Pages a Southeast Asian supermarket's website should have

Most shop websites fail for a boring reason. They say nothing a customer can use. A banner, a logo, a "welcome", and that's it. Meanwhile someone nearby is typing "where can I buy fresh lemongrass" into their phone, and your shop may not come up.

So this guide is a plain list of the pages your website needs. It's written for an independent Asian supermarket stocking Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Malaysian, Indonesian and similar products. You don't need to be a marketer. You need to be honest about what you sell and where you are. No page can promise you a top spot on Google, and anyone who says otherwise is selling you something. Clear pages help customers, and that is the whole game.

Purpose: Tell a stranger in five seconds what you are, where you are, and why they should come in.

Start with the basics. Your shop name, the town, and one plain sentence about what you sell. "Independent Asian supermarket in [your town], stocking Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino and Malaysian groceries" does the job. Then put your address, opening hours and a phone number near the top, not buried in the footer. People on phones want to know if you're open now.

Next, show what you actually carry. A short block that links to your main categories (fresh produce, rice and noodles, sauces, frozen, snacks, drinks) is enough. Add a few real photos of your own shelves and your own shop front. Customers can spot stock photos instantly, and they trust them less.

One point on naming. Shops in this field trade under several descriptions: "asian supermarket", "oriental supermarket", "thai supermarket". Use the words your own customers use, the ones on your shopfront, and stay consistent. If the sign says Asian supermarket, don't call yourself something else on the website.

The search figures show how much these words matter. UK monthly estimates from DataForSEO (18 October 2026) put "oriental supermarket near me" at 40,500, "asian supermarket near me" at 33,100 and "asian market near me" at 9,900. Those are national totals, not per town, and they're estimates. Don't read them as promises. Read them as a sign that people look for shops like yours all the time.

Avoid stuffing the home page with a long list of every product you've ever stocked, or repeating "Asian supermarket" in every sentence until it reads like a robot wrote it. Avoid auto-playing videos, slow sliders and a pop-up that blocks the screen. And avoid saying "best" or "cheapest" unless you can back it up.

Purpose: Let customers see what you stock before they make the trip.

One page per category you genuinely carry. Fresh produce and herbs. Rice and noodles. Sauces and pastes. Tinned and dried. Frozen. Snacks. Drinks. If you don't stock a category properly, don't build a page for it.

On each page, say what's there in plain words. For rice and noodles, that might be the types you hold: jasmine, glutinous, rice vermicelli, egg noodles, and so on. Name them the way customers ask for them. For sauces and pastes, list the kinds you keep and which cuisines they suit. A short paragraph per page beats a wall of text, but a bare list of product names beats nothing.

Be honest about stock that changes. If fresh herbs such as Thai basil or pandan leaf come and go with deliveries, say so. Say so: "Fresh herbs arrive through the week; call if you need something specific." That's useful and it's true. It also saves you phone calls.

Add a photo of the actual aisle or shelf. A real picture of your noodle wall tells a customer more than any description.

Avoid listing products you don't have in the hope of catching searches. Customers who turn up and find nothing are unlikely to come back. Avoid copying manufacturer descriptions word for word. Avoid prices unless you will keep them current; a wrong price online is worse than no price.

Purpose: Show customers that you understand their cooking, not just their shopping list.

Only build these for cuisines you genuinely stock. Thai, Vietnamese and Filipino are the obvious three. If your Filipino range is two shelves, say that. If it's a full aisle, say that instead.

Each page should answer one question: what can I cook from this shop? For Thai, mention the pastes, fish sauce, coconut milk, noodles and herbs you hold. For Vietnamese, rice paper, vermicelli, the sauces and fresh herbs. For Filipino, the vinegars, soy sauces, banana ketchup, dried fish and whatever else you carry. Tell people where in the shop each section sits: "Thai curry pastes are on the left as you come in." That small detail helps a real customer and shows you know your own shop.

The search figures give a feel for demand, with the same warnings as before. National monthly estimates: "thai supermarket near me" 2,400, "vietnamese supermarket near me" 1,000, "filipino supermarket near me" 170. The Filipino number is small. That doesn't mean skip it. If you serve that community, the page matters to the people who need it, even if the volume is modest.

Avoid building a page for a cuisine you only half stock. Avoid making ten near-identical pages with a few words swapped. Google's spam policies treat many near-duplicate pages made mainly to manipulate rankings as spam, and customers find them dull anyway. Avoid claiming "authentic" without saying what you mean by it.

Purpose: Answer the question a customer would otherwise phone or walk in to ask.

Make one honest page for each ingredient people regularly ask you about. Galangal. Kaffir lime leaves. Shrimp paste. Pandan. Fish sauce. Palm sugar. Whatever it is in your shop.

Say what it is and what it tastes like, then what it's used for, and what to swap in if you've run out. Say whether you stock it fresh, frozen, dried or in a jar, and which of those is best for the job. If two products look alike but aren't, say so.

Keep each page short and useful. A paragraph or two is fine. Add a photo of the real thing on your shelf so they know what to look for on the day.

Where an ingredient may carry an allergen, be careful. Many sauces and pastes do. Point people to the label on the pack rather than making promises for them. Don't give health or medical advice about any ingredient.

Avoid pages that are really just a product name and a stock photo. Avoid inventing health claims. Avoid writing the same text for ten ingredients and changing the name. If you can't say something genuinely helpful about an ingredient, leave the page out.

Purpose: Remove every reason a customer might have for not turning up.

This page is dull and it matters more than almost any other. Put your full address, opening hours, phone number and a map. Then add the things a real visitor needs: where to park, whether it's free, which entrance to use, the nearest bus stop or station, and any landmark that helps. "Next to the tyre garage, opposite the bus depot" is gold.

Keep the hours correct, including bank holidays and festival closures. If you close or change hours for holidays, post the dates early. If you're not sure of your exact parking rules, check with your local council rather than guessing, especially if the spaces belong to a retail park or are on-street.

Mention step-free access if you have it. Say whether you take cards, and whether there's a cash machine nearby if you don't.

Avoid hours that differ between your website, your door and Google. That mismatch is the quickest way to lose a customer. Avoid a map that points to the wrong spot. Avoid "ample parking" if there are six spaces shared with three other shops. Be straight.

Purpose: Show that your products are properly labelled, and make clear who is responsible for them.

A lot of your stock comes from abroad, so this matters. Prepacked food labels must show the name and address of the business responsible. From 1 January 2024, prepacked food sold in Great Britain must show a UK address for that business, or the UK importer's address if the business is not in the UK. It must be a physical postal address, not just an email or phone number. If you relabel or repack imported goods, that responsibility becomes yours.

Prepacked food must also list ingredients, with allergens identified. The 14 allergen groups include cereals containing gluten, milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, nuts, sesame and sulphites above 10 mg/kg.

So what goes on your page? A short, calm explanation. Say that your products carry the required information, that you check what comes in, and that customers with allergies should read the label and ask staff if they're unsure. If you do relabel or repack anything, say so plainly.

If you're not certain your own labels meet the rules, don't guess. Check with your local council's food team or the relevant regulator, such as the Food Standards Agency. They'd rather you asked than got it wrong.

Avoid claiming "fully compliant" or "all products meet UK law" unless you've actually checked every line. Avoid giving allergy advice beyond "read the label and ask us". Avoid hiding the page; a customer with a food allergy will look for it.

Purpose: Prove you're a properly registered food business and show your hygiene rating.

Anyone who sells, cooks, stores, handles, prepares or distributes food must register as a food business with their local authority, at least 28 days before trading. Each site needs its own registration. Online-only sellers register too. You're already registered, so say so. A simple line is plenty: "We are a registered food business with [your local authority]."

Then there's your hygiene rating. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with ratings from 5 to 0. Displaying the sticker is voluntary in England and a legal requirement in Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has a different scheme. So check which applies to you, and if you're unsure, ask your local council.

If you have a good rating, show it and link to the official listing. If your rating isn't where you'd like it, you can still be honest. Fix what needs fixing and don't hide it.

If you're a limited company, your website must show your registered company name, registered number, registered office address and where you're registered. Put those in the footer or on the About page.

Avoid showing a rating image you didn't earn or one that's out of date. Avoid vague claims like "highest hygiene standards" without something to back them up. Avoid leaving out your company details if you're a limited company.

Purpose: Explain exactly how customers can get your products without a shop visit.

Only build this page if you offer it. If you don't, skip it and don't hint that you do.

If you do, say what's covered. Which areas or postcodes do you deliver to? What days? What's the minimum order, if there is one? How do people order: phone, WhatsApp, a form? For click and collect, say how long an order takes to be ready and where in the shop to pick it up.

Be careful with fresh and frozen goods. Say how they're kept cold and what happens if someone isn't in. If you sell and send food online, remember that online-only sellers must also register as a food business, and check with your local council about anything you're unsure of.

Keep it practical. A short list of steps works well. Customers like knowing what happens next.

Avoid promising same-day delivery you can't keep. Avoid listing areas you don't really cover. Avoid a payment method you don't actually take. And avoid a page that says "coming soon" for months; it makes the whole site look abandoned.

Purpose: Give each shop its own clear, accurate home online.

If you have more than one branch, each gets its own page. Each site also needs its own food business registration, so keep that in mind.

On each page, put the branch's own address, hours, phone number, parking and map. Say what's particular to that shop: a bigger fresh section, a frozen aisle, a different mix of cuisines. Add real photos of that building, not a copy of the other one. Link each page to its matching Google listing.

Make each page genuinely different because the shops genuinely are different. That's the honest way to do it. Google's spam policies treat many near-duplicate pages made mainly to manipulate rankings as spam, so don't copy one page and swap the town name.

Avoid vague pages that just say "visit us in [town]". Avoid hours that don't match what's on the door. Avoid listing a branch that has closed or moved.

Purpose: Be accurate and complete where most local customers will find you first.

This one isn't a page on your website, but it sits right alongside it and matters just as much. For most shops like yours, a lot of customers will see your Google listing before they ever see your site.

Fill in everything. The name, address, phone number, opening hours, category, a short description, photos and a link to your website. Make sure it all matches your site and your door.

A few rules from Google's guidelines. Use the real-world business name shown on your shopfront, website and stationery. Do not add keywords to the name. You can't pay for a better local ranking. And keep your hours and holiday hours updated; a customer who turns up to a shut shop doesn't forgive easily.

Add photos of the inside, the front, the shelves, the fresh counter. Update them now and then. Reply to reviews when you can.

Avoid stuffing the name with extras like "Best Asian Oriental Thai Supermarket Cheap". Avoid leaving old hours up after a change. Avoid claiming a category or service you don't offer.

Purpose: Show real customers' experience, and handle the good and the bad calmly.

Reviews matter because people read them. Make it easy to leave one: a link, a sign by the till, a mention when someone says they're pleased. Ask, but don't push.

Reply to reviews, good and bad. Thank people for kind ones. For the awkward ones, keep it short, polite and factual, and offer to sort it out offline. Don't argue in public. Other readers are watching how you handle it.

If you show reviews on your own site, only use real ones, and use them as written. Don't tidy them into something nicer than they were.

Avoid writing reviews yourself, or asking friends and family to do it. Avoid paying for reviews. Avoid deleting every negative comment you can; a spread of honest reviews looks more believable than a wall of perfect ones. And avoid quoting a customer unless they've actually said it.

Purpose: Let people know who's behind the counter and why they should trust you.

This is the page that makes you a person, not a listing. Say who you are, how long you've been trading, and why you opened. Keep it true and keep it short.

Talk about what you care about: sourcing, the communities you serve, the dishes you grew up with. A real photo of you or your team in the shop does more than any slogan. Say which languages your staff speak if that helps customers.

Include your business details here if you're a limited company: registered company name, number, registered office address and where you're registered. It's required, and the About page is a natural spot.

Link to your opening hours, your registration and your hygiene rating so people can find them easily.

Avoid vague boasts like "passionate about quality". Avoid making up a family story or a founding date you can't stand behind. Avoid leaving it as a single line. And avoid hiding it away; customers do read it.

Don't try to do everything at once. Build these, in this order:

1. Home page: what you are, where you are, and your hours, all in one place.
2. Opening hours, address, parking and how to find you: so nobody gets lost or turns up to a shut door.
3. Product category pages: for the aisles you genuinely stock, with real photos.
4. Registration and hygiene rating: proof you're a properly registered business, plus your company details if you're limited.
5. About the shop: the person and the story behind the counter.

Everything else can follow once these are solid. Fix your Google Business Profile in the same week; it takes an hour and it's the first thing many people see.

Not sure what your current site leaves out? Seracu offers a free snapshot that shows which topics your site lacks compared with competitors. It's a quick way to see the gaps before you decide what to build next.