How Restaurants Can Capitalize From Social Media

Food and social media. Point out any random person and they’ll tell you that these both are arguably the two most loved things in this generation. Be it students or the working class. Specially since the advent of online ordering systems.
So, why not combine the two and take a look at how restaurants can gain exposure with the help of social media.

In this new age, social media has become exceedingly integral and is now inextricably woven with our daily life. Consequently, businesses are recognizing the value of using social media to elevate their brand reputation. So, why should restaurants be an exception?

While conversing with a local food-joint, the key to the interlinking of social media and the restaurant business was undiscovered. Ever since the food-joint had opened up, Tuesdays had been their slowest night ever. Till one of the employees filled the eatery up on a particular Tuesday without spending a dime; all because of social media. He uploaded posts of special offers and combo meals that the eatery offered alongwith pictures, on a particular social-networking site and as a result, they had the best Tuesday night ever. Not only did they fall short of tables but their food ordering system was on a roll that night.

Social media definitely is the newest way for restaurants to taste success.

Since one of the first and foremost steps is to know who one is communicating with, restaurants need to start with ‘thinking like their customers’ and why they would want to visit them again and again. They also need to revamp their food ordering systems.

The most significant of all social networking sites which provides an incredible opportunity for restaurants to connect with their clientele is undoubtedly, Facebook. It offers a plethora of tools through which a restaurant can benefit. For instance-

1. Eateries can create their own Facebook page through which they can use tabs to initiate FB ordering for restaurants. The first four tabs are most crucial because they show up on the front page.
2. The cover photo can be used to the maximum as one gets to market their business for free which they can do by including photos of their delicious food or of people having a good time. It can be changed whenever there is a change in the menu or to publicize new items/specials/combos.
3. Since the most shared posts on Facebook are photos and food is a visual treat, restaurants can share loads of images of their food or their entire menu in their regular updates.
4. Social promotions like contests and sweepstakes can be introduced to excite customers as well as to make them check the Facebook page of the eatery very often.
5. Since Facebook ads help in doing specific and niche targeting, it can turn out to be beneficial for restaurants as they can do advertising for people from specific geographic locations and demographics. It can also include data on FB ordering for restaurants.
6. With Facebook’s new ‘Graph Search’, there has been a drastic effect on restaurant referrals and word-of-mouth publicity as well as the online ordering systems because one can now specifically look for eateries that one’s friends’ recommended or those visited by their favourite celebrities and so on. Restaurants are now more accessible to customers.

Another awe-inspiring social-networking site is Instagram which can be used in conjunction with Facebook marketing tactics.

1. Restaurants can use trending ‘hashtags’ in Instagram and post pictures of their special food items to get found easily by their niche market.
2. It can also be used to generate a photo contest which will engage customers as well as generate a lot of loyalty.

Twitter is an additional social-networking arena which can help restaurants procure a lot of benefits as its’ used a lot through mobile and Twitter updates are shared at phenomenal rates. Links of the menu can be tweeted by the eatery alongwith offers and discounts which might go viral as well as give appeal to their food-ordering systems.

The most essential thing that restaurants can do is carve a specific niche for themselves which social media can help by tailoring posts and updates accordingly.

In today’s business and marketing world, social media definitely is the new ripple.
Are you riding it for your business?