How Restaurants Need to Be Marketing on Social Media

by Allie Papajohn

Restaurant owners – it’s simple. Don’t hide from social media – embrace it! Being active on social media is crucial.

Here’s the low-down. There’s a group of people widely known as “foodies” who, as restaurant owners, you want to tap into. They are going to be your brand advocates and new best friends. Knowing their social behavior is important for several reasons:

• You want to make sure you’re staying on top of the trends
• These are the people who are getting the word out about your food

How can you tell if someone is a “foodie”?  This may be all too familiar – they take out their smartphone and start snapping pics of their food before taking a bite. What they do with the photograph is what you need to know and leverage. Odds are, they’ll post it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. To top things off, they’re likely to tag your restaurant – where the delicious (and obviously picture-worthy) meal was cooked.

As a restaurant owner, you’re going to love the publicity the post will bring. For example, if I see a friend post a picture of some awesome-looking tacos, I’m going to look up where they came from – and the first place I’m checking is social media! If you’re not visible on Facebook and Twitter, you could be preventing a potential consumer (like me) from visiting your establishment.

There are so many ways to use social platforms to enhance your business and online presence. Here are a few ways to get started.

Have a Photoshoot

You’re proud of your menu, and it’s about time you showcase it. The key to getting people excited about your food is to hype them up with photos of the dishes. But hold on! A quick snap with your iPhone won’t do.

Take the time to:

• plate your dish carefully
• find some natural lighting (no shadows, please!)
• make sure the food is in focus

Low-quality images of your food could actually turn people away, so the extra effort here is absolutely worth it. Posting pictures of new menu items or your daily specials is the perfect way to get peoples’ taste buds going.

Reward Your Customers

Loyal patrons can be hard to come by, so a little encouragement can go a long way. You want to keep your guests coming back for more, right? Encourage them to follow your social media pages for chances to win discounts, gift cards, and other promotional items. They’re bound to stay engaged if they know they have a chance to win something from their new favorite spot. Who doesn’t love free stuff??

See What Others Are Saying (and what you’re saying back)

Before I visit a restaurant, you can bet your last French fry I’m going online to see what others are saying about it. Since I know people are spending a LOT of time on Facebook, I’m definitely checking the restaurant’s page for recent and honest reviews.

We’re all aware some people don’t hide their true feelings – especially on Facebook. As a potential consumer, I want to scope out that page for not only customer reviews, but also restaurant responses. It’s so easy for restaurant employees/managers to comment with a “thanks!” or “how can we make things better for your next visit?” Talk about great customer service!

Generate Original Content From Users

How do you do this? Here’s an example- run a contest asking followers to share a photo of your food and post it on your social media channels with a specific hashtag and tag your business. Choose a random winner and share it, creating extra buzz. This will help raise your engagement levels and get people talking on the page! People love their food (especially foodies) and being active with their favorite restaurant is a plus and makes them feel like they are part of the family.

Support Your Surroundings

You gotta love a restaurant that loves its community. If the local burger joint down the road posts support for other restaurants or organizations in the area, consumers will take notice and appreciate that. I’m proud of the city I live in, and local support means a lot to me as a resident. A quick tweet to the local animal shelter or a Facebook post about the new hot dog stand that just opened can go a long way. And if you give a little love, you’ll probably receive some love right back.

What are you waiting for? Start making us hungry!

Every second you spend without a strong Facebook or Twitter presence could result in another dollar down the drain. If you’re not sure where to get started, contact us today. Bon appetite and happy posting!