We all know that social media is a powerful marketing tool, but it seems that there are still a number of restaurants that are not fully embracing social media and making the most of its marketing power.

To help inspire you to make the most of your social media posts, we have put together our guide to how restaurants can really kill it on social media.

Why social media is key for restaurants

Before we take you through the top tips for social media we have put together the reasons why social media is a vital tool for restaurants.

It can be split down into 4 areas. This includes:

  • Exposure
  • Proof
  • Engagement
  • Advocacy

If you are on social media, then you are being seen by both your existing and your prospective customers. It allows you to build and maintain relationships, encouraging those who have had a positive experience to share with their networks. It also allows you to present your recommendations and reviews to anyone who may be thinking about paying you a visit.

So how can you make the most of social media? The best tip is to make sure that you spread yourself through the different platforms, and understand the benefit of each.

Facebook

Facebook has to be one of the most popular platforms that businesses use. It is easy to navigate and allows you to reach a huge number of people with ease.

It is great if you want to share new additions to your menu, upcoming events or perhaps behind the scenes videos and photos of how your restaurant works.

It is also a forum that people can leave you reviews and share your page with their friends and family. All promoting you and making sure that you appear as a great place to visit.

Twitter

Many people think that Twitter simply cannot have an impact as there is a limit on the characters that you can use. However, you would be surprised by just how much of an impact you can have in 140 characters.

Twitter is all about short, sharp and snappy communications. Whilst they may be brief they can still be packed full of character. Some restaurants use Twitter for their head chef to speak to their customer base, whilst others use it to promote their latest offers or events.

Instagram

Instagram is great for restaurants as it allows you to share images of your amazing food. One of the biggest things to get right on Instagram is the hashtags. These are absolutely massive on Instagram and can really make or break your marketing.

Not only can you use Instagram to share images of your food, but you can also ask your customers to share too. Giving you all the more chances at promoting what you serve.

No matter the platform that you use it is important that you plan what you want to say and when you say it. If you have a great lunchtime deal, share this around 11am and you will soon see people coming to pay you visit. You should also make sure that you know your own personal style, and stick to it. Your brand is more than a name and a logo, it is how your customers see you!