Promoting a Restaurant During and After COVID-19

The restaurant model may be changing during these challenging times, but that doesn’t mean there are not opportunities? Promoting a restaurant online isn’t just about social media.

The benefits of promoting a restaurant online allow entrepreneurs to tap into marketing channels they never thought they would. In fact, attracting passersby’s is extremely limited to food businesses that rely on foot traffic. Yes, the restaurants in the mall are the ones that would lose the most. Many businesses may notice that online marketing should be a proactive and ongoing strategy as Google struggles to keep the ad dollars flowing. All restaurants and businesses affected by COVID-19 and see some light at the end of the tunnel should seriously consider SEO, online marketing. Now is the time to plan and be ahead of the competition when everything gets back to normal.

Many restaurants use flexibility in management and service but brush aside the online part. In particular, the website presence. The advantage of promoting a restaurant online provides many benefits, from branding to customer reviews and attracting customers that happen to be in the area.

Why SEO is Paramount

Search engine optimization is a must, especially for the type of food and style of cooking you may offer in your geographical areas. In the current COVID -19, restaurants have no option but to move customer orders online. Effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) allows restaurants to appear online during local searches.

Promoting a Restaurant Online

Using social media to promote a restaurant online is one platform restaurants can use to their advantage. In fact, social media has allowed digital marketing agencies to expand and offer services to help such businesses. From marketing locally to pushing out new product launches enables businesses to continue to serve their customer base.

Newsletters — If you have built a database of customer emails, now would be the time to keep them updated. Use email promotions, web-only offers to target existing customers.

Flyers may still play a part in marketing?

Now ask yourself, when did you last keep a flyer, and use it. Yes, some of you may say yes, but this old-school marketing strategy is dying. Eliminate old business practices like distributing leaflets or newspaper ads. For instance, many competitors are applying for online marketing programs as an alternative to traditional restaurant advertising. They save a lot of money in hiring employees or companies to print and distribute leaflets.

The Benefits of Promoting a Restaurant Online.

A lot is going on right now, and things are changing quickly. The impact of COVID-19 has greatly affected restaurant systems across the developed world. To ensure customer safety, the restaurant cannot serve their customer directly. Instead, online ordering has kept many restaurants afloat and employees working. Flexible in management is still able to maintain revenue even during difficult times. For instance, traditional restaurants often close when they have limited solutions or online exposure. Online ordering, delivery, and curbside pickup may just get engrained with more people.

Strategy in Promoting a Restaurant

Promoting a Restaurant online is about creating a strong working platform between business owners and engage customers. Areas to include are:

• The first strategy is to use social media in advertising, brand your restaurant digitally!
• Build a mobile responsive website.
• Regularly update the online menu and offerings.
• Send existing customers promotional coupons.
• Update customers through newsletters.
• Ensure the website has been optimized via SEO.
• Optimize content for local SEO
• Get feedback from customers so that improvements are in place.
• Let customers know how your restaurant is equipped in terms of COVID-19 guidelines.

Regular GMB & Website Updates

Google My Business (GMB) and other social media platforms and the website should be updated. For example, a user-friendly website always puts customer convenience and safety first. Updates should include:

• Changes to your restaurant’s hours.
• Updated service availability (likely takeout and/or delivery only).
• Precautions you’re taking to keep customers safe.
• Promotions to help customers overcome.

Aiming for an Effective Website

The web designer needs to compose a website and ensure that the key steps are covered: domain name, social media, reviews, correct content, and images.

Drawbacks of Promoting a restaurant online

As an online business model, the information will be publicly available. The result would be that competition will be more aggressive and product ideas copied. Bad reviews could create a domino effect and result in fewer orders. Hence, bad reviews should always be answered and unhappy customers compensated.

What Next? Promoting a Restaurant

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis is scary and unfamiliar enough to all of the people in the world, and now on top of it all, we have to think, how businesses can survive this tidal wave or multiple tidal waves!

The main point is that recovery will happen when all this is over. But, being proactive and planning will separate the leaders and idea people from those businesses that are unwilling to adapt.

Promoting restaurants online is a model that will surely stick around for a long time. Of course, there are changes needed as to how the services are provided. Eat-in, pickup, and delivery will all need to be considered. But online marketing and promoting a restaurant will be a major factor in staying afloat and coming out of this as a winner.

As a restaurant, it would make sense to reach out to a local web design agency and online marketers, and see how they can help market your business.