In today’s world, there’s no doubt about it, for certain businesses social media is not a nice to have it’s a must-have especially for restaurants! Eating out is a social activity so it’s no surprise that the two should go hand-in-hand. Whether or not you choose to have your own social media presence, customers visiting your restaurant will usually voice their views using certain social media platforms because everyone’s a restaurant critic nowadays so like it or not, your restaurant will be featured online.
You only have to pop to Trip Advisor to search a restaurant to see all the tens and hundreds of reviews. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to take control of your own social media.
You might have invested a huge amount of money into online marketing – with a stylish looking website which is tablet friendly, a home delivery app, online reservations etc. not to mention your offline marketing too (leaflets, flyers, discount vouchers, local newspaper coverage etc.) and these marketing styles are all worthwhile, hopefully generating you plenty of interest and new business.
However, today huge amounts of people rely on recommendation and recommendation is mainly down to social media and word of mouth.
There are various things you should be doing as a restaurateur and if you’re too busy to manage your own social media then you need to employ someone with knowledge and savvy to do it for you.
It might be you have a social media whizz on your staff already in which case this job is tailor-made for them but if not, there are various social media agencies out there who can lend a hand.
In the meantime, if you’re on a strict budget Alliance’s advice to you would be to set up your own social media. Once you get the hang of the different platforms you can update them all at the same time or in seconds from a mobile device.
Here are Alliance’s top Social Media platforms we recommend to boost your restaurant’s reputation:
This is extremely popular in the restaurant and hotel industry, it’s not just the restaurants that are tweeting either, it’s the chef’s too so encourage your chef or sous chef to set up his or her own account to share the restaurant joy! Is there a skill to using twitter? Well, perhaps, it’s about engaging your audience, so if you’ve just prepared a fabulous new dessert and it looks unreal, tweet about it!
3 Top Twitter Tips!
- Use the hashtag symbol because this picks up trends as well as starts trends. Always hashtag your restaurant name and the word #restaurantinlondon or wherever you are…
- Follow people and businesses in your locality and follow the restaurants/bars you admire too. Don’t over follow so be selective and remember to like and share other people’s posts, especially those related to yours such as local business, local celebrities, celebrity chefs etc.
- Make your Tweets relevant, if you offer a lunch-time special, Tweet about it at 11.30 so people know about it in time for lunch!
2 FACEBOOK
Set up a Facebook business page and promise yourself you will regularly update it and make it useful by providing suitable content. Remember, people are most likely drawn to visual content and as you are running a very visual business, Facebook should work a treat for you. Use images of your restaurant, menu items and special events.
3 Top Facebook Tips!
- Get your friends to like and share your page because you need to build a fan base, what better place to start with those nearest and dearest to you?
- Do speak to your fans. If someone comments on that sizzling steak image you’ve just uploaded – thank them and be witty with it! People like to laugh; they’re more likely to share your images if you’re amusing.
- Upload videos – culinary art is very popular so showcase your chef’s skills and you could even set up a Youtube account if you start developing a number of videos…syncing both your accounts makes it instant so if you upload a video to Youtube it immediately appears on your Facebook page….this saves time!
3 FOURSQUARE
50 million people use it and while Foursquare is still relatively new it’s quickly gaining popularity and works like a check-in system to many different places. Users check in where they are visiting (restaurant, hotel, shopping centre, leisure complex etc.) and leave quick tips and reviews of where they’ve been. If a user checks into an establishment more than anyone else, they become the Mayor of that place which encourages people to keep posting to usurp the current Mayor! It’s a superb way to facilitate brand loyalty. People hop onto Foursquare to see what tips others leave so someone is at your restaurant they might suggest the seabream, as being the most delicious item on the menu.
3 Foursquare tips!
- Check your restaurant’s activity on Foursquare and make sure you are visible.
- Don’t wait for others to leave tips, leave some of your own and get your restaurant staff and family and friends to leave their own too!
- Leave an incentive for whoever becomes the Mayor which encourages people to keep visiting for their chance to be the Mayor of your restaurant! For the most check-ins offer a free alcoholic drink or 20% off anything of their choice…
Finally, always deal with negativity immediately. Leaving negativity online without responding to it is visible to anyone who looks for tips or reviews. By wording a well-written, positive response (no matter what the review) it will bode well for you as a restaurant business. Be conciliatory, offer a complimentary bottle of champagne on their next visit or 50% off main courses – you want potential new customers to feel confident in your restaurant safe in the knowledge that they will always have a great experience.
For all you restaurant’s needs, visit Alliance online where you’ll find everything you require for a successful business.