{"id":353,"date":"2017-08-03T12:05:05","date_gmt":"2017-08-03T16:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ablekitchen.com\/blog\/?p=353"},"modified":"2017-07-27T14:18:54","modified_gmt":"2017-07-27T18:18:54","slug":"social-media-marketing-tools-for-restaurant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ablekitchen.com\/blog\/social-media-marketing-tools-for-restaurant\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Media is a Marketing Tool for Your Restaurant"},"content":{"rendered":"

Successfully Market Your Restaurant Using the Internet and Social Media<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Establishing<\/p>\n

When it comes to marketing a restaurant or catering business the bottom line is: You can never rest on your laurels. You must always assume that the new kid on the block will usurp your place at the top of the heap, or that your loyal customer base is not a devoted as you think, and that they will desert you in a heartbeat to try out the next best thing. In other words, even if you are at the summit of the industry, you cannot assume that it will all continue \u2013 unless you give your business a continuous boost.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Current trends in marketing, specifically focused on the food business, are aimed at more than just keeping you alive; their goal is to keep your business at the forefront of the public\u2019s awareness without letting up. The Internet never sleeps \u2013 and neither must you (or your PR person). Online marketing is the focus now, and that includes social media. Print ads still have their place but without coverage on the Net, you\u2019re going to be left behind. Creating an online presence is the key to success, so start now. Word of mouth is still important, and radio ads are surprisingly effective, but taking advantage of everything the Internet has to offer should be your main goal and your top priority.<\/p>\n

A Great Website Will Draw Attention to Your Equally Great Restaurant <\/strong><\/p>\n

First of all, every self-respecting restaurant should have a well-designed and interactive website<\/a>. This may seem almost old-fashioned in the age of Facebook and Instagram but you\u2019d be surprised how many people still look for a website (or how many people \u2013 gasp \u2013 aren\u2019t on Facebook at all). Load your site with pictures, menus, blogs, and other information that will draw \u201ctraffic.\u201d Use search engine optimization (SEO) practices to keep your business at the top of the search list; if you can\u2019t do this on your own, hire someone who knows the ins and outs of this type of marketing. You\u2019ll know you\u2019re moving in the right direction if you do a Google search for your type of restaurant in your area and see yourself highly ranked and prominent. <\/p>\n

Positive Restaurant Reviews Are a Terrific Marketing Strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get reviews of your business on restaurant review sites \u2013 TripAdvisor, Yelp, Zomato, Open Table, etc. Don\u2019t be shy about asking customers to write a positive review after a good experience. Your reputation \u2013 once spread solely from mouth to ear \u2013 is now out there for all to see and read, and you want your name to be as ubiquitous as possible. Move into the current era by utilizing an online reservation tool \u2013 either through your website or on an external site. Simply by boosting the convenience level surrounding your establishment, you\u2019ll be selling yourself successfully.<\/p>\n

Facebook and Instagram Marketing Will Bring in the Customers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019re a force to reckon with on the Internet, it\u2019s time to establish a prominent social media presence. Facebook offers an awesome opportunity for restaurants and caterers to connect with customers. Ensure that your Facebook cover image is of the highest quality, with loads of supplementary photos of your great food and your customers enjoying themselves. Your menu should be featured with descriptions and blurbs from satisfied customers, but when there\u2019s a choice between verbiage and images, go with the latter because people love to look at pictures, in general, and photos of food in particular.<\/p>\n

Use your Facebook page to post special offers and group deals. Offer an incentive to followers who \u201clike\u201d your page, and distribute coupons to those who share your deals with friends. Introduce contests and promotions on your page to keep people engaged and coming back. Your followers will grow exponentially this way \u2013 you will be amazed by the power of social media if it is used wisely. <\/p>\n

Instagram is a hugely popular photo-sharing platform (related to Facebook) \u2013 and we\u2019ve already discussed the importance of photos when it comes to marketing your business. With Instagram, you should use hashtags for trends that are relevant to your restaurant, i.e., #nationalpizzaday or #ItalianFoodWeek. This will increase awareness of your Instagram profile, which will in turn boost your followers, which is what social media marketing is all about. <\/p>\n

Twitter: an Indispensable Tool for Marketing Your Restaurant<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even more than Facebook and Instagram, Twitter is the right marketing tool<\/a> for the smartphone generation. Twitter is another way to spread the word about your business \u2013 as long as you do it with \u201ctweets\u201d of 140 characters or less. When your followers start to tweet about your restaurant, their words are read, spread, and shared at an amazing pace.<\/p>\n