“Nobody cares what cup they drink from, they only care about whats inside”
Content” #SocialMedia
Photos: We all know we have to be active on social media. For restaurants photos are great, I mean who doesn’t want to see a picture of food, but this year you will have to take your content to the next level. Yes a great photo of your food dish is still necessary, but it’s going to be more important than ever to provide your social media audience with engaging content that invites interaction.
Video: Yes guys, we have to move to this. Video will be playing an even larger role in getting your photos noticed. Sharing how you plate up your signature dish or how your house cocktail is made is going to become a must, video is the propagated form of content across any social media channel. All phones have a video on it, get it out chefs.
Website: Make sure that the platform your website is on is responsive to smart phones and tablets. Very important. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a smart phone.
Facebook and Twitter: Social media channels are busier than ever, choked may be an even better word. you could have several thousand followers on Facebook, but the chances are only about 15% or less actually see your posts – and that number is decreasing every day. Time to start thinking about budgeting for targeted Facebook and Twitter advertising. As Rick said in Casablanca – “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of our lives” – which leads us to our next point:
Local: – Your customers are going to be more interested in where the things on their plate originated. You might ask what this has to with Social Media platforms? You should post Facebook updates with links to the local food producers that you order from. Tweet and re-tweet about the product and use appropriate #hashtags so you can gain interaction on your post. Use Instagram for Before and After pictures of products Showcase that you buy local and get interaction with your followers.
Food Blogs – This is important. Every Restaurant should have a blog. This is a nice way to put food or drink recipes up, again you can share your pictures or your videos. This can then be linked to your social media platforms.
When to post – I have been asked this question several times, the most effective time I think to post during the day is after 4:00 PM, with the peak being between 7:00pm and 11:00pm. Most people are working during the day, and don’t get to see many social media posts. A lot of business post during the day but from my experience I would get a lot of interaction on posts that I post late in the evening.
How often – Once a day is a safe rule to stick to for several reasons. One of the most likely reasons for un-liking a fan page is that it posts updates too often, or worse, several in a row. Facebook is an intelligent networking platform that enables you to connect directly with your customers, a few years ago we couldn’t imagine this. You can get feedback, reward participation and notify customers of new offerings. It is, however, more important than ever that this very powerful marketing and communication tool be used effectively. Remember, there are no shortcuts. The trick is to keep people engaged and interested and they will respond. Just filling the theater won’t do it – you have to put on a successful show to keeps fans coming back.
These social media networking tools are free, but remember the value you get from them is entirely up to you by how much time you will devote to them. Have a plan and even schedule posts for later. For now at lease these platforms are free but they will be evolving into “pay for play” service.
If you are interested in learning more about Social Media please email me corrigansays@gmail.com
CorriganSays 