Digital marketing is changing the way all businesses bring their offerings to the public, and the restaurant business is no exception. Marketing your restaurant effectively requires restaurant owners to compete with other franchises and chains with bigger budgets that gain more traction with their campaigns. Have you thought how you can make your restaurant more attractive to an audience that accesses information using technology tools that include tablets and smartphones with their lightning-quick transfer of information?

Diners now want to use the convenience of their devices for making reservations, looking at menus and takeaway options in advance. So how do recent digital trends affect restaurant marketing?

The right stuff

Restaurant owners might not realise how many customers come from website traffic, particularly from users with smartphones, but this is becoming an increasingly popular way to engage with restaurants. Tech-savvy restaurant owners can take advantage of this trend by providing a mobile-friendly responsive website or even a mobile app. Make sure your website is visually enticing and can be easily updated. It is also essential for it to take online reservations – automating this will make yours and your customers’ lives easier. There are also several restaurant apps available that you can list your restaurant on to gain some extra traction.

Got the look?

Restaurants are becoming increasingly tech-savvy and this means that you need to ensure you have a digital marketing strategy with a brand that has an attractive aesthetic. Ever heard the saying: “You eat with your eyes first”? In a digital age, your potential customers will be compelled to buy (or be put off from buying) your fare from the images you post. That’s why it’s imperative to put up appealing pictures of the delicious food on your menu. And for an audience that is experienced in the digital space, taking it a step further and creating imagery that has sophistication or depth, or that makes use of storytelling to draw in the viewer, will go a long way in winning new customers for your restaurant. Take this look into your social media channels where potential customers will see these images as they scroll in their feeds.

New kids on the block

Marketing strategies such as email marketing and search engine optimisation have been around for a while in the restaurant industry – and they are still producing reliable results. More recent digital trends include rewards programmes that are available through online platforms and apps, and using innovations like Bluetooth beacons. It is certainly worth finding out more about these innovations with their  promising results … we have yet to see these strategies reach their full potential.

Bring it on

Consumers are taking advantage of on-demand services for anything from transport (Uber) to accommodation (AirBnB) and shopping (takealot.com). No surprise then that there is a demand for restaurants to also make their offerings available on this platform. Consider partnering with Ubereats or Mr Delivery so you can offer these services to your customers.