Why Your Bar Patrons Want to View Your Mobile Website

Bar visitors can share your mobile website with their friends.

Most smart-phone users have encountered a site not optimized for mobile. The scrolling is off and the navigation is a mess. Want to click on a hyperlink? You’ll feel like a horse trying to thread a needle.

Why is this still happening! Mobile searches are still rising while desktop searches decline! Every business site should be optimized for mobile.

Bars and restaurants have site styles that are perfect for the small, basic format of a smart phone or tablet. Bar sites especially are usually simple, full of visuals and use bold and regularly updated content.

For bars and restaurants, bold and fresh content are perfect for mobile users. (tweet this)

Don’t miss out on online traffic. Think of these four scenarios where your bar’s mobile website is crucial…

1. After-dinner drinks

People often decide to head to the bar when they’re out in some group activity. It could be after a classy dinner or a paintball fest. If the vibe is good, the group decides to extend the night. The conversation goes something like;

“I heard about this awesome place called Flannigans!”

“Yeah I think they have half-priced Mojitos”

“Is that on tonight?”

“I dunno let’s check…”

… someone whips out their cell to do a local search.

This is a great opportunity to reach new patrons.

Optimize your website for mobile to reach out to new customers. Make sure nightly specials are updated and easy to find. Add a quick link to your menu, and some professional photos to draw them in.

Remember that the look and feel of your mobile site have a powerful impact on spontaneous decisions.

2. Mobile meet-ups

Friends text each other your information and a link to your website when they want to meet-up.

Aside from in-person group decisions, there’s also that typical text-to-meet-up scenario. People love using their mobiles to make drinking plans.

Just picture the typical Saturday for Bill. He’s thinking about a night on the town when he gets a text from Bob.

“Meet us at Flannigan’s in 15!”

Bill has no idea where Flannigan’s is, but Bob just hopped in the shower. Bill calls Bob for directions, there’s no answer. What does he do?

He searches Flannigans on his iPhone. The easier the bar’s mobile site is to use, the better impression he gets. Sleek design and easy navigation? Bill is liking this bar already. Half-priced Mojitos tonight? He’s definitely inviting Brenda.

First impressions are everything. Bill’s user experience added to an awesome night. Later that week he gets a warm and fuzzy feeling when he thinks about Flannigans. He texts the user-friendly site to other friends when they ask for a great place to grab drinks.

What better place for a mobile meet-up than a local bar? Does yours have a mobile website? (tweet this)

3. Navigating to your bar

Most mobile devices double as GPS systems now. I know several friends who hop into the car and enter their destination automatically on a smart phone. These people want an address that’s quick and easy to find.

Obviously drinking and driving don’t mix after a few. This means there’s also a lot of customers taking public transit or driving with friends. These can be less familiar modes of transport. All the more reason to double-check the location on a mobile device.

Add a few pre-drinks into the equation and you really need a site that’s easy to navigate.

Use your mobile site to communicate your location clearly and quickly.

4. Social media ops

People love to tag photos and tweets on a night out with friends. They’ll use their mobile phone to snap a memory and post it to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. It’s these on-the-spot posts that make bars best friends with social-media.

Let patrons show the world where they’re having this amazing time!

Add social network links and usernames to your mobile site. Connect easily with patrons who want to tag your bar as their current location.

Get even more involved by adding a call to action to your mobile site. Make a suggestion like “Tweet #iloveflannigans for a half-priced Guinness.” Offer rewards to your mobile visitors.

Your patrons will always appreciate a fun and spontaneous way to connect with your bar.

Optimizing for mobile gives your customers a much better user experience. It’s easy to do.

For more about mobile optimization, check out our article about Responsive Website Design for Restaurant Mobile Websites.

Want to get a better feel for how mobile users are interacting with your site? Try conducting some research using Google Analytics. A free account with them lets you track visits from mobile devices versus traditional desktops.

Unsure how to get a mobile website? Try Restaurant Engine for free. A mobile responsive website is included.

Photos by Lion’s Den and Stinson Carter