Gone are the days when restaurant marketing was just limited to pamphlets, posters, newspaper ads, hoardings, and word of mouth. Now it has shifted to digital marketing and social media marketing for restaurants has become an integral part of the digital marketing strategies. 

Successful restaurants rely on social media to grow their business. Social media marketing is a little tricky; you have to be master in it if you want to make a difference.  Some common mistakes which people usually do but can be easily avoided are:

•    Be active on social media

If you want to grow big, a mere social media presence is not enough to attract customers. Many restaurants create a Facebook page but do not post content regularly. It is one of the most common mistakes which restaurants commit. 

So you have to make strategies and plans and do not forget to follow them religiously to make your social media marketing campaign successful. Over-posting is also a problem so you have to find a balance between being inactive and overactive. 

By hit and trial, you have to find what works best for you. Use this information to plan your posts at the right time of the day with the right frequency.

•    Do not limit yourself to Facebook

Social media marketing for restaurants is not limited to just Facebook, other social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Foursquare, LinkedIn, and Snapchat also play an important role in attracting more customers. 

Other than these platforms, you can also explore many other platform which are now becoming an important part of the social media ecosystem.

•    Do not forget to include visuals in your posts

Visuals attract the attention of your potential customers. A post with videos and pictures is more attractive than simple text messages. If you are not including visuals in your posts, you are missing the real impact of social media on your business. 

You can include videos in your post by answering some queries, show your business’s behind the scene or by sharing customer feedback. Visuals are considered one of the best ways of social media marketing for restaurants.

•    Always respond to negative reviews

Not responding to negative reviews or comments is one of the biggest mistakes done by restaurants. Your customers want to know how you deal with negative comments. When you respond to a negative comment and resolve the issue by providing some positive solution, your dissatisfied customer become satisfied and your potential customer see your restaurant in a positive light. 

Remember to respond as soon as possible because most of the customers expects a response within few hours of their initial contact.

When it comes to marketing for restaurants, most of us do mistakes but more important is to become aware of them and to correct them. If you follow these steps, your restaurant will definitely become a successful business.