There are close to three billion people using Facebook — that's over a third of the world's population.
While some people might snub their nose at the platform, for businesses it's still a great ay to reach potential customer.
But it's not enough to just open up a Facebook account for your business. If you want to succeed, you're going to make use of Facebook ads, and create a great Facebook strategy.
But how exactly do you create the best Facebook ads out there? This article will walk you through some of the tips you need to know to create great and effective ads and teach you how to advertise on Facebook.
Advantages of Facebook Ads for Restaurants
To make sure you don't run into one of the many challenges with restaurant Facebooks ads, you're going to need to understand what the advantages of designing effective Facebook ads are.
First, it's important to understand that digital advertising now generates more revenue than traditional forms of advertising. People are no longer looking up at billboards or television ads — they're looking down at their phones. If you want to attract people to your restaurant, you're going to need to grab people where their attention is.
But it doesn't just stop there. As it turns out, studies have revealed that there is a large number of people who specifically go to Facebook to figure out where they're going to eat on any given night.
Facebook is so popular for people looking for restaurants because it extends the traditional restaurant experience. With Facebook, customers are able to respond to ads they saw with reflections on their own experiences at your restaurant. This will help them stay satisfied and keep them coming back.
On top of this, if you make use of social media this way, you're effectively turning your customers into free sources of advertising. As you read our list, take into account ways that you can engage with your customers and get them to advertise for you.
Without further ado, here's our list.
RELATED READING: A Simple Guide to Restaurant Social Media
1. Market to Your Current Customers
Did you know that 65 percent of a company's business comes from previous customers? This means that it's not always the best option to try to bring in new people. Making your current customers happy is the first key to profit.
When launching a new ad campaign, target your current customers first. Make use of aesthetics, messaging, and text that you know they like. Perhaps advertise a deal that you've talked about with them in person, or include some things that only a fan would understand.
This will get your current customers excited about your new Facebook presence. On Facebook, a person's friends can see all of the posts that they like. Appealing to your current customers will actually increase the chances that you're seen by new people to your business.
After you get your current customers back through the door, you can start to expand.
2. Showcase Employees
Your restaurant is a stage, and your employees are the star of the show. People develop an intimate relationship with their favorite servers. Sometimes, a great serving experience can even inspire someone to come back to a restaurant more than the food.
Make sure that your customer service is top-notch. Once you do this, you can be sure that your customers are enjoying themselves at your business.
From here, you can feature your employees in Facebook marketing posts of yours. Include a profile picture of them, a picture of them at work, and some information about who they are as a person. Maybe you can have them write the message themself, so their unique voice can shine through.
In many ways, this is a tactic for marketing to your current customers. These customers will recognize your employees and respond enthusiastically to them (if they've received great service).
3. Make Use of Videos
We live in a visual culture; YouTube and TikTok have proven in recent years just how much attention short filmed content can attract. In the 2020s, video is king.
We strongly recommend hiring a videographer to create some quick video content for your restaurant. Even a quick video of your business with some music that fits the mood of your restaurant is enough to turn heads. Facebook is also more likely to promote videos than other types of content.
It's also great to make content involving your beloved employees. If people particularly enjoy your chef, make a video of them preparing one of your most popular dishes. This will stir people's appetites, and get them in to want to try it.
If you can't afford a videographer, don't fret. A simple video of a crowded restaurant is enough to bring new faces in.
4. Engage
Facebook is a social media platform after all. A lot of advice focuses on the media aspect of this equation, but the social side is just as important.
When you make a Facebook ad post, people are going to respond to it. They'll likely tag their friends who they had a great time with on your post, to remind them of their night at your restaurant. Or, they'll make comments about the post itself.
No matter what lines your customers are dropping, make sure you reply to them! Thank your customers for joining you in a timely manner, and they'll see that you truly care about their patronage. Read this article if you want to learn more about improving reviews.
Responding quickly on social media is one of the best ways to let you know your customers that you care about them more than their money. The last thing you want is to be perceived as ungracious.
People might direct message you over Facebook with questions. Make sure you're able to respond to these quickly, in a kind manner. If you don't have time to deal with all of this, elect someone who works for you as a social media manager.
5. Develop Your Brand Voice
The most successful restaurants out there are the ones that have a clear brand voice. Everything from the food to the service to the design of the restaurant conveys a clear message.
Make sure you figure out exactly what you want to accomplish with your restaurant. This has to go deeper than wanting to make money. Do you seek to develop a gathering spot for your community? — show how delicious healthy food can be? — promote your countries cuisine?
Whatever you pick, write it out in the form of a manifesto. This will serve to guide you through all of your branding decisions.
From here, you can develop a brand voice. This is the way that your manifesto interfaces with your customers. If customers encountered your business as a person, how would they interact?
Follow some of these tips about brand voice building when interacting with your customers on Facebook. If you can master this, more customers will want to flock through your door.
6. Make Use of Customer Testimonials
As long as you're interacting with the public, why not collaborate with your customers?
If you see a customer that's particularly enjoying themself, consider asking them if they want to participate in a testimonial. You can take pictures of them while they're eating, and ask them what they liked about their experience.
Have them reflect on exactly what they liked about their experience. The specifics of their experience will cut through people's barriers. People have a certain level of existence to the generality that comes with marketing, but hearing about real specific experiences from real specific people can get through even the most skeptical.
7. Create Events
Something that Facebook perhaps does better than any other social media is crate real-world buzz. Perhaps Twitter is better at creating viral posts and opinions, and Instagram has the advantage in the visual sphere, but Facebook has always excelled at helping people gather.
Plan events for your restaurant to throw on a regular basis. Perhaps you can have a well-regarded local musician join you on Friday nights, have a trivia night every Tuesday night, or book a celebrated comedian to do an appearance every once in a while.
Whenever these events occur, create a Facebook event for them. Share this Facebook event with all of your followers.
This will effectively allow you to spread the word about these special events.
8. Create Groups
Facebook groups are also popular ways to gather people on the platform. Rather than Facebook Events, they set the standards for recurring interactions, and allow people options for interacting with each other.
If you have a set number of people who like to return to your restaurant to play trivia, you might consider creating a Facebook group. This is especially effective if you've created something of a "league", allowing returning champions to come back and win an ultimate prize.
A Facebook group in this case could create a healthy level of competition. This buzz will ensure people come back to your restaurant.
No matter what sort of community-driven activity you have at your restaurant, creating a group will help you prosper.
9. Ask Questions
One of the easiest ways you can gain comments — which allows more people to see your posts — is to ask questions. Asking a simple question, like which dish is people's favorite, can generate a plethora of responses that will bring attention to your business.
Asking questions is also a great way to gain feedback. If you're not sure whether or not a particular campaign is working in your favor, just ask! The beauty of Facebook is that it makes interactions like this easier.
10. Stay Up to Date
Culture moves fast in our digital age. Trends that were popular just a few months ago are already on the way out. Social media is a great way to make sure that you're staying on top of trends.
Billboards and TV commercials can take a while to actually get out to the public. By the time they do, they might well be very behind. If you've made use of a particular pop-cultural reference, you might already date your ad.
However, with Facebook, you're able to instantly watch your message interact with the public. Stay up on trends — or hire someone to stay up on trends — and your ads are more likely to succeed.
11. Make Your Content Sharable
A lot of the above information is about making sure your content gets likes. When people like your content, all of their friends can see it. However, if you can get people to share your content, this will stay up on their Facebook wall for people to see for months and years to come.
If you want to make sharable content, you're going to need to create content that tells a story. Conduct research into what your customers like, and engage with them on an emotional level.
Make sure all of your content speaks directly through your voice. This will ensure that it seems authentic. People love to share authentic content.
Create the Best Restaurant Facebook Strategy
As you can see, the best Facebook strategy contains many different types of content. And the end of the day, however, it's all about figuring out how your business interacts with the public. Don't compromise what your brand's voice is all about, but don't fall so far into your own vision that you lose sight of your customers.
For more information on growing your restaurants, book a demo with us today.
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