The marketing potential of the internet has become a very powerful tool in the modern restaurateur’s brand-building repertoire. Social media and networking sites have become one of the best methods of brand promotion and word-of-mouth advertising for many companies, particularly restaurants and other foodservice establishments.
But using these tools properly can sometimes be a bit tricky, and “doing it right” is often a time-intensive commitment, which makes developing structured social networking strategies crucial to get the most out of your marketing time without detracting from other responsibilities. It can be very easy to inadvertently waste valuable time on social networking sites by aimlessly trying to boost your company’s online presence. Keep some of the following things in mind when developing your restaurant’s online marketing strategies to help make the best use of your social media time.
Build a Dedicated Website:
One of the first steps toward developing a true online presence is to build a custom website for your restaurant. Many small restaurants rely heavily on their Facebook pages and Twitter accounts for providing online information about their business, but the stability of an internally controlled and regulated website for your company cannot be emphasized enough. Social networking channels are great for communication, community-building, and on-the-spot advertising, but your website will serve as the main hub of company information (hours, menus, history, location, etc.) for your customers, and should be designed accordingly.
Create Detailed Profiles:
In addition to developing an official website, putting some time and effort into your profile pages on social networking platforms can go a long way toward giving your establishment a feeling of relevance and legitimacy. A unique and well-polished online profile is much more attractive than a quickly generated, bare-minimum information page. First impressions are important—especially when the competition is just a click away—so get creative with your profile pages and draw people in with a well-written biography, detailed information, and attention-grabbing pictures.
Narrow Your Focus:
This tip may seem a bit counterintuitive, as conventional wisdom would have one believe that the “shotgun approach” of posting on as many networks and forums as possible is the best way to increase brand awareness. While it is important to get your restaurant’s name out there as much as possible, generating quality content and making meaningful posts is equally important. If your content is forgettable, your brand probably will be, too.
Each social network will cater to a slightly different audience and will vary in their ability to promote certain kinds of content, and learning how to best take advantage of these varied demographics is a process in and of itself. Realistically, a single person will only be able to adequately keep up with a few of these networks at a time, so don’t be afraid to limit your focus to the two or three social media platforms that you feel will have the most impact on your business. The better the quality of your posts, the more likely they are to be shared by the community, and spreading yourself thin across too many different platforms may ultimately impact your ability to reach people on the most relevant networks.
Post Scheduling:
As the above tip suggests, quality is generally more important than quantity on social networking sites. Consistency, however, is just as critical as quality. Posting regularly is a must if you hope to stay on peoples’ minds and become a standard part of their social networking routine. As a restaurant owner, you are probably not likely to have frequent downtime during the work day to stop and update your networking sites. Post scheduling software offers a very useful service to the busy restaurant operator, as it can allow you to front-load several posts at once and distribute them over a longer period of time without requiring you to actually be physically present to do so. This allows you to stay consistently active in your community and helps avoid the pitfalls of relying on erratic posting whenever you can find the time.
Community Building:
One of the primary purposes of social networking platforms is to allow more intimate communication between parties (such as restaurant owners and their customer base) that would otherwise experience very little interaction. Networking sites can be used to build a sense of community and common ground between everyone involved in the success of a restaurant. These networks can also be great for promotions and advertisements, but don’t be afraid to start conversations with or ask for suggestions from your online friends and followers. People like to know that businesses are, in fact, run by real people, and openly expressing personal involvement in your company and its customer base is a great way to give your restaurant a sense of humanity and personability. The more that people feel like they are a part of your company’s business model, the more likely they will be to share news with their friends and attend special events.
Encourage Community Marketing:
Building a community is the first step toward solidifying your online presence, but staying active and creatively promoting your brand is important even after you have established a loyal fan base. Social marketing works best when practiced from a “give-and-take” mentality, and mutual benefit is a great way to “mobilize” your community. Offering social media-specific deals and coupons is a quick and easy way to encourage your followers to share information about your company with others who may not have previously been a part of the network. Contests, giveaways, and information about exclusive events are other great ways to incentivize sharing. The important thing to remember is that you must be the most active member of your own community, particularly when hoping to grow your business.
Stay Involved:
These tips are just a few of the ways that you can utilize social media to help promote your brand, catering service, or restaurant. With some time and planning, your social networking communities can do great things for helping you to promote your business. Being an active part of your social media initiatives is a commitment, and does require routine attention to effectively help your business or restaurant grow, but with a well-laid out plan of action and regular update schedule, your social marketing strategy can become one of the most powerful assets to your restaurant’s longevity.
