6 Signs Your Bistro’s Website Is Ready for a Refresh

Written by Justine Nightingale
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 08:00am CST

Does your website feel like it should be left in a digital graveyard? Is it less than appealing to your bistro customers?

In our digital world, websites are continually evolving, and you don’t want your website relegated to the dumpster out back. Because your website is often the very first look at your bistro, you want to make sure you are presenting your restaurant in the best light.

After all, first impressions matter. It’s vital to keep your website fresh, fast, and relevant. In this article, we look at six signs that your bistro’s website is ready for a refresh.

#1: Your Traffic has Dropped

Do you monitor your website traffic on a weekly basis? Do you study the numbers month after month and year to year?

The goal of your bistro website is to attract visitors who will either place an order online, make a reservation, or stop by your restaurant. If the number of people visiting your website has taken a nosedive, it might be time to refresh your bistro’s website. (tweet this)

Perhaps your website is too slow, or perhaps Google’s algorithms don’t find it useful.

While there are many reasons your traffic might drop, it is important to review your SEO and your web design to attract new visitors.

#2: Your Website is Too Slow

A slow website generally means your site is stuck in the past. And Google will not reward your website with high placement on search engine results pages if it’s too slow.

With a slow-loading website, your bounce rate is sure to be high. This means that visitors to your site lose patience for your bistro’s website to load, so they leave before ordering anything or deciding to visit you.

Now is the time to upgrade your website’s code so you can improve your page speed. Look at the size of your images and how they can hang up a website.

Make sure your website is able not only to attract but to keep the visitors that hit it. You want them to stick around long enough to learn about your bistro and your delicious food.

#3: Your Bounce Rate is Too High

We already mentioned your bounce rate when it comes to speed. However, there are other reasons your bounce rate might be high. So, you want to look at this in your Google Analytics so you can figure out how to fix it.

If your site has a high bounce rate, take a look at each individual page where there is a high bounce rate. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Have I optimized my images?
• Is my code optimized for speed?
• Is my content enticing?
• Is there a call to action?

Attend to these things and give your site a few weeks. Then, go back and see if your updates improved your bounce rate.

#4: Your Conversion Rate is Low

Your bistro website should draw your website visitors in, encouraging them to take action. Yet, many restaurant sites have a low conversion rate. This means not many website visitors are turning into actual customers or placing orders.

You want the conversion, and you don’t want them to bounce off. So, your bounce rate and conversion rates are tied together.

Again, you want to look at things like your call to action, your images, your text, and your usability and ease of navigation.

#5: Your Website Design is Outdated

When did you design your website? Was it three to five years ago or even later? If so, it’s most likely time for a refresh.

Why? Website design trends change. Graphics trends change, and that includes imagery style as well as font style. If your website is outdated, it quickly tells your potential customers that they aren’t very important.

You want a bistro website that is visually appealing and inviting. It should be easily navigable and user-friendly.

In addition, your website should render well on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you need to fix it immediately.

#6: You Aren’t Collecting Emails and Phone Numbers

Are you building your email list and SMS texting list through your website? If not, you definitely should be.

One of the most important things you can do on your website is collect email and phone leads.

The ROI on both email and text marketing is huge, and when used together, you can broadcast your specials to a wide and engaged audience.

If you don’t have a spot to collect these, it’s time to refresh your website. Use incentives to grab the emails and phone numbers, and you’ll watch your lists and your revenue grow.

Ready to Refresh Your Bistro’s Website

Now that you know the signs that your website is not effective, you can start looking at ways to be engaging with your website visitors. Look for ways to grab and keep their attention and move them toward an action.

Creating a website isn’t a one-and-done. You want to make sure everything is up to date, including your menu, prices, phone, hours, and location. You also want to maintain it on a regular basis with a larger refresh every few years. (tweet this)

Your website is your digital hub, and it’s where you begin your relationship with many of your diners. A user-friendly, fast, SEO-optimized website is a must. In addition, you want professional photos, creative and compelling content, an online menu, and more.

If you’re ready for a refresh, we can help!

Is your website ready for an upgrade? At Restaurant Engine, we can create a restaurant website for you that provides the perfect spot for customers to view your amazing menu. Your website is a pivotal piece of your success, and all your marketing leads to and from your website. You can count on us to create an amazing website that presents a unified brand and works across all digital platforms. Let us help you make the perfect site that draws customers in, improves customer engagement and your conversion rate, and enables you to grow your business!  

Are you ready to take your restaurant to the next level with a new website?

Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Igor Miske and Brooke Cagle on Unsplash