If you own or operate a restaurant, then you know how important it is to have a strong online presence. In today’s digital world, customers are searching for restaurants online more than ever before. If your restaurant doesn’t have a website or if your website is not optimized for search engine ranking, you are missing out on a lot of potential customers. If potential customers cannot find you online, they will go to your competitors. It’s vital to have a well-designed website that is user-friendly and is compatible with various devices and platforms. This is the very first step in any online marketing campaign. Assuming you already have a website that meets these criteria, let’s move on to discussing eight pro-level online marketing strategies that will help increase your customer base and sales.
- Local SEO: As a small or medium size business, you’d be having a fixed service area for restaurant delivery or takeout. That means you have to focus all your online marketing efforts in that geographical area. Local SEO does just that. It is a process of optimizing your website for Google search with the goal of getting higher rankings in local search results. The first step is to make sure your website is listed with Google My Business. This is a free listing that allows you to control how your business appears in Google Maps and Google Search. You can also add photos, videos, descriptions, and special offers. Once your GMB listing is complete, the next step is to create or claim your business listings on other popular directories such as Yelp, Foursquare, and Yellow Pages. These platforms also allow you to add photos, videos, and descriptions. In addition to these general directories, there are also industry-specific directories for restaurants. For example, if you have a pizzeria, you can list your business on Pizza.com or Slice. These directories are a great way to get in front of customers who are specifically searching for restaurants like yours.
- Quick and Easy Online Ordering: An online ordering system is now a pretty basic requirement for restaurant websites. Customers want to be able to order food from your website with just a few clicks. If you don’t have an online ordering system, you are losing out on a lot of potential business. There are many different online ordering systems that can easily be integrated into your website. Some of the most popular ones include GrubHub, Eat24, and Seamless. Online ordering systems make it easy for customers to order food from your restaurant and also help you boost sales. If you already have an onsite ordering system, make sure it is mobile-friendly and easy to use.
- Develop a Loyalty Program: Customers love loyalty programs because they feel appreciated and valued. When customers feel appreciated, they are more likely to continue doing business with you. There are many different ways to develop a loyalty program. One popular method is to offer discounts or coupons to customers who order frequently or who refer new customers to your restaurant. You can also offer loyalty points that can be redeemed for free food or other prizes.
- Structured Data Markup: Implementing structured data markup is one of the most technical online marketing strategies on this list, but it is also one of the most effective. Structured data markup is code that is added to your website that helps search engines understand the data on your website. This is especially important for restaurant websites because it can help search engines understand your menus and other important information. Google also recently announced that they will be using structured data markup to display restaurant menus directly in search results. This is a great way to get your restaurant’s menu in front of potential customers. Some of the other recommended markups for restaurant websites include reviews and ratings, local business, and how-to articles.
- Have a Review Strategy: Online reviews and ratings are becoming increasingly important for restaurants. Customers frequently read reviews before choosing a restaurant, and positive reviews can help increase your customer base. That’s why it’s important to have a review strategy. The first step is to make sure you are listed on popular review sites both general and niche-specific. The next step is to actively encourage customers to leave reviews. This can be done by encouraging them to leave reviews on your GMB listing. You can also include links to review sites on your website and in your email signature. Timely responding to your reviews is a critical element of a successful Review strategy. First, make sure that you are responding to all reviews, both good and bad. This shows customers that you care about their feedback and that you are invested in providing them with the best possible experience. Second, make sure that you are handling criticism in a way that resolves the issue. Criticism can be a great opportunity to learn and improve your business. Finally, always be professional and courteous when responding to reviews. No matter what the situation is, keeping your cool will always be the best course of action.
- Utilize Social Media: Social media is a great way to connect with potential and current customers. It’s also a great way to promote your restaurant. Make sure you are active on all the major social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Post regularly and interact with your followers. In addition to promoting your restaurant, social media is also a great way to collect customer feedback and get to know your customers better. You can use social media to conduct surveys, run contests, and collect customer contact information. You can post about new menu items, upcoming events, deals & discounts, photos of your special dishes, party decorations and a lot more. You can also use social media to resolve customer complaints and handle customer service issues.
- Leverage your best selling product: If you want to maximize your profits, you need to focus on your best selling items. Figure out which items are selling the most, research on their user demographics and usage patterns and then create targeted marketing campaigns around them. If you have a new dish that is getting good reviews, make sure to promote it through social media, your website, and email marketing. You can also offer discounts and coupons to customers who order your best selling items.
- Best serve your best customers: Depending on the type of restaurant you have, you may have different types of customers. For example, if you are a family restaurant, you may have parents with young children, or if you are a fine dining establishment, you may have business professionals. Regardless of who your customers are, it’s important to focus on providing them with the best possible experience. This includes everything from the food you serve to the way you decorate your restaurant. If you have a theme or type of customer that you want to attract, make sure your restaurant reflects that. If you haven’t yet, take some time to segment your customer base. Once you have done that, you can create targeted marketing campaigns that are designed to appeal to each customer group.
- Focus on the customer experience: In today’s competitive marketplace, it’s not enough to just have good food. You need to focus on the entire customer experience. This includes everything online as well as offline. Make sure your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Use high-quality photos and videos that accurately represent your restaurant. Make customer feel safe while sharing their information on your website. Think about all the different touchpoints that a customer has with your business, both online and offline and optimize those experiences. Each one of those touchpoints is an opportunity to create a positive impression. Creating a positive customer experience should be one of your top priorities.
These were some of the most effective online marketing strategies for restaurants. If you want to learn more, please take a look at our blog where we regularly post articles on online marketing. Thank you for reading! Did you find this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
