for them to get in contact with you? Include various means of contact information as well as showing your latest posts from Facebook or Twitter. When it comes to social media, put your profile information on your website so people can easily follow or like you.
Hold Special Offers
If you want to get more people on your website, you could have a page of special offers or voucher codes for your customers. Many other restaurants do this successfully, as long as they keep their website up-to-date. Make it clear when a voucher can be used, and what the conditions are. If you have a great offer, you may find that it gets shared around via social media sites too.
For more information about creating a website for your restaurant, have a look at the companies who do web design in Manchester and further afield. They should be able to design something that fits with your style, as well as incorporating all of the elements listed above.