Facebook offers a fantastic opportunity for restaurants to connect with their customers. If you use this social media platform well it can be a great Restaurant Marketing tool and can help you to successfully spread the word about your business.
Not on Facebook yet? Don’t worry, it’s not too difficult to get set up. Start by putting together a Facebook fan page for the restaurant and uploading some beautiful photos of the food that you have to offer. Your cover image is 851×351 pixels and this image should be visually striking and should grab the attention of your visitors. Also, make sure that you fill out your profile with your information, so that your customers know where you are located and what hours you are open.
Once you have created a profile, it’s time to get to work and start using Facebook for marketing. So how can you make the most of Facebook when it comes to promoting your restaurant? Here are some helpful tips you can keep in mind.
Encourage Facebook Check-Ins
Facebook has a feature that allows people to check-in when they visit your restaurant through the Facebook app on their phones. When your customers do this it will show up on the news feeds of all their friends and it will be a recommendation for their friends to go to the restaurant. The check-in will be connected to the Facebook page, so their friends will be able to click on the link and be directed to their page. This is a great way to promote your business, so make sure that you are encouraging customers to check in.
Set Up an Interactive Promotion
Why not set up a promotion on Facebook that your customers can participate in? For example, you can ask your followers to mention your restaurant in their status in order to receive a special discount. Or you can offer them a special deal or a free drink if they take a photo of their meal and tag your Facebook page. These types of promotions are fun for your guests and they also encourage people to spread the word about your restaurant on Facebook. Essentially, you will be getting your customers to promote your restaurant for you – which offers you a huge advantage.
In-Store Marketing
Another important way you can use Facebook to promote your restaurant is to use in-store marketing to encourage people to check-in and to take a look at your Facebook page. You can have a message reminding people to “Like” you on Facebook on a sign on the wall, a card on the table or within the menus. Or, you can even place a friendly reminder at the bottom of the receipt. Give them a reason to like the Facebook page – such as exclusive deals or updates on daily specials.
Use Geo-Targeted Adds
Facebook ads can be a worthwhile investment and they can be targeted toward a specific location and demographic – making them much more effective. Target your Facebook ads to your specific geographic location so that they will be seen by the people who are close to your restaurant. You can also further tailor the ads so that they are seen by people with specific interests and likes.
Embed Video
Facebook is a great medium for sharing multi-media such as images and video. Share a cool video from your restaurant’s Facebook page and it is much more likely to be shared than a simple text update. You could create a video showing how your food is made, or perhaps an interview with your chef… the possibilities are endless.
Post Your Daily Specials
If you have a special of the day or a happy hour special, why not feature it on your Facebook page? You can post a photo of it a few hours before lunch, so that you get your fans hungry and excited. It should be a high quality photo that is well composed and makes the dish look delicious. If you get in the habit of posting the lunch specials or happy hour specials at a particular time of the day, your followers will start to expect them.
These are just a few of the creative ways that you can use Facebook to promote your restaurant. This social media platform has a lot of potential and most of your customers are already on it, so why make the most of it and spread the word about your delicious food?