Case Study: Pearl Lemon Redesigns Sushi Express to Attract More Customers and Increase Leads
Overview
Client: Sushi Express
Industry: Restaurant
Objective: Revamp website to drive customer traffic, improve mobile usability, and increase leads
Core Focus: User Experience (UX), Accessibility, Local SEO
The Problem
Sushi Express had a dated, cluttered website that hampered customer engagement. The restaurant had been around for over a decade, and its website had seen little to no updates since then. The result? Customers struggled to navigate the site, especially on mobile, and many left without exploring the menu. The owners couldn’t update their menu or prices without hiring external help, making it difficult to respond to customer feedback or seasonal promotions.
Here were the specific problems:
- Slow Mobile Loading: Pages took several seconds to load on mobile. Customers often left within seconds, especially younger users.
- Difficult Navigation: With too much information on each page, users felt overwhelmed and couldn’t find basic information quickly.
- Low Local Search Visibility: Sushi Express’s Yelp and Google listings were sparse. Photos were outdated, and location tags were inaccurate, making it hard for new customers to find them.
- Inflexible Content: Restaurant staff couldn’t make changes to the site, leading to outdated menu items and prices.
Sushi Express knew they needed a streamlined, mobile-friendly website to stay competitive and bring in a steady flow of diners.
The Solution
After assessing the restaurant’s challenges, Pearl Lemon mapped out a clear plan to improve UX, simplify site management, and increase local visibility.
- Decluttered Website Layout:
- Simplified Homepage: Pearl Lemon stripped the homepage down to essentials. The design centered on user needs, featuring a clear call-to-action and menu navigation that cut down on user clicks.
- Faster Mobile Load Times: By optimizing images, compressing files, and refining the code, load times improved by over 50% on mobile. This helped reduce bounce rates, which had been over 70%.
- Easy-to-Use Navigation: Menu items were organized in clear categories with large, clickable buttons, helping users get straight to what they were looking for, whether it was location information, hours, or menu details.
2. Improved Content Management:
- CMS Integration: Pearl Lemon set up a content management system, allowing restaurant staff to make instant updates. This meant they could update daily specials, change pricing, or promote seasonal items without hiring a developer.
- Flexible Design: The new website design allowed for future updates and customization. Staff could change images and add seasonal promotions as needed, ensuring the site stayed relevant and up-to-date.
3. Optimized Local Listings:
- Enhanced Yelp and Google My Business Profiles: Pearl Lemon worked with the Sushi Express team to refresh their listings. They uploaded high-quality images, updated descriptions with key search terms, and made sure location and contact information were accurate.
- Improved SEO for Local Discovery: Pearl Lemon optimized the site’s keywords to reflect local search trends. They included keywords that nearby diners would use, increasing the chances of Sushi Express showing up in local restaurant searches.
4. Mobile and User-Centered Design:
- Designed for Fast Decisions: Knowing that many users would browse on mobile, Pearl Lemon made sure key information—like hours, location, and menu highlights—was front and center.
- Clear Calls-to-Action: The site encouraged actions like calling the restaurant, ordering online, or viewing the menu, guiding users with a clean, intuitive design.
The Results
The website overhaul and local SEO improvements led to measurable results within the first few months:
- 186% Increase in Leads: Sushi Express saw nearly double the number of inquiries through the website. Contact form submissions and calls increased as users found it easier to take action on the updated site.
- 50% Faster Load Times: Mobile users experienced much faster loading speeds. This improvement brought the mobile bounce rate down to under 40%, a reduction of over 30%.
- 40% Increase in Foot Traffic: With updated local listings and a mobile-friendly site, the restaurant’s foot traffic picked up significantly. Online directions requests and calls both increased as a result.
- Higher Local Search Ranking: By improving SEO and local listings, Sushi Express rose to the top five results in local search, increasing visibility to potential diners.
Conclusion
Through targeted design updates and local SEO, Pearl Lemon gave Sushi Express a refreshed online presence that drew more customers and drove action. The website redesign provided a clean, straightforward user experience, meeting the needs of a mobile-driven audience. Optimized local listings also played a key role in attracting new diners. This case study highlights how a strategic approach to UX and SEO can help restaurants attract and retain more customers in a highly competitive market.
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