By Ashley Wilson, Contributor
Like most other businesses in the world today, restaurants are changing the way they connect with their customers. We’re living in an environment where face-to-face interactions with consumers is no longer an option for most businesses.
When the coronavirus crisis emerged, every organization had to adapt at incredible speed. Some companies have had a harder time making the change than others and the restaurant industry is no exception. We’re seeing more and more restaurants shutdown for good because of the pandemic, but some restaurants have been able to thrive on their ability to offer excellent experiences to guests at a distance.
The question is, how do you continue to capture the hearts and minds of your audience during difficult times without breaking the bank?
Here are just a few options to get you started.
Access Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is quickly becoming a necessity for modern business leaders. As more of your guests spend their spare time online, social media is your chance to connect with them on a deeper level.
Also fortunately, there are tons of ways to get involved on social and it’s free for the most part. Your restaurant might have an interactive Facebook page where you respond to customer queries and host regular polls about your next big dish.
You could have a Pinterest page where you showcase your fresh and locally sourced ingredients while giving fans tips on how to cook up a storm.
Instagram is an increasingly popular social channel for today’s restaurant brands. With Instagram, you can make your meals look incredible using Stories, filters, and even Live video posts.
Remember, take the time to research your audience and find out which channels they use most before you create your accounts.
Create Your Own eBook
If your restaurant had to close for the pandemic, your guests surely miss all the deliciousness you provided. What if you could give them at least part of that experience in the comfort and security of their homes?
One of the most coveted pieces of the restaurant puzzle are the recipes that you have to offer. Pick a handful of recipes that you don’t mind sharing with your loyal followers and share them in an eBook.
This will attract more customers to your social pages and website by giving them something valuable to share with friends. You could even consider using your eBook on a website landing page.
The last thing you want to do is give your customers all your secret recipes so that they never have to come back to you. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t let them peek behind the curtain from time to time.
This page might ask your customers to leave their email address in exchange for a download, so that you have yet another way to connect with potential consumers. You can even add some of your existing content to your eBook to reduce the work involved.
And on top of all, your customers will appreciate your efforts to stay connected even if your doors had to be closed for service.
Start a YouTube Channel
These days, there’s more to standing out in the digital landscape than having a blog and website. Your audience is constantly consuming all kinds of different content. If you want to boost your chances of earning all the right attention, you need to make sure you’re experimenting with various options.
A YouTube channel where you can post amazing videos is an excellent place to start.
Before you start building your YouTube channel, decide what kind of videos you’re going to produce. You might offer a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in your restaurant’s kitchen. This is a great chance to showcase your hygiene standards and the professionalism of your team.
Another option could be to teach your guests how to use a wide variety of ingredients in their own meals at home. You could show off how to create simple versions of some of your favorite dishes. You might even have a member of staff produce weekly videos on how to mix delicious cocktails.
A YouTube channel will not only connect you to customers who are already familiar with your restaurants but could help you reach some new audiences too, boosting your online reputation.
Optimize Your Online Presence
In uncertain times, people turn to the internet to connect with the brands they can’t necessarily reach offline. If you don’t have a strong online presence yet, now is the time to start building one.
Remember that a restaurant experience goes beyond just tasty food. Make your website a treat to look at, too.
Your website can leave a big impression on your customers. Make sure to include your hours, offers, specialties, etc. Make your contact info visible and provide several ways for customers to reach you with any inquiries.
In order for your customers to find you, you also need to make the website search-engine-friendly.
Keywords are just one of the components of a solid search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. With SEO you can boost your chances of ranking towards the top of the search results for the terms your audience searches for online.
You can also work on building partnerships and earning backlinks from other popular companies in your area.
Do you offer delivery? Include this info on your pages. This is a great opportunity to cash in on the benefits of local SEO and reach people in your area looking for delicious meals.
A blog where you post regular stories about your restaurant or share valuable information will be a great opportunity to boost your ranking potential. Just make sure that you’re producing engaging content consistently.
Improve Your Google My Business Listing
Finally, if you want to ramp up your Google presence, then a Google My Business (GMB) listing will definitely help. This is an excellent tool for companies that want to attract local customers – like restaurants.
Applying for your listing is free, and you can place all of the essential information that people need to know about your business on the page.
GMB listings come with things like maps that show your customers how to find you, and phone numbers so people can get in touch instantly. Your Google My Business space is also an excellent opportunity to showcase reviews and testimonials from happy customers.
Encourage your customers to leave reviews by offering them discounts on their next purchases, or a chance to win something as part of a prize draw. The more social proof you have on Google, the more likely you are to attract new clients.
Stand Out in Uncertain Times
When complicated times change how we live and work, consumers are bound to remember the companies that give them the most thoughtful and positive experiences.
If you can show your customers that you have their best interests in mind now and improve your brand image, you can set yourself up for outstanding results.
When trying the tactics above, don’t’ forget to measure things like customer satisfaction and retention rates. Tracking your results will give you an insight into which strategies work best for your audience so that you can invest more confidently in the future.
About the Author
Ashley Wilson is a content creator, writing about business and tech. She has been known to reference movies in casual conversation and enjoys baking homemade treats for her husband and their two felines, Lady and Gaga. You can get in touch with Ashley via Twitter.