Top 10 Simple Actions for Restaurant Promotion
As a restaurant owner, promoting your establishment and attracting new customers can be a challenging task in a competitive market. However, implementing simple and effective marketing strategies can help drive more traffic to your restaurant and increase revenue. In this article, we have compiled a list of the top 10 simple actions that you can take to promote your restaurant and stand out from the crowd. These strategies are easy to implement and have the potential to significantly impact your bottom line. Let’s go!
Optimize your restaurant website for search engines to increase visibility
Having a well-optimized website can help your restaurant appear higher in search engine results, making it more likely for customers to find you. This can be achieved through SEO best practices such as keyword research, meta descriptions, header tags, and optimized images. A study by Search Engine Land found that restaurants appearing on the first page of Google search results receive 92% of clicks. Using Umbi Space SEO+ tools will certainly boost the visits of your website 🚀.
Here are some steps to boost your website traffic:
Here are some steps to boost your website traffic:
Create a separate page for each menu item with photos and a detailed description to increase visibility for search queries like "where to eat [dish name] in [city]" (e.g. "where to eat a delicious taco in New York").
If you offer event rentals (concerts, meetings, etc.), create posts or a dedicated page with descriptions and photos to attract potential customers.
If you offer special services like banquets, weddings, or catering, create portfolio pages and posts to be easily found for search queries such as "restaurant for weddings in Brooklyn".
Optimize your website with keywords, meta descriptions, and tags to improve its search engine ranking.
Offer online ordering and delivery through your website
By offering online ordering and delivery through your website, customers can easily order their favorite dishes without having to leave their homes. This not only provides a convenient option for customers, but also increases the likelihood of repeat business. According to several recent surveys, on average 63% of customers stated that they were more likely to order from a restaurant again if they had a positive online ordering experience.
Offer the ability to order and pay on your website (or through a delivery website) for customers’ convenience.
Promote the features of your website by posting links everywhere, such as business cards and packaging, and don;t forget to change the design periodically to avoid ad fatigue.
Promote your website by posting about the features on social networks and mentioning it in posts, photos, and videos.
Advertise your delivery options locally to reach a wider audience.
If your restaurant is located near a business center or residential area where you can deliver within 5 minutes, make sure to spread awareness of your restaurant to potential customers.
Takeaway
Additionally, consider offering pickup and takeaway options, as they can be more profitable than delivery. This eliminates the need to worry about couriers, vehicles, delivery time, and quality.
Promote pickup orders to customers.
Establish a routine for customers to order from your restaurant by offering coupons for their first three orders and discounts for takeaway.
The clients are ordering, the revenue is growing, the business is thriving!
Offering take-away and pick-up options can help increase revenue for your restaurant, especially during times when dining-in may not be possible or desirable. According to a recent survey, over 70% of people say they have used a take-away or delivery service during the pandemic. By promoting your pick-up options on your restaurant's website and through social media, you can reach a wider audience and make it easier for customers to order from you.
Ask customers for feedback and make changes based on their suggestions
Asking customers for feedback and making changes based on their suggestions shows that you value their opinions and are committed to improving your service. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and repeat business. According to a study by British researchers, companies that excel at customer experience have a loyal customer rate of 89%, compared to 33% for companies that underperform. By the way, collecting reviews online help you to get some of customers’ data, such as emails 🤫
Our advice:
Our advice:
Adhere to the "Keep Negative Offline" principle by having negative reviews submitted through a designated form instead of publicly on Google Maps or TripAdvisor.
Require for feedback in different ways (using QR codes on packages, in menu, on your website, etc)
Incentivize customers to leave reviews by offering perks such as bonuses, discounts, or complimentary desserts.
A real case from our experience:
The coffee shop provided desserts in exchange for reviews. It led to a significant increase in attendance (+37%) and revenue (+16%). With the added bonus of a gift, customers not only returned but brought along friends and family. They not only enjoyed desserts but also purchased coffee, and even recommended the coffee shop to others. As a bonus, this resulted in positive ratings on Google Maps
The coffee shop provided desserts in exchange for reviews. It led to a significant increase in attendance (+37%) and revenue (+16%). With the added bonus of a gift, customers not only returned but brought along friends and family. They not only enjoyed desserts but also purchased coffee, and even recommended the coffee shop to others. As a bonus, this resulted in positive ratings on Google Maps
Use email marketing to send out newsletters, promotions, and special offers
Email marketing is a cost-effective way to reach a large audience and promote your restaurant. By sending out newsletters, promotions, and special offers, you can keep your customers informed and entice them to return. A study by the Direct Marketing Association found that email marketing has an average Return on Investment of 122%, which is 4 times higher than other marketing formats. By the way, Umbi Space has a built-in auto mailing service 🤭
Plan your newsletter schedule and content (for example 2 mailings per week, one with updates on your restaurant and promotions, and the other with receipts.)
Consider including a weekly roundup of your social media posts, such as from Instagram.
And Remember: email marketing still works!
Run regular promotions and discounts, and promote them on your website and social media channels
Running regular promotions and discounts is a great way to entice customers to try your restaurant. By promoting these offers on your website and social media channels, you can reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your restaurant. According to a study by HubSpot, 63% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase from a website that offers regular promotions.
Offer a discount for the first few customers who order online (for example, 30% off for the first 3 clients). We both boost the number of online orders, and stimulate clients to be more attentive to our account.
Encourage repeat visits by offering coupons for a future visit.
‘Complimentary Desserts: come and get a dessert for free!’ - Offer free desserts to increase visits and boost revenue. Customers are likely to order additional items, such as coffee, and may become loyal and recommend your restaurant to others, leading to an increase in new customers. The promotion is valid only for visiting the restaurant, does not apply to takeaway orders
Offer loyalty programs to reward your repeat customers:
Loyalty programs incentivize customers to return to your restaurant and recommend it to their friends and family. This can lead to increased repeat business and can also help to spread the word about your restaurant. A study by Bond found that loyal customers are 5 times more likely to make a repeat purchase than new customers.
Bonus System: Offer customers points for every purchase they make, which they can redeem for rewards such as discounts, free items, or exclusive promotions.
Tiered Rewards: Create different levels of rewards based on the frequency and amount of purchases, giving customers more incentive to spend more and visit more often.
Personalized Offers: Send promo codes and discounts to people who haven’t come for a long time. Show them your care.
Create a restaurant blog to share news, menu updates, and behind-the-scenes stories and keep blogging on social media
A restaurant blog is a great way to share news, updates, and interesting stories about your restaurant. By providing valuable content, you can build a strong relationship with your customers and keep them engaged with your brand. According to a study by Hubspot, companies that blog receive 97% more links to their website.
Increase Online Sales: Your social media audience, who discovered you through friends' Insta stories or geotags, may not be aware that you have a website with online ordering capabilities. Include links to your website on your social media channels to attract new customers.
Consistent Content Creation: Regularly create and publish blog posts and social media updates to keep your audience engaged and informed about your restaurant.
Targeted Keywords: Optimize your content by using targeted keywords relevant to your restaurant to increase its visibility on search engines.
Visual Appeal: Use eye-catching images and videos in your content to grab the attention of your audience and make your posts more shareable.
Interaction and Engagement: Encourage interaction and engagement with your audience by asking questions, responding to comments, and holding contests or polls.
Use Google My Business to increase visibility and manage your restaurant’s online presence
By creating a Google My Business listing for your restaurant, you can increase its visibility on Google and make sure that relevant information about your restaurant, such as its address, hours, and contact information, is readily available to potential customers. This can also improve your restaurant's search engine rankings, making it easier for people to find your restaurant when searching for restaurants in your area. Additionally, you can use Google My Business to manage your restaurant's online presence, including responding to reviews, posting updates, and creating posts that highlight special offers or menu items.
Complete and Accurate Information: Ensure that your Google My Business profile has complete and accurate information, including your restaurant's address, phone number, hours of operation, menu, and photos.
Respond to Reviews: Regularly monitor and respond to reviews on your Google My Business profile, as they can greatly impact your restaurant's online reputation.
Utilize Keywords: Optimize your Google My Business profile by incorporating relevant keywords in your restaurant's name, description, and categories. Use the name of your city, district, mention ‘order online’, ‘delivery’, ‘takeaway’
Add Photos and Videos: Include high-quality photos and videos that showcase your restaurant's menu, ambiance, and unique features to attract potential customers.
Encourage Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your Google My Business profile, as this can help increase visibility and credibility. Aim to maintain a rating of at least 4.5.
Monitor Insights: Use the insights provided by Google My Business to track your profile's performance and make data-driven decisions on how to improve your online presence. This can include tracking the number of views, calls, and direction requests to your restaurant.
Partnering with Food Bloggers and Influencers:
Partnering with food bloggers and influencers can help you reach a new audience and promote your restaurant in a more personal and engaging way. For example, you could offer to provide a meal for the blogger or influencer in exchange for a review or a mention on their social media channels. By leveraging their existing audiences and credibility, you can build trust and attract new customers to your restaurant.
Identify target audience: Determine the audience you want to reach and find food bloggers and influencers who cater to that demographic. This helps to ensure that the collaboration is a good fit for both parties.
Offer incentives: Offer bonuses such as exclusive discounts or special menu items to incentivize bloggers and influencers to promote your restaurant. Or make a discount for bloggers: 1000 followers = 5% off. The larger the following, the lower the cost!
Create engaging content: Collaborate with influencers to create engaging content such as food photography, recipe development, or cooking demonstrations to showcase your menu.
Host blogging events at your restaurant: the more food bloggers in attendance, the more opportunities for stories, posts, and geotagging.
Monitor results: Monitor the results of your collaboration and adjust your strategy as needed to ensure maximum impact. Keep track of metrics such as online orders, reservations, and website traffic to gauge the success of your partnership.
By the way, every mentioned feature is available on Umbi Space. Elevate your business with Umbi Space's comprehensive suite of functions. Unveil all the possibilities and see your revenue soar 🔥
