The problem: nobody knows who we are

Tabula Rasa is an up-and-coming fine-dining restaurant in Alicante with a seasonal tasting menu. Most guests arrived by word of mouth or by walking past. Online, there was little to trust: several social accounts the business didn't control, and a website that fell behind whenever other work took priority.

The cost was concrete. People who couldn't call or book online, or couldn't see the current tasting menu, went somewhere else.

The client needed someone to guide them and hold their hand throughout the process of becoming an entity online, but they had no prior experience in web design, SEO or branding. No matter how great their menu was, no one could find out more about them or book online without having to make a call.

I held a stakeholder interview and quickly learned more about their values, goals and vision for the project. I also researched what tools would be ideal to solve the problem they were currently facing without having to pay out of their budget. Finally, I asked what potential guests would be open to learn more about their experience.

What I worked on

I ran a card sorting exercise to see what guests look for first, then used the results to settle the sitemap.

The previous branding needed a rethink. The direction was classic and traditional with a playful twist, modernising traditional Alicantine gastronomy. The type pairs Montserrat with Ragasta.

Wireframes went from low-fidelity concepts to a UI library and a finished website. Because the menu is closed and the opening hours are limited, I built an online booking system, set up Google Analytics, created official channel for their social media and opened an account to streamline all communication into one channel. I also improved the site's search presence and created automated messages for guests and potential collaborators reaching out.

Business cards, thank-you cards, menus and the wine list were designed from scratch, so the printed experience matched the website.

I trained the staff to update the site themselves, since keeping it current was the original weak point. I created a Notion account with a global library where they could find all the passwords, manuals and key information.

Did all the work pay off?

+83.7%

After the first launch, 117,000 people viewed the restaurant's Google Business profile when searching for restaurants in Alicante between September 2022 and January 2023. That is 83.7% more than in the same months a year earlier.

Profile views also move with the season and with the restaurant's own growth, this was a strong signal that it contributed with the success of the business.

These were the stats after the initial launch rush was over:

The Mobster of all restaurant reviewers, Michelin awarded the restaurant a Bib Gourmand award for 4 consecutive years. This award is only given to places that enjoy great dishes, service and a budget friendly menu.

• The ranking on Tripadvisor went from 11th to 6th out of 1459 places on best restaurants in Alicante and 1st best place to have lunch in the city.
• 200% increase on reservations.
• 44% Increase of profile visits on TripAdvisor compared to start of the project.
• 204% + search appearances on Google compared to initial 3 months.
• Publishing in social media about the opening of a brand new website generatede the most views and search engine searches than ever before.
• Since its launch, the website has helped relieve the team of same day call reservations and walk-ins
• More than 600 Instagram users viewed their posts, more than 30 in WhatsApp. Meaning 110% increase in user engagement
• In November, 40% of the traffic came from organic searches, no need for advertisements.

What came back after the launch

• The restaurant started to come across as too exclusive.
• Managing posts, emails and messages across several platforms was hard.
• The reservation system needed improvement, given the limited opening hours and the nature of more mature guests still wanting to make phone calls.

• Gift cards, experience packages and a smoother online payment journey.
• A waiting list to avoid no-shows leaving the restaurant empty.
• Opening times that update in one place.
• An English version of the site since so many tourists were introduced to the restaurant after winning the awards.

My takeaways