There is no question that, in today’s world, a company’s website has to look top-notch in order to gain traction. It’s not like the internet wasn’t already hugely popular before the pandemic. However, COVID-19 has made it so that ordering food online has become one of the most popular activities in our modern world. It should go without saying that your restaurant’s website needs to cater to modern day needs.
So just how important are videos to your restaurant’s website? If you’ve paid any attention at all to the worldwide phenomenon that are social media, you know that posting videos is practically mandatory.
Introduce your staff to the world.
The following cannot be understated. It’s vital you proudly expose your customer-centric approach to business. People don’t just want good food when they visit your restaurant. They want to enjoy good times. When you showcase the wonderful members of your staff in your videos, you will endear customers to want to meet them. A warm and friendly environment is highly attractive to those who wish to go out to eat.
“Utilize your most abundant asset – your staff!” insists Sarah DeFlaminio on Upserve.com, “Get creative with staff videos – try asking a baseline question such as, ‘What’s your favourite part about working here?’ and an interesting, fun question that shows off their personalities. Posting them on different social media sites like Instagram and Facebook can boost organic visibility, meaning you don’t have to pay to sponsor a marketing post.”
Welcome back your customers.
As mentioned, the pandemic has drastically changed the way people order food from restaurants. For the most part, dine-in experiences have been abandoned in favour of takeout and delivery. With COVID-19 restrictions slowly lifting, people are starting to visit restaurants again! This past weekend, restaurants in the province of Ontario welcomed patrons back to their patios. Film a video that encourages customers to visit your restaurant in person again!
According to Phil Wesson, the Marketing Manager at Toast, Inc., videos are great ways to launch grand openings. “If you’re starting a new restaurant, you want as many people as possible to know who you are and what kind of cuisine and atmosphere they can expect when they walk through the door for your grand opening,” he writes, “Shooting a quick video showcasing these can be a great way to immediately familiarize your customers with your style and get people excited.”
Recap your recent events.
Firstly, it’s wise to use videos to promote your forthcoming events. Most people have been cooped up, feeling the pandemic blues for such a long time. They can’t wait to attend summer events. Secondly, utilize videos to recap the events you host in order to make clear the types of good times that people can experience at your establishment.
“Does your restaurant participate in restaurant week in an exciting way?” asks DeFlaminio, “Was your food truck at an interesting festival over the weekend? Create a recap video and highlight your participation. This is an opportunity to involve your customers who many have attended the event, they can watch the video looking for themselves.”
Videos aren’t the only necessary element of a restaurant’s website. Can your customers order food directly from your site? Contact Unity Payments and quickly set up your own online ordering system for your restaurant! To get started, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
