Being a restaurant owner brings plenty of challenges. You constantly have to juggle staffing issues, peak times, inventory, and much more. However, in the digital world we live in today, digital marketing for restaurants has never been more important. Since many customers search online for restaurants before visiting one, having a good online presence is a necessity today. This leads to the question of whether your restaurant marketing is at the level it needs to be? We’ve answered some of the top questions you might have about your restaurant marketing.

Why Do Your Customers Visit Your Website?

Understanding your customer base is the first thing every restaurant owner should do. You have to be able to cater to your customers both digitally and in-person to create loyal customers today. So if your main customer base wants a quality meal and isn’t worried about pricing, then it doesn’t do much good to advertise discounts on your website. Instead, show them a new menu item or highlight an existing quality item so they get exactly what they’re coming to your website for.

How Do Your Customers Find You Online?

Having a solid online presence doesn’t mean you have to hire a full-time employee to manage your digital presence. However, it’s important to understand exactly how your customers find you online so you can improve certain areas. You can improve your SEO by writing occasional blog posts, being active on social media, and having an easy-to-read-and-navigate website. Evaluate your metrics often to determine whether most of your traffic comes from Facebook, Instagram, or even general online searches. These metrics can help you improve your restaurant marketing in areas that don’t generate as much traffic.

What Is Your Restaurant’s Online Reputation?

Managing your online reputation is critical today. It’s impossible to satisfy every customer 100%. But you can turn a negative situation into a positive one by the way you handle a disgruntled customer. Monitor your Google Reviews, Yelp reviews, social media mentions, and any other place customers can leave reviews about your restaurant. It’s usually a good restaurant marketing strategy to ask customers to leave online reviews if they were satisfied with your service since many new customers base their next visit on positive reviews.

Does Website Traffic Convert To Customers?

Converting website traffic to customers in your restaurant can be a difficult metric to measure. One way to accomplish it is by having an online reservation feature for your customers. You can also track what brought the traffic to your website to begin with, such as an email newsletter, social media promotion, or anything else. Digital marketing for restaurants has to be flexible, and it’s easier to be flexible when you have plenty of metrics to evaluate.

Do You Have The Ideal Social Media Presence?

Simply having a social media account isn’t going to earn you business today. Customers expect you to engage with them on social media and respond to comments or inquiries quickly. Only advertising promotions or specials might get some customers to visit occasionally. But what’s more effective is mixing your posts with some entertaining ones based on your target customer base. The idea behind your social media presence is to humanize your brand so customers can feel more connected to you.

Is Newsletter Marketing Worth It For Restaurants?

Most restaurant marketing companies still see a lot of value in newsletter marketing. Always evaluate the interactions with your newsletter, whether it’s posted on social media, sent via email, or simply posted on your website. Mix in various points on your newsletter rather than just promoting your food or drink specials. A newsletter provides a perfect opportunity to pull back the curtain on your establishment and show your customers what your true values are.

Is Your Restaurant Widely Known Throughout Your Community?

Making your brand widely known comes down to being active in the community. Hosting events at your restaurant is a great way to attract new customers. Volunteering for certain organizations is valuable to promote your brand as well. Never miss an opportunity to create additional brand exposure. Your efforts will be rewarded in the long run.

What Makes A Restaurant Website Valuable?

Customers often take the path of least resistance when it comes to selecting a restaurant. When they visit your website, they expect to see a clean navigation menu, photos of your food selection, pricing, and more. They also want to know whether you offer delivery, curbside pick-up, or dine-in only. Providing customers with everything they need to know without overwhelming them is tricky. This is why many restaurant owners rely on restaurant marketing companies to help them design and manage their website to ensure no steps are missed that could lead to lost customers.

At iwebcontent, we respect the hustle restaurant owners have to do every single day. With all of the responsibilities you have to juggle, digital marketing is likely the last thing you think about. But the reality is it’s too important to neglect, so that’s where our experts enter the picture. We can manage your website, drive traffic, and give your customers what they want to see without you having to lift a finger. When you’re ready to take your restaurant marketing to the next level, contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our experts.