Restaurants and bars are the perfect candidates for social media, especially during the holidays. However, social media isn’t simply confined to Facebook and Twitter, those have become more the essential building blocks of a successful social media presence, but if you really want to reap the benefits of social media, you need to spread your wings a little more.
There are so many options out there that social media campaigns can be tailored for specific types of businesses. It’s all about what you want to accomplish, and with restaurants and bars, you want people to like your food, enjoy your environment and then talk about it to other people.
Here are five indispensable social media outlets you as a restaurant or bar owner MUST be on in order to keep up with your competition.
This is one of the hottest food-related location-based social media tools popping up on the radar right now (not to mention everyone’s iPhones). Similar to FourSquare (see below) Foodspotting allows you to check into a certain location and earn badges and titles of superiority the more often you participate. However, unlike Foursquare, you get to see the food that is being recommended.
Personally, I hate reading menus. I go off what someone told me to eat. I especially hate it when a menu doesn’t have a picture on it. I don’t care how delicious the food sounds, I want to see what it looks like. That’s what Foodspotting allows.
People can snap a quick picture of the food they ordered with their iPhone, upload it to Foodspotter, and other people can “Nom” it “Want” it or “compliment” once it’s submitted.
Why do You Need to be on it?
You need to know what people are saying about your food items. You can track, in real time, the popularity of food items you offer at your restaurant. You will also be able to offer specials and incentives to people posting your food items on Foodspotter.
Foursquare is by far the most popular location-based social media game right now. In fact, it pioneered it all. Foursquare is pretty simple. Designed as a mobile app for Droids, Blackberries and iPhones, people are able to “check in” to a vene so all their friends know where they are. The more times you check into a venue, the more eligible you are to become the “mayor” of that location. The goal is to gain as many badges and mayorships as possible. You do this by checking in as often as possible to “oust” other mayorships.
Why do you need to be on it?
In all actuality, you’re probably ALREADY on it. That’s right, people have been checking into your restaurant or bar for a while now. Even more interesting is they’ve been leaving tips. On Foursquare, when someone checks into your venue they can leave a tip. “Try the crabcakes” or “they have the best beer selection”. Hopefully the tips people have left for you are good.
By claiming your business on Foursquare, you can set up specials. Whenever someone checks in for their third time, for example, a little message will pop up on their phone telling them that they’ve won a free appetizer. This gives people incentive to continue coming to your restaurant or bar to check in so they can win free things or get specials.
Gowalla is similar to Foursquare, but it’s primary difference is that people can take pictures of the location. However, now people can post on Gowalla, and once they do that their Foursquare, Facebook Places, Twitter, and Facebook will all be automatically updated. It ties all of those social media tools together and is growing rapidly.
Why do you need to be on it?
For pretty much the same reason you need to be on Foursquare.
Urbanspoon is a website and mobile application that isn’t so much a location based social media tool as it is a directory with reviews. People can access UrbanSpoon with their phone or on their computer and leave reviews for restaurants. They can also take a picture of the menu and upload it so people trying to find a place to eat can browse menu items before actually setting foot in the building itself.
Why You Need to be on it
Like all of these social media tools, chances are that you’re already on them without your own knowledge. And, if you’re not moderating comments, replying to questions and gauging what people want out of you and your business, then you’re being out of touch.
Yelp is incredibly similar to UrbanSpoon, except it’s not a niche website. It’s for a variety of different kinds of businesses. Just like UrbanSpoon, people are able to leave tips, reviews, and suggestions via their mobile phone or computer.
Why You Need to be on it
Yelp is incredibly beneficial for your company because you are able to leave specials on there. People following your business on Yelp will be able to see when you have updated your specials and it allows them to keep informed about what you’re doing. Of course, also, you will be able to keep up with what kind of feedback people are giving your company.
People want to participate in your business. However, the way that is most commonly done now is online through social media and mobile applications. Shunning social media when people are already talking about you online can be a huge mistake. So make sure to jump right in and participate.
If you’re having a hard time finding the time to set up social media for your restaurant or bar, ask us to help you! We can consult with you and teach you how, or we can handle your social media campaigns ourselves!
