The Art of Restaurant Promotion

There are countless ways to promote a restaurant in today’s digital world, but one of the most valuable methods is partnerships with foodie content creators. These skilled creators are adept at creating quality content for social media and have amasses strong followings that trust their recommendations implicitly. Building a reciprocal partnership with a foodie content creator can yield a strong return on investment (ROI), build your restaurant’s online presence, and attract new clientele.

Benefits of partnering with foodie content creators

According to Sprout Social, 88% of people are influenced by reviews or online comments, so teaming up with a trusted foodie content creator can boost your credibility among new audiences. Content creators have dedicated followers who trust their opinions, so posts from them can often carry more weight than traditional advertising methods — and appear more genuine. After all, 92% of consumers say they trust recommendations from their friends, relatives, and influences more than other forms of advertising, according to Mad Mobile.

Partnerships with foodie content creators are mutually beneficial since they provide content for both parties involved, increased visibility among new audiences, more engagement, boosted website traffic, and increased visits to your restaurant.

How to engage with foodie content creators for restaurant promotion

Determine which social media platform is the best fit to promote your restaurant on — is it through informative and entertaining videos on YouTube or high-quality food photography on Instagram, for example? You’ll need to research the foodie content creators in your area who are active on these platforms and have strong followings. You can do this by searching hashtags on Instagram or keying in specific phrases on YouTube relevant to your restaurant.

You can also scan your follower accounts or social post comments to scout out potential foodie content creators. Who engages with you? If there’s a foodie content creator who is consistently liking and commenting on your posts, this could be a good place to start. It also doesn’t hurt to scope out your competition to see if their tagged posts include any content from popular foodie creators.

Finally, you can turn to Google to search for local foodie content creators. Once you’ve determined a list of potential partnerships, reach out to start a dialogue with creators to learn more about their content creation services.

The importance of high-quality food photography and videography

You’ve likely heard the saying that people eat with their eyes first. Food photography and videography can be just as enticing as a delicious dish in real life, but both are difficult to do well. The dish needs to look appetizing and grab attention, especially as someone is scrolling the endless newsfeed of social media. A well-lit, interesting food photo or video post can help drive traffic to your profile and your website, which can lead to more engagement, followers, and, ideally, guests at your restaurant. According to Medium, 82% of people would buy a dish solely based on its appearance in a photo. Strong photography and videography also build trust by showing potential customers what they can expect from a visit to your restaurant.

The best social media platforms for restaurant promotion

Since food is so visually appealing, it makes sense that Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms for restaurant promotion, especially among millennials. This group goes out to eat at least once per week. The platform is increasing its focus on video content, so it’s important to include a mix of photos and video to keep up with the algorithm. You can also host giveaways with foodie content creators to gain more followers and promote your restaurant to a new audience.

Facebook is still a valuable tool for engaging with customers, sharing updates about your restaurant, and gaining trust through reviews.

Since video content has become such a focus of social media content in recent years, TikTok and YouTube can be valuable resources for promoting your restaurant by partnering with foodie content creators who have strong and engaged followings.

Choosing the right foodie content creator

Strategic collaboration requires careful consideration:

● Determine Your Budget: Compensate creators for their time and skills, whether through meals, payment, or a combination.

● Audience Size and Reach: Quality often trumps quantity. A local foodie content creator with an engaged following may offer better ROI than a larger influencer with lower engagement.

● Partnership Length and Formal Agreement: Align on the duration of the partnership and set expectations. A written contract defining deliverables and key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential.

● Past Work and Metrics: Inquire about past partnerships, audience engagement, content performance, authenticity, and alignment with your brand's values.

In the dynamic landscape of digital promotion, partnering with the right foodie content creator can amplify your restaurant's visibility, engage new audiences, and contribute to a thriving online presence. The key lies in strategic selection, clear communication, and a mutually beneficial, long-term partnership.