What Is the Best CMS for Restaurant Websites?
The number of individuals visiting restaurants and food-related businesses is increasing, with people favouring online reviews over word of mouth. That being said, setting up a restaurant website can be a daunting task. There are so many different platforms to choose from, and knowing which one to go for can leave you paralyzed. To help you navigate the CMS world we have spoken with the team at Blue Leaf Digital about their experience using WordPress, Joomla!, and Squarespace for creating their restaurant websites.
Why Choose WordPress?
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMSs) in the world, having been downloaded over 500 million times and having been translated into nearly 50 different languages. The ease of use and the range of functionality make it a firm favorite among beginners as well as experts. It is a free and open-source project, which makes it both freely available and readily customizable. This has led to it taking over the world, especially in the world of restaurants and food delivery services, where its functionality is indispensable.
What You Need To Know
Before you start building your restaurant website using WordPress, you should know a few things. First, make sure you have a domain name for your site. This can be anything you want, but it should be easy to find, and it should be accessible from both mobile and desktop devices. If you run a brand you should also consider investing in a reliable business email address to ensure you can always be reached when needed. Finally, if you are building the site from scratch, you should familiarise yourself with the basic concepts of SEO and link building. This can be somewhat challenging but is definitely something you should learn and understand. It is an intricate and complex process that can be both rewarding and beneficial for your restaurant website and its search engine ranking.
Building A Restaurant Website Using WordPress
Armed with the necessary information, you can now move onto the fun part which is building your restaurant website. If you have used WordPress before, you will have no trouble familiarising yourself with the platform and building your restaurant website from the ground up. WordPress enables you to do this very quickly and with ease. To begin with, you will need to purchase a premium WordPress hosting plan from a reputable provider such as Blue Leaf Digital. This will help you to install and configure your WordPress sites quickly and easily whenever you create one. You can also use their dedicated server which is great for those looking for greater performance and security. You can sign up for a free trial here to get started. Once you have your host in place, you can click here to create your very first WordPress website in just a few minutes. You will then need to make a choice of whether you want to build a blog site or a standard static website.
You may also wish to choose a template for your WordPress site. There are dozens of free templates you can use, but if you are looking for something unique, you can purchase a premium theme which will cost you $15 per month plus any optional extras. Alternatively, you can create your own design and use one of their premium themes as a base. Creating your own design can be an art form, but it is definitely not as easy or as quick as using one of their pre-made templates.
Building A Restaurant Website Using Joomla!
Joomla! is another popular content management system (CMS) with over 80 million downloads. It is a free and open-source project that is maintained and supported by thousands of volunteers across the world. It is an ideal choice for individuals or businesses seeking a content-managed solution with robust features and a large community. Although it was originally designed for use within a workplace or educational setting, it has become a go-to choice for individuals and businesses seeking to set up shop and launch a website. It is a versatile platform that will suit anyone looking for a solution.
There are several different templates you can use to create your restaurant website within seconds using Joomla!. You can also choose from a variety of free extensions such as social media links, galleries, video players, and SEO tools which can be added to your site to further enhance its functionality and performance.
Squarespace For Setting Up A Small Business Website
For anyone wanting to set up a small business website, Squarespace can be an ideal solution. They offer a free trial, enabling you to set up a site within minutes. Once you have done so, you can then configure it to display content and media that is consistent with your brand. The best part about Squarespace is how easy it is to find the information and support you need.
As a small business owner or manager, you will find the information and support you need quickly and easily via their extensive knowledge base. You can also sign up for their email newsletter which will keep you up to date with all the latest news and offers relevant to your industry. When it comes to choosing a design for your Squarespace website, there are plenty of options to choose from. You can then use their intuitive interface to further personalize your site.
In summary, the above three platforms (WordPress, Joomla!, and Squarespace) are definitely a good choice for anyone looking for a quick, simple, and cost-effective solution for setting up a restaurant website. While they are all legitimate options for doing so, it is important to remember that they are all entirely different solutions which have different perks and quirks. This being said, they can all be used to build a functional and beautiful restaurant website, but you may not want to use all three in one go. The above three platforms and their variations (e.g., Drupal, Lime, Open Source) are all maintained and supported by thousands of volunteers around the world. This being said, if you are looking for a robust content management solution with a large community support, Joomla! is certainly a good choice as it is one of the most popular CMSs in existence.