10 New Ideas for Restaurant Social Media Content. The idea of incorporating social media in restaurant marketing strategies is essential in 2020.
However, this task is not as easy as it seems. Although most restaurants nowadays have social
media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. that is not enough. For a successful
marketing strategy, social media for restaurants must have engaging content that attracts the
audience consistently. Whether managing social media for your restaurant is your priority or
not, it is an important part of the overall restaurant marketing plan.
Below, we have compiled the 10 most helpful tips for some of the best social media strategies for
restaurants that will help you grasp the attention of potential customers and build a better
relationship with your current customers.
1. Spotlight Your Staff
Your staff is who runs the business. So, getting to know them and bringing them forward in
your social media posts is important for 2 reasons; for your staff to associate with the
community they are working for and for the customers to humanize and feel more connected
with the people serving them, that is you. For this, you have to get to know your staff. This will
not only boost the reach of your social media posts but also the morale of your staff. You don’t
have to go to great lengths to achieve this, you can achieve this by simply sharing stuff
members’ recommendation, or by putting up photos of your staff enjoying work, or giving a
a glimpse of their daily life achievements.
2. Give Your Customer a Behind The Scene Look at Your Restaurant
Customers are always interested in a sneak peek behind-the-scenes content. This attracts
customers by showcasing how various dishes are made and how the restaurant
undertakes their day-to-day tasks. You can pull it off easily by sharing a small video of how a
famous dish at your restaurant is made, or, by sharing a photo of your famous staff tradition,
etc. This will also help the community to connect with the staff of your restaurant.
3. Share User-Generated Content
User-generated content, also USG, are all the photos, tweets, small videos, etc. that the
customers have shared on social media websites about your brand. You can re-post USG on
your social media by giving credit to the original author. You don’t have to do much work for
creating content, because the customer has already done it and you still have a post that shows
your restaurant in a positive light. The customers are also more likely to believe good words
about your restaurant coming from other customers.
4. Share Memu And Top Menu Recommendations
Always share your menu on social media platforms so that customers don’t have to search for it
in case they need it. Also, mentioning special dishes and top recommendations is a good idea.
These recommendations can be by anyone; a regular customer, staff member, or any famous
public figure. This is a great way to encourage your current fans to something new or expand
their experience. As seasons change, update your menu showcasing seasonal ingredients in
your dishes and informing the customers about this through colorful, eye-catching images and
quirky captions. For example, during summers, your posts can include bright photos of cool
beverages and your top-notch cold desserts. Don’t forget to include hashtags so your photo can
reach new people.
5. Highlight Positive Reviews and Awards
If you get a killer review from a customer or critic, share it and link it back to the original review.
You can also acknowledge the commenter by offering them a free item from your menu, such
as a dessert or a drink, the next time they visit. This will increase your popularity in the
community.
Awards are a great form of social proof, so don’t hesitate to let your followers know when you
receive any kind of formal recognition.
6. Respond to Online Reviews
All restaurants receive reviews, both good and bad. By addressing negative reviews and
showing appreciation for positive ones, you can create a transparent and friendly persona
online. Telling customers that you know about your flaws and are ready to work on them shows
the community that you take their advice seriously and are ready to learn. It is important to
address your disgruntled customers and try to turn that relationship around.
7. Encourage Followers To Sign-Up To Your Email List
Posts containing a link to your sign-up page are a great idea. You can throw in some tempting
offers such as discounts and free items on sign-up. If a customer gives you their email, it opens
up the wide world of email marketing: you can get in touch to share coupons, birthday
discounts, special events, and much more.
8. Host Social Media Contests and Polls
Everybody loves free and stuff and exclusive offers. You can run different types of contests for
your fans on social media. It can be anything, from simple trivia to small video competitions.
It’s a win-win situation, you will get traffic on social media accounts and your customers will get
to enjoy their prize.
You can also conduct a poll related to different subjects to build a rapport with customers. The
poll can range from a new addition to the menu to what discounted items would the customers
be interested in any changes in the interior of the restaurant. Asking questions can inspire
followers to engage with your posts and to interact with you, rather than simply continuing to
scroll to the next story, or down the page.
9. Promote Community Activities
Share local events you think your customers would care about. Is there a national holiday
approaching? Or is there a local event about to take place in your community? Making the
announcement come from your restaurant not only helps these local events boost attendance,
but it will also get your guests thinking about the occasion with your restaurant in mind. It will
also, give let the consumers know that you are interested and up-to-date about the community
happenings.
10. Be creative
Last but not the least, come up with content that is quirky, trendy, and creative. Social media
users favor visually appealing content, so take advantage by treating them to some high-quality
food photography. While posting announcements is typically a majority of what restaurants
share on social media, try to switch it up in a creative way to stand out from the crowd.
Creating and maintaining a good social media profile for restaurants can be challenging.
However, it is all about people and how you decide to communicate with them to pull existing
and potential customers towards you. Next time when you’re thinking about what to post on
social media, check back at these ideas to get your creative juices flowing
