The Importance Of Having An Engaging Home Page
You’ve probably heard the term “viral” being thrown around quite a bit when it comes to marketing and social media these days. The idea is that if you can get something to gain a large number of views or clicks online, it can be extremely easy to get people to actually visit your website, products, or social media channels, in the first place.
If you run a restaurant or coffee shop, having a bright, eye-catching home page that draws customers in and compels them to keep reading is vital. After all, you’ll be competing for their attention with countless other websites and social media accounts, all trying to be as interesting as possible. To stand out above the rest, your home page must offer something special.
When developing your restaurant, coffee shop, or food truck website’s home page, focus on creating content that is both informative and enticing. Your visitors should leave your homepage with a clear understanding of what you offer and with a sense that there is more available, but they must also want to learn more, or continue researching, to find out more about your product or service.
Make It Easy For Mobile Users To Find What They Need
Let’s face facts — not everyone has a lot of time to spend on websites. People are busy. They have schedules. They have lives, and at the end of the day, they want to get things done. To serve these users, you must make it easy for them to find the information they need on their phones. They shouldn’t have to hunt around on different websites to find what they need. Your website’s homepage is the first impression they have of your business, and it is the last impression they will have of your business, so take the time to make it special. When designing your mobile-friendly homepage, keep the following in mind:
- Use large, clear, simple images. They will engage users and keep their attention.
- Include a brief description of what your restaurant, coffee shop, or food truck offers. This can be in the form of a short pitch, or a blog post with a few paragraphs.
- Make it easy for users to navigate your website using the mobile device’s keyboard. This means placing all the text and links below the fold, so that when a user clicks on them, the content will load without any disruption.
- Avoid using too many colors. Having more than two or three colors on your website can make it difficult for visitors to focus on the text and call to action (CTA) buttons.
- While we all love a bright colour, keep in mind that not everyone has a screen that is as vibrant as you do.
- Your call to action (CTA) button must not be the only form of communication between you and your visitors. You should always include an alternative method of contact, such as a phone number or address on a business card.
- Make sure your website’s SEO is set up correctly. Hiring an expert to help out with SEO can be extremely rewarding and ensure that your website will remain at the top of the search results even after extensive keyword research.
- While we can’t promise that every visitor will become a patron, you will certainly increase your chances of doing so by creating a memorable and engaging experience.
Include Visual Illusions And Design Principles From The Psycheology Of Consumption
In the last ten years, the science of consumer psychology has provided researchers with an extremely useful framework within which to understand human behavior. One branch of this research, known as “design for consumption,” has proven quite useful in the field of web design, providing us with a better understanding of how certain principles influence how people interact with websites.
When we look at a website, the first thing that springs to mind is most likely the site’s design. The way a site’s layout and design look is fundamental to how users perceive it. If they perceive it as easy to use, or if they understand what it is that you’re trying to sell, they are more likely to be engaged and, therefore, more likely to make a purchase. To put it simply, good design is good for business.
One of the most useful insights offered by the design for consumption research is that of visual illusions. These are common errors that we make as humans when viewing images, particularly in terms of focal points and parallel lines. Let’s take a look at some of the most common visual illusions and how they can be used to create an engaging design.
The Mugshot Effect
Perhaps the most well-known visual illusion is the mugshot effect. What is the mugshot effect? It’s when an image of a person’s headshot is used in a way that seems like it’s been taken at a strange angle or under some unusual lighting conditions. This can often result in the image seeming a little blurry or out of focus.
Many designers and marketers have used this effect to create a sense of curiosity in viewers. Instead of quickly moving on to the next image as they usually would, people are often willing to give an image of a person’s headshot extra time to fully process what they’re seeing.
This is extremely useful when applied to restaurant, coffee shop, or food truck websites. You can use this effect to great advantage by incorporating it into your design. To create a sense of curiosity, or interest, in your visitors, you must start by using a headshot of an actual person. When doing so, make sure that the image is high-quality and that you’ve cropped or angled it well so that it doesn’t look like a mugshot.
This is one of the most useful tools in your arsenal when creating an engaging food website. By using this tool, you will not only attract customers, but you will also compel them to learn more about your business, or to make a purchase.
The Choking Hazard
The second most well-known illusion has to do with the danger of choking as a result of eating too much garlic. This particular illusion causes our brains to perceive food that is high in salt and fat as more appealing than usual, and it can actually change how we perceive certain foods. If you’ve ever seen the movie, Big, you’ll undoubtedly remember Tom Hanks’ character, Henry Winkler, playing the part of the famous restauranteur, Mr. Fusilli. In the scene where the Four Seasons food is served, you can clearly see how big pieces of food can block the airway and cause serious problems for people who are prone to asthma or other breathing ailments. In fact, the portions in the movie are so big that it’s often hard to tell what’s being served and how much people are actually eating. This has led to numerous lawsuits against the film’s producers, claiming that the movie is inaccurate and negligent concerning the serving sizes compared to real-life Four Seasons restaurants.
What happens when food is too big and too delicious? It can cause a variety of problems. If people are eating too fast, the food can cause digestive issues. If they’re chewing or swallowing too much, it can cause a variety of medical problems, ranging from heart disease to strokes. One of the best ways to avoid these problems is to make sure that your food is cooked thoroughly. If you’re searing steaks or grilling burgers, make sure that the meat is cooked all the way through before serving. If you’re taking a more raw approach to food, like sushi, make sure that the fish is prepared by the experts, so that it doesn’t contain any mercury or other toxins. You must also be careful about the portions that you order. If you’re looking for a way to reduce your food costs, consider asking for a discount or offering special meals such as all-you-can-eat or buffet specials, but make sure that these aren’t advertised as being a cost-reducing measure. Instead, highlight these options as being a way to give you and your team a break from preparing all of the food yourselves and allow you to focus on what’s important to you.
This is another useful tool in your arsenal to create an engaging food website. By using this tool, you will not only attract customers, but you will also compel them to try your food, or at least learn more about it.