How Social Media Marketing Can Benefit Your Restaurant
Restaurants are back, baby. With the pandemic in the rearview, the industry has entered an era where the phone eats first, pizzas receive Michelin stars, ramen and honey are spicy, and the restaurant game is hotter than sriracha on a habanero pepper. How does a restaurant stand out in a world filled with culinary competition? It’s not enough to have fantastic food, great aesthetic, a clean and welcoming environment, and stellar service — although you’d better have those, too. A strong social media strategy can make all the difference for your business. And, as for any great dish, balance is everything.
It’s important that social media is part of your overall marketing plan. Think of your social media posts as your digital maître d’, welcoming your customers with a captivating personality and giving you a taste of what to expect. It’s your front door to creating a relationship with current and future customers — and, for customers in the Gen Z or Millennial cohort, often it’s their first impression of your brand. So what goes into your restaurant social media marketing strategy? Let’s deconstruct a winning recipe.
The Right Message on the Right Platforms
You wouldn’t sprinkle tajin on your jambalaya or top your ice cream with barbecue sauce. Likewise, you need to populate each social platform with the right kind of content that “tastes” like what Facebook patrons expect. Facebook posts are like comfort food, the meat and potatoes of what your restaurant has to offer. Promotions, special events, operational announcements, and, of course, appetizing food photography. Here again it’s important to strike a balance of authenticity with appetite appeal.
