01 Mar Which Website Is Right For Your Restaurant?

Introduction

Restaurants are one of the most popular industries to build a website for. After all, they’re not just restaurants but also entertainment and social hubs. Whether you’re looking to start your own restaurant or simply want to learn more about building a site, you’ll need to know what options are available and how much they cost.

Learn More About Your Options.

If you’re looking for a new way to reach customers and sell food, there are plenty of options. You can use one of the many website platforms that specialize in restaurant sales, like OpenTable or GrubHub. Or you could use a basic website builder like Squarespace or Wix.

If you choose one of the specialized platforms, it might be a good idea to give them a call before deciding which one is right for your restaurant. They’ll be able to walk you through your options and answer any questions about how their platform works best for restaurants like yours.

How Much Does a Website Cost?

The question of how much a website cost is one that many restaurateurs ask. However, when it comes to this question, there is no single answer. The cost of your new website will depend on what you want to do with it!

There are three main categories that make up the cost of any website: design, development and hosting. Design costs are by far the most variable category; they depend on whether or not you need custom designs for your website (and if so, how complex those designs will be). Development costs depend on the complexity of the site itself—the more complicated a project is technically speaking (for example, if visitors can upload files), then obviously it’ll take longer for someone to create and put online. Hosting costs are fixed monthly fees paid directly to your web host provider in return for housing all of your digital assets securely online so anyone can access them regardless of where they’re located in terms of physical proximity.

Breakdown the Costs of Building a Website.

The costs of building a website are not as high as you might think.

• Design and development: This is where the bulk of your budget will go, but even still it’s usually less than $1,000 to hire an experienced web designer. The more complicated your site is and the more features you want on it, such as eCommerce or video streaming capabilities, the higher the price tag will be. Some WordPress builds are upwards of 10K.
• Hosting: Some hosts provide hosting for free while others charge monthly fees based on how much space they need to store all of their data.
• Domain name: If you already have a domain name registered somewhere else like GoDaddy or NameCheap (the two most popular registrars), then this cost will be minimal since many registrars allow transfers at no charge or for only $10-$15 per year. If not though—and especially if you don’t have any idea what I’m talking about—then registering one with 1&1 will run about $12 per year (a steal compared to other providers). You’ll also need some kind of SSL certificate installed that encrypts data sent between users’ browsers and servers; however, this doesn’t come included with most hosting packages so we recommend buying one separately for around $50/year depending on how important security is for your business model

Building a Restaurant Website from Scratch

There are a few different options when it comes to building your restaurant website from scratch. You can use a website builder, hire a custom web developer, or use a template with a content management system. These options allow for some flexibility in your design and functionality, but each has its own pros and cons depending on what you’re looking for.

• Website Builder: These are usually the most cost-effective option because they’re easy to use, low maintenance, and often come with free hosting (the service that stores your site’s files on their servers). However, they don’t offer much flexibility in terms of design or functionality if you want something more customized than what comes with the standard package. These are usually offered to restaurants through their POS or third part delivery systems and only include the most basic information about your business.
• Custom Web Developer: This type of developer will be able to create exactly what you want if they have the right skillset and toolsets at their disposal (such as coding languages). They’ll also be able to help manage your site once it’s live by making updates whenever needed—saving you time while ensuring everything stays up-to-date! However, these services tend to cost quite a bit so keep this in mind before reaching out; there may even be other options within reach that might work better long term!
• Template Based: The goldilocks of web builders, content management systems such as Wix, Squarespace, & Weebly are considered visual coders & offer several customizable templates to get you started. They are easier to build than a WordPress, but do offer less in terms of SEO & customization.

If you’re looking for the more cost-effective option, website builders are a great place to start. They’re easy to use and come with all the tools you need for basic functionality; just don’t expect anything super customized or advanced! If you want something more customized, a WordPress is the way to go, just be aware that they do require a more advanced skill set to maintain & will have a higher up front cost.

5 Restaurant Website Essentials to Get Right

If you’re looking for a new website for your restaurant, there are five essential things that need to be included.

• Easy navigation. Navigation is the process of moving through websites to find and use the information you want. It can be confusing if there’s no clear way to navigate between pages or sections on a site, or if it’s hard to find which page contains the information you’re looking for in the first place. This can cause users to leave the site & decide to not visit your business based on their experience.
• Clear call to action (CTA). A CTA is an instruction that tells people what they should do next after reading an article or viewing a video—like “Subscribe” or “Buy now!” In order for CTAs to work well, they need three things: urgency, authority and value-adds (things like discounts). You want users who view your site as authoritative; this will give them confidence in whatever it is that you’re trying to sell them on—in this case, your restaurant!
• A good design. It doesn’t matter how good your content is if people don’t want to look at it. In the same way that you wouldn’t want to dine at a restaurant with dirty floors and sticky tables, users won’t be drawn in by your site unless they feel comfortable navigating through it and confident about what they’re seeing.
• Speed. When people visit your site, they want it to load quickly so that they don’t have to wait for their food to arrive (so to speak). This is especially important for mobile devices, where a slow connection can make the difference between someone reading an article or watching a video and leaving.
• Social Links. People eat with their eyes first. By including links to your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Tiktok, potential customers can see your fare in all its glory. Having (and maintaining) a social media presence is essential for any business today, especially in the food & beverage industry.

An online presence is essential for restaurants today, but without the right tools in place, it can be difficult to attract customers. By making sure your website meets these five requirements, you’ll be well on your way to creating an effective marketing strategy to draw customers to your restaurant!

Learn What’s Most Important to Get Right.

Before you get started, it’s important to understand exactly what is most important when it comes to your website.

• Easily findable: People will be looking for a restaurant by name, so make sure that your site is easy to find on search engines like Google and Bing. If people can’t find you online, then they won’t be able to respond positively to the rest of this list!
• Easy to use: A good website should provide information in an easy-to-read format and should also help customers make their own decisions about how they want their food prepared or whether they’d prefer something vegetarian over something meaty. All while maintaining a consistent brand message across all platforms (including social media).

Scope Out the Competition

If you’re starting your restaurant from scratch, it’s important that you take the time to consider what type of website would be best for your restaurant.

You can start by looking at other restaurants’ websites to see if there’s anything out there that fits your needs. Chances are you will find some inspiration along the way & understand what is important to include on your own site.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a restaurant website that fits your needs, it’s important to look into all of your options before making a decision. There are many companies out there that can help you build a website or customize one based on your needs. But if you’re looking for something more affordable and customizable then hiring an agency might be the right choice for you. At Embark Marketing, we specialize in building beautiful websites for restaurants all over Texas. Get in touch with us today to discuss which type of website would be the best fit for your business and your long-term goals. Feel free to check out our Blog or Youtube for our website examples.