Restaurants have been around forever. Word of mouth would keep your regulars and a sign out front might help you attract some new customers, but you didn’t need to actively participate in outreach. Things changed when websites became common place, then with Yelp and Foursquare you had to start monitoring what people were saying about your restaurant. Marketing has evolved and in order to continue to keep your regulars — and bring in new customers — you have to keep up with the times.
Review Sites
While Foursquare has all but died out, Yelp is still active and is a great place to see what people are saying about your business. Google and Facebook reviews are faster, free, and directly tied to your online identity. Not necessarily marketing, but still related to branding, you should ensure you’re monitoring reviews and responding when applicable.
Search Engines
Google My Business is a very important tool to use. It can take a little bit to set up and you’ll have to confirm your address and contact information, but it ensures the correct information shows up when someone Googles you. Update this with your address, phone number, and hours so it is easy for people to find. This also ties directly to your reviews.
Bing has a similar tool called Bing Places for Business. While Bing isn’t used as readily as Google,
If you’re on Google My Business and Facebook, you don’t NEED a website, but it can still be beneficial for branding and marketing. Make sure your website is up to date with the correct address, phone number, and store hours. Your menu should also be posted either as its own page or as a PDF. Your website doesn’t need to be overly complicated, it just needs to be easy to use.
Social Media
The number one platform for your restaurant to be on is Facebook. Utilize this free channel to promote your specials, share pictures of your customers, and push menu items.
You should create posts your audience will want to engage with. Ask questions; How do they feel…
