By Antonio Evans January 13th, 2011

Heads up, restaurateurs.  You may have the most innovative restaurant concept at the moment but your fifteen minutes of fame . . . → Read More: 10 Reasons Why Restaurant Websites Suck]]> Here is a good article from FriendSeat.com. The 10 Reasons listed are certainly some of the major problems with restaurant websites.

10 Reasons Why Restaurant Websites Suck

By Antonio Evans
January 13th, 2011

Heads up, restaurateurs.  You may have the most innovative restaurant concept at the moment but your fifteen minutes of fame may tick faster than expected if your website sucks.

The Internet has made a spoiled, lazy lot out of us.  When we need to know something, we google it (or bing it depending on your age bracket).  We make no move without searching relevant keywords, looking up some articles, checking out reviews and yes…we still check out message boards.  We even create threads and sub-topics to get the information that we want: Is it worth the money?  Is it worth the effort?  Is it a value?  Should I even bother? Sometimes we may even check out your website.  Sadly we know that 99% of all restaurant websites are crap.  I can name names.

It takes more than listing an address, contact information and a map to make a website effective. I am not going to tell you what makes a restaurant website appealing other than the sensible components and information any potential customer will look for.

You run a business.   Be professional. Don’t let your niece Soula design your website just because she took a Photoshop class in community college. If your website has any of the below features, get rid of them. They are the reason your restaurant website sucks:

10. Annoying Music

Sometimes we plan our dates discretely, the last thing we need is elevator music surprisingly blasting from our computer’s built-in speakers.  Hence, what counts as “annoying” music?  What about a nice steakhouse playing some corny cowboy country music?  Or a romantic French restaurant continuously airing Kenny G’s “Silhouette”? Just leave the music off your site. And please, if you do decide to put music on your site, do not load the page at full volume.  The last thing we want co-workers to find out is the weekend plan to have a Japanese dinner Saturday night while some screechy pop music plays in the background.

9. Homepage does not have any information

Maybe your restaurant’s concept is “mystery”, but the last thing we need is to go through the mysterious adventure of finding out where on earth your restaurant is located, what kind of food is served, what time the restaurant opens and closes, how to get in touch with your and how much will I need to spend. It is still important to convey at least the potential damage to the wallet may incur.  Are you  aware of those movies where customers who are unable to pay the bill end up in the kitchen washing dishes?  We don’t want to go through that. (And yes, that screen shot is from a real restaurant landing page).

8. Not offering additional services, i.e. delivery, online ordering, etc.

One thing we expect from the interweb these days: everything.  I do not want to call your restaurant, be placed on hold, speak to someone I don’t understand. A successful restaurant website is more than just a hub of information, pictures, and testimonials. Add features such as online ordering and online reservations.  If your site cannot handle these features and can only add an online form, make sure you have someone to answer these inquiries. I am lazy and if you want my business, you have to do some of the work for me.

7. No images or bad images

Your restaurant might look interesting on the outside, but people eat inside your restaurant and would like to know what it looks like.  This is particularly crucial to those who plan important events like a first date, an engagement or a simple dinner with family.  I want to be aware of the spatial experience.  Trust me, many people make their restaurant choices on the look of the restaurant.  Your webpage can be a great portal where you can showcase your restaurant — neat, clean, tables, attractive and worthy of my visit.

6. Menu has not been updated for years

The main problem of business sites is that many of them think that once the site is up, things will move on their own.  What your niece uploaded to your site two years ago is probably no longer relevant.  The menu is a critical component in any restaurant website and it is important to constantly update it based on the new specials and dishes that had to be taken out of the service.  If you don’t do this, many customers may assume they can order a particular dish because it is on the menu online.  You certainly do not want to get on the wrong foot with a customer by informing him or her that the menu on the website was two years old, right? Keep everything on the same page (appetizers, main courses, desserts, etc…) and please, no flash or PDF menus.

5. No links to social media

Another sign of a restaurant that is up to the times.  Restaurants need to have a strong social media presence in order to be successful.  Restaurants these days have their Facebook and Twitter accounts, some even blog on a regular basis.  Make sure to link to your social media outlets on your home page. Offer incentives to your potential clients for following you in said outlets. Utilize these FREE tools to bring your clients back. If you are not ready to embrace social media, you should consider getting out of the game.

4. Menus that do not display pricing

Customers who are in for white truffle risotto or bottles of Petrus may not care. Most customers who find menu prices online will be grateful.  Don’t be elusive and deny us the information on the pricing of your dishes.  How hard can it be?  Just copy and paste the menu file. Do not PDF it. Do not put it in as flash. Just display it on the page.

3. Homepage is not compatible with smart phones

Here is something you should know: people on the go check information online most of the time. Since they are on the go, they carry smartphones.  What does this mean?  It is a bother for smartphone users to go through every web page just so they can click on the contact information. Please spare us the hassle and have the basic information (address, telephone number, reservation email address) on the homepage.  Spend a few bucks and have your page optimized so I can view it on my iPhone. And please make sure that the information can be easily copy/pasted.  I already told you I was lazy.

2. No links to reviews

Reviews should be part of the restaurant’s marketing strategy.  And since there are tons of foodies and bloggers out there making their opinions heard, it is likely that there is at least one person who has reviewed you. Your restaurant’s marketing campaign should make it easy for customers to find reviews.  Show them off proudly like medals. And if you don’t have any good reviews…you may want to think about starting a new business.

1. Do not Flash It!

Flash websites are the worst in the planet. They will kill your SEO, so websites with those negative reviews will come up before your website does. Flash is slow to load so your bounce rate will be high. Flash is not friendly on mobile platforms like iPhones, so people looking for you on their phones will not be able to access your information. This is a sample of why I hate flash on restaurant websites. I just want to know where you are located, I don’t want to watch your online commercial or listen to your favorite song.  An information-packed, well-designed HTML website works just fine.  We want information and insight. Keep it simple, make us happy.

In the comments below list a few other items that didn’t make the list or better yet just list a few junky restaurant websites.

Customers be aware of . . . → Read More: Holidays are Here and Be Aware.]]> Tis the season where there is more fraudulent activity and its always good to be careful.  As a New Media company our attention are on phones and email too.  Many scams will use credible names to get personal information.  Please read this warning from the United States Postal Service….

Customers be aware of fraudulent package delivery messages sent by email or phone.

Customers may be receiving email messages or phone calls that allege to be from the U.S. Postal Service that contain fraudulent information about attempted or intercepted package delivery.

For emails: If opened, the messages instruct customers to click on a link to find out more about when they can expect delivery of their “package.” Simply delete the message without taking any further action.

For phone calls: Please do not provide any personal information and let the caller know you’re not interested and hang-up the phone.

The Postal Inspection Service is aware of the problems and are working hard to resolve the issues and shut down the malicious programs.

We regret any inconvenience this may have caused our customers.

http://www.usps.com/homearea/fraudulent_email.htm

The SCC system uses all of the latest technology to make sure your website is designed, structured, coded, and built correctly for the best Search Engine Optimization around.

We will let Chuck explain in this comical but educational Music Video.

This article is from: http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/statistics-the-state-of-the-internet-video/

JESS3 / The State of The Internet from JESS3 on Vimeo.

These are a great visual video that summarizes the size of the Internet through . . . → Read More: Statistics: The State Of The Internet Video]]>

This article is from: http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/statistics-the-state-of-the-internet-video/

JESS3 / The State of The Internet from JESS3 on Vimeo.

These are a great visual video that summarizes the size of the Internet through statistics.

That’s the . . . → Read More: Antennagate cost Apple 20% of sales]]> Posted by Philip Elmer-DeWitt

But for three times as many people, the lack of a Verizon iPhone is a bigger problem

The iPhone 4′s widely publicized antenna problems cost Apple (AAPL) some sales this summer, but not nearly as many as its exclusive deal with AT&T (T).

That’s the major finding of a survey released Wednesday by Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster. His team interviewed 258 cell phone users in downtown Minneapolis to gauge the impact of the iPhone 4′s signal attenuation issues. Although the surveyors didn’t ask about Verizon, the subject came up on its own accord.

Munster’s conclusion: “The antenna issue is removing upside potential for iPhone units, but Verizon is actually the most significant factor limiting demand.”

The details:

• Antenna problem: 177 respondents, or 69%, indicated that they were aware of iPhone 4 quality issues. Of those who are aware of the antenna issues, 20% indicated that they impacted their purchase decision.
• Verizon (VZ) problem: For every one respondent that acknowledged the antenna issue about three complained about the iPhone not being on Verizon. In other words, the lack of an iPhone on Verizon is holding sales back by about three times more than the antenna issue.
• Worst case scenario: “In order to quantify a worst-case scenario, we estimate that 40% of all iPhone sales are domestic (was 38% in the June quarter). We are modeling for Apple to sell 11m iPhones in the Sept. quarter, implying about 4.4m domestic sales. If Apple lost 20% of those sales, or 880k units, it would reduce our EPS estimate in the quarter by $0.11, from $3.72 to $3.61.

Munster notes that despite these concerns, Apple continues to sell iPhone 4s faster than it can make them.

Below the fold: The survey numbers.

[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]

Article found at http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/08/antennagate-cost-apple-20-of-sales/

Denver may hit the Twitter charts with the one of the top “Trending Topics” within the next three days with “The Great American Beer Festival” going on. This festival is the oldest and largest beer festival in America. GABF set another record this year, selling out 5 weeks . . . → Read More: Will Denver Reach Twitters Top Trending Topics?]]> By Ben Brown of Social Cloudcast

Denver may hit the Twitter charts with the one of the top “Trending Topics” within the next three days with “The Great American Beer Festival” going on. This festival is the oldest and largest beer festival in America. GABF set another record this year, selling out 5 weeks in advance. The 29th edition of the festival is estimated to have 462 US breweries bringing 2,200 different beers to serve to 49,000 plus attendees. That’s a lot of people, but even more people will be reached.

Through social media others will hear and see their friends, family and co-workers experience at the festival. Much will be shared about great, not so great beer, good times and bad. Awards will be given out for the best beers, but all brewers should pay attention to the feedback about their brands mentioned in social media.

Many brewers are very aware of social media and at least have a presence. In fact the buzz about GABF has been brewing for a while. There have breweries, individuals, PR and marketing companies tweeting about GABF and using the hash tag #GABF to reference their tweets. The Great American Beer Festival has a live stream of these on their website.

In the stream you’ll find chatter about those attending, those who want to and those who can’t. GABF has been taking advantage of other forms of social media too. They used YouTube as a training platform for their volunteers. If you search YouTube right now you will find about 222 videos. One of those videos is from last year with George Wendt’s interviews and talking beer. There will certainly be more videos to appear after this year’s event.

The Great American Beer Festival is a popular event, setting sell out records. Next year will be the 30th installment and sure to be another record breaker. Social media will be alive and well this year through out the event. Where will this industry takes social media in the future will be exciting and surely one to keep your eye on.

Interviews on YouTube with George Wendt:

Draft Magazine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdJ4q0OXDjI

Examiner.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouh54dxV54k

See this article on Examiner.com as well as other articles from Ben Brown

What would you like to know more about social media?  Free webinar designed just for you! http://polldaddy.com/s/E1F98062ECC23EC1

By Ben Brown, New Media Adviser of Social Cloudcast

Going “viral” with a video is usually a positive thing.  That is unless you are the one in the video getting hit with a foreign object.  A viral video is the velocity in which it is spread and how.  Some . . . → Read More: Colorado Girls Get Viral]]> Colorado Girls Get Viral

By Ben Brown, New Media Adviser of Social Cloudcast

Going “viral” with a video is usually a positive thing.  That is unless you are the one in the video getting hit with a foreign object.  A viral video is the velocity in which it is spread and how.  Some businesses are taking advantages of using videos in their marketing.  Of those, many are making it their intention for their video creations to become viral.

In the case of the Colorado Girls video, going viral was a very good thing for the three graduates.  Two of them recent film graduates and the other, theater. Lauren Brady, Ian Rice, & Josh Greenwood came together in the creation of this video, a parody of “California Gurls” by Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dog.  After the first lyrics written, “Colorado girls know how to spell girls” and about a week later it was online.

The viral quality of this video was seen from the number of views, comments, email forwards, and the vast sharing on Facebook.  This video wasn’t tied to any specific company, advertising campaign, or major market broadcast.  The video did makes its way to CBS 4 Colorado & NBC News 5 Southern Colorado, who interviewed Ian & Lauren.  The both piece broadcast their interview with Lauren & Ian, and cut in clips from their video.

Video in general is a great way to communicate a message.  In the Colorado Girls video it was entertaining and an overall positive depiction of the pride for the state.  Businesses are also trying to latch on to this concept as well.  Just creating a video is an effective way to show case a produce or service.  If the video has a viral quality, it can lead to additional exposure that touches viewership that may not have originally been reached.

Some viral videos were created purely by accident.  Essentially someone decided to turn the camera on at the right time and to share it with the masses.  If you are creating a video for a specific purpose, you should not rely on luck.  The most important part comes in planning.

Minnesota Gurls was the most popular parody video of the California Gurls, song prior to the creation of Colorado Girls.  The creators and producers of Colorado Girls took a similar approach, but planned in detail to make their video unique.  The time planning went into lyrics, locations, camera angels, costuming, color scheme, and the overall message.  All of these basic elements are what made this video successful and the best parody to date of the California Gurls original.

Planning is the first key element in creating any video.  Knowing the goal and audience you are trying to reach must come first.  The Colorado Girls video is one good example for businesses in creating their own viral videos.  Businesses should be looking at videos in general and consider a viral approach.  The next step is finding the right system to distribute their content.  It is also important to keep in mind that videos do not have to be about the business, a product or service.  Online advertising next to a viral video can also be an option.

Link to Colorado Girls Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYGpelWYFx0

Link to NBC 5 video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onYQThcpPkQ

Link to CBS 4 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXNbYWAd4uQ