Since the advent of social media, everyone has been tweeting, facebooking, linking in, etc. The restaurant industry is no exception. Foodies across the nation have been flocking to different social media outlets in order to get a taste of what their favorite restaurants are doing now. It takes a certain amount of creativity to market your restaurant for a higher customer following.
Small restaurant owners should really take advantage of the social media marketing strategies. One reason being that it is 100% free. If you are just starting out, chances are you don’t want to spend a bundle of money on a local commercial or billboard that even a limited audience will see. Social media is free and it is open to any and everyone who is connected.
Another reason social media is a very effective marketing tool is that it creates a personal rapport between rrestaurateurs and their customers. The mom and pop way of gaining personal relationships with customers is still prevalent in the digital age. The only difference is that social media gives a restaurant owner this option on a global scale. If a customer avidly uses social media, then it is that warm, affable relationship that can be seen on twitter, facebook, etc. that keeps them coming back.
Most of the population that use social media tend to dine out more than the general public. 92% eat a meal at a sit-down restaurant compared to 84% of all adults. The NRA says that 51% of social media savvy individuals say restaurants are a part of their lifestyle. Restaurants like Starbucks have now turned to mobile and online ordering that provide a much more efficient way of getting their food, drinks, etc. in a fast paced society. Many consumers are turning to their iPhones, Blackberries, iPads, etc. and utilizing these new ordering tactics.
“There is real-time incenting, for example, using Twitter, Facebook, text-messaging, to get new consumers in as well as get loyal customers to repatronize. It’s a very fluid day-to-day environment.” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the NRA’s research and knowledge group. “It is a rapidly unfolding and evolving component that alters the basic paradigm for marketing in restaurants in America.”
