Despite the importance of the local community for all restaurants, we still can’t underestimate the value of an online presence. When looking for a nearby restaurant, the first thing people do these days is open their mobile and search Google or Bing.
We understand that the whole online world can seem a little daunting, but the little effort required can work wonders for our marketing strategies. Today, we’re going to talk about the four biggest do’s and don’ts for your restaurant online!
DON’T: Pay Without Tracking
Firstly, why spend money on advertising and then ignore the results? If you aren’t tracking your spending, how do you know what works and what doesn’t? If you’re to improve your online marketing over time, you need to learn from successes and failures.
DO: Claim Your Google Listing
As we noted in the introduction, more customers than ever are looking to Google to find local businesses. With a simple search, they will find local barbers, supermarkets, and restaurants. However, what many businesses don’t know is that the Google listing isn’t automatically assigned. Instead, you need to claim it.
After you go through the verification process, you’ll have control of the information provided by the listing. Now, when people search for a nearby restaurant, not only do you show but they see the information you want them to see.
DON’T: Feel the Need to Give Away Free Stuff
Just because somebody had a poor experience in your restaurant, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to give away free food or credit. When dealing with complaints online, it’s normally enough that you’re even acknowledging the complaint and then providing a gracious response.
In fact, offering something for free can sometimes seem as though you’re ignoring the real issue. For consumers, they like to feel supported and you can do this by taking note of the review and addressing their concerns. Even if somebody orders online once a week and you never actually meet them, their loyalty is just as important so address these negative reviews.
DO: Be Positive at All Times
Leading on from the previous point, it’s possible to gain exposure and attract new customers by publicly addressing good and bad reviews. Although many people worry about prospective customers seeing poor reviews online, we believe it actually provides an opportunity to show professionalism. With a measured response, perhaps a reason for the poor experience, and then a suggested course of action (a way you’re improving the service as a result of the review), it shows you care about what you’re doing in the community.
Even though customers want a positive experience, they also understand that mistakes happen because we’re all human. Address the mistakes, be honest, and show that you’re willing to improve.