Social media is an incredible way to connect with your customers and generate buzz about your restaurant. But social media can be complex and difficult to master. Here are 10 of my favorite social media tips for restaurants.
10 Social Media Tips for Restaurants
1. Get on Instagram
Instagram is a must-have social media platform for restaurants. It’s visual nature makes it the perfect place to share your food and drink photos, as well as photos of your restaurant. The platform also boasts an active user base (1 billion monthly users) who are likely to be more receptive to restaurant ads than other platforms like Facebook or Twitter.
Perhaps most importantly, Instagram is a mobile platform—and that means you can leverage this network by creating engaging content on the go. When you’re out at a restaurant and see something cool going on in front of you, use Instagram Stories (a feature that allows you to record short video clips) or Boomerang (a looping video app) to capture those moments and post them immediately for customers who might want to see what’s happening at your location right now!
READ: How To Manage Your Social Media Marketing Week
2. Don’t ignore local engagement opportunities
Local events are a great way to get the word out about your restaurant, build your brand and network with other businesses, but they also offer another huge benefit: They can help you meet potential customers.
For example, if there’s an event happening at a local park that’s attended by people in your area year-round (for example, a farmer’s market or beer festival), it might be worth attending just to meet new faces who might be interested in dining at your restaurant. Or if there’s anything else going on near where you’re located that attracts people from outside of your immediate area (like a local sporting event), then it may make sense for you to set up some kind of food truck or stand at the venue in order to reach those attendees as well.
- Make sure these types of events are listed on your website and in all communication with customers, so they know when and where to find you!
- You can also use social media posts or emails when local events are happening near your restaurant, like a post that says: “We’ll be at the XXXXX Festival this weekend!”
3. Engage with influencers
You don’t have to wear a cape and a mask, but you do need to get acquainted with influencers.
Influencers can help you reach new audiences and get more traction for your restaurant. They can also help you get more reviews, engagement, and sales.
According to this study by Sprout Social, restaurants are hungry for new ways to engage with their customers on social media—and it’s easy to see why: over 60% of people say they’d rather interact with brands on social media than through other channels like email or phone calls.
So how do you find influencers who would be interested in working with your restaurant?
You can start by looking on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. There are influencers out there who specialize in food, fashion, travel, and other niches. You can search for them and ask if they would be interested in working with your restaurant.
Fast food restaurants like KFC and McDonald’s have long used influencers to reach new audiences. If you want to get more sales for your restaurant, this strategy can work for you too.
4. Use customer-generated content to your advantage
Customer-generated content is a great way to engage with your customers and build relationships. You can use it in a variety of ways:
- Create a hashtag for your restaurant so that people who visit can tag their posts on social media using that hashtag.
- Have employees take pictures of food and post them online.
- Ask customers to share their experience at the restaurant, from what they ate to what they thought of the service staff and décor.
Customer-generated content is also a great way to build relationships with customers. Some restaurants have even started offering discounts or other promotions to those who post about their experience on social media, an approach that creates loyalty for both sides.
5. Promote customer reviews
Another great way to promote your restaurant on social media is by using customer reviews. Customer reviews can be used in a multitude of ways, from improving the business and its services, to promoting it on social media and even advertising it on your menu or business cards. If you haven’t already done so, consider adding a section for customer feedback and testimonials on your website and menus! This will help increase brand loyalty among current customers as well as attract new ones.
In today’s digital world, it’s important to remember that social media is not just about having an online presence. It’s also an opportunity for customer engagement and community building.
READ: Google Reviews: Everything You Need To Know To Grow Your Brand
6. Create a hashtag for your restaurant
If you have an active social media presence, it’s important to use hashtags. Hashtags are words or phrases preceded by a hash symbol (#), which helps users find content around specific topics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
For example: A user might post photos of their favorite restaurant dish with the hashtag “#foodporn.” When others search for that hashtag in their own posts, they’ll see your photo pop up in the rankings. You can also use hashtags for more generic terms like “restaurant” or “cheesecake” that people might use when searching for restaurants online—and this way you get your name out there even if they don’t know it yet!
7. Use Facebook Ads to target regular customers and new visitors.
Facebook ads are a great way to get the word out about your restaurant. You can target ads to people who have visited your restaurant, people who live in your area, and even people who have liked your Facebook page or other local businesses.
- To target regular customers: Create an audience of all those who have been to your restaurant before by creating a custom audience of those who have already visited you within a specific time period (say, two weeks).
- To target new visitors: Create an audience made up of users that live near you by using their location as part of their targeting criteria when creating an interest-based ad campaign.
8. Take advantage of Facebook Events.
Facebook Events are a great way to promote your restaurant. They can be used in multiple ways:
- To advertise special events at your restaurant, such as an anniversary celebration or an open house.
- To invite new potential customers who may not already be aware of your business.
- To encourage existing customers to join you for a meal again by offering discounts or deals as incentives.
9. Use your website creatively
You have a website, right? If not, there’s no time like the present to get one up and running.
While it’s true that many people find restaurants on social media, you don’t want to rely solely on these platforms—especially if they’re used by younger demographics. Older demographics still rely on search engines for information, so it’s important not to miss out on these potential customers. Make sure your website is easy to use and includes all the information people need when deciding where to eat with friends or family.
Your website should be easy for customers to navigate; make sure it has an intuitive interface. It should also provide ample opportunities for them to interact with you through email addresses or phone numbers included at the bottom of each page as well as links so users can follow along on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook etcetera without leaving site!
READ: How To Design A Website? 10 Tips On Effective Website Design
10. Don’t neglect email marketing
Email marketing is a great way to connect with your customers and keep them updated on the latest news. It’s also great for promoting special offers, events, and your restaurant’s menu. When it comes time to send out an email blast about something new at your restaurant or another one of its events, use this opportunity to get creative! There are plenty of creative templates online you can use as well
Here are some tips:
- Use the subject line wisely! Make sure it captures the audience’s attention (i.e., “Free dessert night!”)
- Keep it short and sweet – a one sentence description will do!
- Include a photo in the body of your email so readers can see what they’re getting into
- Make sure there’s an easy way for people interested in attending/eating at this event/meal to sign up/make reservations(s).
Restaurants can find success in social media marketing, and they are increasingly doing so.
Social media has become an increasingly important part of the restaurant industry. The benefits of using social media to market your restaurant are numerous, and you’d be wise to consider it as a marketing option.
After all, why would you want to miss out on reaching new customers? Most likely because you don’t know where to begin. But don’t worry; we’re here to help.
The first step is doing research and determining which platforms will be most beneficial for your business. For example, Facebook has more than 2 billion users—that means there are plenty of potential customers waiting for you on the platform! You might also consider posting photos on Instagram or videos on YouTube if those mediums seem more relevant than Facebook.
Conclusion
We hope our tips have helped you understand some of the opportunities available to you through social media. If you want to learn more about how your restaurant can leverage these platforms, reach out to us today! We can develop a strong social media campaign that will get your restaurant buzzing.
