The restaurant business is highly competitive these days. With over 100,000 restaurants in the United States, you need to be smart with your strategies to succeed in this niche. This article will discuss the best restaurant marketing ideas for 2022.
If you are wondering how you can bullet-proof your restaurant marketing strategy and become outstanding in the niche, here are some marketing ideas you can implement in 2022.
#1. Develop Your Restaurant Brand Identity
One of the best restaurant marketing ideas for 2022 is to develop your restaurant brand identity.
Brand identity is a big deal in the restaurant industry. And it goes beyond your brand color.
Your restaurant’s brand identity is the business personality, the tone of your content, and the emotions you inspire in your customers.
But to develop a great identity for your restaurant brand requires understanding your target audience.
Once you understand your audience, you can then segment them into individual buyer personas with different interests and lifestyles.
After establishing your audience and personas, select a theme and feel that blends well with your audience.
And don’t forget always to express your theme and feel in every content you create for your restaurant.
#2. Get a Website
Website is non-negotiable for your restaurant business. Wait! Is it possible to run a restaurant these days without having a website?
At least, you need a homepage, about us, menu, and contact page. You can include a review page, photo gallery, blog, and sometimes, even a FAQ page.
Furthermore, you have to optimize your website for keywords relating to your restaurant website.
Always remember that your website is the go-to for current and potential diners. So, try to make it very professional. And remember that first impressions matter.
#3. Have a Mission Statement
Your mission statement and your brand identity always go together. Try to document your mission statement, and it should express the objective of your business.
Every restaurant has its purpose. It could be making healthy food more affordable, encouraging family bonding, promoting sustainability, etc.
In a nutshell, your mission statement should explain what you provide, where/to whom you provide it, why you do it, and how you do it.
Read Also: 21 Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2021
#4. Set Up Your Social Media
No restaurant can survive in the 21st-century competitive environment without a social media presence.
The best social media platforms to promote your restaurant business are Facebook and Instagram.
But you can also establish your presence on TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and even LinkedIn. Learn more about our beginner’s guide to social media marketing.
#5. Get Listed on Restaurant Apps
One of the best restaurant marketing ideas is to get listed on dining and restaurant apps. Once people discover you on these apps, it will mean more fortune for your business.
Users of dining apps can use specific filters to find your restaurants. Some of these details are;
- Category
- Website
- Address and phone
- Store hours
- Menu
- Price Range
- Photos, and lots of them
- Attributes: wifi, outdoor seating, parking, special diets, etc.
There are several dining apps you can be listed on, some of these apps are;
- Yelp
- Zomato
- Open table
- Zagat
- TripAdvisor
#6. Set up Your Google Business Profile
If you run a restaurant in this digital age, you need to set up your Google my business profile.
Once you are listed on Google my business page, your restaurant will appear on Google maps, local search results, and right-side knowledge panel in regular search results.
Don’t just set up your profile. You also need to optimize your Google business profile so that you can appear in the local 3-pack, rank higher on Google maps and attract more customers from your listing.
Your Google Business Profile contains detailed information, which includes;
- Contact information
- Questions and answers
- Popular times
- Google reviews
- Reviews from elsewhere on the web
- Photos
- Category
- From the business
- Posts
Try to keep every information you post on Google my Business Profile is accurate and up-to-date.
The truth is, eaters love to do research online. According to reports, 89% of consumers research a restaurant online before dining.
So, it’s essential to keep your restaurant details online up to date. And this information includes address, phone number, hours, your current menu, etc.
The more accurate your online details are, the easier you can be discovered.
#7. Ask For Reviews
Online reviews play an essential role in the success of your restaurant business. Once your customers are happy and satisfied with your service, they will always be happy to leave you a review.
But once in a while, try to ask for reviews from your satisfied customers. Here are a few ways to prompt a customer to give you a review;
- Ask for them in person.
- Once in a while, ask in social posts
- Have an artistic and framed sign near the mints with an easy-to-remember link or QR code.
- Include a request and link on your website, menus, coupons, punch cards, and receipts.
#8. Respond to Your Customers’ Reviews
It’s important to always respond to your customers’ reviews. It gives the public a good impression about your restaurant.
Here are a few tips to consider the next time you respond to your customers’ reviews;
- When you respond to positive reviews, it gives your customers the impression that you value their input and encourage them for more feedback.
- Always thank your customers for their reviews, both the positive and negative ones.
- Try to publicly, politely, and professionally respond to negative reviews. After which, you offer to settle the issues offline.
