Putting your business online has never been more vital.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, having a website for your restaurant was an essential marketing tool. But now, with dining rooms closed and customers looking for new takeout options is vital.
If you’ve been slow to build a website for your business, you’re not alone. Remarkably, statistics show that as much as 45% of small businesses don’t have their own site.
Many of these businesses are undoubtedly putting their survival at risk, as customers increasingly choose their online competitors.
But the good news is that having a professional website is easier than ever, and you don’t need to expend all your pandemic savings doing it. There are many companies in the Valley willing to offer payment plans during this difficult time. So, take advantage, the perfect timing is now.
Here’s why it is so important, especially now during the coronavirus crisis:
1) Visibility
Plain and simple, you want local customers to know you exist!
As you read this, people are going online searching for restaurants in McAllen and surrounding areas. If they can’t find you, then your business might as well not exist.
In areas where physical phone books are still being printed, 70% of people don’t even open them anymore – and those numbers increase dramatically among younger generations.
2) Vital information & communication
“What time do they open?”
Websites are essential for communicating vital information about your restaurant:
- Location
- Hours of business
- Phone number
During COVID-19, people are stuck at home and they want to know which restaurants are open. They don’t want to have to make a phone call or get in their cars to find this information (and they shouldn’t have to).
Your website is a place to display these vital details and communicate other important messages that your customers should know.
3) Online menu & ordering
Aside from your hours, customers also want to know what food you offer. And again, they shouldn’t have to call to find out: if they can’t find a menu, they’re more likely to choose another restaurant than call you.
Putting your menu on your website makes it easy for customers to order what they want.
For best results, your website should have an online ordering system, which increases efficiency for you and your customers. It also means fewer incoming calls for your busy staff to take.
4) Credibility
At a time when first impressions are everything, not having a website just looks bad.
When customers know you exist, but can’t find you online, it can actually cause a negative reaction. It creates questions:
- “Why don’t they have a site?
- “Did something happen?”
- “Are they still open?”
- “How do they expect people to know what to order?”
Websites are unique from nearly every other marketing tool in that sense: not having one, by itself, can leave a bad taste.
5) Advertising
If you plan to use your website for additional advertising campaigns (online or offline), then you need a place to direct people.
Your website serves as an essential “landing page,” where customers will arrive after clicking your ads or seeing other marketing campaigns for your restaurant.
