Social media has changed the way that we experience a lot of things and it has become a massive authority in marketing.
According to a report by Hootsuite and We Are Social there are now approximately 3.2 billion global social media users. With such a huge reach, social media not only allows brands ‘free’ exposure but also gives them the amazing opportunity to connect directly with their target audience.
Restaurants and food businesses have to get on board with the social media landscape if they are to stay ahead of the game, and not just survive but thrive. So why is social media so key to your business’ success?
1. Inexpensive marketing
Just starting your business? Don’t have the funds to pay for print advertising or a PR Agency? Social media has leveled the playing field by allowing new businesses to develop and get their brand stories out to their target audiences with little to no cost. You can create your personalised, relatable and definable brand in an instant by opening a social media account and getting out there.
2. Interactive marketing campaigns
Having social media fan pages and profiles means that you can control and tweak campaigns as they are happening. You are not constrained by printers or agencies timelines.
Want to run a 15% off promotion to give a quick boost to sales? Post it straight onto your Facebook page and see the results within hours and days rather than weeks. Social media posts can drive highly targeted traffic your way which can lead to incredible results. Alternatively, if something doesn’t work then you will hear the crickets straight away and can move on to a new tactic.
3. Your competition is already on there
Need we say more! Not only does this allow you to see what they are doing but being online also gives the impression that your brand is modern, available and reliable.
4. It is an amazing way for people to find your brand
Say a customer is online looking for a great place to eat out locally. They search for you via Facebook local area search. Then they click through to your social media pages and are immediately grabbed by the fantastic mouthwatering photos. They see photos that customers have tagged of themselves at your restaurant and are immediately sold on the whole thing and book a table.
It’s important to add links to your website, menu, or online booking system so that customers can easily find out more and have a strong call to action.
5. Social media marketing helps you understand your audience
This can be through the direct feedback customer give you online and also through social media analytic tools. These can give you a really clear real-time picture on what is hot in your market and influencing your customers. This real-time information is key and can be used to your advantage as consumer trends can rapidly change.
Unicorns the hot thing at the moment? Why not do a limited edition batch of Unicorn coloured doughnuts to help drive traffic through your shop door.
Keeping up with online trends can help keep you fresh, relevant and help to create campaigns that customers will want to engage with.
6. An active social media presence builds relationships & brand loyalty
Interacting with customers feedback shows that you value their opinions and listen to them. Engaging with your audience through fun interactive campaigns or in online conversations also spark a connection. All of which make them feel more invested in your brand. It is all about providing a better experience for your customers
A survey undertaken by Nisbets revealed that 93% of catering businesses believed social media has positively impacted their business. Instagram users share a massive 70 million photos a day. These are big numbers which show you that social media is something you cannot afford to miss out on.
When done well social media marketing will get you more sales! The key is to use each platform for what it best for, know your target audience and to be authentic in your social activity.
Don’t know where to start with your business’ social media? Contact me to find out how I can help.