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With the onset of the pandemic, the food industry went through some very testing situations that challenged them every step of the turn. Most restaurateurs found themselves helpless and despair with the cloud of uncertainty that surrounded them.
The restaurant business in the Middle East took a huge hit during this very challenging period, with the lockdown in place most restaurants experienced a loss of as much as 70% of their business. So the big question is– How did they survive and what helped them stay afloat?
Restaurants soon gathered that the only way to survive in the market is to adapt by satisfying the needs of this huge wave of people who had resorted to a new found interest in technology, food, and e-commerce. With both children and adults avidly using social media, it became extremely important for restaurants to have a brand presence that would help reach the minds of their target audience.
Most restaurateurs realized that they needed digital marketing, which became more important than ever to know how and where to reach new and existing customers online. Below are some interesting digital marketing insights and tactics as seen in 2020:
1. Social media loves food-related content. So it is very important for restaurants to promote themselves heavily on social media and be thoroughly active across multiple social media channels. Promoting user-generated content can also improve the brand’s visibility.
2. Monitor ratings and reviews. 91% of the customers read reviews and only then make a purchase decision. Replying back to reviews can help in reputation management, which is very crucial for a restaurant.
3. More than 60% of the consumers use Google My Business to find the address or phone number of a local business. Registering your restaurant on this directory will allow you to optimize your profile and drive more traffic to both online and physical stores. This also improves the brands visibility via local SEO.
4. Have a website. This will allow you to have:
a) an optimized online menu for ordering and takeaways
b) a payment gateway, that will allow consumers to pay online directly
c) Improve your SEO and gain traffic by having food blogs, vlogs and recipes.
d) Build brand credibility.
5. Make use of Google Ads, Facebook and Instagram Ads to directly target customers within the locality and gain more direct traction to your website, social media and stores.
6. Practice email marketing to regularly reach out to both existing and new audience to inform them about important updates, latest deals and ongoing promotions. You can also run loyalty programs via emails.
In a highly competitive industry like the restaurant business, digital marketing is absolutely essential to be able to build a successful business. ENH Media & Communications specializes in building important digital marketing strategies for restaurants including strong website optimized for content and SEO, as well as presence on review sites, and locally-targeted online advertising. ENH allows you to be at the top of your game by taking your digital marketing strategy to the next level and solidifying your relationship with your existing customer base.