Introduction
We understand how challenging it can be, for restaurant owners, managers, or marketers, to consistently post content that will engage and resonate with your audience. It’s not easy.
You want to show customers that you’re listening and that you care about their experiences with your restaurant. You want them to feel like they are part of a community.
It is important to test and analyze what works best for your audience so that you can provide content they will find interesting.
If you need help coming up with ideas for your restaurant’s social media campaign, check the following list of our top tips. This list has a great mix of tried and tested ideas that could really catch on with your following.
1. Encourage customers to take and share pictures of your food
Getting customers to share photos of your food is a great way to engage with them as well as to promote your content. It is not easy to get everyone on board, but there are some things that you can do to make it happen.
You could ask politely by saying something like “Please tag us when sharing on Instagram or Facebook!”
Or you could offer incentives—for example, “If someone tags us on Instagram today with a picture of one of our dishes and mentions ‘delicious,’ we’ll give them $10 off their next visit.”
Make sure all your social profiles are visible and easy for them to find!
2. Share user-generated content on your page
We’ve mentioned this one before, user-generated content is a great way to connect with your customers. Not only will this give them a spotlight, but it also shows that you value their opinions and take the time for them.
To get the most out of user-generated content, try reposting some of the best photos and comments. You can also ask for your customers’ opinions on new dishes or other topics, and share their responses with everyone! This will help you build better relationships with your followers as well.
3. Use social media ads
Nearly every social media platform allows you to create and promote content through paid advertising. Using social media by itself is great to increase your restaurant brand’s visibility and awareness but using targeted ads to promote menu items or specials is among the best social media campaigns that you can do.
If you want your restaurant to get serious about marketing, spending on online ads becomes something mandatory. If you want to stand out from the crowd and stay competitive, you should be looking into it.
But running ad campaigns by itself won’t guarantee any success, it is also a skill you as an owner or marketer will need to learn.
We recommend focusing your advertising efforts on Instagram and Facebook, as they have massive user bases and have the potential for you to reach a lot of people.
4. Showcase your menu with your audience!
A picture speaks a thousand words, and it’s easy to understand what’s on the menu just by looking at it. It also gives potential customers an idea of what they can expect if they visit your restaurant, so consider including pictures of popular dishes or meals that are served.
If you want to include more than just photos in your social media posts about food (we call it “food social campaigns”), it’s helpful to link back to the full menu online so people can see everything you offer without having to scroll through each photo individually (and you don’t have to worry about making sure everything matches up).
5. Engage with customers
Your restaurant should use social media to create a personal connection with customers. Social media is the perfect platform to share photos, engage in conversation, and provide customer service. Remember: customer service is key!
Make sure you have a social media manager who can respond to questions and comments quickly and efficiently. This will show customers that you care about them and listen to what they have to say.
6. Share relevant news in your industry
If there’s something that’s happening with restaurants or food in general, feel free to share it. This can be anything from national stories to local news and even what’s going on at your own restaurant. The key is to make sure it’s relevant to your audience. Share news that matters to your customers, you also can include a link back to your website for more information.
This is a good opportunity to create content that will attract customers and advertise the fact that your restaurant is part of the local community. This is another way to show customers that your company cares about more than just making money!
7. Engage with Video Content
An engaging video campaign can help you build a loyal following. You can use it to show off your restaurant, share food videos, promote special promotions, and even run contests.
If you plan to create videos for your restaurant’s Instagram account or other social media platforms, there are three things that will help them be more effective:
- Understand your audience likes: You should be able to tell what kind of content your followers will be interested in. If you’re not sure, try creating some sample videos and testing them out on different audiences. This will help you identify any gaps in the content that you’re sharing as well as get ideas for new types of posts!
- Use the right lighting: The lighting in the room where you shoot should be flattering and not too bright. A good rule of thumb is that it should look like natural sunlight outside during the day. This type of lighting also helps keep colors true so they’re not washed out or dulled by artificial light sources such as fluorescent bulbs and incandescent bulbs.
- Keep it clean: Keeping your kitchen or filming place clean is important to give a good impression. You may be creating a video of your perfectly crafted dish but if its surroundings are dirty and a mess, it will not make any impact on the viewers.
8. Show behind the scenes at the restaurant
Another way to make your restaurant video stand out is to show a behind-the-scenes look at your restaurant. This can include what goes on before opening, how you prepare food, and even interviews with staff members.
You can also make a tour of the kitchen and other areas of your restaurant, something that can be especially handy for those who have never been to your establishment before, This can help your viewers connect with you on a personal level and put them into your shoes.
9. Run a contest
Running contests is a great way of engaging your followers and getting them involved. A contest can be almost anything, from submitting photos of your products to sharing their favorite recipe using one of your ingredients.
Make sure your customers have fun with the product by running a simple giveaway where they share something about themselves in order to enter. This will make it feel more personal, and you’ll get to know them better!
If you want to start a contest, here are some tips:
- Make it fun. A simple “like and share this post” isn’t going to do it. It needs to be something that makes people want to participate, like asking them how they would use a product or service if they won.
- Make it easy for them to enter the contest by using an app or website like Rafflecopter (which we’ve used with great success).
- Offer a prize that your customers will value. Consider offering gift cards or even free meals at your restaurant as prizes instead — those are things people really want!
10. Use local influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is a great way to reach new audiences and build your brand. Influencers can help you increase your following, increase engagement, and create buzz around your restaurant.
This type of marketing is more effective when using Instagram. In fact, 67% of brands use Instagram for influencer marketing because of the chances of attracting a wider audience by using stories, polls, and other great features.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many options for a restaurant’s social media campaign. When planning your own, think about what makes your restaurant unique and how to communicate that through your posts. Whatever approach you take, it will help if your content is consistent and engaging—and truly reflects what makes your restaurant great! And that’s the best restaurant social media campaign!
If you’re not sure where to start, these ideas will help you get started and even spark your creativity to stand out from the competition.
If you ever need any help, make sure to send us a message, or if you need some ideas for social media campaigns. One of our agency’s main strengths is social media.