Restaurant Marketing in the Internet Age – Social Media is King
As the internet has become more prevalent over the years, restaurant marketing has taken a sharp u-turn. Restaurants are relying more on social media and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as opposed to television commercials, postcards and phone book listings. This e-centric shift is truly a positive trend.
Today restaurants, both small and large, are realizing the importance of Social Media. It’s no longer a funny word that internet revolutionaries are throwing around, Social Media has come to fruition. Social Media is a proven marketing medium that connects companies with potential customers (or previous customers) and establishes a more personal relationship; one based on information and networking as opposed to direct sales.
Restaurants can benefit from Social Media exposure by utilizing the below mediums:
Blogs
Blogging is one of the most important elements of Social Media. It allows restaurants to connect with website visitors and provide information on events, menu additions, as well as photos and videos.
Social Bookmarking/Networking
Entering the social arena allows restaurants to directly communicate with customers and provide real-time information on specials, events, etc.
YouTube
If a picture says a thousand words, imagine what a video says. Exactly! An increasing number of restaurants are creating YouTube profiles to display their venue and dishes, which has been quite successful given the view count of many videos I’ve seen.
I hope this article has been helpful and remember: don’t shy away from Social Media and internet marketing for your restaurant.
Sincerely,
Aaron Schoenberger
The BrainchildGroup
The Brainchild Group is top advertising agency that specializes in Social Media Consulting and SEO Consulting for a variety of business around the globe. Please feel free to contact us at (310) 876-0874 for more information.
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Aaron – You’re on point that restaurants will benefit from properly stepping into Social Networking as a part of their marketing plan. Many restaurant brands have successfully fostered a more personal relationship with their customer base by interacting with them through different Social Media mediums. Blogs, Twitter, and YouTube all have enabled restaurant concepts in all segments, from QSR to family casual to fine dining, to engage and entice their following in a way that could not be achieved otherwise.
Some brands have even gone so far as to forgo some of the more traditional methods of advertising their restaurant concept in order to focus their marketing budget in this arena. Naked Pizza, for example, advertises their Twitter handle on their outside signage in lieu of their phone number.