Restaurant promotion is essential for boosting awareness and sales. As the business owner or restaurant manager, you may be in search of new ways to elevate your eatery.

Restaurant marketing strategies are abundant within the restaurant industry. However, digital marketing efforts nurture results more than others.  

Restaurant marketing ideas span various landscapes. In some cases, marketing can lean toward the more traditional route. But if you want to get the most out of your investments, we encourage you to opt for digital restaurant marketing strategies, instead.

Before jumping into five creative ideas to digitally promote your business, let’s start by defining restaurant digital marketing.

What Is Restaurant Digital Marketing?

Restaurant digital marketing consists of promotions that utilize tech. In some cases, restaurant technology is part of the marketing campaign.

Digital platforms are powerful tools for the data they can offer. For instance, a restaurant POS platform can share customer insights regarding payment trends and favorite dishes. On the other hand, social media metrics can define the target audience.

If digital restaurant marketing strategies aren’t part of your restaurant business plan, continue reading to learn more about how to achieve restaurant marketing done right.

Restaurant Marketing Strategies

Whether you want to increase the restaurant profit margin or reduce restaurant expenses, the right restaurant marketing strategies will allow you to do so.

Innovative restaurant technology contributes to many restaurant marketing strategies. Platforms, hospitality software, and apps allow business owners to grow a customer base. Then, they optimize these resources to establish stellar customer service.

Keep reading to learn about five restaurant marketing strategies to elevate your business.

1. Restaurant Loyalty Programs

A sense of trust and loyalty is a powerful tool within the marketing ecosystem. To quickly accomplish such a tactic, implement a restaurant loyalty program.

It’s generous of restaurants to reward their most loyal customers, and people tend to enjoy perks. Loyalty programs establish a win-win situation for both sides of the coin.

One of the most convenient things to note regarding rewards programs is that they often integrate with the restaurant POS systems. The wait staff no longer has to manually track rewards with punch cards, as it’s all in a digital system.

Customers can use their phone number or email address upon joining the loyalty program. By doing so, restaurants can feel confident that rewards and perks are accurate.  

Loyalty programs will serve as an incentive for customers to return. But as you use it to promote your business further, it will help generate new traffic.

2. App-Exclusive Discounts

Mobile food ordering apps are great for lowering overhead expenses and simplifying restaurant operations. Delivery apps allow restaurants to accept more orders than they can fulfill within the walls of their establishment.

Delivery apps also function as a form of digital marketing, as restaurants are clearly visible as consumers browse local eateries. Plus, the business’ location isn’t taken into consideration.

Mobile food delivery apps are also a platform to host discounts. Restaurants can even integrate a rewards program so that perks can still apply. With this said, online ordering can substantially increase ROI, profits, and overall growth.  

Studies show that people spend more money at restaurants while browsing delivery apps. A major component of this observation is that customers don’t feel pressure from waiters while ordering at home.

Food delivery can result in higher cart values, the ability to serve more customers, and relief from work overload for your employees. With this said, it’s one of the best restaurant marketing strategies to prioritize.

3. Local SEO Efforts

Do you ever wonder how you can drive organic traffic to your website? If so, restaurant SEO might be your next solution.

SEO, also known as “search engine optimization,” is the process of optimizing a website to appear in more relevant search queries. For a local restaurant, there are many benefits.

As people search for different types of restaurants, yours can potentially be one of the first to show up on Google. This concept is especially useful if you operate a specialty eatery or if you live in a major city, such as New York or Los Angeles.

SEO strategies are also beneficial when you consider tourism. As potential customers search for the best eateries in your city, you can rank high within the search queries and rise above the competition.

SEO tactics that you can implement right now might include optimizing individual web pages with the proper keywords, meta descriptions, tags, and URLs. If you want to commit to SEO efforts, consider launching an SEO-rich blog on your website.

4. Get Social Online

Begin by creating social media accounts on the most relevant platforms. For restaurants, this will most likely be Facebook and Instagram.

Optimize your profiles with the following information:

• Business name
• Address
• Phone number
• Hours of operation
• Website
• Any specialty, if applicable

Once this information is visible, it’s time to create a content strategy. Develop a schedule for the types of content you’ll share and when you’ll post each piece. Content can be a mix of food, drinks, and five-star reviews.

Though it’s in the name, don’t forget to be social. Frequently engage with fellow accounts that belong to locals and other businesses. Remaining in the conversation will be great for gaining exposure.

Learn how to calculate social media ROI as you monitor social media metrics. This figure will inform you of what’s working and what you should adjust. Plus, the numerical proof will always help to support any strategy.

5. Send Out Email Marketing Campaigns

Did you know that email campaigns are the most direct form of communication besides direct mail? That’s right–you’re just a couple of clicks away from sending messages directly to your target audience.

Restaurant marketing strategies that include email newsletters do very well. These emails remind your audience of your business while giving you the chance to promote deals, new restaurant menus, and so much more.

If you’re about to launch email marketing efforts, keep in mind that the messages should be brief, and the subject lines should be catchy. Get your point across in a way that’s simple yet entices customers to visit for a bite to eat.

If you want to combine your restaurant promotions and email marketing campaigns, offer limited-time discounts via email. Newsletters are also an outlet to promote events, loyalty programs, and so on.

Remember to only send out email newsletters every so often, as bombarding inboxes can lead to adverse effects. You also want to ensure a sense of exclusivity regarding discounts and promotions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Marketing Strategies

How Do You Promote A New Restaurant?

If you’re about to open a bar or restaurant, get customers excited about visiting your establishment. Effective ways to generate traffic to a new restaurant include:

• Opening weekend discounts to introduce your restaurant
• Host live music featuring local artists and game nights
• Loyalty program perks, such as additional points on weekdays

What Is the Best Restaurant Marketing Strategy?

The best restaurant marketing strategies are those that generate reviews. Positive reviews will serve as the best marketing material, so you’ll want to collect as many as possible.

Reviews are great online because they provide consumers with a sense of trust. However, they also function as digital marketing collateral. Showcase reviews on your website and social media for a boost of credibility.

How Can A Restaurant Increase Sales?

Incentivize potential customers to dine at your restaurant if you wish to increase sales. Some of the best restaurant marketing strategies to generate sales for your business include:

• Hosting events
• Drink specials
• Happy hour menus
• Catering services

Observe what other restaurants in your town don’t offer, and use this information to differentiate your own. By being unique, people will have reasons to check out your business.