Social Media for Restaurants: Why Is It Important?

Would you like to connect with your customers and even find new ones without leaving your front door? Would you be interested in free tools to promote your restaurant? All of this is possible, with social media! And that’s what we’re going to talk about here — specifically, why it’s important to use social media for restaurants.

In this article, we’re going to look at why restaurants need social media in the first place and why and how they need to maintain it.

5 Reasons That Social Media for Restaurants Is Important

1. It’s Free

Who doesn’t love free advertising? All you need to do is show up for it by creating a profile and keeping it up to date.

Of course, there are paid ads and options that you can use across all social media networks — and we’re going to get into some of that — but most of the tools on social media are available completely free of charge.

For instance, you can post pictures and videos about your activities. You can have conversations with your audience, even promote new menu items, with live video. On some networks, customers can even leave reviews and recommend you.

There are so many free options available to you on virtually every social media network. Why not take advantage of that?

2. Boosts Visibility

Social media makes you more visible to your customers than ever before. You no longer have to wait for them to walk by your restaurant or see a certain ad.

Many people nowadays will use social media to search for local restaurants or even a specific restaurant that they hear about. If this is you, you want your restaurant to have a fully functioning social media page

Plus, social media has features that increase your visibility. For example, on Facebook, customers can “check in” at your restaurant, meaning that it will appear in their feed that they ate there.

3. Gives You Precision Targeting

Social media is so much better than traditional media outlets. And precision ad targeting is a major reason for this. With the targeting capabilities of social media ads, you can make sure that your ads land in front of the right people.

For instance, you can target people who…

Live in a certain city.
Have visited your website.
Are in a certain age range.
And so much more!

As we mentioned above, you have plenty of tools at your disposal without spending a dime. But, if you decide to invest in social media advertising, this targeting capability on social media really makes sure that every bit of your marketing budget is used to the fullest.

4. Connects You with Your Customers

On social media, it’s more than just a one-way conversation. Your customers have the ability to comment on your posts and send you direct messages.

Why would this be helpful?

This contact allows you to get a feel for how your customers feel about your restaurant. And it gives you the ability to respond. Even if someone complains, a quick and professional response from your restaurant could serve to diffuse a situation.

But, you’ll most likely see positive comments from loyal customers who love your restaurant. And being able to interact with them on social media will strengthen that loyalty even more.

5. Gives You Clout

Of course, there is a social part of this equation. As you build your followers, it will have a snowball effect, with more people learning about you and wanting to follow you.

The more people you have following your restaurant on social media, the more clout it gives you. And it often sparks curiosity. People who view your profile will reason that you have to be popular for a reason and will want to visit your restaurant to see why.

Social Media for Restaurants: Maintenance is Key

But all of your hard work can go out the window if you don’t invest the time to maintain it.

Remember, all of your social media posts are time and date-stamped. This means that customers can see when you posted your last update. And if it’s over a year ago, they might easily assume that your restaurant has closed or that you have nothing interesting to write about.

As we mentioned above, customers also use social media to message you. Perhaps they have a question about your hours or menu. If they don’t hear back from you in a reasonable amount of time, this could reflect badly on your restaurant.

So for these reasons and more, once you’ve set up your restaurant’s social media profiles, take the time to check in and maintain them. If you don’t personally have the time to do this, you might consider hiring a social media manager who is experienced with the networks you use.

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Final Thoughts on Social Media for Restaurants

Social media is not just a game. It is a vital strategy for your business, helps you to stay connected with your customers, and even helps you to find new ones.

If you would like help setting up social media profiles for your restaurant or in maintaining them, check out our restaurant solutions page to see how DevourNow can lend a hand.

Let us know in the comments below what you think about social media for restaurants and even how you use this tool in your own business.