There is no industry in the world untouched by the importance of social media. Since restaurants and bars deliver products and experiences directly to consumers (social media users), social media is a vital part of all successful marketing campaigns.
At the same time, it's not always easy to know how to use social media effectively. Following the tips of industry experts can help you get started, and then you can customize and build your brand from there.
Establish and Maintain Pages on All Relevant Platforms
Before you can develop any strategy, you have to establish a presence, which involves more than simply setting up pages and adding a few pictures. You need to fill out your profile, most importantly, the essential information about your business. This information includes your location or locations, hours, menu, and more.
When maintaining your accounts, consider them as relationships with your customers and followers. If you don't post and engage relevant content, the relationship will suffer.
It isn't just about quantity; it's also quality. You can't simply create post after post of meaningless content, or you're wasting your time. You need to balance engagement and promotion posts, given that there is nothing that users like less than endless promotions. On top of that, you need to make your posts at the right time. After all, it doesn't make sense to post about weeknight happy hours in the middle of the day Saturday.
You also don't need to shove it in your followers' faces when posting promotional content. For example, you can post this type of content cleverly with attractive photos and links in the comment section. After all, most social media platforms are image-driven.
That means that creating appealing visual content is a must, which is more accurate for the restaurant industry than any other. Food photography is an art, and if your culinary offerings don't look delightful, you won't draw crowds. Make sure you have access to high-quality images of your menu items.
Encourage Interaction with Your Followers and Customers
The social media conversation can't be one-way. You have to encourage your followers and customers to engage with you on your pages and theirs. One foolproof way to engage with followers is to pose questions and solicit feedback. Ask them directly if they've tried something and what they think about it.
In addition, encourage clients to engage with you on their pages. If they tag you or check in at your place of business, respond to them by thanking them in their comments section or reposting their pictures and feedback.
Participating in the conversation about your business begins with reposting your visitors' content, but it can't stop there. People on the internet talk, and you need to be there when someone brings up your business, even if it isn't on your page. Part of this involves reaching out and engaging with users where they are, rather than just on your page. Monitor what clients are saying on review pages like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Reviews, and respond whenever you can.
Another thing to do is to engage with local influencers who have a wider reach into your target customer base. If they see and talk about how good your restaurant's food and atmosphere are, you'll likely see a spike in business.
Analyze and Reevaluate as Needed
It doesn't make sense to launch and run a campaign if you don't gather metrics about its efficacy. Whether your marketing team is internal or you outsource these services, you should be continually analyzing your social media's impact on engagement and actual sales.
In addition, you will want to stay on top of what others are doing in your area and other markets with success. Replicating the successful tactics of others can help you succeed, too.