Updated 3/15/2022: Menufy has migrated from digital marketing management to HungerRush 360 Marketing.

When regular customers dine in or order online from your restaurant, they crave delicious food and a consistent experience. Creating familiar and engaging social media content is also an essential part of a consistent customer experience.

Having an effective social media presence is crucial for marketing your business, whether you are trying to connect with existing customers or reach new ones.

According to restaurant marketing agency MGH, 45% of U.S. consumers said they’ve dined at a restaurant for the first time based on a post they saw on social media. 

Some restaurateurs find it overwhelming to navigate the world of social media, but knowing when, where, and what to post doesn’t have to be a daunting task.

Even restaurant owners who are inexperienced with social media can boost their game by following a few guidelines to create engaging and consistent content.

Is Social Media THAT Important?

More and more people are relying on technology to interact with their favorite restaurants and discover new ones. “Customers who see real images or videos of the food the restaurant serves are more likely to visit the restaurant or order online,” explained Nikki Finley, a Menufy digital marketing specialist. 

Restaurants should embrace the online world and the benefits it can provide. 

However, diners and business operators utilize social media for a variety of different reasons.

Customers:

• View business information, such as a restaurant's website link and hours of operation

• Explore the latest menu and dishes

• Discover weekly deals, special offers, or seasonal promotions

• Communicate with restaurant representatives

• Order meals online

Restaurants:

• Increase their online presence and discoverability 

• Increase the legitimacy of their business

• Share enticing food pictures

• Provide important information, such as about closures

• Communicate with customers (whether satisfied or unsatisfied)

• Promote online ordering or specials offers

With the Facebook user count approaching three billion people, social media shows no sign of disappearing anytime soon. Restaurateurs should pounce on the opportunity to curate the information customers can view through various social channels. 

Most importantly, social media is a FREE way to market your restaurant.

Before You Post

You’ll want to consider a few things before you begin posting those epic dish pics saved on your phone. 

Checklist

Following these tips will increase the legitimacy of your business. Customers are more likely to visit your restaurant or order online when they can easily find information.

1. Start by creating business profiles on Facebook and Instagram. (Twitter is also recommended.)

2. Ensure that your username is the same across all your restaurant’s social channels.

3. Use your restaurant logo, restaurant photo, and brand colors so your page will be easily recognized. Consider using the same profile images on each social platform.

4. Add relevant information to your About sections, including a short bio that mentions your restaurant’s website, online ordering link, and location. Be sure that your hours and menu are up-to-date and consistent.

Make a Plan

Before posting pictures or videos on social media, it is good practice to create a plan of action and posting standards. Having a strategy in place will help you narrow in on what to include in your posts.

1. Maintain Your Brand: Think of your restaurant as an individual with its own voice and personality, and use a consistent tone when crafting messages. Using similar colors, backdrops, and styles in the photos you take will help customers recognize your brand.

2. Goal: Is your restaurant promoting a new menu item, trying to increase online orders, or advertising a promotional offer? It is important to know the purpose of a post so that the content you create supports that goal.

3. Create a Schedule: If you want to grow your restaurant’s business or online presence, it is essential to post frequently and consistently to keep your followers engaged. Keep your posts organized by creating a content calendar of important dates such as menu releases, big restaurant holidays, and upcoming promotions.

Creating content will be easier and more consistent once you’ve developed a plan and style guide. Facebook’s Business Suite offers a free calendar tool that allows you to build and schedule posts in advance.

Tips for Creating Content

“Quality content is planned, pretty, and purpose-driven,” says Marcus Walker, digital marketing and client service lead at Menufy.

Menufy’s digital marketing experts have combined their experience to outline the best practices for creating captivating social content. 

Visuals 

Social media is all about likable images, no matter which platform your customers prefer. Posts with images produce 650% higher engagement compared with text-only posts. “Consumers these days love visuals, especially when it comes to restaurants,” according to Finley.

Consider using a variety of post styles. The majority of your posts should be photos that showcase your food, staff, or location, with no text needed. If possible, add a mixture of videos to your posting calendar. “Reels and video content always perform better and have a higher reach,” noted Menufy web optimization specialist Chloe Helling.

However, use images with text overlay sparingly. “Images with too much text included can make the page look too busy,” explained Finley.

Photo Quality

A mouthwatering dish picture can encourage diners to click your restaurant’s “order now” link. But not every photo can evoke such strong emotions.

“One of the most common mistakes I see on restaurant social media pages is the use of blurry or pixelated images. There’s a lot that can be accomplished with taking photos on a smartphone and free photo editing apps, such as Canva,” revealed Finley. 

According to Helling, restaurants that “post pictures where the food isn’t plated carefully or doesn’t look appetizing due to poor light” are missing an opportunity to entice customers.

“My eyes are drawn to images that showcase the natural beauty of the food being served at the restaurant. By using the lighting from windows and an updated smartphone, some amazing content can be captured,” Finley explained.

For tips on how to take quality food images, check out our blog post 6 Tips for Taking Tastier Food Pics.

Copy Writing

When it comes to writing compelling copy, Menufy marketing experts recommend keeping things simple and engaging.

“Stray from crowding the post with too much text unless you are promoting a special or event that requires specific details. Also, use emojis with purpose. Stick to fewer than three per post unless you have good reason to add more,” advised Finley.

Unlike photos that can be recycled across many platforms, the copy you create should be slightly different depending on where you post.

Keep copy concise on Instagram and Twitter. While posting on Facebook, you have the freedom to include more text. Just be sure to avoid lengthy paragraphs.

Call to Action

“Many businesses miss an opportunity to drive action because they do not include the right call to action (CTA) in their content,” explained Walker.

Your customers want clear direction, so it’s important to begin or end your posts with a clear call to action.

Examples of suggested copy that features a specific CTA:

• Hungry? We’ve got you covered. Order online today!
  ORDER NOW: [Insert your Menufy ordering site’s URL]

• Get [INCENTIVE] when you order online! Use code [CODE] at checkout to redeem this offer!
  ORDER NOW: [Insert your Menufy ordering site’s URL]

“Good content shows you the destination; great content tells you how to get there,” suggested Walker.

Frequency

Your online followers are looking for not only quality content but also frequency. Customers will be more confident in your business if they see that you are engaged on social channels. Now more than ever, guests want to see that you are active and open. 

Nikki Finley suggests posting between one and three times a week. “Of course, if there are a lot of different events or specials that happen on a weekly basis, posting more frequently may be required,” explained Finley. 

Coming up with quality content every week does not have to be overwhelming. Snap a photo of the daily special or one of your house cocktails. Followers also love seeing pictures of your hardworking staff and behind-the-scenes operations. 

If you are struggling with content ideas, we suggest scrolling on your social feed for inspiration. “Follow restaurants in your area that are succeeding on socials and see what they are doing. That will give you some ideas for things you can do to create engagement,” suggested Helling.

Start by posting a picture of your delicious food every week. This is a great way to fill up your posting calendar!

Other Social Media Tips

We suggest considering the following tips to optimize engagement and further the reach of your posts: 

• Mention (@) business partners, photo contributors, vendors, or local organizations. By tagging others, your post will reach more people.

• Include Hashtags (#). They help make your post more discoverable and pull your brand into trending topics.

• Post short videos to your Facebook and Instagram Stories.

• Engage with your followers by liking any posts made on your page.

• Respond to both good and bad customer reviews.

• Boost your Facebook posts into advertisements. Not sure how to do this? Follow these instructions.

Final Thoughts

Restaurants thrive when they can connect with the community. Nowadays, this includes the social media community. 

“Content is a verb—it’s your brand in action. Good content lets your audience know that your business is alive and thriving,” explains Walker.

Creating quality social content is a vital step in improving your online presence, which will increase your customer pool. To develop effective content, be sure to stay consistent with your voice and have a purpose in mind when posting. 

Posting quality images frequently is a FREE way to market your restaurant to new and returning customers! 

Menufy offers digital marketing, HungerRush 360 Marketing, for restaurant owners who want to reach past customers and boost ordering habits.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Melissa Dimmitt, Marketing Communications Coordinator

Melissa began her digital marketing career nearly a decade ago at a restaurant group. She worked with restaurant managers and executive chefs while coordinating seasonal menu releases, executing photoshoots, and creating fresh digital content.

Nikki Finley, Digital Marketing Specialist

Nikki got her first taste of the restaurant industry when she was 15. She gained valuable experience improving the client experience while working for a meal kit delivery service. Utilizing her many years in the restaurant industry, she now helps Menufy’s premium digital marketing clients succeed.