Social media can be a massive marketing tool to build up a business. In a world dominated by social media and the internet, loads of opportunities open their doors to your problems. Started a new bakery but it isn’t booming as you expected it to? Here are 8 effective restaurant digital marketing strategies that you can use to ensure success for your restaurant.

1. Attractive website and social media presence

Okay, first things first, your storefront is no longer the face of your restaurant. In a report, it was found that 88 percent of customers prefer to search for a restaurant online rather than visiting them directly. (Source – https://bit.ly/2DUXSHo) Customers judge your credibility from your website. So, it’s extremely important for restaurant digital marketing strategies that you have a fantastic website to show off your restaurant.

The second step is to have proper accounts on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The first things to upload should be a short but sweet description, a link to the restaurant’s website, address, and phone number.

Apart from these, make sure you have unique branding. People are attracted to quirky things, so make sure your logo is unique, simplistic, and eye-catching. A good example of a brand with a simple yet quirky logo would be Domino’s.

Pictures of food and aesthetic pictures of the restaurant are very important for restaurant digital marketing. Visual content is the mother of all contents. Click pictures of great food that will make the viewers hungry for more!

A prime example would be restaurants like Punjabi By Nature who have a fully designed website where customers can find all of the information regarding their restaurant.

2. Host social media events

It’s time to bring out the party planner in you! One of the best restaurant digital marketing strategies is to organize a fun event and invite people on social media. Nearly 70 percent of American adults and young adults are on Facebook,(Source: https://pewrsr.ch/3fNP3x4) meaning 70 percent of your target audience is on one platform. This makes online marketing of your restaurant easy, as tons of people are likely to see an event being posted on social media.

Costa Coffee India had started a contest on Twitter with the hashtag #FilmyDosti. Twitter users had to guess the name of the movie by their posters provided and a clue was given to them. The contest witnessed more than 600 interactions from only 11 tweets.

This marketing plan helps build a closer relationship with the customers and helps engage them in fun activities. KFC has a “satisfied customers” hashtag on social media where they click pictures of their customers and ask them to tag KFC with the hashtag. It’s made more fun with attractive red signs with smileys on them.

3. Generate some buzz on holidays and anniversaries

Holidays are a great time to celebrate, hone your restaurant digital marketing strategies, and build up the restaurant’s business. Put up advertisements for upcoming special menus or themes that match the holiday to attract customers.

A café in New Delhi, Café Immigrant, celebrated India’s Independence Day with Chef Rajinder who made a special Tiranga Paneer Tikka. The dish was highly appraised by the customers. Barbeque Nation and Hard Rock Café in Delhi go out of their way to make their customers feel extra special on their birthdays. They give a birthday cake and sing ‘Happy Birthday’, too.

4. Influencer marketing and find partnerships
 

It’s a great idea to involve influential people on social media for your marketing campaign. Cooperating with food bloggers or influencers who post about lifestyle would be the perfect added advertisement for your restaurant. This is also the perfect way to gain young adults’ interest since the target audience of Instagram influencers are generally people ranging from 13-21 years old. (Source: https://bit.ly/3hljH1j)

Bite That Spoon, a BTS themed Café in Kolkata, uses restaurant digital marketing strategies to the best of their efforts by collaborating with local musicians and jewellery makers for groovy jam sessions and attractive jewellery that their customers can buy and take home.

Partnering with communities would bring the local people to your restaurant and make them see that you support their campaign and stand with them.

5. Start a blog

An attractive and creative blog goes a long way in engaging with your customers and audience better. A blog post can offer insight into a restaurant’s voice and personality. Sharing your success stories, funny anecdotes, some Q&As are a great way to make your restaurant seem relatable and friendly and is a successful restaurant digital marketing strategy.

One such widely renowned name in the world of cuisines is Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. We can give you no better example of someone who successfully manages their restaurants as well as their food blog, From My Kitchen. You can take their example and post a few recipes on your blog. Now, you might be wondering why you would want to give away your secret recipes to people. We’re not suggesting you share complex recipes. Simple recipes that are easy to follow are a great way to attract potential customers.

6. Gather customer feedback

Customers are sometimes confused if they’re asked to give their reviews. Implementing loyalty programs doesn’t have to be that difficult. Instead, there’s an easier way to do it without bothering your customers. People usually share their experiences on social media. Keep track of social mentions of your restaurants to know what your customers think of it. It is always a good measure to respond to their reviews, regardless of them being positive or negative.

Additionally, creating a simple survey or a feedback form on your website is a great idea. Giving your customers an idea that you care about their comments and feedback will increase your customer loyalty.

7. Partner up with delivery services

We all have those days where going to a restaurant, and eating out seems like a hassle. Partnering up with delivery services is a great option to consider. This also helps people check out your restaurant, the menus, and the food items’ prices.

It also doubles up as review sites, as it lets you keep a check on comments left by customers on the food delivery app.

Here are some of the apps in India that you can partner with –

• Swiggy
• Zomato
• Scootsy
• Ubereats

8. Leverage Google Adwords

Google Adwords is a must for your restaurant to be more visible to customers searching for diners near them. This will thereby allow for targeted traffic to your restaurant’s website.

Google Adwords is another great move in paid advertising for your restaurant. Adwords has a PPC (pay per click) system that is imbibed into Google search. Whenever a customer types in a food item on search engines and your keywords will show up at the very top of the search results section. You will only be charged when someone clicks on your ad.

Using these tools will significantly help your customer base online.

Summing up

If implemented properly, the restaurant digital marketing strategy can be a huge step forward for your restaurant business. These were our top 8 tips and tricks to help grow your restaurant. Following these, and being creative with it is the way to go if you want to make your restaurant well-known.