Facebook is a great platform for restaurants looking to reach their customers and build an online presence. You can add a great deal of information, including opening times and menus, so if you haven’t got the time or resources to run a website, Facebook can be an ideal alternative.

If you are looking to ensure that you are making the most of the social media platform, check out the following Facebook marketing tips and incorporate them into your social media marketing strategy.

1) Timing – Most businesses discover over time that there is an optimum time to post to give your posts the best reach and most interactions. Think about who your target customers are and when they are most likely to be on Facebook. It is usually a case of trial and error at first to establish when the best time to post is, however make use of your analytics to help you.

2) Images – Photo posts get 39% more interactions than text-based updates (source) so to maximize engagement, make sure you post images. It might be useful to build a bank of images that you can use, from dishes that you serve to images of the restaurant and your team. Whether they are spur of the moment images taken on a smartphone or professional images, they are a must have for Facebook posts.

3) Contests – Another way to increase engagement is to run contests. They can be a brilliant way to generate buzz round your brand, for example celebrate a new menu launch or seasonal event with a giveaway or special deal. They can be a great opportunity to boost footfall during quieter periods and delight your customers at the same time.

4) Boost posts – Facebook has been making things difficult for publishers and as a result, organic reach on Facebook has fallen by 52% on average so to ensure your messages reach customers, paying to boost posts is an alternative option. The overall cost depends on a number of things, such as how many you want to reach and the number of impressions that the post gets. This isn’t the same as a sponsored post, which is more like an advert. Boosted posts are simply standard posts that are paid for to achieve a greater reach.

5) Respond to comments and messages – Facebook is as much a customer service tool as it is a promotional tool so it is very important that you respond to questions from customers and remain transparent. Don’t panic if you receive negative reviews or comments, remain professional and respond by trying to resolve the issue if you can. Deleting negative comments can worsen the problem. Show customers that you are publicly willing to listen to feedback and they will respect you for it.

6) Give your customers behind the scenes insight – If you struggle to come up with content, why not consider sharing behind the scenes content? Show customers who your team are and support their achievements, for example if you have a Star of the Month or if anyone is currently involved in charity fundraising share this with your customers. You could also share photos of menu development or maybe tease a new dish and encourage people to post what they think it will be. Get creative and look at other brands for inspiration.

7) Don’t be overly self-promotional – Try to avoid making your brand page all about you. Of course you want to promote special offers and what your company is up to but remember to share posts from other sources too. For example, you could post news or events in the local area or if you capture a beautiful sunset or stunning view, share that. Support and interact with brands from the local area too. As long as it’s relevant and something of interest to your customers, it is well worth sharing.

8) Video – If you are looking for a way to increase your organic reach, video is the way to go. Video posts have 135% greater reach than photo posts (source) but you need to make sure that as with any other post, it’s of high quality to get the engagement needed to avoid the post being buried.

9) Monitor post performance – Facebook has some excellent analytics tools to help you gain insight into how your posts are performing and the demographics of those interacting with your page. Make use of this information to shape your content strategy so you can make your posts even more targeted and relevant.

10) Provide value – Offering something for free can be a great way to build up a rapport with customers. Whether it’s a recipe for a popular dish you serve in the restaurant or host an exclusive sample night where customers can try out your menu for free by signing up on your Facebook page.

The key with your Facebook content is to know your customers and get creative. Don’t be afraid to go behind the scenes of your business so customer can get to know your team and give things away for free to entice them in.

If you’ve found the above Facebook marketing tips useful, check out our tips for Instagram and Twitter too.

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