How to bring more traffic to your website and leverage online marketing

A persuasive online presence has become increasingly important. 70% of potential guests start their decision making and search for restaurants online and worldwide growth of online food delivery has increased by 47% in 2020. The better and more convincing a restaurant is online, the more likely they are to be found, attract new guests, and retain regular guests. Having a website is only the first step. In addition, you need to be easily found and your presence needs to convince guests to book a reservation or make an online order. 

In this article we share different tips that will promote your website and convince potential guests to visit. Some of the tips are quicker to implement than others. The key is to remain persistent and apply digital solutions designed to help you thrive online. 

1. Quick wins on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques 

SEO is very important in making sure that your website is highly ranked in search results. There are different possibilities to achieve a high ranking. Here are some quick ways to improve your visibility in search results: 

• To be found on typical guest searches, link keywords that describe your business to your website. Keywords for restaurants will typically include what you are selling and where you are located (ie. Sushi in Düsseldorf). Once you have defined your keywords repeat them throughout your webpage, so they are picked up on Google.  
• To improve your search result ranking further, update your website frequently. Update outdated content, and create new content according to season, events, promotions etc.  
• Link your website on social platforms. The more other platforms draw on information from your website the higher the credibility of your content and as a result, a higher listing on Google.  
• Make sure that your website is mobile friendly. Google algorithms favor websites that can be accessed from different devices and as a result place them higher in search results. That’s why DISH Website offers automatically responsive designs that adapt to all devices. 

Find further information and tips on SEO techniques in this article.  

2. Promote your website online and offline 

There are many ways to promote your website online. One of the most promising ones is the use of social media. Studies have shown that about 30% of young people tend to avoid restaurants that have a weak social media presence. So, to gain traffic on your website try to link your website as often as possible on other social networks.    

To improve marketing for your website or ordering service offline you can create a QR code which links to your website. Place it visibly in your restaurant, on your menu, or on flyers that you distribute. You can get in touch with your local printing provider to get flyers.  

3. Update your website and social media frequently 

It is crucial to keep your page up to date, on the one hand it makes it more interesting for regular guests to visit, and on the other hand it  keeps your website listed on the first page of a search engine.  

As a restaurant owner there are always topics you can post content on. Whether it is background information about your restaurant, the people that work there, or your philosophy that inspires you and your guests. You can also post about changes and use certain holidays or seasons to change your menu and include new recipes, as well as share information about promotions, giveaways, or in-person events. 

4. Plan in-person events, giveaways, and other promotions 

If you offer exciting content, it is more likely guests will return to your website to discover what is new. It could be recurring events like music nights or special food events, this does not only drive regulars back to your restaurant but also attracts new guests.  

Another way to create traffic is to offer discounts or other giveaways when guests order directly from you or visit your restaurant during certain times. These promotions can be easily offered through DISH Professional Order. 

5. Use email marketing  

When guests order or reserve on your website ask them for permission to send newsletters and emails. When using email marketing, share information your guests will perceive as valuable, for example: interesting updates, events or offerings and promotions. 

6. Invest in paid advertisement campaigns 

You can also pay for online advertisements and use social media or Google to promote your website. The benefit is that you do not need to spend much time doing this, and that targeted advertising reaches more potential guests near your restaurant. This is a promising approach to attract new guests but is also connected to more costs than the recommendations mentioned above. Find more information on this topic here. 

Stand out from your competitors and make your online presence memorable. Let your guests know what is new and what they can expect when they come to your restaurant. Finally, make your website special and unique just like your restaurant.