There is no doubt that social media has significantly changed marketing techniques in the restaurant industry in recent years, moving from invasive marketing to a very different one where interactions with customers are generated through co-participation in content.
A few days ago, Buzztime published an infographic that graphically shows the 5 main marketing trends for restaurants in 2013, based on a series of sources related to restaurants and new technologies.
As on other occasions, I am going to give my opinion on each of these 5 trends:
#1: Customers trust other customers
I never tire of repeating it in my conferences and courses: reputation is the main element for attracting and retaining customers for restaurants. The difference compared to traditional word of mouth is that it has now moved to the Internet, it has been digitalised, and its effect has multiplied, since there is no need for a link of any kind for the opinions of other customers to influence my decision, mainly in the digital inspiration phase.
Nowadays, with the enormous competition in the restaurant industry, customer loyalty is an essential element in the future sustainability of the company. In addition, there is a factor that causes this process to not be the same WhatsApp Number Database as it was a few years ago, since, thanks to the digitalization of the sector, the customer has an enormous amount of information about the restaurant before going to it. Therefore, loyalty must start from excellence, that is, exceed the expectations that the customer has generated in their digital stage of information gathering.
[The 88% who use loyalty programs achieve on average 88% more benefits than their competitors who do not]
Bars and restaurants marketing trends
The growth in the use of smartphones in recent years is exponential. The restaurant industry is faced with a new customer who, in addition to making their decisions in a digital environment, also adds the mobile component, that is, without limitation of the place where they need said information.
It is important to keep in mind that a very significant percentage of customers who go to a restaurant, whatever type, do so because of proximity. They are what I call “local diners,” and to attract them, digital and mobile information is vital.
[30% of Internet usage comes from mobile devices, if your website is not mobile, 3 out of 10 users will not find it]
2013 -Bar-and-Restaurant-Marketing-Trends-Infographic
Undoubtedly, Social Media Restauranting or restaurant strategies on social networks are becoming the main element to get new customers, generating a Social Capital 2.0 based on the new digital relationship between the customer and the restaurant.
Content is information and good information is relevant because it influences the decisions of others. In addition, for the first time in history, a very important phenomenon is occurring in the restaurant industry: any of us can be a producer and consumer of relevant information. Thanks to the socialization of content, it no longer has to be a professional who generates that content; we can all generate and consume influential information. |
