A man walks into a bar/restaurant/cafe. Chances are, he found it online. That’s because today’s consumers, 80% according to Google, rely more on the Web to find and choose local businesses.
Marketing on the interweb is important for all businesses, across all industries. For restaurants in particular, consumers are making faster decisions than ever before. The mood for dinner can change in an instant, and when the family of four down the street has a craving for your food style, you want the opportunity to gain a new customer for life.
While there are many strategies for businesses of all kind to advertise on the web, today we’ll be discussing the top 10 digital marketing strategies for restaurants and bars.
Responsive website
We have to start here. The fact is that the world has gone mobile, and you know this already. Heck, you’re likely reading this on some type of hand held device.
Because of this fact, you have to be able to engage visitors where they are already spending their time, and better yet, you need to provide them with a valuable and easy experience when they arrive at your website.
Consider this: 87% of smartphone users are turning to search on their phone first when looking for a product or service from a local provider.
Once you capture a users attention, you have to be able to convert that user, and engage with that user.
A responsive website design is a huge part of this, and and a crucial first step for you to take, if you haven’t already. This type of design will adjust based on the screen size of the device that a visitor is using.
If you’re unsure if your website is currently mobile responsive, use Google’s free tool, here.
Online Reservations
Online reservations and online ordering have become hugely beneficial tools in the restaurant industry. Because so many consumers live life and make decisions while on the go, restaurants have to be able to cater to this need. If your restaurant doesn’t take reservations, then online online ordering is just right for you.
Online ordering lets consumers quickly and easily spend money with your restaurant. Read that sentence again, it’s the perfect marriage for 2017. If you’re not yet offering it, start with companies like EasyWay Ordering or Seamless, and add this feature ASAP.
For online reservations, OpenTable has been the standard for years, and it’s a great service. Very easy to get setup and get going, and consumers rave about its ease of access.
Social Media & Targeting
Not only can you use Facebook targeting to reach potential new accounts, you can also use it to connect with statewide partnerships. Target home builders or realtors with your services, so when they are with their clients you will be the first company that they recommend.
Extra Tip: Think, review, and review again before you make a social media post or comment. The ability to easily take screenshots makes it difficult to take back a social media mistake.
Professional Culinary Photos
Nothing is more appealing than mouth-watering photos that showcase what you do best: food. You can DIY photos with a smartphone, but food photography can be tricky, so consider hiring a professional. Along with food, take pictures of ingredients, cooking processes, and anything behind the scenes.
Retargeting
This one goes hand in hand with others, like email marketing and social media strategies, but remarketing to previous guests using Facebook is a fantastic way to put your restaurant back in front of an audience that you already know has expressed interest in you.
Related: Remarketing Tactics Without Being a Creeper
Set Up Google Alerts
Google Alerts notify you when your business name (or other designated keyword term) appears in a new piece of content on the web! This makes it easy to keep tabs on who is talking about you and your accolades.
If your restaurant is reviewed on a local bloggers website, that’s great press to share. And, alternatively, if your business gets mentioned in a negative way, that’s something you want to be notified of immediately.
Here’s a great walk through on setting up Google Alerts.
Increase Local WOM
Word of mouth is no longer limited to someone passing names to their next door neighbor. Americans have proven that they trust online reviews as much as they would a personal friend giving them the same recommendation. With that in mind, increasing your online reviews is paramount to you receiving more word of mouth business for your bar or restaurant.
So how can you increase your reviews online, and where?
Google Reviews
Google is undoubtedly the king of the online reviews. When people search for your business, sure they’ll see other outlets like Yellow Pages and Yelp, but they’ll initially (and prominently) see your Google review rating.
Use the tool here to create a custom link that directs users directly to your Google Review page, where they can quickly and easily leave your restaurant a positive review.
Facebook Reviews
By simply adding ‘reviews’ to the end of the URL, you’ll have a direct link to your Facebook page reviews. So your new link will look like this, but with your page information:
https://www.facebook.com/yourfacebooklink/reviews/
This will open directly into a Review Box for visitors, immediately asking them to leave their review
Yelp Reviews
Yelp has long been the King of online restaurant and bar reviews. Though they’ve branched into other industries as well, Yelpers (as they’re commonly called) love to leave Yelp reviews after a dining experience. If you own a bar or restaurant, you already know that you need to be on Yelp. But, you need to remember that you need to constantly review your account.
A negative Yelp review can sour the taste of any fine dining you can offer, so encourage guests to leave you positive reviews, and combat negative reviews with these tips, here.
Search Engine Optimization
At the end of the day, being on page one of Google or Bing is the best way to reach more of your local community.
There are a number of factors that go into SEO for the food insudtry, but two items are extremely important.
And, if you are a startup or willing to commit the time yourself, you can attempt to work through these yourself.
Content Content Content
Content is king. Google has made it clear that they are promoting websites that provide high quality, informational content to their users. We’ll dive deeper into content marketing a little further down in this article.
Directory Listings
Since the inter webs began to form, directory listings have been an intricate part of small business marketing. There are thousands of directory listing websites for small businesses, and you’ll want to be listed on any as possible. It takes time and a little concentration to ensure you are listing your business consistently across all platforms, but it can be done. For a breakdown of some of the most important directory listing websites, click here.
Video Marketing / Live Streaming
Live video has become increasingly popular in recent years. from Periscope to Facebook Live, and even to adding videos directly to YouTube, consumers love to catch quick videos of you in your restaurants. Highlight that evenings special, or show some funny behind the scenes antics.
What makes video marketing engaging to consumers is that they get a chance to really see who you are and see some of the human side of the business.
Show your fans what your restaurant looks like early in the morning, and some of the common things that you encounter on a given day. Show them new desert ideas our trying, and establish yourself as the local go to place for a great dinner date.
In addition to what video marketing can do for your fan base, and for your thought leadership, it also has some amazing benefits for your Google page 1 aspirations. Upload your videos to your YouTube channel and link them back to your website. For more information on how YouTube and video marketing effects your SEO, check out our recent article on the subject, here.
Email Marketing
Don’t let anyone fool you. Email marketing isn’t dead. Not even close. In today’s busy world, it’s actually an ideal way to reach out to your customers and potential customers wherever they may be in the moment.
Collect email addresses through your contact marketing initiatives, and target subscribers with promotions and announcements.
Reach out to your current customers and ask them for referrals of their neighbors or family members.
Email marketing has tons of great applications. Segment subscribers based on their engagement, like first time visitors versus your regulars. Then, send them information and tips on their specific need, rather than sending them blanketed generic emails.
Follow up with subscribers who take an action with your email, like opening or clicking through to your website. There’s almost an endless amount of possibilities when it comes to email marketing, and these are just a few.
Conclusion
Now it’s your turn. As a restaurant owner, what tactics have you found to help your business reach more people on the web? Let us know in the comments, or tweet to us @agintosolutions!
A man walks into a bar/restaurant/cafe. Chances are, he found it online. That’s because today’s consumers, 80% according to Google, rely more on the Web to find and choose local businesses.
Marketing on the interweb is important for all businesses, across all industries. For restaurants in particular, consumers are making faster decisions than ever before. The mood for dinner can change in an instant, and when the family of four down the street has a craving for your food style, you want the opportunity to gain a new customer for life.
While there are many strategies for businesses of all kind to advertise on the web, today we’ll be discussing the top 10 digital marketing strategies for restaurants and bars.
Responsive website
We have to start here. The fact is that the world has gone mobile, and you know this already. Heck, you’re likely reading this on some type of hand held device.
Because of this fact, you have to be able to engage visitors where they are already spending their time, and better yet, you need to provide them with a valuable and easy experience when they arrive at your website.
Consider this: 87% of smartphone users are turning to search on their phone first when looking for a product or service from a local provider.
Once you capture a users attention, you have to be able to convert that user, and engage with that user.
A responsive website design is a huge part of this, and and a crucial first step for you to take, if you haven’t already. This type of design will adjust based on the screen size of the device that a visitor is using.
If you’re unsure if your website is currently mobile responsive, use Google’s free tool, here.
Online Reservations
Online reservations and online ordering have become hugely beneficial tools in the restaurant industry. Because so many consumers live life and make decisions while on the go, restaurants have to be able to cater to this need. If your restaurant doesn’t take reservations, then online online ordering is just right for you.
Online ordering lets consumers quickly and easily spend money with your restaurant. Read that sentence again, it’s the perfect marriage for 2017. If you’re not yet offering it, start with companies like EasyWay Ordering or Seamless, and add this feature ASAP.
For online reservations, OpenTable has been the standard for years, and it’s a great service. Very easy to get setup and get going, and consumers rave about its ease of access.
Social Media & Targeting
Not only can you use Facebook targeting to reach potential new accounts, you can also use it to connect with statewide partnerships. Target home builders or realtors with your services, so when they are with their clients you will be the first company that they recommend.
Extra Tip: Think, review, and review again before you make a social media post or comment. The ability to easily take screenshots makes it difficult to take back a social media mistake.
Professional Culinary Photos
Nothing is more appealing than mouth-watering photos that showcase what you do best: food. You can DIY photos with a smartphone, but food photography can be tricky, so consider hiring a professional. Along with food, take pictures of ingredients, cooking processes, and anything behind the scenes.
Retargeting
This one goes hand in hand with others, like email marketing and social media strategies, but remarketing to previous guests using Facebook is a fantastic way to put your restaurant back in front of an audience that you already know has expressed interest in you.
Related: Remarketing Tactics Without Being a Creeper
Set Up Google Alerts
Google Alerts notify you when your business name (or other designated keyword term) appears in a new piece of content on the web! This makes it easy to keep tabs on who is talking about you and your accolades.
If your restaurant is reviewed on a local bloggers website, that’s great press to share. And, alternatively, if your business gets mentioned in a negative way, that’s something you want to be notified of immediately.
Here’s a great walk through on setting up Google Alerts.
Increase Local WOM
Word of mouth is no longer limited to someone passing names to their next door neighbor. Americans have proven that they trust online reviews as much as they would a personal friend giving them the same recommendation. With that in mind, increasing your online reviews is paramount to you receiving more word of mouth business for your bar or restaurant.
So how can you increase your reviews online, and where?
Google Reviews
Google is undoubtedly the king of the online reviews. When people search for your business, sure they’ll see other outlets like Yellow Pages and Yelp, but they’ll initially (and prominently) see your Google review rating.
Use the tool here to create a custom link that directs users directly to your Google Review page, where they can quickly and easily leave your restaurant a positive review.
Facebook Reviews
By simply adding ‘reviews’ to the end of the URL, you’ll have a direct link to your Facebook page reviews. So your new link will look like this, but with your page information:
https://www.facebook.com/yourfacebooklink/reviews/
This will open directly into a Review Box for visitors, immediately asking them to leave their review
Yelp Reviews
Yelp has long been the King of online restaurant and bar reviews. Though they’ve branched into other industries as well, Yelpers (as they’re commonly called) love to leave Yelp reviews after a dining experience. If you own a bar or restaurant, you already know that you need to be on Yelp. But, you need to remember that you need to constantly review your account.
A negative Yelp review can sour the taste of any fine dining you can offer, so encourage guests to leave you positive reviews, and combat negative reviews with these tips, here.
Search Engine Optimization
At the end of the day, being on page one of Google or Bing is the best way to reach more of your local community.
There are a number of factors that go into SEO for the food insudtry, but two items are extremely important.
And, if you are a startup or willing to commit the time yourself, you can attempt to work through these yourself.
Content Content Content
Content is king. Google has made it clear that they are promoting websites that provide high quality, informational content to their users. We’ll dive deeper into content marketing a little further down in this article.
Directory Listings
Since the inter webs began to form, directory listings have been an intricate part of small business marketing. There are thousands of directory listing websites for small businesses, and you’ll want to be listed on any as possible. It takes time and a little concentration to ensure you are listing your business consistently across all platforms, but it can be done. For a breakdown of some of the most important directory listing websites, click here.
Video Marketing / Live Streaming
Live video has become increasingly popular in recent years. from Periscope to Facebook Live, and even to adding videos directly to YouTube, consumers love to catch quick videos of you in your restaurants. Highlight that evenings special, or show some funny behind the scenes antics.
What makes video marketing engaging to consumers is that they get a chance to really see who you are and see some of the human side of the business.
Show your fans what your restaurant looks like early in the morning, and some of the common things that you encounter on a given day. Show them new desert ideas our trying, and establish yourself as the local go to place for a great dinner date.
In addition to what video marketing can do for your fan base, and for your thought leadership, it also has some amazing benefits for your Google page 1 aspirations. Upload your videos to your YouTube channel and link them back to your website. For more information on how YouTube and video marketing effects your SEO, check out our recent article on the subject, here.
Email Marketing
Don’t let anyone fool you. Email marketing isn’t dead. Not even close. In today’s busy world, it’s actually an ideal way to reach out to your customers and potential customers wherever they may be in the moment.
Collect email addresses through your contact marketing initiatives, and target subscribers with promotions and announcements.
Reach out to your current customers and ask them for referrals of their neighbors or family members.
Email marketing has tons of great applications. Segment subscribers based on their engagement, like first time visitors versus your regulars. Then, send them information and tips on their specific need, rather than sending them blanketed generic emails.
Follow up with subscribers who take an action with your email, like opening or clicking through to your website. There’s almost an endless amount of possibilities when it comes to email marketing, and these are just a few.
Conclusion
Now it’s your turn. As a restaurant owner, what tactics have you found to help your business reach more people on the web? Let us know in the comments, or tweet to us @agintosolutions!
Published on May 31, 2017
About the Author: Tatyana Mournier
