Americans on average eat out about 5.9 times a week.
It’s easier and more convenient to grab a delicious meal after a long day of work than to cook and clean afterward. It’s also fun to eat together and socialize over take-out or at a restaurant.
However, if you own a restaurant, you know that the competition is tough. You need a way to capture customers’ attention so that when they’re looking for a tasty meal, they go to you.
There are some restaurant marketing techniques that you can implement to steer customers toward your restaurant. Check out these five marketing hacks to get your restaurant noticed.
1. Use Local SEO
If you own a burger restaurant, you want to appear in local search results of people who live near your restaurant and are searching for the best burger restaurants.
By implementing local SEO practices, you are increasing the chance of your restaurant appearing in local search results. You can do this by optimizing your website for local SEO.
Another tip is to make sure your restaurant’s profile and information are updated through listings such as Yelp.
2. Hold Giveaways and Contests on Social Media
Another marketing strategy of a restaurant business is leveraging the power of social media through contests or giveaways. You can set up a contest on one of your social media platforms and offer up a prize such as free food or a restaurant gift card.
3. Set up a Website and Blog
Consider setting up a website to build brand identity and credibility. When researching restaurant options, a consumer may be looking for your website to look at the menu. Your website will also increase your chances of appearing in local search results.
You can also have a blog and create content. You can update customers about anything new and provide relevant and informative content that is optimized for SEO.
Consumers like to research and learn about businesses before purchasing from them. The same can be said in the food industry, for example, through the SQF program.
4. Set up a Loyalty Program
You can set up a food loyalty program to reward loyal customers and keep them coming back. You can create a mobile app where customers can sign into and check-in whenever they visit your restaurant to accumulate points.
You can offer rewards for point milestones or send a birthday reward to treat customers on their birthdays. You can also set up a loyalty program through an email campaign.
5. Set up Mobile Ordering
By setting up mobile ordering you can offer customers a convenient way to order food.
With mobile ordering, customers can quickly order food without having to wait on hold or deal with background noise on the phone. In fact, nearly 32% of millennials use pre-ordering.
Final Thoughts on Restaurant Marketing Techniques
By implementing the above restaurant marketing tips, you can expand your reach and show customers that you are there to answer their food cravings.
Did you enjoy this post? To learn more marketing tips for your business, check out more articles on our blog.