How a Website Can Boost your Restaurant’s Brand

In today’s growing market many restaurants are using website features such as online ordering software to build a customer base. But restaurant business like yours can benefit from a website more than building a customer base. .In this post, we share some effective ways to use your website in order to boost your restaurant brand.

Branding In a Nutshell

Branding is involved in creating a unique image for a product in the consumers’ minds. Advertising campaigns with a consistent theme are the most common avenue to execute this. It aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers. Also, pay extra attention to emphasizing your online ordering software and restaurant technology on your website.

Tips on branding using your website

Consider the following tips in order to maximize your branding on your restaurant website:

  •    Logo design

You should make a logo that’s awesome, great and unique to your restaurant. A logo is the first thing your customers associate your restaurant with. It’s your first branding channel so choose the symbols clearly and cleverly as much as possible.

  • Consistent message

You should create your message be it in your website content, blogs and copywriting consistent with your brand. If you want to be known for your delicious steaks, focus on building content around the areas of secret ingredients, cooking methods, and recipes. This message should reflect even in your online ordering software and restaurant technology.

  • Website promotion

You should include in your website plugins that enable your customers to share your content, advertisements, and updates. This is very helpful in promoting your website branding, especially in social media campaigns.

  • Have a call to action in all of your content

At the end of every message that you’ve written don’t forget to include a call to action. This is important so that you can lead your customer engagements into sales conversions.

Customer Reach vs Traditional Channels

We all know that when you’re able to target well and establish customer engagements on your website it will help you to have a branding edge over competitors. In this part, we will explore more on the comparison of customer reach versus traditional channels of your website in your branding.  The following are the reasons that make your website very good in customer reach over traditional channels.

  • Your website can give you 24/7 presence

When you aim at brand retention of your customers your website can help you versus traditional channels. A website must be accessed anytime, anywhere, and on any device of your customers. Your online ordering software must be available and accessible anytime as well.

  • It caters to all generation types and genres.

Traditional channels are usually used to target a particular segment of your customers. Whereas, your website should be designed to cater to a lot of potential segments. In addition, have a support system to address queries and concerns from customers.

  • Your website can enhance your branding

The way your website is designed will let you advertise better and speak of your brand well. The best-designed website will give you branding that can far outweigh exposures compared to traditional channels.

  • Your website can easily be adjusted to your branding

If you choose to publish your advertisement in a newspaper you cannot edit once your advertisement is already published and in circulation. On a website, you can easily change your content, videos, pictures, and advertisements.

Competitive pricing like your online ordering software

We will now proceed regarding the aspect of cost. As any business should consider, choosing an online ordering system and other restaurant technology based on cost is the same standard when you launch branding campaigns in your website.  If your website offers competitive pricing; you can choose to have your hosting for as little as $5 to $20 per year. Now it’s up to you and depending on your budget if you’ll get a premium hosting for your website. Your additional costs for your website branding depend on the following factors:

  • Custom-built website or website builder tool

A custom-build website offers you all the freedom to design it and have your own branding reflected on it. However, it is costly compared to a website builder. A website builder will give you the benefit of a template to design your site at an affordable price.

  •     Brand retention

You need to exert extra efforts in ensuring that your website will optimize your brand retention in the market. You might pay the added cost on it such as SEO analytics and Google search ranking.

Innovative restaurant technology branding in your online ordering software

Your website offers you the kind of restaurant technology that is flexible, timely and modern in your branding. You can possibly do everything on your website in terms of branding. You can create twists and tweaks in your promotions as well as enhance the looks of your online ordering software to entice your customers. Here are some tips on twisting and tweaking content on your website for your branding:

  • Stay true to your brand

You can spin content; just make sure it stays with your branding strategy. This is to ensure that your customers will recognize that they’re dealing with you and not some start-up restaurants or your competitors. For example, if your restaurant brand is popular in your delivery segment you can twist your online ordering software content putting updates on your service. Don’t focus on your takeout or dining segments.

  •  Brand engagements and conversions

You must maximize your website in order that your customers will be engaged with you and take your pitch. By doing these you’re successfully using your website branding in making your conversion or sales.

Establishing Brand Recall

Your website will give you an advantage when it comes to brand recall. Because of its accessibility and ranking, you’ll be able to effectively let your customers recall your brand. Consider the following questions so that you can make your customers recall your brand on your website:

  • What services do you offer?
  • Which of your menu is your signature in your place?
  • What are the things you can do to improve your brand recall?

After answering these questions you can build on to enhance your brand recall. Brand recall is a proven way to maximize your sales for your restaurant.

Delight your customers, execute well in your website

We have given you some insights regarding using your website to boost your restaurant brand. It will help you chart your restaurant technology and online ordering software features in your branding and sales generation. 

If your restaurant is looking for an online ordering system

contact us now.

Online Ordering System: 7 Tips on How to Choose One for Your Restaurant

After you decide to take the opportunity of restaurant technology, the next challenge you need to sort out is choosing an online ordering system for your restaurant. It’s not easy to choose one, since there are many service providers offering this system in the market today. Therefore, you need to have a set of criteria or lists in order to be guided and eventually be able to choose the best among the rest.

In this post, we will provide you 7 tips in choosing your online ordering system for your restaurant.

1.  Be Budget-conscious

Finding your online ordering system need not cost a fortune or a big chunk of your capital. Consider the cost of your online ordering system before engaging the service of the provider is important and our number one tip for you. Check if the cost of purchasing and maintaining it will outweigh the promised benefits to your restaurant.

The general rule is that your online ordering system should give you the benefits you want for your restaurant at a minimum cost. Don’t get an online ordering system that will cost you much but is not able to give your targeted benefits. This is not a practical and good business decision. Your restaurant technology cost should meet your business goals.

Free versus subscription paid online ordering system

There are many free online ordering systems that are being offered today. You might be tempted to take one for your restaurant. Who would not want to avail of a free system, right? However, these free online ordering systems might not guarantee to be responsive to your needs. Your provider might not be readily available to respond whenever you’ll experience some technical problems while using it. Some of these systems offer added services for a fee say for example integration of payment mode of cash or by credit card every time you receive orders.

This is very different from a subscription paid online ordering system because for a fixed monthly fee with a contract you’ll get the same benefits with an assurance of customer service helping you out when you encounter technical problems. You might be charged for a minimal fee if you opt to add more features like a loyalty program in your system. Another advantage of a subscription paid online ordering system is that your provider will continue to develop its features and make it updated to current restaurant technology. This is something a free online ordering system cannot give you.

An example of these systems is Taker which offers many features that you need in your restaurant for a monthly subscription fee. For other types of online ordering systems available today you can read this post.

2.  Consider device compatibility

When you’re searching for an online ordering system, consider the device compatibility so you would know how to use it as part of your restaurant technology marketing. Your system is considered a food delivery app by your customers so it must be compatible with common and widely-used devices. Here is another tip you need to conduct a test first on your system in all types of devices from a website-based app to a mobile app. It should be functional and with the same user interface in all apps.

Your chosen provider must create a restaurant app like your online ordering system well in all devices and conditions. Once you notice that your system does not work well in some devices, it is best not to continue your subscription. It pays to be vigilant when it comes to adapting to restaurant technology.

3.  Be mindful of user integration

Your online ordering system should be integrated with your other restaurant technology. It should be in sync with your existing restaurant app and restaurant technology. Your point of sales or POS should be able to be integrated into your online ordering system. 

The following are important things to consider in terms of user integration:

  • Full user integration

Your system should integrate with your existing restaurant technology at a 100% rate. Here’s another tip on full user integration there should be no downtime and technical errors during the testing period and actual operation of your system.

  •  It should equal or beat the existing food delivery app in your area

One of the reasons you want to have your own system is to increase your delivery sales so it must equal or beat the existing food delivery app in your area. Your customers should find your system easy to use and navigate like their food delivery app. (more on this when we go to our tip number 7).

  • Positive user experience and engagement

Your system should let your customers feel important and engaged them well in your brand. It should promote a positive user experience like responsive customer service or customer rewards for their loyalty to you.

4.  Have outstanding delivery features

Another important tip to consider is having a useful and beneficial delivery features that your online ordering system can offer to customers. You can choose a provider that will contain all these features in their system:

  • Location navigation

This may seem an obvious tip but you should check this out with your provider. Your system should have this delivery feature in order to point the exact location of your received inquiries and orders. This is to be sure to deliver your customer’s orders on time without delays. Delays can happen if you’re online ordering system fails to detect your customer’s exact location.

  •  Menu display and updating

You should be able to put your menu in your system and be able to update it anytime without any hassles on your part. This is the essence of having an online ordering system for restaurants.

  • Payment mode

It should offer all possible payment modes in your area so that your customers will be able to pay conveniently without the need of spending significant time figuring how they can pay you.

  • Order tracking

Like all good food delivery apps, your online ordering system should have an order tracking feature. This is to help your customers to expect the exact time of the delivery of their orders. It will help them greatly when they are hosting a celebration at their home with their guests.

5.  Data collection is crucial to any online ordering system

Your system should provide a way in which you’re able to collect customer data for your use in your business. This restaurant technology should provide for the analytics of your customer’s data. Being able to extract data will help you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in your operations. Our tip for you is that some of the important customer’s data you’ll need to have are the following:

  • Demographics

This data includes age, race/ethnicity, gender, education, and profession among others.

  • Customer transaction

Your customer transaction data will help you gauge the buying behavior of your customers so that you can create a program on them.

  •  Advanced analytics

It should provide you analytics on the data you collected from your customers for your decision-making.

6.  Marketing extension is a must-have

When you subscribe to an online ordering system choose the one that is able to articulate your brand, it should speak about and promote your brand well. The ability to serve as your marketing extension is an added value for you.  Promotions and loyalty programs to reward your customers should be available.  It should not look generic but unique and is custom-built for your brand and restaurant technology.

7.  A user-friendly ordering system is key

Your system should be user-friendly both for you and your customers. Its features should be easily used and provide a great experience. Avoid an online ordering system that is not easy to navigate and hard to understand. Remember that if you’re not able to fully understand your system much more of your customers. Aim to the goal of being able to understand and use well your online ordering system. 

You and your customers should enjoy and have fun using your online ordering system. The feeling of being served comfortably and optimum convenience should be you and your customer’s experience with your system. Otherwise, leave your provider and find the one that deserves you and your customer’s time.

Final Tip: Your online ordering system should be aesthetic and functional

Any restaurant technology whether it is a website, an app and an online ordering system should show art and function. These two should be present and also appreciated by end-users. We have given you the 7 tips on choosing your own restaurant online ordering system. Enjoy your shopping for your system and have fun.  Choose only the best online ordering system for your restaurant.

If your restaurant is looking for an online ordering system

contact us now.


3 Questions You Should Ask Before Putting up Your Restaurant’s Website

We are living in the digital world and restaurant businesses are not exempted from this. The use of restaurant technology is becoming the norm. Thus, having a customized website is fairly critical to the success of your venture.

It is on your website that you can offer your menu and services to your target customers. You can also establish your initial engagements with your customers when you use a website for your restaurant.

 So, if having a great website will help you gain more customers, how to do this exactly? The secret is when you endeavor to have an online ordering system within the website. There are many reasons to set-up your website and we can write pages about it under the restaurant technology niche. 

But before putting up your own restaurant website, consider asking the following questions to yourself so that you will know the direction you’re going to as far as how it will benefit your business.

Question No. 1 Do I have the resources?

The first thing you should ask yourself is the availability of your resources in order to put up your website. The importance of knowing beforehand if you have the needed resources is for you to make the necessary adjustments. If you lack one of the resources you can tap providers or hire people to perform the work for you.

There are many providers like designers for your restaurant technology for your online ordering system on your website. Having an inventory of resources will also help you as you start your project of putting up your own website.

Website Designers

You need to make your website look professional and engaging so you’ll need website designers. Ask your team who are graduates of information technology or computer science and is proficient in website designing. If none of your team knows website designing you can choose to search for freelancers or hire a full-time employee website designer.

Furthermore, we will round up the benefits of each as you go along this post. The key here is to hire a designer that can deliver great results at a minimum cost to you.

For more information on the qualities of a good designer read this post.

Comparative cost-benefit analysis of a Freelancer and Employee Website Designers

It is good to consider the benefits of your two options of work engagement on your website designers and have a cost-benefit analysis. Doing so will help you to decide later on which option is viable to help you in relating restaurant technology to your business.

  • Freelance Designers

You can find them in all job sites in the market today offering their services with their ready sample portfolio. They can create a restaurant app and food delivery app exclusively for you to help your website. Pay is dependent on their years of experience and expertise in website designing.

But most importantly, the advantage of hiring a freelancer is that you can save a huge amount of money. Why? Because then you won’t be tied down paying for insurance and holiday pay as compared to hiring in-house for a long-term employee.

Freelancers don’t have the same benefits as regular employees since they are independent contractors. When it comes to expertise they can even outwit a regular employee because of their exposure to different business niches and global clients.

Although, there is also a risk in hiring a freelance designer. Project continuity is always one of the major hiccups that come with hiring independent contractors. These freelancers may not be able to hold their end of the bargain with you because of personal circumstances that may arise as the project is progressing. They may also accept a better offer or a higher paying client. The possibilities are endless.

Therefore, always have a contingency in place. You’d want to be involved in the project, engage your contractor and make sure you have a fluid working relationship.

  • Full-time employee

Having a regular employee designer will let you have direct control of workflow and project delivery on time. You can contact your designer in real-time once clarification is needed or technical meetings for product development.

Your website design specifications can be changed immediately even at short notice.

The risk in hiring a regular employee is the limited website designing experience common to designers working in a firm. Sometimes their experience is on an entirely different business niche like pharmaceuticals or education.

Add also that you’ll be paying them their salaries and company benefits as well as once they are regularized you can’t easily terminate their services.

Digital marketing

This resource describes your capacity to manage your advertisement in social media, on your website and other forms in the digital space. You’ll also consider if your campaign advertisement will be an organic one or you’ll be paying for it. It’s important to have the technical resources before starting your website so that you can use it to get leads and eventually convert them into paying customers.

Here are some of the technical resources for digital marketing

  • SEO or search engine optimization

This is your google ranking search on your website. It’s important to compete for the top ranking since this will give you mileage over your competitors in the business.

  • Data-driven marketing

This is the use of your gathered data for your improvement in your digital marketing initiatives.

  • E-mail marketing

This is your way of informing your customers of your updates usually in the form of newsletters sent to their email address. You can include in your newsletter updates on your restaurant technology.

  • Content management

This is your strategic plan on how you can use your content in your websites for your improvement in your SEO and social media campaigns. It is reflecting your brand and product in your content while giving information to your subscribers.

  • Gamification

This is targeting your customers by offering interactive games that will engage them with your services and menu offerings in your restaurant.

Question No. 2 What types of customers do I have?

You need to identify your target market and their consumer behavior because this will help both the design and marketing of your website. The type of generation of your target customers will give you some idea on your proper approach in order to engage them in your website.

Here are the two types of generation of your customers

Generation X or Gen X

These are your customers who are born in the mid-1960s and the early-1980s. They’re the first generation that was exposed to computer technology and development. Expect that they are tech-savvy and more critical of your website. They tend to compare old with modern technology which includes a website.  In order to engage this generation, you need to ensure that your website user experience is great and no glitches will happen to them as they are browsing.

Millenials

These are your customers who are born in the early 1980s and the mid-1990s. This generation was born with technology and gadgets like tablets and the iPad. They’re considered the techie generation. In order to engage this generation well, you need to ensure that your website look and feel on a computer will be the same quality to mobile devices like tablets and cellular phones. This generation is known to be always on the go and likes to enjoy apps. Check carefully your online ordering app for optimum engagement.

Question No. 3 What is/are my goals?

Goal setting is another key to the success of your website. Identify your goal in having your website if it’s for sales generation, your digital presence or business growth.

Sales generation

If your goal is to increase your sales in setting your website it is advisable that you do the following on your website:

  • The design and content should focus more on your menu and services (online ordering system, waitlist, and the loyalty program).
  • Interactive tools that will lead to sales conversions like party package reservations or online orders in your ordering app.
  • Your website should include a chatbot for customer inquiries.

For more information on using your website for sales generation read this post.

Digital presence

To establish your brand and restaurant in the digital space, consider the below factors:

  • Emphasis on your about page, history and affiliates (if any)
  • Your restaurant interior and exterior are your backgrounds on your website.
  • Your customer user experience and browsing are that as if they already entered your physical restaurant.

 Business growth

Business growth in setting a website is for restaurants that are offering the sale of their brand franchise. Your focus should be the following on your website:

  • Your brand and why you’re different from your competitors
  • Sustainability of your business
  • Success stories of your franchisees.

Your website is your key to the world of countless opportunities

Take advantage of websites in order to tap customers and business opportunities that traditional markets cannot give you. Expand your horizons and make your goals your achievements. We are always here to be of service to you.

We have already given you some lists to consider before setting up your website. Also, check our blog regularly for more tips on how to run a successful restaurant business.

If your restaurant is looking for an online ordering system

contact us now.