Not many cities can hold a candle to Portland, ME when it comes to quality dining. In fact, our fair city is no stranger to receiving critical acclaim from the The New York Times and The Boston Globe for its culinary excellence. With an astounding 23.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents, we've officially "made it" as a destination for fine cuisine.
With so many choices, we've also become a hotspot for exceptional restaurant marketing (a necessity in such a competitive market).
As a result, a lot of independent eateries have created impressive brands that tie in memorable aesthetics, quality products (signature food and drinks), and exceptional customer service.
Despite this, many restaurant websites fall short.
The reason? They've forgotten the digital golden rule:
A website's purpose is to attract and help convert visitors into customers. In the case of restaurants, it's to put butts in seats.
In order to fill those seats, a restaurant website must tell visitors three specific things the moment they hit the site.
- When they're open.
- Where they're located.
- How to book a reservation (if applicable).
This may seem obvious, but it's far too common to see sites that forget this simple rule. It's critical this information remains front and center. Whether viewed on a desktop or via a mobile device, this information should remain anchored to the screen at all times.
By making this information easy to find, you greatly increase the likelihood a website visitor will convert to a paying customer.