Put your restaurant on the map by finding the right tools and strategies to boost your marketing reach.
Still reeling from the fallout of COVID-19, restaurants must rely heavily on serving customers through delivery, take-out service, and / or curbside pickup.
Despite the immeasurable challenges COVID-19 poses, restaurants around the world have been stepping up their digital game.
While digital marketing has been used in the restaurant industry for decades, it has now become an indispensable part of your business strategy. The coronavirus pandemic, among other factors, is forcing many food establishments to rethink their marketing tactics and find new ways to connect with their customers. If you want your restaurant to thrive in today’s business climate, digitization should be at the top of your priority list.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the top restaurant digital marketing trends that are taking off in 2021:
Email marketing automation
It’s no secret that email marketing is the holy grail of digital marketing communication. Not only is it a cost-effective way to optimize your restaurant’s marketing efforts, but it has an average ROI of 4,400 per cent, which translates to Rs.3000 for every rs.73 spent.
Plus, you have a lot of creative freedom to create email campaigns that will resonate with your potential customers, including:
1.Welcome Emails – These emails represent the world’s most open and read marketing emails.
2.Custom Discount Emails – More than 70 per cent of email recipients will open emails containing discounts or special offers.
3.Online Order Tracking Emails – Tracking is crucial, with nearly one in four Gen X diners ordering online more than three times a week.
Brand Videos
If you really want to take your restaurant marketing to the next level, then you need to be visual.
Using video content is a powerful way to help your business get recognized online. Recent studies show that a whopping 76 percent of adults make a purchase after watching a marketing video.
With branded videos, you have the opportunity to really showcase your delicious menu items, share the ins and outs of your restaurant operations, and introduce satisfied customers to drive more foot traffic in your restaurant.
The best part is that your video can be easily shared on social media, email, your website, and other platforms, giving you ample opportunity for your audience to view and share it.
Text-based notifications
Sometimes long lines at restaurants can clog waiting areas and drive potential customers away. To combat this, many restaurants have implemented text-based notifications, which send a text alert to customers when their table is ready.
The good news is that restaurants can also take advantage of text messages for marketing purposes. Whether it is a fine dining establishment or serving fast food, there are various marketing campaigns that can help you promote your business.
Here are some examples of how restaurateurs can serve their customers via SMS:
1.Offer special offers, coupons and other urgent offers.
2.Deliver booking, order and payment confirmations.
3.Send happy hour alerts.
4.Run trivia contests and promotions.
Free WiFi for Visitors
Digital marketing is influencing almost every aspect of the dining experience.
With increasingly expensive data plans, there’s no faster way to turn unique customers into repeat customers than with free WiFi.
Connectivity is paramount, especially since more than half of guests take free WiFi into account when determining where they want to eat.
In addition to meeting customer expectations, here are some additional benefits of offering free Internet access:
1.Increased Pedestrian Traffic – Complimentary WiFi draws everyone from the 9-5 to the casual weekend warrior.
2.More time and money invested: More than 50 per cent of companies say that providing free WiFi has generated higher sales.
3.Free Brand Awareness: For customers who are taking photos of their food, providing complimentary WiFi will make them more inclined to tag your restaurant in their social media posts, giving them more exposure.
Food delivery services
Still reeling from the aftermath of COVID-19, restaurants must rely heavily on serving customers through delivery, take-out service, and / or curbside pickup. Therefore, it is no wonder why online food ordering software has become increasingly popular in recent months.
In addition to making the food ordering experience quick and easy, food delivery partners continue to be a popular choice for restaurants, allowing them to serve a wider range of customers. To ensure you get the most out of your online food ordering software, be sure to update your POS system, assess your kitchen line, and train your staff on new protocols.
Make your restaurant stand out with digital marketing
Now that you have a solid understanding of the major digital marketing trends in the restaurant industry, it’s your turn. Put your restaurant on the map by finding the right tools and strategies to boost your marketing reach. With a combination of patience, innovation, and the right approach, you’ll start to increase your profit margins in no time.
