How many frozen yogurt shops have websites? Show of hands, please. How many really need a website? Is it enough to just have a Facebook page or Instagram account for your shop? With Facebook, Google Places, and Yelp offering the location, hours of operation, photos, reviews, and contact information, it may seem redundant to also have a website for your shop.
Main Benefits of Having Your Own Website
When people are looking for a business, the first thing most of them do is conduct an online search. The key benefit of having your own website is that it improves search rankings and makes it easier for people to find your shop. And this is important because according to the National Restaurant Association, 83% of Americans look up dining locations, directions, and hours of operation on their smartphones or tablets.
We typed in the search term “frozen yogurt near me” into Google and we found the following results:
- The first result was a Google Places list with several local frozen yogurt shops. Each listing had the hours of operation, phone number, reviews, and address, along with buttons for directions and the shop’s website. Google Places makes the shop’s website is easily accessible.
- Next, we saw Yelp search results for the best frozen yogurt and ice cream in the local area. Yelp listings have the hours of operation, phone number, reviews, address, directions, and a link to the shop’s website. Like Google, Yelp makes the shop’s website easily accessible.
- After the Google Places and Yelp results, we saw several frozen yogurt shop websites.
When we typed in a specific frozen yogurt shop, we saw similar results: the Google Place listing on the right, the Yelp listing on the left, and then the shop’s website. In a different search for a specific yogurt shop, the first result was the shop’s website.
Having your own website allows you to be in control of all the content – including the look and feel, photos, text, and features. The website is a valuable opportunity to stand out and to tell your story, including what makes your shop unique.
What Should Be on Your Website
People who visit restaurant websites are typically looking for the location, hours, contact information, menu, and photos. That basic information should be easy to find on your website. The website should also have links to your social media accounts and other offerings, such as catering, gift cards, loyalty program, delivery, promotions, and events.
Make sure your menu mentions some of the flavors you carry. Even better, have the flavors of the day listed. Not many frozen yogurt shops keep their flavors current. Having a current list of flavors would help your shop stand out and gain the approval of frequent froyo customers.
Take the time to write a compelling About Us statement, one that sets your shop apart. While this statement won’t matter much to your loyal customers, it can help attract new customers and also help employees and current customers understand why your shop is different and better. And it’s not something that you need to change or bother again, unless there are significant changes to your shop.
Make sure that your website is mobile friendly and that the information on it is kept up to date.
