5 Online Marketing Strategies for the Restaurateur

Posted on June 10, 2013 by

Make your restaurant stand out with these online marketing strategies.

Marketing means spreading a message, and online marketing allows businesses to share that message with customers on a personal level. How can a restaurateur make the most of marketing online? Here are five suggestions for effective online marketing strategies for restaurateurs:

1. Monitor your online presence. Many businesses can benefit from an active presence on free social media platforms and restaurant review websites. There are many social media sites to monitor and manage, though, so focus your interests on the platforms that make the most sense for your business. Review websites are a good place to start.

2. Be authentic. Focus on creating an authentic experience that accurately reflects your business, and don't create fake accounts on review websites to give yourself good ratings! Let your service speak for itself.

3. Offer exclusive social media discounts. Make it worth a customer's while to like, follow, or fan your business page online. Restaurants could bring business in by offering a discount to customers who:

Post photos of their meals
Like or share your page or profile
Check in at the location
Give your restaurant a positive review

4. Don't delete negative comments. Monitor your reviews and ratings and reach out to customers who may have had a negative experience. Show that you acknowledge the complaint and are dedicated to fixing it. Often, when something goes wrong for a customer, acknowledgement goes a long way toward resolving an issue. Businesses that hide or delete negative comments may not inspire trust in consumers.

5. Keep your website up-to-date and smartphone-friendly. You don't need to invest big bucks in a fancy website, but maintaining a site with current menu and location information, accurate prices, and a mobile-friendly design can help your restaurant's online presence – and search engine results – gain a big boost.

Restaurateurs can take advantage of current marketing trends to establish a positive online presence. Are you interested in learning more about how to use marketing to grow your business? Find out how you can become a member of AMA Tampa Bay by visiting our website today!

Posted in More and tagged Advertising, AMA, AMA Tampa Bay, American Marketing Association, Clearwater, connection ally, food, makeover, Marketing, Media, membership, online marketing, PR, publicity, Restaurants, sarasota, Social Media, St. Petersburg, Tampa