It’s difficult being a competitor in the restaurant industry because there are myriads of eateries everywhere you look. To stay at the top of your game you need effective marketing tools to draw customers in and keep them coming back for more of your tasty dishes.
We live in a digital age where people use the internet to discover restaurants, browse through menus and book reservations. So you’ll need to ensure that your restaurant is visible when potential customers search online for places to eat.
To help you become a top competitor, take a look at these top five branding tools that will benefit your restaurant’s marketing campaign and your online presence.
1. Social Media Platforms for User Generated Content
User-generated content will make it easier for you to engage with your audience on social media platforms by sharing images and videos your followers post. The advantage of sharing user-generated content is that it’s free so it will save you a lot of money on marketing campaigns.
People also prefer not to receive content that has a sales tone from marketers. This is because 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over branded content. Your followers trust the opinions of people they know. When people share positive posts about your brand it will show that your restaurant is reliable and authentic.
Another advantage is that people love taking pictures of their food and experiences at restaurants. User generated content provides a mini-review of your business. Share this feedback for some free publicity.
Using the content your followers post will connect you to your audience on a personal level so you’re viewed as a friendly and dependable brand. User generated content creates brand awareness that people trust.
2. Create Brand Awareness with DesignMantic
An important aspect you should think about is how you’re going to attract people to your restaurant. Most people won’t trust your brand if they don’t see an image next to your name. What better way to create brand awareness than with a well-designed logo?
You’ll need access to icons, color schemes, symbols, and fast downloads in order to build your restaurant brand. You’ll find all the tools you need when you design a restaurant logo.
On the website, you’re able to search for logo design ideas within your industry and customize it to fit your niche. The logos are all scalable and attractive so when you customize your design it will be a memorable piece of branding you can use to promote your restaurant.
The idea is to create a logo that will entice your audience and spark interest in what you have to offer. Browse through the restaurant logo design ideas created by professionals to find something relevant to your menu and niche.
3. Local SEO for Restaurants using MOZ Local
Local SEO for restaurants is one of the most important marketing tools you’ll use.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is fundamentally the use of keywords within your website, social media pages and blogs that are used to increase your brand’s visibility. When people type in specific keywords on search engines, the algorithm detects it and shows them web pages that relate to what they’re looking for.
Local SEO uses a location as a keyword so your website can be visible to your local audience. If your website doesn’t show up when people search for restaurants near them you could lose business.
- High traffic to their websites
- More paying customers
- Higher Google ranking
- Brand awareness
- Hashtag keywords when you post content
- Allow people to review your restaurant on other websites such as Yelp
- Set up your website structure to rank landing pages
- Embed a Google map onto your website so people can find your location
- Make your website mobile-friendly
- Use the MOZ Local SEO tool
4. Use Yelp, Facebook and Google for Reviews
The easiest and cost-effective way to do market research is by allowing your audience to review your restaurant on various platforms. When people write a review about your business you can see what they liked and disliked about your services.
These reviews will give you the opportunity to see how you can improve your recipes, waiting staff services and atmosphere of your restaurant. Negative reviews are beneficial because it will help you develop your restaurant so you can start getting more positive ratings.
Ratings are crucial to your restaurant’s reputation. Most people won’t visit a restaurant that has less than a three-star rating, so ensure that you always check reviews to see how you can improve your services and food.
5. Loyalty Programs with Loyalty Gator
Creating a loyalty program is an excellent way to increase sales. You want to gain as many paying customers as possible and to keep them coming back for more. Return customers are essential to making your restaurant a success.
You can easily develop a loyalty program with Loyalty Gator and promoting a campaign on social media or through your website. Offer your audience coupons or incentives in exchange for their contact details so you can send them promotional material in the future.
Final Thoughts
The advantage of being in the restaurant industry is that it’s easy to promote your business. As mentioned before, today’s diners love to take pictures of their food and experiences so they can post it on their social media pages. So you’ll have your general audience advertising your restaurant for you.
Are you ready to become one of the top restaurants in your region? Use these marketing tools to help you build up your brand’s image and watch people queue for your food.
