Successful Restaurant Websites

One of the biggest mistakes in website design is attempting to create a site without a strategic plan or goal in mind. A lack of planning results in misguided efforts and a less-than-ideal experience for your visitors. In this article, I list ten questions restaurant owners must ask themselves before designing (or redesigning) a website. Once you have defined your goals for the website, monitored your competitive landscape, and most importantly, understood the needs of your current and potential customers, you are ready to start designing your website. Keeping your customers top-of-mind in your development process will result in a site that successfully attracts and engages visitors.

1.What is working well with you current website? What isn’t working so well? Identify the best and worst aspects of your current website.

2.What goals are you trying to accomplish with your current website? Are you succeeding?

3.What three things do you want your website visitors to know about your restaurant?

4.Who is visiting the site currently? What do you know about them?

5.Who do you want to visit your website? Describe them.

6.How do visitors currently arrive at your website? If they arrive through a search, what keywords do they use?

7.What are the most frequent questions or concerns you hear from customers in your restaurant? How can you address these better on your website?

8.What makes you different from your competitors? What do you like and dislike about your competitors’ websites?

9.What information would you like to share with your customers on a regular basis?

10.How can you attract more new and existing customers to your website?