To promote your restaurant effectively, start by implementing the following strategies:
- Add reservation links to Google Business
- Make dishes "Instagrammable"
- Improve local SEO for better online visibility
- Follow a structured marketing framework
- Send effective email marketing campaigns
- Focus on building customer loyalty
- Collect and use guest data
Now, let's look a bit deeper into what a restaurant marketing strategy is and why it matters.
What is a restaurant marketing strategy?
A restaurant marketing strategy helps increase sales and profits by attracting guests to your restaurant. It includes tactics like advertising, promotions, events, customer loyalty programs, customer service, menu design, pricing, and location to promote your business effectively.
Why is a restaurant marketing strategy important?
A restaurant's marketing strategy is key to its success. To attract guests, you need to promote your restaurant, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to do so. Affordable and effective methods include social media campaigns, SEO, and email marketing.
An effectiverestaurant marketing plan helps you stand out from the competition by applying a clear strategy for restaurant visibility, loyalty and engagement.
How to build a restaurant marketing strategy
I set clear marketing goals, like increasing brand awareness or driving sales, to stay focused and measure success. I conduct market research to understand my competition and identify opportunities, using this to create a unique value proposition.
I develop a marketing mix (product, price, promotion, and place) to align my plan with my business goals and audience needs. After implementing my strategy, I track progress and adjust as needed to ensure success.
Every strategy for restaurant success should include SEM, social media, and customer engagement tools as part of a holistic restaurant marketing plan.
Let’s continue with more marketing tips and ideas below.
Best restaurant marketing strategies
1. Add reservation links to Google Business
Yelp is becoming less relevant as Google dominates local restaurant searches. Skift's Megatrends highlighted this shift. If you haven’t already, set up a Google Business account to showcase your location, photos, and website links.
Once set up, use Google Business to boost local discovery and start driving more revenue.
- Download your free guide on how to set up your Google Reservations
One way to increase reservations is by adding a reservation link to your GMB page. Google now lets you add a link under the 'reservations' field, connecting directly to your website or reservation system.
This provides a frictionless way for people to make reservations from your Google profile. Some restaurants see up to a 20% increase in online reservations with this feature.
- Interested in adding a "Reserve a Table" button to your restaurant's Google profile? Click here to sign up for Eat App for free and instantly activate your button.
2. Send email marketing that works (ie. personalized and automated)
Many restaurant marketing guides suggest sending a generic email newsletter, but this often gets overlooked. I recommend restaurants customize their emails based on past interactions. For example, content should differ for someone who visited once in the last three months versus a frequent guest. Using customer data and email automation tools, like those from Eat App, allows for targeted, relevant emails that stand out and drive better engagement.
3. Send birthday reminder emails
As a marketing expert, I also recommend that restaurants take advantage of birthdays, which bring in larger parties and higher spending. To capture these diners, collect birthday info through phone calls, surveys, or online bookings.
Store it in a CRM, then send a personalized email 2–3 weeks before their birthday, highlighting why the restaurant is the best place to celebrate. Offering a special discount or perk can make the deal even more attractive.
