Importance Of Digital Marketing For Restaurants In 2024

Written By Athira Susan James

When you think of the one thing that a restaurant needs to succeed, the easy guess would be great food. However, in today’s world, we need to add one more aspect to a restaurant. Digital Marketing. Today, restaurants are not just about selling food but about creating awareness, building credibility, and connecting with their audience. In cities like Bangalore, some of the top restaurants are marketed primarily through social media. In this blog, we will look into some of the restaurant marketing strategies we use at Odigma to help restaurants thrive in the digital world.

Let’s start with the basics before diving into specific restaurant marketing strategies and detailed plans.

Why To Do Social Media Marketing For Restaurants?

From the customer’s perspective:

Whether planning a romantic date or a family outing, it’s common to search for something like “best date night places in Bangalore” or “fine dining restaurants in Bangalore/Chennai/Pune.” While personal recommendations from friends and family are still valuable, most customers make their final decision after checking the restaurant online, reading reviews, and exploring factors like cuisine and ambience.

The internet has made the process of dining out an experience. Customers are no longer just looking for a good meal; they are looking for an experience, this is the reason why restaurants must have an appealing and visible online presence. It has become very common for people to look up a restaurant’s menu online, read reviews, and even compare ambience photos before making a reservation.

From the restaurant owner’s perspective:

Imagine you’ve just opened a pub in Bangalore. Bangalore is known for its pubs, hence, in a city filled with pubs, how would you stand out? Relying just on traditional media and word-of-mouth cannot reach all of your audience. The current generation makes decisions based on what they see online. A restaurant’s reputation is increasingly built through its SEO (search engine optimisation), SEM (search engine marketing), and social media marketing (SMM) strategies.

For example, most restaurants today collaborate with food influencers to get attention because influencers often have a following similar to the restaurant’s target audience. This can bring a significant advantage in spreading the word about the restaurant in a way that feels organic and trustworthy to potential customers.
Now that we have understood why digital marketing for restaurants is important let’s look into strategies to help a restaurant stand out.

Restaurant Marketing Strategies:

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing for restaurants is the most effective and fastest way to reach their audience. Restaurants can use various types of social media platforms that suit them best, like Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), to share everything from special offers and promotions to pictures of the ambience & food of the place.

For example, When a customer posts a picture of their meal or ambience of the place and tags the restaurant, it automatically becomes an organic recommendation for others to try the place. This type of organic content can significantly increase your restaurant’s visibility.

Some key activities to consider for social media marketing for restaurants include:

Regular posting: Keep your audience engaged with daily or weekly updates, sharing everything from menu highlights to customer stories. Consistency is key to building a following.
Engagement With followers: Create a sense of community around your restaurant by responding to comments, answering questions, and engaging with your audience.
Moment marketing: Take advantage of trending topics or local events to create timely, engaging posts that resonate with your audience.
Running ads: Paid ads on social platforms can target specific demographics, ensuring that your promotions reach the right audience at the right time.
Instagram/Facebook Stories: Stories offer a great way to post time-sensitive content, such as daily specials, behind-the-scenes footage, or live events at your restaurant.

Google My Business Listing

Google My Business allows potential customers to easily find the restaurant’s location, working hours, and reviews. Most importantly, it’s often the first touchpoint when someone searches for your restaurant on Google. For many customers, the first interaction with a restaurant is through its Google listing. Having up-to-date information and positive reviews can make the difference between a customer choosing your restaurant or going elsewhere.

Restaurants should utilise their Google My Business listing as it includes,

Accurate business hours: Give customers exact working hours for the restaurant, holidays, and special closures.
Photos and videos: High-quality visuals of the restaurant’s food, interiors, and ambience can actually attract potential visitors. Customers often make decisions based on these images.
Customer reviews: With the help of the staff or with e-bills or even QR codes on the table, encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and be sure to respond to all reviews.

Online Listings & Reviews

Beyond social media and Google, restaurant marketing also involves listing your business on food delivery platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, and EazyDiner. These platforms allow customers to discover your restaurant and offer the convenience of online reservations or delivery. Restaurants can also benefit from exclusive offers or discounts when customers book through these apps. Bank offers, limited-time discounts, 1 + 1 discounts, and other offers can grab more eyeballs for the restaurant.

discounts, 1 + 1 discounts, and other offers can grab more eyeballs for the restaurant.However, these platforms are not just about convenience or offers; they have become crucial for building a restaurant’s reputation. Reviews and ratings on platforms like Swiggy and Zomato can make or break a restaurant’s reputation, as customers put it out without any filters. Always keep an eye on your ratings and respond to feedback to show your commitment to customer satisfaction. Check our blog on The Power of Online Reputation Management for more information

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has become one of the most effective and easiest ways to build a restaurant’s brand. Influencers, especially in the food and lifestyle sectors, have a dedicated following that trusts their recommendations. Partnering with influencers can give your restaurant the exposure it needs, especially during its initial stages. A well-planned influencer marketing strategy can lead to immediate visibility for your restaurant. Influencers often create engaging content, such as photos, videos, or stories, that showcase your restaurant’s food, ambience, and service. This content not only reaches the influencer’s audience but also gives your restaurant an authentic and relatable presence online. When selecting influencers, it’s crucial to choose those whose audience matches your target demographic.

For example, if you run a high-end restaurant, partnering with food vloggers who review fine dining establishments would make more sense than collaborating with casual lifestyle vloggers.

You can further read our blog on Harnessing the Power of Influencer Marketing for Business Growth for more information.

How to promote a restaurant on social media? (Restaurant marketing plan sample)

Now that you understand the importance of digital marketing for restaurant, let’s go over some basic steps to promote your restaurant on social media:

Create Social Media Accounts: Set up profiles on major platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) to build your online presence.
Post Consistently: Share regular updates, including pictures of your dishes, customer testimonials, or news about upcoming events.
Utilise Video Marketing: Post videos showing the behind-the-scenes process, customer reviews, or interviews with your chefs. Video content is highly engaging and helps create a personal connection with your audience.
Run Ads: Paid social media ads can help the restaurant reach a larger and more targeted audience. Allocate a budget for ads and run campaigns around specific promotions, events, holidays or even during specific times of the week when you expect more customers.
Leverage Influencer Marketing: Partner with food influencers in the city to bring in new customers. Influencer posts are a great way to increase brand awareness and credibility.
Engage With Followers: Actively respond to comments, questions, and direct messages to build rapport with your audience. Try putting up interactive posts so that customers can comment or share.

Example:1522 The Pub is one of the most popular Instagram restaurant pages in Bangalore, updating content regularly and being unique.

Video Marketing For Restaurants

Grabs Attention Quickly: Videos are an instant attention-grabber. A well-crafted video can show off the best of your restaurant, the food, the atmosphere, and the vibe.

Showcase Ambience: One of the biggest advantages of video is the ability to show the atmosphere of your restaurant. Whether it’s a cosy cafe or an upscale dining space, a video can visually communicate the ambience in a way that words and pictures can’t.

Announce Promotions & Special Events: Got a new menu? Planning a special event? A short promotional video shared on social media is far more engaging than a text post. Use video content to announce seasonal offers, special events, or new dish launches.

Utilise User-Generated Content: Encourage your customers to post videos of their experience at your restaurant. Whether it’s a birthday celebration, a dinner date, or a casual lunch, user-generated content adds social proof and builds community. Repost these videos to show that people love your restaurant.

Conclusion

In today’s digital-first world, marketing your restaurant online is no longer optional; it’s essential. Social media, Google listings, and food platforms offer incredible opportunities for restaurants to increase their visibility, connect with customers, and build a strong reputation.

At Odigma, we specialise in creating customised digital marketing strategies for restaurants that align with their brand goals and target audience. From social media marketing to influencer partnerships, we ensure that your restaurant stands out in a competitive landscape. Reach out to us to learn more about how we can help you elevate your restaurant’s marketing game and grow your business.

FAQs:

1. Why is digital marketing important for restaurants?

Digital marketing is important for restaurants because it lets them communicate with a bigger audience, develop a brand voice, and interact with the right customers online.

2. In what ways can social media marketing for restaurants help?

Social media marketing can help restaurants to directly reach their audience, showcase their food & ambience and attract loyal customers with engaging photos and interactions with followers.

3. What are the factors involved in a restaurant marketing plan?

The restaurant marketing plan includes Google My Business, influencer marketing, social media marketing, content creation, e-mail marketing, and paid advertisements.

4. How can a restaurant benefit from video marketing?

In video marketing, restaurants can show what they have to offer their customers through their food, ambience, and events. The use of videos in ads includes promotion and customer testimonials.

5. What are some of the restaurant marketing strategies?

Restaurants can be marketed to the target audiences through targeted social media ads, email campaigns, and influencer partnerships. Seasonal menus, discounts, or special promotions on special occasions can also attract many people to that place.