The conventional marketing techniques practiced by businesses in the past have lost relevance due to the emergence of social media marketing. As per the report by Oberlo.com, 73% of marketers believe that social media marketing has been “somewhat effective” or “very effective” for their business. The finding that 54% of social browsers use social media to research products makes it more appealing for marketing your restaurant.
As with other businesses, social media marketing has become an imperative for marketing in the food and beverages industry. The following 9 tips will help you immensely in marketing your restaurant.
Strike a balance between engagement and promotion:
Run contests that offer discounts to your customers, so it leads to more likes and engagements on your restaurant’s social media profile. The promotional posts should be done in a diplomatic and subtle manner that is visually appealing to the diners. Always make it a point to find the ideal balance between engagement and promotional posts.
Be spontaneous
Rather than focusing on still images of food items, give more importance to live videos and boomerangs. The reason is that spontaneous activities gain more traction in social media. It can be a fast motion video of your chef preparing a signature dish or the bartender mixing a cocktail. Live videos grab a lot of attention among the young, vibrant crowd who frequent social media.
Cash in on trending topics
Social media is always abuzz with trending topics. Establish a connection between your restaurant and a hot topic in your city or even country. It can be as simple as serving the signature dish of your restaurant to a group of social activists working on a noble cause. Posting that photo in social media with an attractive hashtag can keep the discussion going.
Stay updated on the latest social trends and techniques
Be it posting stories on Instagram or Facebook, stay on top of the latest trends. Instead of posting normal photos, add more life to your brand by posting 360 degree photos. With the help of restaurant management platforms such as inresto White Label, you can build completely personalised website and apps and integrate online ordering.
Maintain consistency in social media posts
Some restaurants posts a lot on social media in the initial days, but gradually lose steam. A general rule of thumb is to post on your restaurant’s social media account at least thrice a week. Otherwise you stand the risk of losing engagement with your followers.
Go viral
If you are lucky enough, your posts on social media can go viral and boost your sales enormously. It can be through establishing an emotional connection with the audience, offering an irresistible deal or a food post that is absolutely jaw dropping.
Spread the word via influencers
An influencer outreach program can boost the popularity of your restaurant significantly. As per Insider Intelligence estimates, based on Mediakix data, brands are set to spend up to $15 million on influencer marketing by 2022. A superb review by influencers can help you easily gain access to a huge fan base who follows them religiously.
User generated content
User generated content or UGC in simple terms is any form of content such as photos, videos, text and audio that has been posted by your customers about your restaurant on online platforms. Reposting the UGC, prompt responses to reviews and engaging with customers can help create a loyal customer base.
Measure your success
Evaluating the success of your social media marketing efforts is quite important. Identify what is working for you and where you are going wrong. For some brands, marketing through Facebook may prove to be more beneficial, whereas for others Instagram works better.
Parting Words
As Covid-19 has caused huge losses for restaurants all over the world, social media marketing is the way forward. It not only helps you build a brand image in the virtual world, but also leads to social shares and an enormous increase in business. The need of the hour is to devise a social media marketing strategy that works best for your restaurant.
