In the era of an unstable epidemic situation, digital marketing may need to be more scheming by using psychological tactics and Facebook promotion strategies to attract customers to your restaurant which leads to promising relatives and friends to come back and visit again. Here are 7 online and offline promotion methods that can teach you how to define restaurant customer groups, enhance brand awareness, create creative content, customize Facebook ads, email marketing, and remarketing strategies, and increase customer loyalty.
Part 1 – Establishing the Marketing Foundation
1. Restaurant information should be updated regularly
Restaurant details are crucial, as potential diners have the opportunity to browse through hundreds of restaurants during their search for different restaurants. If you can provide enough rich information, you have the opportunity to increase your turnover. In addition to YummyAdvisor, restaurants must have Google My Business service.
Google My Business displays high-value data such as restaurant name, address, contact information, reviews, operating hours, pictures of the restaurant, and more.
When your Google My Business account is properly set, it can appear when potential customers search for keywords.
Another important service to have is Google Maps. When many netizens use Google Maps to search, they often find restaurants near their destinations. After work, office workers can go to nearby restaurants for meals. If you want to increase the attraction of potential customers, remember to register your restaurant information on Google Maps.
In addition to submitting restaurant information on Google Maps, restaurants still need to pay attention to the following two points:
Keep up the good reviews. Positive reviews create trust and encourage diners to comment on a restaurant’s performance on Facebook or any other platform. Of course, there will inevitably be negative comments, but learning to face and deal with the negative comments is also an important lesson. Just remember to not willingly delete the messages.
Keep your data consistent. The restaurant name, phone number, restaurant address… all the information that is on every social media platform and website that record your restaurant, you have to confirm that everything is accurate. Even the slightest deviation can confuse customers.
2. Web design
Excellent web design allows the experience of the restaurant atmosphere to start from the screen. In addition to properly conveying the concept of the restaurant, it can also provide information such as the restaurant’s menu and set design.
In addition, the webpage must also be updated to a compatible mobile version. Not only does it provide a better audio-visual experience, but also allows potential customers to check the restaurant’s operating hours, restaurant address, contact methods, and other information anytime and anywhere.
During the journey, hungry diners can quickly find your existence.
3. Hashtag Menu
Many restaurants have hashtags listed on their Facebook pages, but few understand the marketing function of hashtags. Whether it’s on Facebook or Instagram, the method of using hashtags should be “big and detailed”. Big: Mainstream Hashtags. Commonly used and popular hashtags allow restaurants to reach potential customers, and the exposure of restaurants can increase with the number of users of hashtags.
At the same time, mainstream hashtags can also allow restaurants to build awareness and brand image, such as #vegetarian, which can easily establish a vegetarian image for the restaurant and reach the attention of vegetarians. Fine: Niche Hashtags. We encourage restaurants to try to design a special hashtag for the page. It doesn’t have to be very creative, but it must be unique and represent the brand image.
When the future digital marketing strategy has officially launched, it can encourage followers to use it and then continue to promote the hashtags. The “big plus fine” strategy enables restaurants to reach the mainstream crowd while maintaining the enthusiasm of loyal fans. Marketing to fans is very important. During the epidemic, the people who are most willing to pay are the customers who have paid the bill. Being able to grasp their hearts will become the key to a successful business.
Part 2 – Marketing Skills
1. Facebook activities need to be precise
Everyone loves to win free gifts, which is why Facebook events are so appealing. If you don’t know what to do, you can start by sending some small gifts. It can be a meal, a coupon, a salad, a steak…anything, but remember to not do it too frequently; otherwise, it will make the readers look forward to the next event instead of a new dish.
2. Make good use of reader-generated content (UGC)
Facebook activities can attract more followers, increase brand awareness, and make potential customers discover the restaurant’s special features and then influence them to come and try them in groups. If your Facebook activities can generate some reader ideas, such as slogan contests, story sharing, etc., remember to make good use of the content to add colour to the restaurant page. According to the survey, 92% of readers trust other people’s recommendations rather than brand content. Everyone doesn’t like to sell and only believes in the sincere recommendation of ordinary people.
3. Facebook Ads Boost Engagement Rates
In addition to devising creative campaigns after careful consideration, you can also utilize Facebook ads to encourage more readers to notice the existence of the restaurant. In fact, on Facebook, this should be the most effective broad marketing method.
“Facebook advertising” is a general term that includes ads that increases the brand’s awareness, increase page likes, and engagement rates, capture email addresses, increase restaurant reservations, registration for restaurant events, and more. Because there are many types of advertisements, restaurants must consider factors such as target customers, target advertisement formats, target budgets, and final marketing goals in order to create advertisements effectively.
After the successful launch of Facebook ads, you can find a large amount of accurate data from the ad manager, including customer response, ad effect, number of appointments, changes in interaction rate, etc. Making good use of the data will help to develop your business further.
4. The last thing is KOL publicity
Finally, there are quite a few dietary KOLs to choose from everywhere. Restaurants can actively invite them to try your restaurant and comment and share dishes to attract their followers to your restaurant.
However, if restaurants choose to contact KOLs without professional planning, the cost of invitations may be higher than normal. Restaurants have to consider the cost factors by themselves.
So far, we have analyzed the key points of basic promotion and the key points of extensive promotion strategies for restaurants. If you don’t have time to plan digital marketing methods in detail, you can also consider hiring a social media planning company to serve you.