Numerous research reveal that guests use social media when choosing their next location for lunch / dinner / going out
• 36% of guests follow restaurants on social media • 45% of them say they went to a restaurant for the first time because of a post on a social network posted by a restaurant • 21% of guests say that a negative post on a social network for them can be a reason not to visit • 22% of them say that a certain post on a social network prompted them to return to that restaurant
Social networks are a key part of a restaurant’s complex modern media strategy. Rounding out your online presence with strong social media profiles for restaurants can be the most significant point of success. The best part of it all? It's free! We know that your advertising budgets are as thin as a razor today. But can you afford a weak presence on social media? In this guide, we will walk you through the steps you need to know and take to get your guests from “like” to “adore” in just a few easy steps.
Basic condition: consistency Before we go to the fun part of creating your irresistible profile on social media, we want to make sure that the basic components of your profile on, for example, Instragam, are set.
Display The name of your restaurant on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… It is crucial that it is identical on all networks so that your guests are sure which profile to follow. You don’t want them to get lost in checking or follow the wrong profile.
Handles on social media Handle is a username that is displayed on Instagram and Twitter. There is quite a crowd around Handles and it is possible that the one that suits you best is already busy, but it is important that when you choose one, you have a consistency and use it everywhere. If your restaurant name is already taken, try adding the city where you are located to the name. Profile photo Just like Display and Handle, your profile photo should be consistent and the same on all networks and profiles. Often a profile photo is the first thing a user looks at when trying to figure out which profile it is. Therefore, with an identical photo, you will make it easier for users to search and make it easier for them to follow you. If you want to be creative, use different COVER photos on FB and Twitter, but let the profile be the same. Just like with the delicious dishes that come out of your kitchen, consistency is the key to success on social media as well. This is information that must be constantly present on all your social media profiles so that your followers can easily find and fall in love with your restaurant. Your location Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow a certain part of the site to be seen. Twitter only allows the city and state, while Facebook and Instagram allow the full address of the facility. Make sure your addresses are consistent and identical, even if you have multiple locations, the primary one should always be the same on all profiles. Your Website Each social network has a field for a website address, allowing you to direct your followers wherever you want. Your restaurant’s website must be that sacred place to which you send them. If you are not promoting a special event in the local community right now, your website must be constantly the same on all profiles so that all guests can easily find and view your menu, opening hours and more. TIP: Do not leave the Bio field blank. While these descriptions may not be constantly the same on all profiles and every platform, you should have them and they should contain a brief description of your restaurant so that the potential guest knows he is on the right profile.
How to use which platform Facebook, Instagram and Twitter each bring their own unique benefits to restaurant owners. It is up to you to start using these benefits for your success. We bring you tips on how best to use each of these platforms to promote restaurants, and what exactly you need to do to make the most of your social media.
Instagram Monthly active users: 1 billion; Instagram posts per day: 95 million
Instagram is the perfect playground for restaurant owners. With more than 345 million posts tagged with #food and more than 38 million with the tag #drinks, the restaurant scene has won Instagram. 64 percent of users are between the age of 18-34, making them an excellent target group for restaurants that offer visually appealing dishes. Whether it’s a beautifully complex and served cocktail or the perfect nicely served plate, Instagram is a GO-TO platform for hungry users where they find their favourite Insta-worthy restaurant. How to make the best use of #Hashtags Did you know that using at least one hashtag in a post can result in a 12.6% jump in interaction? #wow When used properly, hashtags are a powerful way to deliver your content to a large audience. Check which hashtags are most commonly used for your specific restaurant concept and explore which ones are most commonly used by your neighbouring restaurants. On an Instagram business profile, you can see how much of your traffic to your profile comes from hashtags so you can also test which mix of hashtags works best. This way you will increase the engagement of your followers and bring guests to your restaurant. User-generated content is a MUST
Positive word-of-mouth comments are the biggest value restaurants aspire to. Encourage this free advertising by showing your guests love and sharing the content on which your restaurant is tagged. This will encourage other guests to post and share your food, with a desire to repost them on their profile. Tell your guests a story (Instagram Story)
Instagram audience very quickly embraced the use of Instagram Story as soon as that feature was added in 2016. Since then, a whole range of features have been added within Story to give users a chance to express their creativity. Guide your guests through the preparation of your most popular drink, or put one of your employees in front of the camera so that your brand is constantly on the minds of your loyal fans.
FACEBOOK With 2.38 billion monthly active users, Facebook can serve to restaurants as a one-stop-shop. With the ability to publish photos, videos, messages, reviews, event organisation, FB is the most popular platform for entrepreneurs and marketing Create events and invite your fans If you are organizing any kind of socializing or event in your restaurant, FB is the ideal place to spread the word about it. The platform allows entrepreneurs to easily create an event and invite followers, making it easy to spread the message and make any changes. Encourage guests to leave a review 90% of guests search for restaurant information online before deciding where to go. It would be great to have great reviews on Yelp or Google platforms but it is equally helpful to have them on Facebook. Ask guests on FB to write you a review as a follow-up to their visit (check-in), as many reviews as possible, mostly those that have something good to say about you, will make it easier for you to attract new guests more than you can imagine. Make the most of the Messaging app Facebook Messenger is a simple tool that guests are happy to use to get in touch with you with questions or concerns. Keep an eye on your inbox constantly and respond quickly to show your guests how much you care. Turn on Multiple Locations If you have multiple locations, Facebook has made it easy to add each new address. It may be tiring at first, but it's worth the effort - the benefit is that the nearest location will pop up for your users. If you have a large number of locations, consider uploading a spreadsheet to Facebook. You can use it later to place FB ads by location.
Twitter
While not the most commonly used platform among restaurants, Twitter gives owners and guests a strong voice in the hectic restaurant industry. If you as the owner or one of your staff are particularly inspired and talented to express the thoughts then take the position of a restaurant philosopher, Twitter is a great platform for exchanging opinions in the restaurant community. Connections are quickly established on Twitter, which gives your restaurant an extra boost and exposes it to 321 million active users per month.
Summary
You need to know your goals and target group. There is no right or wrong mix of social media for restaurants, but with a little testing, you’ll best see for yourself which ones help you successfully attract and retain guests - for free.
4 ways to encourage follower engagement
1) Do a hashtag survey Knowing which hashtags you will use is key to reaching your target audience. All three major social networking platforms use hashtags, so it’s extremely important to do the research that’s most commonly used, how saturated is each one that’s relevant to your business. Proper use of hashtags can greatly increase your natural reach. 2) Follow your fans When someone follows your account and starts engagement, follow them back! This will not only give you a boost on all networks but will show that you are engaged in the community and with people who visit your restaurant. 3) Run a contest You love your guests. Your guests love free stuff. Contests are one of the fastest and most legitimate ways to increase engagement and a good algorithm feedback on social media. Here is an example of the Instagram contest of The Square Peg restaurant from Warren: 1) like this photo, 2) tag a friend, 3) state what you like best about us and win a gift card worth $ 25. We choose the winner at random and announce it on Sunday
These easy-to-follow rules will increase the engagement of your existing followers and bring potential new guests to your profile the moment a friend tags them. A competition that tests a gift card worth 150 kn or a free appetizer is an easy way to boost engagement, showing your guests that you care about them. 4) Publish diverse content Yes, maybe your ribs in BBQ finger sauce are licking, but how many times can you post the same / similar photos and expect different results? Spend a sunny morning taking great photos of the interior and exterior of your restaurant, interviewing your staff for posts about them, sharing the content of your fans.
Why is social media important for restaurants? Running your restaurant’s social media is much more than posting a few photos of your food. Of course, your guests can't wait to see what kind of culinary magic you are preparing behind the scenes, but they also long for something else - connection. Connectivity on social media is achieved by introducing a human moment into your brand. The point is to bring the spirit of the restaurant and the people who create it, not just post promotions, events, news on the menu… show people who follow you what your business looks like behind the scenes, and what the people who create their food look like. That’s the key to making connections with fans, Don’t underestimate the power of social media, use them wisely to achieve goals, and watch your traffic grow.
