While there are many different restaurant digital marketing tactics, one has begun to stand out from the crowd in our industry — mobile marketing for restaurants. It’s the easiest, most efficient way to reach your customer where they spend most of their time throughout their day, and it’s relatively simple to implement.
What is Mobile Marketing?
Mobile marketing is the act of pushing digital marketing to your customer specifically through their phone. While there’s no way to “redirect” marketing efforts to their phone, there are quite a few ways that you can target your ads and marketing to reach them there. Whether it’s via email, text, or social media, we have the means to reach our customers with mobile marketing. But what makes mobile marketing for restaurants so useful?
The Benefits of Mobile Marketing for Restaurants
In general, marketing is an incredibly important tool for restaurant owners. It allows us to bring in new customers, encourage regulars to return, and helps to build brand recognition for your name. Mobile marketing, therefore, is an extension of that idea that aims to reach customers where they spend the most time — on their phone.
Increased Customer Engagement and Loyalty
People enjoy feeling like they’re building toward something larger. While this can show in a number of ways, the most common way to take advantage of this idea is to implement a reward program. By encouraging your guests to make repeated return visits through a mobile reward program, you can build a sense of reward each time they come in.
It may sound odd, but that’s what loyalty programs are! They’re a system designed to reward your customer for coming to your business through discounts, merch, and similar bonuses.
Higher Conversion Rates
Mobile marketing can significantly boost conversion rates for restaurants. Since mobile users are often on the go and ready to make quick decisions, targeted promotions like mobile-exclusive discounts or location-based notifications can prompt immediate action. Whether it's through a mobile-friendly website, SMS marketing, or a dedicated app, mobile marketing allows you to meet customers at the right moment, leading to higher engagement and a smoother path to making reservations, placing online orders, or claiming offers. This real-time connection often results in more immediate purchases compared to traditional marketing channels.
Real-Time Communication with Customers
One of the largest advantages that smartphones have given us is the ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere, whenever we want. This gives both you and your customers the ability to reach out at any time. Rather than the old-school need to wait for an in-person conversation, we can resolve concerns, answer questions, and (best of all) publicly display these moves for future guests to see. It allows a sense of transparency and, importantly, allows you to keep your guests comfortable.
Improved Customer Experience
Mobile marketing can greatly enhance the overall customer experience by providing convenience and personalization. With features like mobile ordering, contactless payments, and loyalty program integration, customers can enjoy a smoother, more efficient dining experience. Personalized push notifications, real-time updates, and mobile-friendly menus also create a seamless interaction, catering to customers' preferences. This level of accessibility and convenience leads to a more satisfying experience, encouraging repeat visits and stronger brand loyalty.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Mobile marketing offers a highly cost-effective way for restaurants to reach their target audience. With minimal investment, tactics like SMS marketing, mobile-friendly ads, and push notifications can deliver high returns by reaching customers directly on their devices. Unlike traditional marketing methods, mobile marketing allows for precise targeting, ensuring that your promotions reach the right customers at the right time. Additionally, the ability to measure and track campaign performance in real-time helps maximize the return on investment, making it a budget-friendly solution for growing your restaurant's sales.
Key Mobile Marketing Strategies for Restaurants
Mobile-Optimized Websites and Menus
Your website is the first thing that your customers will see when running mobile marketing for restaurants; it’s the online equivalent of your restaurant’s lobby. As such, your website should be prioritized for upkeep. Ensure that it’s optimized for mobile users and, importantly, have a functioning version of your menu available for viewing.
On that note, avoid downloadable menus, opt for menus that can be navigated directly from the webpage. And as always, be sure to test your website and menu both on your computer and your phone — after all, if you can’t easily navigate it, you guests certainly can’t.
Using Third-Party Apps for Easy Ordering
Part of mobile marketing for restaurants is using the tools available to you. In this particular case, that means taking advantage of third-party delivery apps like GrubHub and UberEats. While they’re somewhat controversial for some restaurateurs, the simple truth is that putting your menu on third-party sites functions as passive marketing. Customers will see your name, look you up, and try your food — all without the need to build apps or upgrade your website.
Integrating Online Reservations via Mobile
Online reservations are a great part of the modern restaurant scene. Where we previously would need to pay a host/hostess to answer phones and schedule reservations, the internet allows us an easier path. By allowing customers to schedule reservations online through their phone, you’re making both your life and their life easier — it’s a win-win.
Whether you opt to integrate this into your restaurant via your website, your app, or a third-party scheduling service is up to you. What matters, though, is that you modernize your reservation system.
SMS Marketing for Promotions and Offers
SMS marketing is a simple, easy way to contact customers wherever they are — now it’s even easier. There are a few ways to contact customers via SMS. The most common way is to use guest phone numbers to record loyalty points and allow them to opt out of SMS messaging. Should they not opt out, you can then send them occasional messages highlighting new specials, events, and deals.
One of the largest things to remember with SMS marketing, though, is that you really need to walk a fine line with it. Too many messages can get customers to unsubscribe (or just outright block your number). Too few messages and you’ve lost their attention.
Using Geo-Targeting to Attract Local Customers
Geo-targeting is a powerful mobile marketing strategy that enables restaurants to attract local customers by sending targeted messages based on their location. With this approach, you can promote time-sensitive offers, such as lunch specials or happy hour deals, to potential customers who are nearby. Geo-targeting also allows you to create personalized ads that appeal to local preferences, helping you stand out among competitors. By reaching customers when they’re most likely to visit, you can increase foot traffic and drive more spontaneous dining decisions, making geo-targeting an effective tool for boosting sales.
Leverage Mobile Push Notifications to Boost Repeat Visits
Mobile push notifications are an excellent tool to get the attention of customers during important times. Whether you’re trying to advertise happy hour, special restaurant nights, or hype up a new special, they make that job easier. The catch, though, is that you’ll need an app (or access to one via a third-party service) to do so.
A common way around this is to encourage your followers on social media to allow notifications when you post. This allows you to get notifications on your followers’ phones without the need to invest in building out an app and, importantly, do it effectively.
At the end of the day, mobile marketing for restaurants can take quite a few forms. Whether you opt for SMS, email, or social media, it’s an incredibly handy tool for building a relationship with customers and encouraging repeat visits.
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