Before the era of social media and smartphones, food businesses depended on foot traffic, reviews, print media, and word-of-mouth. But in the digital age, customers can easily access information and determine what is worth purchasing.
Experts in digital marketing services know that this new channel creates major opportunities for small and local food merchants. Smaller and ambitious artisanal food businesses can compete with big companies even if they operate in a home kitchen.
1. Post your successes on social media
As people transition to digital, the success of restaurateurs is becoming more dependent on social media marketing. A survey of the National Restaurant Association among restaurateurs shows that 90% believe in investing in a social media presence. Because of this, 95% are on Facebook or looking to have an active profile there soon. There is a good reason for this since 28% of consumers decide which restaurant to visit utilising social.
Among the important aspects of increasing revenue through marketing campaigns is SMS marketing. Keeping customers updated on special offers, notifications, and reminders you have for them is a nice way to communicate with them one-on-one. Simply integrate an SMS broadcast service so that you can quickly send SMS messages to your customers.
2. Post dynamic content
Experts in digital marketing services know that content marketing is all about establishing your authority by sharing your knowledge. The more informative the content you post about your food niche, the higher Google will rank you for critical keywords. And suppose your original content truly gives value to your target audience by addressing their interests. In that case, readers will share it among their peers and keep coming back for more.
Therefore, nurture your blog, so your pages can get indexed by search engines. But bear in mind that your success might take time. Post some of your favourite tips and hacks in the kitchen, which are fun and entertaining to read.
3. Establish a presence on niche food photo communities
Pinterest is the best platform for small food brand exposure through photo-sharing communities. Opportunities await in hyper-targeted communities that you may not have heard of.
Although some of these platforms have limited reach, the people there are already highly interested in what you offer.
4. Make online ordering possible.
Depending on the type of food you sell, you might already be utilising your website as an e-commerce store.
But even if the food you sell needs to be served within minutes, the potential for online ordering to improve your sales is still tremendous. Studies show that restaurateurs and food consumers find electronic payment options and digital self-service convenient.
If you are still not convinced of the demand out there, consider the smartphone called “No Wait”, which enables folks to find establishments near them where they can be seated immediately. This app has connected nearly 21.2 million people to their meals. The days of utilising a website simply as a business card are now long gone.
Whether you are an elegant restaurant, a short-order counter service establishment, or food delivery, there are plenty of options for you. You can collaborate with website designers to incorporate functions on your websites, such as tools for table reservations, ordering, transferring funds, and many others.
Your food biz can benefit from establishing a digital presence. Make sure that you explore all channels to reach your ideal customers. There are plenty of new social media platforms with a community seeking your products and services. It is also recommended that you enable your website to handle orders rather than simply being your online business card.
