Your website’s primary job is to turn visitors into paying guests. If people are landing on your site but not booking, something in the journey may be unclear, slow or frustrating.

Ask your web designer or agency:

• Where and how are calls-to-action (e.g. Book Now, Book a Table, Enquire) used across the site?
• Are calls-to-action visible on key pages like menus, events and mobile views?
• How many steps does the booking process take?
• Can you walk me through the booking journey as if I were a guest?
• Have abandoned bookings or drop-offs been reviewed?

Most hospitality searches and bookings now happen on mobile. A site that technically works on mobile isn’t enough – it must be designed around mobile behaviour.

Check with your designer or agency:

• Was the site designed mobile-first, or adapted later?
• How does the full booking journey work on a phone?
• Are buttons easy to tap and forms easy to complete?
• Can I preview and test mobile performance myself?

What good mobile experience looks like:

• Text fits the screen without zooming
• Buttons are large and spaced properly
• Navigation is simple and thumb-friendly
• Booking forms are short and clear
• Pages load quickly on mobile data

Slow websites lose bookings. Guests won’t wait for pages to load, especially when they’re deciding where to eat right now.

A healthy site should load in around 1–3 seconds, with content appearing almost instantly and no lag when clicking buttons.

Questions to ask:

• What has been done to optimise page speed?
• Are images and videos compressed properly?
• Are third-party plugins (including booking tools) slowing things down?
• Has page speed been tested recently, especially on mobile?

If pages load slowly, Google may also rank your site lower, reducing visibility and foot traffic.

Even if you’re not actively applying SEO principles, your website should be set up so Google clearly understands:

• Who you are
• What you offer
• Where you’re located
• When you’re open

Ask your designer or agency:

• Are page titles and meta descriptions optimised?
• How is location information handled across the site?
• Do we have pages that support local search visibility?
• Is the language written for real guests, not just search engines?

SEO doesn’t need to be complicated, but without the basics your website may struggle to appear when nearby diners are searching.

If you can’t see how your website is performing, you’re guessing.

You don’t need complex reports, just clear insight into whether your site is doing its job.

Ask your designer or agency:

• What analytics tools are currently set up?
• Are booking clicks or enquiry forms tracked?
• Will I have access to the data?
• Can you explain performance in plain language?

Key metrics every hospitality owner should understand:

• Website traffic
• Where visitors come from (search, maps, social, direct)
• Most viewed pages (menus, bookings, contact)
• Booking or enquiry actions
• Mobile vs desktop usage

This helps you spot issues early and invest confidently.

Your website should work around your business, not the other way around.

Clarify with your designer or agency:

• Do I own the domain, hosting and website files?
• Do I have full admin access?
• What happens if we stop working together?

Ask about updates and flexibility:

• Can I update menus, prices, hours and images myself?
• What updates require developer help?
• Is training or documentation available?

Hospitality businesses change frequently and your website needs to be able to keep up.