Here come the holidays! As you begin to plan for hosting diners this festive season, make sure to include social media as part of your promotion plan. Both photos and videos on social media – in particular Instagram and Facebook – help diners pick a restaurant. Use these tips to promote your restaurant online – and make the most out of your tables for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
1. Plan ahead
Don’t wait until the last minute. Diners and party organisers begin planning the holiday season in early Spring. Promote your private rooms and floor plans early enough and regularly. While food is one of the top priorities, if you’re marketing private dining or events, remember to share your photos of event space along with booking details.
2. Accentuate what’s special
Does your restaurant really deck the halls with boughs of holly? Does your chef do a special croquembouche? Do you have a family-friendly Christmas? Is your New Year’s Eve over-the-top? Be sure to add this little something your diners will remember for next year.
3. Regram when you can
Are there pictures of travellers and private events from last year posted by past patrons on Instagram or Twitter? A retweet or regram of the post could do the trick, such as ‘Remembering the spectacular Christmas party that @XYZ threw in our private dining room last year. There’s still time to book your holiday meal. Contact us.’
4. Use the right tags
Using the best possible hashtags and geotags when promoting your events will make your posts more noticeable. Geotag the location, your restaurant name, and include the hashtag for the particular holiday, your city + top food hashtags: #food #foodporn #foodie #instafood #foodgasm #foodstagram #foodpics #yummy #delicious #foodlover
5. Promote your location’s proximity to anything holiday-related
Are you near Federation Square in Melbourne, or the Sydney Harbour Bridge? Mention these locations or holiday-related events (and their hashtags) that are happening near your restaurant to attract diners attending these events and seeking out meals before or afterward.
6. Invite an influencer ahead of time
Find a small group of influencers who will visit your restaurant to promote your holiday dinners, events, or private dining areas in advance of the holidays. Try to form relationships with these influencers. Let them gather with some friends who will post and tag your restaurant on social media in exchange for a fun dining experience.
7. Let’s go to the video(tape)
Videos tend to draw attention on social media. Use this to your advantage by increasing your number of photo-driven posts with video on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 15 seconds or less of delicious dishes and drinks is all it takes.
8. Consider promotion
If budget allows, look into creating a promoted Instagram or Facebook post to target diners in your city. The self-serve tools on these platforms are easy to use. You can also view Facebook and Instagram business pages for help.
