Square Online Q&A: How can we help grow your online orders?

[Tom]

Are you in the food & beverage business and looking to increase online orders, to expand your marketing reach, or are you just getting started with your website? You've come to the right place.

The Square Online team wants to ensure that your business is set for success for this year's holiday shopping season. Whether you’re just starting your online ordering page or if you’ve had one up and running for a while, we want to know how we can help.

On Wednesday, October 26, we hosted a Q&A in this thread that covered the following topics:

• Menu Optimization: Set up your menu to drive the most checkout conversions.
• Email Marketing: Reach your customers with updates and promotions.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Ensure that customers can find you online.
• Social Media: Stay connected and grow your reach.
• On-Site Marketing: Raise awareness about online ordering at your restaurant.

Have a look at the thread below to see what questions sellers brought up and learn more about the solutions that Square has to offer!

[emusumano]

Hi @HopIceCream,

Great question! You should announce this to your customers in the following ways: in-person (you can add a line to your receipts), in emails to your customers (both a one-time email to announce your opening of online ordering but also trigger-based campaigns to customers). In Square Marketing, you can create a campaign for your receipts where you send a quick update ("Check out our website for pickup and delivery! Exclusive menu items, lowest prices.”). You can also create an email campaign that targets your top spenders or frequent visitors to let them know that you now offer online ordering. You’ll also see an email campaign option to “Drive eCommerce” > “Promote your online store.” Your branding is all set to go in the emails; it’s just a matter of making sure you pick the right item you want to promote! The email editor is meant to get you moving quickly and simply, without training. Outside of email and receipts, you can also announce on social media (and don’t think of this as a one-time announcement but rather an ongoing promotion that you’ll need to reiterate in different ways, with different visuals). And lastly, you can train your staff to mention your online ordering to dine-in customers, print promotional cards or add stickers with a QR code to your store on third-party marketplace bags, and use street signs for foot traffic.  

[Dh222]

Why is the Square online store so slow for both customers  and us. It takes forever to make changes or add items to our store. We have been getting lots of complaints from customer about this issue! I was told by Square support it is because I have to many items for sale on our site ( are you kidding me!!).  It would seem to me it would be in Square interest to fix this ASAP! A faster, easier shopping experience means more revenue for Square!! 

[AmericanoLive]

Do you have a lot of images on your site? If so, reducing image file size is a pretty easy fix with a modest return on website speed. Plus, you don't have to rely (more importantly, wait) on Square to make a fix, you can do it on your own. Start here: https://www.theessential.agency/blog/are-images-ruining-your-website-experience

[emusumano]

Hi @Dh222,

Sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues. We will send this to our product team so they are aware! 

[rvaccents]

I need help with SEO.  I keep getting emails from Square Sender that my Product Listings were disapproved by Google.  Cannot seem to resolve this issue.  Thank you so much. Julia

[emusumano]

Hi @rvaccents,

Sorry to hear about the issues you are experiencing. It sounds like this might be an issue on Google’s end and you may need to contact their customer service.  

[ggfgourmet]

I'm definitely interested in how to drive more traffic and SEO. I have updated the SEO places but maybe I'm not using the fields correctly. Our food products are very specialized for specific diets/guidelines.

Also, how can I better arrange our menu?

Thank you!  -Jen

[emusumano]

Hi @ggfgourmet,

We recommend that you spend some time optimizing both your online ordering page and your menu items. Here are links for each of these: 

• Control your website SEO
• Control your item and category SEO 

[Seacafe]

My business is a coffee shop. I have online ordering for pickup and local delivery set up on Square. I would like to start selling whole beans on my website - not just online ordering for pickup and local delivery but for nationwide shipping. How do I set up this type of online ordering in addition to the local options I have now?

[emusumano]

Hi @Seacafe,

You can access information on real-time shipping through Square Online here. Basically, to control which items on your menu that you want to be selectable for shipping, you go in to these items and you check off the Shipping option.  

[Seacafe]

Is there a way to set up a separate ordering page for shipped items to avoid confusion?

[peaceofsoulsc]

How can Square advocate for small businesses in regard to chargebacks from online purchases. Charge back insurance would be ideal or beef up security for online purchases.

[emusumano]

Hi @peaceofsoulsc,

You can find more information on our chargeback programs here.  

[Crumbscookies]

Several customers have had problems checking out on the Square.  We have lost several sales due to this issue.  Can you make checking out on line easier for the public?

[emusumano]

Hi @Crumbscookies,

We are sorry your customers are reporting issues, and thank you for sharing this feedback. Could you please contact our support center with screenshots of the issue at hand so we can address this ASAP for you?  You can live chat with our support team here. 

[Crumbscookies]

Can you put a pdf file right on check out?  So customer can just download their logo. Instead of them emailing the image.  To many steps for customers.  We lose sales.

[emusumano]

Hi @Crumbscookies,

I’m not sure I follow - can you restate the question? You can also feel free to contact our support team at 1-855-700-6000. 

[Crumbscookies]

We have logo cookies on our site.  It would be so much easier if they could just send pdf file on their logo right at check out.  Instead of emailing artwork.   

[gabecani]

Hi there,

I noticed my self-ordering kiosk from KIOS drives larger order tickets and more tips than my online ordering channels. How do I increase my orders and tips to be on par with KIOS? 

Thanks in advance!

[emusumano]

Hi @gabecani,

One thing you could do is use paid modifiers to cross-sell other items on your menu! More on creating modifiers here. You could also create coupons with a minimum purchase that you advertise at the top of your online ordering store, driving your customers to place larger orders. For tips, you can set your default tip to be higher on Square Online. From your Square dashboard, go to Online > Settings > Checkout > Edit tipping > Set “Default percentage tip” to 20% and edit your other percentage amounts to be higher and closer to 20%.

[midnightferry]

Is this going to be video today at 3 to answer these questions?