Did you know that 89% of restaurants have social media accounts? If you own a restaurant and you don’t have social media, you are definitely missing out! It's very likely that your competitors are using social media, and so are your customers. Being on social media gives you the chance to interact with your customers and keep your business on their minds.
Customers have the ability to leave reviews, share their experience at your restaurant, mention your establishment when they visit and more. In this blog we will cover the best platforms to be on and the content that is best to include in your posts.
Platforms
For restaurants it's recommended to have a presence on Facebook and Instagram.
Facebook is known for its large audience base and its options for interaction. Customers can review the restaurant, share posts, view your menu, visit your website, and reach out through messenger.
Instagram is a photo based platform, meaning that you can only share photos for people to see. In this platform, people can use hashtags “#” to search for specific tags. Some of the most popular hashtags are food related, so that is something you should keep in mind. Another great thing about Instagram is that you can use the location option, that way people who see a post can click on it and it will show them the map and other posts that have taken place at your restaurant.
Content
Your posts need to have a strategy behind it. Posting the same content will bore your audience and they will unfollow you. Your content should include sales posts, share posts and posts about your brand. In regards to sales posts, you can include pictures of your most popular dishes or drinks, promote your specials and other services you have such as catering. Think of it as an ad. Share posts is the content that is shared from different sources.
For example, if you participate in a local event and they upload pictures, you could share them. Basically, sharing other page’s content that is relevant to your business. Brand posts are anything from customers reviews, photos of your products, facts about your restaurant or the food you serve, staff pictures, and more. Try to represent your brand as a whole and show your brand’s culture and values.
Nowadays, everyone takes pictures of their food. Take advantage of it! You can also encourage visitors to take shots of their plates and tag your business when they upload it, it will be easier for you to find it and re-post the content. A good advice is to credit the person that took the picture, it will make them feel good and it’s nice of you to pay attention to your customer’s posts. Remember that social media is a long-term marketing strategy that requires patience and consistency.You are trying to build a relationship with your audience and it takes time and a lot of work, but in the end it can be very rewarding.
At Century Digital Marketing we offer photography services and social media management. If you haven’t implemented a social media marketing campaign or you need someone to take over your accounts and content let us know! We will be happy to assist.