Boost Your Restaurant's Online Orders: 10 Proven Strategies for Attracting More Customers to Your Website

The trend of online food ordering and delivery has been increasing in recent years. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend as more individuals opt to order restaurant food for consumption at home. Research from the National Restaurant Association shows that 66% of American consumers reported ordering takeout or delivery for dinner in the past week.

As more customers prefer to order directly from a restaurant, the food service industry is facing pressure to adapt and provide more online channels for ordering food. This can be a new challenge for some restaurants, while others may have to quickly increase restaurant visibility and order volume through online platforms to support their business.

Here are some tips on how to boost your online presence and drive more online orders to your restaurant.

Get Listed in Local Online Directories

Once you have your website set up, it's important to make sure your restaurant is easily discoverable and listed in local online directories like Yelp. You can check your existing listings on Moz and update them as needed. Additionally, you should claim your Google My Business and Bing profiles, as this will help your restaurant appear in local search results.

Use Local Keywords on Your Website

To improve the chances of your restaurant being discovered, you should use local keywords on your website. Keywords are the words and phrases that individuals enter into search engines. Use hyper-local keywords, such as the name of your city or neighborhood, in your website's content, such as blog posts, page titles, captions, and URLs, to improve your visibility in local search results. For example, if a customer searches for an "independent coffee shop in downtown Seattle," your business will be more likely to appear in the search results if you use the right keywords.

Use Social Media

Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook on social media are effective for interacting with customers and gaining insights into their preferences. Consider running polls and contests to gather insights into what food offerings and services your customers are interested in. You can use this information to update your online menu and attract repeat business. Additionally, you can use social media to advertise your restaurant website and any promotions or new menu items.

Optimize Your Website for Mobile

Most customers order online using a mobile device, so it's essential that your restaurant's website is easy to use on smartphones and tablets. Strategies to enhance the mobile-friendliness of your website include utilizing a mobile-friendly online ordering system and making sure your menu is easy to navigate on a smaller display.

Explore Targeted Ads

Growing your visibility on social media organically can be difficult, so consider setting aside a budget for paid advertising. Start by running small campaigns with niche audiences and use the results to better understand how to adapt your online store and restaurant to what your customers are most receptive to. Platforms like Facebook allow you to target specific demographics, such as local area, income level, interests, and hobbies, to make sure you're reaching the right prospective customers.

Make it an experience

When people go out to eat, they're looking for more than just a meal. They want to spend time with loved ones in a comfortable atmosphere, try new foods, or have someone else do the cooking and cleaning. To stand out, try creating unique experiences for your customers. For example, you could have themed nights with suggested music playlists, cooking tutorials, or virtual supper clubs with live music. Even if customers are dining at home, you can still provide an enjoyable experience through a user-friendly website and easy online ordering process.

Offer incentives for newsletter sign-ups

Email marketing is a robust strategy that can generate substantial business. Offer incentives for customers to sign up for your newsletter, such as coupon codes and early access to sales. Then, continue to offer promotions and rewards to keep them engaged and coming back.

Reward customer loyalty

Show your loyal customers that you appreciate them by starting a loyalty program. You could offer points or vouchers that can be used on future purchases or give them early access to limited-time deals or special promotions.

Increase reviews

Ensure that it is simple for customers to leave reviews on your business, whether it's on social media, your website, or a business listing. Include a link to leave a review in post-order emails, and respond to as many reviews as possible to show you value their feedback.

Use visuals

People love visual content like images and videos. Take high-quality photos of your meals and behind-the-scenes footage of your chefs at work and share them on social media platforms like Instagram. This can help get people excited about your food and make them more likely to come to dine with you. Evaluate your efforts Keep track of which tactics are working best for you and where you should focus your attention and resources. Don't be afraid to try new ideas and see what works best for your business.