Internet Marketing for the Restaurateur

So you have decided to open up a NYC restaurant or NYC bar.  You have done all of the preparation of your menu as well as the decor of your establishment.  Now it is time to get customers to come in and enjoy your latest cocktail and tremendous dishes.  Even the very best of restaurant and bar owners need to drive customers to their business.  Some have the luxury of having been in the industry for many years and have a recipe of success.  Some believe word of mouth is the most important ingredient but for many just starting out that isn’t a luxury.  This is where internet marketing comes into place.  It may be the a significant factor on whether your business may be profitable or not.

Many people now are using their smartphones in order to find where to find a great place to eat. Whether you are in Forest Hills or the East Village many people are typing in Google or Yelp and finding great new places to eat.  They are looking at the online menu and checking reviews to see if the eatery is one that is suitable for themselves and their guests.  That is why it is important to stay up to date with your website and other social platforms in order to make it more accessible for individuals to find you.  As such, here are some tips we believe will help you establish an online presence to make hungry customers find you:

1. Use local maps like Google Maps- You should get on the search engine results that has a map feature.  Many people that are looking for a restaurant are searching by location first.  That is why it is imperative to do so.  Google Maps is the most important of the searches as it dominates the searches.  You should also invest in Bing and Yahoo’s map directories.
2. Make sure that your website is mobile responsive and updated- As you are aware, most searches will be done via mobile searches in the future.  That is why it is important to have your site be mobile responsive and updated often.  The reason why you would want to update your website is to inform your potential customers of any changes to your menu and any promotions that you have. Establishments do run promotions for specific occasions like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.  It is important to give your customers up to date information to know so they will feel comfortable coming back to your site and finding out what you have been up to.  It is also important that you use words to describe your menu.  Optimizing your menu would allow the search engines to pick up particular foods so if somone is looking for “stuffed crabs” in Bushwick, they would be able to easiliy find your establishment.
3. Be proactive with social media- After claiming your listing on directories like Yelp it can be a battlefield for restaurateurs.  Many people go to social media sites just to complain and rarely offer positive feedback.  It is important to stay on top of the discussion of your business in order to resolve any potential public disaster nightmares.  With respect to Yelp customers, it is helpful to ask to resolve whatever situation a customer had at your eatery and do so accordingly.  This shows customers that you do care about what is being said about your business and are attentive to the needs of the consumer.  A positive way social media can affect your business is if you ask customers to leave feedback on your Facebook page or leave a Yelp review.  In order to make it easier for customers to complete these tasks is by making it simple by giving a discount such as a free drink if they leave a review or leaving information on the bottom of their receipt.  We have found giving out something for a discount or free works better however.

Internet marketing for restaurant and bars is a challenge for many and shouldn’t be marginalized.  The consumers of the present and future are using technology to find what they want and will do so with a flash or with a quick search.  It is important that your business stay on top of the latest trends in the food service industry.

Falcon Consulting & Marketing is a digital marketing agency headquartered in New York City assisting businesses fulfill their SEO and overall marketing needs for many years.  We assist one client at a time reach their revenue goals and understand the restaurant industry extensively.

https://falconconsultingandmarketing.com/internet-marketing-restaurateur/

Yelp and Managing Your Business Reputation Online

Yelp is becoming a go to website when it comes to local reviews of businesses.  It is also becoming a key cog in the reputation management of your business.  Yelp if you are not familiar is a review site for specific locations that rates restaurants, bars, stores and other businesses. Consumers are now using Yelp desktop and Yelp mobile in order to make decisions to spend their money.  With nearly 149 million unique visitors each month, and 115 million reviews and growing, Yelp has now become a leader in reviews and it will continue to grow.  As such, it is important for the small business owner to take advantage of Yelp and try to stay on top of the current climate of your business there.

What is the gist of Yelp?

Yelp uses a 5-star rating system in which registered users can review businesses. Also, in order for your business to receive Yelp reviews your business must be first listed on the site.  Sit down for a couple of minutes and take the time to claim your listing.  Once you have claimed your business, you can put up your listing. There are plenty of features that you can add onto your listing.  It includes uploading your photos, add a detailed description, and make sure your business information is always up to date. Try to put up photos as the consumer loves to interact with the business online and once they are able to see your business from the inside, they are much more inclined to spend dollars with you.

Responding to Reviews and the Cautions of saying negative things about Customers

As soon as your listing is up, with your photos and profile description, you will now be able to communicate with the consumer and respond to their reviews.  You have two options when it comes to the response.  You can either respond publicly or privately.  Public comments are great when there are positive reviews.  It shows that you are aware of what customers are saying about your business and appreciate the feedback.  With respect to negative reviews, it is probably best to say little publicly and attempt to respond privately with concerns from former patrons of your establishment.  If you are inclined to respond to a negative review publicly you should try to communicate that you are aware of their problem and would immediately attempt to rectify the situation.  Also a response on a negative review should be done to clarify any inaccuracies to the comment.  Once again, this shows that you are very responsive to customer concerns.  Present and future customers will see your level of engagement and will appreciate it in the long run.  Public comments can be seen directly below the Yelper’s review, whereas private messages are sent only to the Yelper, like an email.

Stickers, Deals & Gift Certificates important to promoting yourself to future customers

Yelp stickers are great for promoting Yelp reviews without actually having to ask your customers to post their feedback. Yelp has two different stickers which you can display prominently and proudly on your door or window, “Find Us on Yelp” and “People Love Us on Yelp.”   “People Love Us on Yelp” is a sticker along with a letter of recommendation from Yelp’s founders. The stickers are sent out once a year to businesses that qualify based on their history and rating on Yelp.  A Deal is giving a discount or something free drink with a Yelp Check In. Both Deals and Gift Certificates are free to set up, and only cost a percentage of the sale if they are purchased.  Yelp does however collect payment from the purchaser and retains a share of the purchase (30% for deals, 10% for gift certificates). The remainder is paid to you each month.

Being proactive on your yelp account will save you money and headaches in the long run.  You will be able to combat negative reviews quickly and show your customers that their opinions are important to you.  If you have any questions about Yelp reviews or Reputation Management please feel free to contact Falcon Consulting & Marketing.  We are a New York City based digital marketing agency assisting small businesses one client at a time.

https://falconconsultingandmarketing.com/yelp-and-managing-your-business-reputation-online/

Visit us at www.falconconsultingandmarketing.com