The Most Effective Digital Marketing Guide For Restaurants in 2022
Having a restaurant that is up and running is not the same as it being successful. At present, serving good food, having good service and decent prices, is the bare minimum. You cannot rely on word of mouth to ensure you will have clients. The market is really closed and doing the right marketing is key for having a successful restaurant.
There are two types of marketing one can do, online marketing or offline marketing. The first one, online or digital marketing for restaurants is creating a presence of the restaurant through social media or digital channels such as Instagram, Facebook, the restaurants webpage, among others. Offline marketing can be ads on the radio, hosting events, ads in magazines and newspapers, etc.
In this article we will focus on the techniques to do digital marketing for restaurants.
Digital Marketing For Restaurants
We use the Internet for everything at all times, and digital marketing for restaurants has become a must. These are some of the reasons why digital marketing is extremely important for restaurants:
- It can reach millions of people and it can be virtually free. The cost would depend if you want to pay for ads or boost a post, but even so, the benefit-cost ratio is unbelievable.
- Having social media accounts can help you establish a great communication channel with your current and potential customers. It can also help their customer experience when they have an issue and want to get in touch with someone.
- A very important factor in every business is what the customer wants. Customers can tell you what they want or what they like by leaving an online review. This can help you understand them better, improve, or keep doing certain activities. Positive reviews are also a magnet for new customers!
Now that you know how important it is to use digital marketing, let’s understand how you can use technology to your advantage and which methods you can implement.
Digital Marketing Strategies That Restaurants Have To Follow
Digital marketing depends on several strategies that you have to follow, these are the most important ones that you must keep in mind:
1. Social Media Marketing
Facebook alone has 1.5 billion registered users, and there are several millions more on social media. Here are some key activities that you must carry to easily grab eyeballs:
Engage With Your Customers
You have your current or potential customer’s interest, engage with them! Respond to their comments, messages, posts, or questions. You can have a person do it or use a social media managing tool to manage all your channels in one place. These can also help to schedule your posts so you remain consistent.
Video Marketing
Create an interesting, attention-grabbing video of your kitchen, service or events. Tag people and ask them to share it. Remember that longer videos are preferred for YouTube, and for TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook you should use shorter videos. Make them shareable, remember that the more they are shared, the more people will get to know you.
Contests and Campaigns
Run contests or campaigns such as mentioning friends or tagging in pictures. The more they mention you, the more your restaurant is visible. Since the people who will see it are friends of your customers, they can become potential customers.
Paid Ads
Social media platforms allow you to run ads that let you choose your target audience based on their age, preferences, location, etc. You can use this to your advantage and ensure that your content is seen by your target audience.
2. Google My Business Listing
Don’t forget to create a Google My Business (GMB) Listing for your restaurant when creating your marketing strategy. Google provides a special listing for restaurants on mobiles called ‘Local 3 Pack’ that has many benefits such as:
- By providing a contact number, customers can directly call your restaurant.
- Customers can easily get to your restaurant.
- It appears before the search results with a map, so it gives more visibility to your restaurant.
- You can upload your menu for your customers to see!
3. Email Marketing
This type of marketing is considered one of the best methods, and you can get the most out of it with the help of a CRM database. Not only can you send a welcome email to your customers, you can send them offers, coupons, discounts, a monthly newsletter, you can keep them updated on future events, among others. Make them part of your restaurant, and remember to use their name to make it more personalized. Remember that it is not just about getting customers, the goal is to retain them and nurture them.
4. SMS Marketing
This strategy allows you to send an SMS with a promo code, coupon, or offer. Just remember that your message has to be short and sweet: clear, eye-catching, and concise. Remember to add a Call-to-Action when ending your message, some examples are: Order Now, Try it Today, Get Yours ASAP. Also include a link so that they can finish the action, for example if you tell them to book a table.
This can also be helpful to keep your clients updated on the status of their delivery order or to let them know when their table is ready so that they don’t have to wait too much time.
5. Online Listings And Review sites
Now that many restaurants have started to build their online presence, customers filter restaurants by their type, location, or services. Which is why being on sites such as Zomato, TripAdvisor, EazyDiner, etc. is a must.
Remember to add as much information as possible: great pictures, address, updated menu, phone number, etc. These websites allow them to leave reviews and read them, so in case you have a negative one, address it as soon as possible before it drives customers away.
6. Functional And Updated Website
In addition to a Facebook page and a listing on the websites web design in which you have reviews, you should have an updated website for your restaurant and ensure that it is mobile optimized.
Make sure your webpage:
- Shows your amazing menu.
- Has a gallery page with pictures that demonstrate the ambiance and décor.
- Allows customers to share their experiences by giving their feedback: people can see the great reviews and you can see what you should improve.
- Has a theme that reflects your brand.
- Has an About Us page so that customers can get to know your restaurant.
You can also include Call-to-Action phrases, an Order Online widget, a virtual tour of your restaurant, allow customers to choose a table, or book in advance, the possibilities are endless.
These are some of the most effective restaurant digital marketing strategies and tips. Do implement these restaurant digital marketing tips in your marketing plan, and tell us how they worked out for you!
