Why social media strategy is so important in the hospitality industry.

When it comes to marketing your business, social media offers an invaluable tool. A vital component in shaping your brand image, it’s not only a place where you can give your business a voice but somewhere that consumers can go to get an idea of who you are and what you’re about.  In the United Kingdom (UK), millennials were the most adamant generation when it comes to following brands on social media. According to the results of a 2019 survey carried out by Attest, while only 13.4 percent of millennials said they don’t follow brands on social media platforms, those who did had varying motivations for doing so, the leading being for offers and discounts (Statisica).

For this reason, we recommend restaurants creating a tailored social media strategy. Using Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc. not only gives you a variety of platforms to reach out to customers but encourages guests to share their experiences first-hand. People are inspired by others’ opinions of where and what to eat. Thanks to the power of social media and its ability to pinpoint locations through user check-ins, the immediacy of published material and hash-tagging.

This is something that the average diner will today do as a matter of habit. If someone recommends you, their immediate response will be to head over to Instagram to get a better idea of your ethos and offerings. If you come up in a search of local eateries, they’ll turn to Facebook to see what sort of reviews you’ve received.

Finally, when it comes to picture sharing, there really is no reason your brand shouldn’t be showing of its finest dishes via Instagram – which boasts 700 million active monthly users. This means that you need to start taking your social media strategy a lot more seriously. Here are just three of the reasons why…

1. It can shape the decision-making process

When it comes to finding a local bar or restaurant, most consumers like to choose where they’re going with care. They’ll do plenty of research beforehand to make sure that your image fits with their idea of where they’d like to go, and your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will all shape their perception of you. From your photos to your posts to your follower count, everything you say or do will be carefully analysed.

2. It will be used as a research tool

As we alluded to above, social media is a valuable tool for consumers looking to do their research, but it’s not only what you say that will be considered. Most savvy diners and drinkers will also be looking at what past customers have said about your business, so be sure to give people some incentive to leave a positive review. The more satisfied customers there are singing your praises online, the more attractive a prospect you’ll seem.

3. It’s a great way to raise your profile

In order to encourage customers through your door, they first need to know that you exist, and your social media platform offers a great opportunity to increase your online presence. Whether that’s via a story like the Tinder date that went viral, when a woman ordered a £15k bottle of wine by mistake, or simply by sharing funny anecdotes and insights on Twitter or taking advantage of Instagram and Facebook’s marketing tools, make the most of the unique opportunity to connect with millions of potential diners online.

Acknowledging and considering your social strategy can really help your business grow and improve customer satisfaction. Get in touch with Rapyd to find out how we can make buying and selling easy.