Facebook Marketing Ideas for Restaurants

Social media is one of those platforms where most of us know we should be on them even though we don’t see a real ROI associated with them. Unfortunately social media can quickly create a black hole in your schedule, sucking up more hours of your time than you intended. Tim Sunderland, the Marketing Manager for NetWaiter provides some simple tips for you to follow to easily set up your Facebook game.

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These days, it’s essential that businesses, especially restaurants, build up their online presence through social media. With over 1 billion active monthly users, Facebook is the most used social media platform there currently is, which is good reason to use it to promote your restaurant. To help you get the most out of Facebook, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top Facebook marketing ideas for restaurants.

Use high-quality, eye-catching images.
One simple way to better market your restaurant on Facebook is to use images that are high quality and will capture the attention of your audience. The posts on Facebook that tend to get the most engagement are ones with photos or videos. Only 4% of visitors will come back to your restaurant’s Facebook page after they initially “Like” it.  So, your messages will be competing for attention on customer’s timelines with posts from customers’ friends. Using photos is a great way to get the attention of your followers and will help your posts stand out in a busy timeline.

As a restaurant owner, you should use this to your advantage. Regularly share quality images of your food on Facebook. Try sharing photos during the day around the times your customers are thinking about what they’ll eat for lunch or dinner. It’ll get their mouths watering and leave them wanting to come to your restaurant. A great photo is such an easy way to show people what you have to offer.

Advertise with your cover photo.
When you think of your Facebook cover photo, you might not have put too much thought into the image you selected for it. Think beyond a pretty picture. Make your cover photo work for you by using it as a way to promote your restaurant and bring in customers.

Your cover photo is a good way to showcase new menu items. It’ll be the first thing people see when they visit your page and it’s sure to make them eager to visit. You can also use your cover photo to advertise specials or any deals you have going on. With it in your cover photo, you won’t have to worry about important information going unnoticed in a Facebook update. No one will miss it right at the top of your page.

Plus, whenever you update your cover photo, that change is broadcasted to all of your friends and followers via their newsfeeds. This can help you get some exposure, too.

Offer exclusive deals for Facebook fans.
If you want to build a good relationship with your customers, you should find a way to reward them. A little reward goes a long way to show that you appreciate their support. Use Facebook to offer an exclusive deal just for people who have “liked” your page. Your deal can be as simple as a discount on their next bill when they dine-in or do carryout. They’ll love it. Not only will you be giving back to your customers, but this also encourages people to “Like” your page, thus getting you more engagement.

Get people involved with a contest.
Another great way to give back to your customers and get them excited about your restaurant is to hold a contest. When they have the opportunity to win a great prize, people won’t be able to resist signing up. Plus, a contest is a fantastic way to generate awareness for your business. Encourage those who enter to spread the word by sharing your contest with friends and you’ll see more entries rolling in.

There are a variety of contest ideas you can use for your restaurant. Your contest could be as simple as requiring people to submit their name and email address for an entry. Or you could get creative and come up with an idea that requires them to post something to their own profiles, which will get your restaurant even more attention.

Target your customers with advertisements.
Facebook ads can be very beneficial for growing a business. With paid ads, your restaurant can appear in the newsfeeds of tons of potential customers. There are many business owners taking advantage of this to find customers online and bring them into their restaurants. The key to a successful Facebook ad for your restaurant is to specifically target people in your local area. You can use the geo-targeting feature to ensure people who are nearby only see your ad. With captivating copy and a great photo, you’re sure to get people rushing into your restaurant.