Social Media

for Restaurants:
How to Manage Your Brand Online
Introduction
Anyone will admit that social media has changed the world over the past decade. It has gone on to affect human interactions and has
even impacted the way companies in every industry conduct business and connect with their customers. This is why managing your
online restaurant brand is no longer an option - it’s a necessity.

In this guide, we’ll give you a brief overview of the websites your business should be registered on and using. We’ll also highlight the
goal of each channel, who you’ll be reaching, the best device to manage from, the ideal posting frequency, and much more.

By the end of this guide, you will have a better understanding of:
• The importance of managing your brand online.
• The diversity of sites you should be managing, and how to maintain each.
• What your guests expect from you, want from you, and need from your restaurant online.

As you read, you’ll discover that the world of online branding and social media is fast-paced, immediate, and at times hectic. With
that said, there’s no time to lose!

Let’s jump right into The Restaurant Online Branding Guide for tips on social media and increasing your presence on the web.

Instagram Facebook Twitter Snapchat Google My

Business
Instagram:
The Goal: Entice users with pictures of your food and your staff. Show them you’re more than just another restaurant.
Best Device to Manage From: Smartphone or tablet, although you can view (not post) from a computer.
Who You’ll Reach: 500 million users of varying ages, but mainly the “younger” crowd.
More than half of 18-to-29-year-olds are on Instagram.
Ideal Posting Frequency: No more than once a day. Users want quality content and photos every time you post,
so keep it to about 4-5 times a week.
“A picture’s worth a thousand words.”
That couldn’t be more true for the millions of users of Instagram, which is now the second most popular social networking site
behind Facebook. On Instagram, the picture speaks for itself. What your write for the caption for the photo is important, but users
scrolling through their timeline won’t always notice the words if the picture doesn’t stand out. So follow this process to make your
images pop and build a great presence on Instagram.

Step 1: The Picture

For posting frequency and content, it’s good to mix things up for your audience. First and foremost, people love to see food on their
Instagram feeds. For you, this means posting the most tempting and delicious-looking images of your food. Food floods Instagram
timelines, so if you post a generic shot of a sandwich or a glass of beer, it will easily be passed over. For ideal engagement, post food
shots at least 2-3 times a week. Always use new shots of your food, and make sure a different menu item is featured to keep things
fresh.

Your Instagram is more than just a way to push out #FoodPorn. Use it as an opportunity to highlight a new menu item, your weekly
special, a limited time promotion, and your team! Try one or more of these ideas:

If you’re offering a happy hour deal for the week - post a photo of one of your best bartenders pouring the perfect pint, and mention
the available deal in the caption.
Take a shot of your employee of the month to boost worker morale and put a personality spin on your content.
Designate a day to post a shot of your weekly menu special. Write that anyone who comes in and shows they follow you on
Instagram will get a discount on that special.

The possibilities are endless, but try to keep these posts to about twice a week.

Step 2: The Filter

Filters are a fantastic way to add some flair to your imagery. After you select the image you want to use on the app, you’ll be directed
to choose a filter, which will alter the colors and look of your picture. This is an optional choice that you should take advantage of.
Scroll through all the filters and see which ones work best for your image.
Step 3: The Caption
The caption isn’t the most important part of your post, but that does not mean it can be ignored. For descriptive text, sometimes less
is more. Just a simple sentence or two on the food item you’re posting (or 3-4 describing the picture of your recent team outing) will
be plenty.

Something that is imperative to your posts is the hashtag you include. Hashtags allow you to reach users and grow your follower
base. Popular tags include #FoodPorn or a location-based hashtag like #BostonEats. Do some brainstorming and searching to see
what hashtags near you have a good search volume like #BostonRestaurants or #BostonFoodPorn. This will help you notice the
other hashtags being commonly used in your area, which you can include in your posts as well. Be generous with your hashtag use -
the more you include, the more likely you’ll get noticed!

Finally, always put a location to your photo, which is another way to engage other customers who search based on location. Always
make the location the name of your restaurant, and encourage your customers to do the same when they post pictures of their
meals. If you are tagged or mentioned, take it upon yourself to comment on or repost the photo as a way of saying thanks!

Things to remember about Instagram:

• It’s all about the imagery, but don’t forget about those hashtags!
• Keep things fresh and try not to recycle or reuse content.
• The Huffington Post reported that Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days to pos. Catch the attention of the dinner crowd
with 5:00 PM posts and the lunch rush with 10:00 AM posts.
• Make your shots stand out. If you need some examples of great food shots, see some here.

Instagram All-Star -
Upper Crust Pizzeria
With 8 locations, Upper Crust certainly appeals
to a lot of people. Their Instagram account does
the same! Notice the variety of shots and their
use of captions to boost discovery.
Facebook:
The Goal: Build a community for your customers by encouraging page visits and comments.
Best Device to Manage From: Whatever you’re comfortable with, though smartphones are better for quick posting and responding.
Who You’ll Reach: 1.7 billion monthly active users.
Ideal Posting Frequency: 1-3 times a day.
I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’re familiar with how Facebook operates, so let’s just skip right to the best practices.

“Information” & “About” Sections:

Your Facebook business page should function as a one-stop source for your customers and fans. Because of Facebook’s established
presence on the internet and the amount that you can do on your page, it’s likely that this will be the first place your customers will
look for you. Make sure your page includes the following information, at the very least:

• Link to your website/online ordering website

• Address, phone number, and hours of operation
• Your menu (Click here to watch how to add it)

Photos:
Just like on Instagram, the importance of imagery cannot be overstated. Adding a photo at least once a day on Facebook is a smart
tactic. You can use the same ones from your Instagram, or you could post original shots optimized for Facebook.

While shots of food still do well on Facebook, this is a better place to post some pictures of your team, operations, and customers
enjoying food. Whether you’re a bar showcasing the fun times your nightly patrons have or a family restaurant showing a young
child devour an ice cream sundae for dessert, you can definitely find ways to feature customers in an interesting way.

But let’s talk about something more established on your page - your profile picture and cover photo. Both of these should be chosen
carefully, as they’re often the first thing visitors notice when coming to your page.

Your profile picture is simple enough - your restaurant logo or an exterior shot is perfect. Cover photos can be rotated out every
week or so - try experimenting with your business’ logo, a photo of your entire staff, or your most delicious looking menu item. See
what gets the best engagement! Changing on a weekly basis puts this activity on your fans’ timelines, so you’ll keep popping up
every time they log in.
Other Posts:
Video + Facebook = Awesome. Consider the videos of amazing cooking tutorials that flood your Facebook timeline. If you (or
someone on your staff) have the production skills, a how-to video would be awesome to share. Share the process of making your
signature dish (Don’t worry - you don’t have to give away your full recipe!). Exclusive content like this is a great way to connect with
your customers and show them that they are appreciated.

The rest of your posts should also be fun and interactive, like announcing specials and new menu items. End all of your posts with
a question or a fill-in-the-blank challenge (i.e. My favorite topping to get on a pizza from Ellie’s Pizzeria is _______!) so you can push
interaction from your fans.

One last thing about Facebook: not all of your posts will be seen by all of your fans. This means you can republish great posts - like
specials or coupon codes - to reach more people.

Things to remember about Facebook:

• Facebook isn’t as visual as Instagram or Snapchat, but videos and images are still important.
• Verifying your Facebook business page is easy and effective. Learn how here.
• If you have an important announcement, feel free to share it more than once on this site.
• There’s less limits on Facebook compared to other sites, so be creative and interactive. Show and tell your fans everything you
want them to know about your business!

Facebook All-Star: IHOP

IHOP has earned its 3.5 million followers. Yes, it is a
nationwide chain, but it doesn’t use that as an excuse
to not post. The company’s page grows in number and
engages followers with photos of smiling children,
promotions, and even video.
Twitter
The Goal: To stay relevant in the eyes of your customers, announce immediate news, and respond to your customers.
Best Device to Manage From: Smartphone for in-the-moment updates and alerts. You can also use it from your computer.
Who You’ll Reach: Over 320 million users of all ages.
Ideal Posting Frequency: Up to 5 times per day (not including responses to individual tweets)
“Twitter is not a social media tool, Twitter is social.” - Vincent NG
Twitter is an ocean of information blurbs. Without the proper management and promotion, your account will just be another fish in
the sea. But there’s plenty you can do to stand out.

Getting Found:
Twitter users can search for your restaurant. If you want them to know it’s your account and not a fake one (Twitter account
verification isn’t easy to obtain), make your account as official as possible. Use your restaurant’s logo as your profile picture. Share
a photo of your restaurant interior or exterior as your header image. Also, be sure to add your own website and location, because
there may be another restaurant with the same or a similar name. If you have multiple locations, specify that in your bio (“Serving
mouthwatering burgers and brews across the Midwest!”).

Posting:
Every message you send should have a photo! In a user’s infinite timeline, posting images is one of the most wise ways to catch their
attention as they’re scrolling through.

Like Instagram, Twitter posts benefit from using the right hashtags. If you’re an independent restaurant owner running one location,
how can you find the right hashtags that are applicable to your area?

Head over to a desktop and log into Twitter. On your Twitter homepage, notice the “trends”
bar on the left of the screen. You’ll see a “change” button. Once you click that, you’ll have the
option to cater the hashtags and trending topics on Twitter to your location. After that, you’ll
see a list of the trending topics in your region, and tweeting about these topics is a great way
to connect with your local audience.

For example, maybe #MondayMotivation is trending in your city. If you’re a café, you could post a tweet saying “There’s no better
#MondayMotivation than one of our famous mochas! Come visit us in Boston on Park Drive!” Make the hashtags work for you! If
you’re creative enough, a new customer just might notice you.
Interacting With Users:
The beauty of Twitter lies in transparency.

If somebody who has visited your restaurant has a great (or not so great) experience,
they may tweet about it. These tweets could come either from a direct mention (@
YourRestaurant) or an indirect mention, where they’ll tweet about “Your Restaurant”
without calling out your username. It’s up to you to monitor these direct mentions by
checking your notifications center and by regularly searching your restaurant name (or
any variation) in the search bar.

Making an attempt to interact with every mention you receive does wonders for your
brand. If you receive a neutral comment, liking the tweet will usually suffice. Mentions
that are particularly positive - or negative - will usually require a response. For positive
comments, match the user’s tone and come up with a fun response, like this one below.
You can even sign it with your initials to show the “human” behind your brand.

For negative responses, take a more serious tone - they’re usually not joking around.
Always offer some sort of solution, which may require starting a private direct message
or scheduling an in person meet-up. It’s times like these that will determine the way your
brand is perceived online. If you respond with a standard “cookie-cutter” message to all
comments, don’t offer any sympathy, or don’t respond at all, your customers will take note,
effectively damaging your brand. Instead, tackle each comment or mention as an individual
issue. Personalizing each message and genuinely appearing interested to alleviate any
problem builds goodwill for your brand and its perception online, like this:

Things to remember about Twitter:

• #Hashtags are your new best friend.
• Respond to every customer mention, tag, comment, complaint, and criticism.
• Use images!
• Keep the content current.
• Offer links to your website/online ordering site if there’s room.
Twitter All-Star: Dunkin’ Donuts
In case you couldn’t tell, we think Dunkin’ is doing awesome on Twitter! They fill their followers’ timelines with photos, frequent
posts, and announcements of new features. They also reply to their customers, and almost every tweet is a new and individualized
response.
Snapchat:
The Goal: Reach customers with immediate, fast-paced content.
Devices to Manage From: Smartphone or tablet only.
Who You’ll Reach: Over 100 million daily users - mostly in the millennial or Generation Z age bracket.
Ideal Posting Frequency: Whenever you have something you might want your followers to see (Yes, I know that’s not a number, but
you’ll understand why Snapchat isn’t as quantifiable as you read on).
Snapchat is one of the more unconventional social media platforms. Each “snap” or picture only lasts temporarily (24 hours for a
story, up to 10 seconds for an individually sent snap). Now you may be thinking, “Great...so a perfect shot or funny video will last only
24 hours? And it won’t even be seen by everyone?” However, the benefits of this app - such as reaching a younger demographic and
enticing guests with limited-time offers - are hard to ignore.

Getting Started:
Get Snapchat on your phone or tablet if you don’t already have it. It’s free! Note that this app only works on these devices - posting
from a computer isn’t a possibility. For your username, use your restaurant’s name if it hasn’t already been taken. If it has, try tacking
a number or your location on it. “LaurasCafe” could also be “LaurasCafeMiami.”

The nature of Snapchat is fast, new, and now. It’s a fantastic tool for creating immediate and temporary hype about your restaurant.
Once you create a snap, you can send it to either individual followers or post it on “My Story” for all of your followers to see on their
own time (within 24 hours of your original post). Restaurants will best benefit from Snapchat by posting on their story as opposed to
sending snaps individually.

Here’s the catch: unlike the other social networking sites, customers won’t be able to search for you. When you have started a
Snapchat account, post your username and a picture of your Snapcode in your restaurant and on your official social media accounts.
This way, everyone who comes into your restaurant will know how to add you.

Posting Frequency and Ideas:

What could expire in 24 hours besides a snap from Snapchat? A mini-promotion to get people in the door! Quick-service and
takeout restaurants can offer a free bottle of soda, a 5-10% discount, or $1 off an order of $10 or more to everyone who comes in
from 2pm-5pm on that day (so long as they show that they’re following you on Snapchat). Cafés and coffee shops can use this as a
way to sell the rest of their day’s baked good for the day at a discounted price.

Snapchat also works great for generating buzz around that night’s special or a live event. Post a tempting photo of the evening’s
special with a description, explaining it’s a limited time offer. Bars and nightclubs can promote their act for the evening with a video
of the band’s setup, or entice some visitors with a shot of a new drink. Keep things fresh and exciting!
Finally, this is a fantastic tool to build your brand’s personality. Show a behind-the-scenes photo of your kitchen or operations. Snap
a photo of your chef tossing pizza dough in the air, or get a happy customer to pose with their meal. Create content that will let your
followers identify with your business and make them want to keep checking your story. You can also take the initiative to create a
Snapchat Geofilter, which users can use as an “overlay” to their snaps. Snapchat has made it easy to create and purchase a Geofilter -
learn about it here!

Things to remember about Snapchat:

• Nothing’s permanent, but snaps can be screenshotted and saved - post wisely!
• Only snap individual followers for big announcements, or else they may become frustrated. Posting on your story is a
wiser way to go.
• It may take a while to build a following, but keep at it and you will reap the benefits.
• Some sponsored updates, like Geofilters, may also be of value. Read more about those here.

Snapchat All-Star: McDonald’s

McDonald’s launched their Snapchat presence by raising
awareness on social media. Since then, they’ve shown pictures of
new menu item launches, behind-the-scenes commercial filming,
and have even created sponsored geofilters. It was all a part of
their “Lovin’ Summer Fun” campaign.
Google My Business
The Goal: To increase your website clicks and number of guests from Google Search results.
Best Device to Manage From: Computer, although there are mobile and tablet apps to manage your Google My Business data.
Who You’ll Reach: Anyone searching for your restaurant on Google.
Ideal Posting Frequency: The best thing about Google My Business is that you only need to set it up once, and the process takes
approximately 10 minutes. You don’t need to continue posting every day; you can just watch your traffic - and reviews, and phone
calls, and requests for directions - rise.
We’ve saved the best for last. Google My Business is not a social media account, but it is crucial for your restaurant’s online
branding.

Without Google My Business: With Google My Business:

Do you see the difference? How about that big card to the right? That’s called a “Knowledge Panel,” and it’s
one of the many benefits of Google My Business.

Google My Business enters your restaurant into the Google “yellow pages.” By keeping your profile
updated with your menu, website, photos, reviews, and social pages, you can increase the amount of
visitors to your website - and, of course, to your restaurant.

On a mobile phone, this information is even more prominent, as the example from the right illustrates. A
potential guest can get all the information they need from one search, rather than having to tap around on
your website.

When 81% of consumers search for restaurants on their mobile device, Google My Business is essential -
unless you want guests to click away to one of your competitors.
How to Set Up Google My Business in 10 Minutes
Step 1:
Claim or set up your Google My Business page here. Google will need to send you an automated text message or a voice call at your
restaurant number to verify the account.

Step 2:
Fill out your profile as much as you can. Don’t forget to include:
• Address, Phone number, and Hours of Operation
• Categories <- make sure to include all categories that match your offering. For example, if you’re an Italian restaurant, select both the
“italian restaurant” category and the “restaurant” category.
• Description
• Website
• Logo
• Profile photo (featuring your food!)
• Photos of your Interior, Exterior, Food and Drink, and Team

Google may input some of this information based on what it already knows, especially if you’re already listed in Google Maps.

Step 3: Monitor your Google My Business analytics.

After you sign up, you’ll see a section called “Insights.” You can see within the last 7, 30, or 90 days how customers are using your
new Google My Business card on search results. You can see how many customers are viewing your business via direct branded
searches (such as “Beef O’Brady’s”) or category searches (such as “Family Restaurant”). You can see how many customers visit your
website, request directions, call, or view photos from the Google My Business card, and more.

When you have a Google My Business page, you can also collect reviews from people searching for your website, just like on
Facebook or Yelp. You’ll receive an email whenever someone leaves a review, and you can click on the “reviews” section to see the
entire list. Best practice when receiving reviews - whether on Yelp or Facebook or Google - is to respond in a timely manner, thank
the customer for their review, and address any issues. You can view and reply to reviews from within your Google My Business
account.
Want help with setting up your Google My Business account? Check out The Restaurant Guide to Google My Business and Local
Search.

Things to remember:
• This is not SEO (search engine optimization). Learn more about local SEO for restaurants here.
• The more pictures you include in your profile, the better, as Google will prioritize profiles that are filled out 100%. Use this as an
opportunity to showcase your food!
• Google says 50% of mobile consumers that search for a local business visit it within a day of the search.
• To see how many people are searching for your brand name, just type your restaurant name into SEMRush and look at organic
search volume.

• BONUS: You can have an authorized Google representative come to your restaurant and film a “virtual tour” that guests can click
on to view the interior (or exterior) of your restaurant.
Conclusion
Social media has definitely impacted restaurants interact with their customers, and vice versa. There’s no longer a barrier between
management and diners. As a restaurateur, it’s your job to understand that your brand stretches far beyond the walls of your
establishment; it’s often in the hands of your customers. That is, unless you take control of your online branding.

Each of the channels we covered have specific goals, audiences, and impacts on your business.
• Google My Business allows your customers to find everything they need to know about you from the most searched website in
the world.
• Snapchat reaches a younger audience by appealing to their preference for fast-paced, new, and visual content.
• Instagram does the same, but appeals to a wider audience who can share this information easily with others.
• Facebook helps you build a community of your guests and fans, and allows you to list all of your information in one place.
• Finally, Twitter becomes a place for your customers to interact with you on a more personal basis, helping you make a stronger
individualized connection with them.

Ultimately, the goal of social media is to create, maintain, and fix relationships with your guests. It’s a modern and effective way
to interact with your fans. But your restaurant marketing shouldn’t stop with the pictures you post and the tweets you send. The
Restaurant Coach Donald Burns puts it best:

“You have to have a solid marketing plan and calendar if you want to be effective with social media.
Just how you need to be consistent with your food and service, your marketing efforts need to be the same.”

If you found this information helpful, we strongly recommend exploring your restaurant’s entire marketing plan and reading
Restaurant Marketing 101: Ideas, Tips, and Strategies to Get More Customers. It’s filled with even more details for an all-
encompassing restaurant marketing strategy After all, email campaigns, business branding, and search engine optimization are also
integral parts of a successful and modern restaurant marketing campaign.

RESTAURANT MARKETING 101 Download the Ebook

Ideas, tips, and strategies to get more customers