How has Instagram Changed the Game for Restaurant Marketing?
Many of us have seen the common phrase, “phone eats first” while scrolling through social media pages. The fact of the matter is that restaurant goers have always eaten with their eyes first. And now, many foodies want to make sure their phones “eat” first, too.
Thanks to the “phone eats first” craze and overall popularity of social media, flawless food presentation has become an expectation for the restaurant dining experience.
Because of this, the pressure to be “Insta-worthy” (as the Gen Zers love to say) has led many restaurant owners to rethink menu items to better serve the photo-happy guests coming through the door.
When a local juice bar in Bloomington, Indiana, inBloom Eats + Juice, added a new menu item (the OG Acai Smoothie Bowl) their store quickly went from just over $200/day to oftentimes over $2,000/day!
Now, was it it great product with great timing? Absolutely! I mean would you look at it??👇👇
More importantly, however, was the digital and social media impact their acai bowls had on the college campus in Bloomington.
As a matter of fact, after surveying their customers, it was discovered that almost 90% of people walking through their doors heard about inBloom from a social media referral of a friend.
For this reason, restaurants across the country are incentivizing photography, using things like artificial greenery walls, bricks, neon signs and lighting. Some restaurants even create designated “Instagram walls” that include hashtags and logos.
So the secret’s out…we all know that social media & influencer marketing works, but how exactly can your restaurant take advantage?
5 proven tactics your restaurant can utilize today to build your online presence & sales:
Repost your customers’ posts
There’s no easier way to market your business than re-posting your customers’ posts. Tools like repost app make this even easier! Just make sure to give the author credit & tag them.
Create videos
Instagram may be a photo-first platform, but studies show that videos are what really catch our ever-scrolling eyes. Video is also an easy way to give your followers an insider look as to what happens behind the scenes.
Interact with your customers’ posts
When someone posts about your restaurant, consider this a huge win, but don’t stop there! Give them a shout and thank them for coming. Ask them about their experience, and consider recommending a comparable dish for their next visit.
Parter with another business
Collaborate with nearby local business through shared events, joint offerings, etc. When you work together, both businesses gain exposure to both audiences — multiplying your reach!
Create an influencer program
Consider building an offer for your local community influencers & best advocates. Oftentimes, when we hear the word “influencer”, we think of the Kim Kardashians of the world.
However, it’s important to note that more often that not locals in our very own community have the greatest influence & referral power over their peers and your potential customers!
Not sure where to start? Townee Deals allow you to collaborate with the locals in your community ready and eager to help grow your business— your current customers & biggest advocates.
Getting started on Townee is as simple as building an offer for customers walking through your doors or influential “Townees” in your business’ vicinity. Offers include freebies or discounted products & experiences.
What will you get?
1) Organic Reviews: after claiming your business’s deal, each Townee influencer may be required to leave an organic review on your platform of choice. Before you know it, your business’ positive reviews will be through the roof!
2) Organic Social Posts: in exchange for the offer the influencer receives, you’ll have Townee influencers post a natural social post of your product & their experience for all of their followers to see.
3) Referrals + Foot Traffic: a unique promo code you can give to each Townee influencer incentives them to share your business with even more friends. Think of it like a shared loyalty card. By sharing their code, Townee influencers bring many paying customers through your doors. After their friends “punch” their loyalty card enough times (lots of friends making lots of purchases), you’ll be thrilled to reward them with additional perks!
Hope this helps take your restaurant’s marketing game to the next level! If you’re ready to build your first influencer program, get started with Townee today.
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