As I pointed out in the last business to business, B2B, blog post, Internet Restaurant Presence and How to Deal with Negative Restaurant Reviews, it is important for a local restaurant to have a presence on Social Media. Not only does it allow for you to connect with your active customers, but also it allows for new customer to find you. In this article, I’ll break down the different types of Social Media a restaurant can use, and how to use it to your benefit.
Your Facebook page, besides your website, is probably the most tactful Social Media site to use. Not only can you list your location, have photo albums, connect with other restaurants and the community, but it is also a hub for your other Social Media sites. You can tether all of your other Social Media accounts to your Facebook page, and they can all post to it.
Think of your Facebook page as your home page of your website. You want it to catch people’s attention and make them probe more and become a fan of your brand. Make sure that your Facebook page is active, even through other forms of Social Media.
Instagram is majorly important for content creation when it comes to your restaurant and its Social Media footprint. You are a restaurant, and nothing will want to make someone come to your restaurant than an attractive picture of your food. This will make them salivate, make them get in their car and come to your establishment, or at least queue it on their places that they should go. Also, with correct keywording, or hashtag, you will attract people who are searching for certain words on Instagram. The connection possibilities are endless.
Twitter is important for networking. Not only will it allow you to connect with your customers, but also it will allow you to connect with other professionals in your area. This kind of exposure is important because it will connect you with many like-minded individuals. Also, it is a platform for quick and easy content creation and community outreach. You can comment on a customer’s photo from your restaurant, share it, and post it to Facebook in a couple of clicks. You can also list your specials here and have it post to Facebook at the same time.
It is important to register your business on Google. This normally means setting up a Google+ account, or registering your location with Google. By registering with Google, you guarantee that when someone searches for your restaurant that you will pop up in the first couple of options, along with the location of your restaurant. This is the case unless your restaurant has a common name, and then it will appear if the person searching has their location services turned on. This aids in your branding and your accessibility to be found. This also aids in your Search Engine Optimization because your restaurant will appear high in the search engines.
Yelp, Urban Spoon, or Trip Advisor
I saved the best Social Media for restaurants for last. These, Yelp, Urban Spoon, and Trip Advisor, are important for restaurants because they are made specifically for restaurants and the hospitality industry. It is amazing to list your place here because it will allow for people who are active on these networks to see that you are close and a new place, or existing place but new to Social Media. Also, places like Trip Advisor, recommend nearby restaurants when you are staying in a hotel, this could drive business to restaurant, making you more successful.
All of these Social Media sites will help your restaurant business. You do not have to have all of them, but having some of them will help. They will increase traffic to your website, which you should have, and increase traffic to your restaurant. Make sure to employ them in a helpful way and try not to use them to hurt your business.
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