In today’s world, social media is the church that everyone attends on Sundays. People gather to boast about their new stuff and low-key flex their achievements in life.
The only difference is that social media doesn’t happen only on Sundays; it’s an everyday thing. So it’s the perfect venue for you to market whatever you want using paid social media advertising. For restaurant owners, it means showing off photographs of mouthwatering dishes.
But here’s the problem:
You’re not the only restaurant owner trying his best to attract as many diners as possible. In fact, almost every restaurant today is using social media. Big and small restaurants alike use these platforms to grow their audience.
You’ll face pioneer restaurant pages with massive followers. You’ll also need to compete against sub-niches as well. The restaurant industry is a competitive arena. You need to get attention from the right people. This is a lot harder than you think.
It’s a good thing all social media channels have compelling paid social media ads. These are available for restaurants. Not only will it allow you to bypass the competition, but it also gives you total control.
Paid Social Media Ads – What Are They?
If you want to hit the ground running with your marketing campaign, then paid social media is the way to go.
Paid social media marketing is a way of displaying ads on social media platforms. This also works with sponsored marketing messages.
Paid social ads target a certain sub-market. Pay-per-click ads and content generated by influencers are examples of this advertising. It’s easy to tell if the ad is a paid one. They’re the ones with the “promoted” or “sponsored” tag.
This type of advertising is very dynamic. Every social media platform is unique. This means that an ad that worked great on Facebook might not be as effective on Twitter. Let’s look at Twitter. You are often limited by the number of characters allowed. So short-form content is the way to go here. Instagram is more visual and visceral. You need amazing images and a well-thought-of hashtag if you want to make a mark here. LinkedIn is for networking professionals so you want something sleek and serious.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, it is. Good restaurant marketing campaigns need an investment. While there are free ads, they can only take you so far. You also need to work with a paid social media agency. They can develop effective paid ads. These could also support your organic social media campaigns.
There are benefits to paid social media ads. One of the best ones is the guaranteed reach of the advertisements. You know that your ads will become seen by the people who matter. These ads also let you target critical customers. While all prospects are important, you want more of those that can become converted to sales. Paid ads can help you reach specific groups. You can target those from a certain age group or those from a specific place.
Four Reasons Why You Should Be Running Paid Social Media Advertising for Your Restaurant
You can only do so much with organic marketing due to the extreme competition in social media. It may cost an extra to run a few ads, but its benefits are definitely worth the expenditure. Here are four solid reasons why:
· Exploit Behavioral Marketing Availability
Having a target audience is the key to getting the results you want. If you have a vegan restaurant, you’re likely to have more success exposing your menu to vegans. You’ll waste time if you cater to people who love medium-rare steaks. Paid ads allow you to do that without too much fuss.
Facebook, for example, gives you a tailored experience. You can target people not only on their demographics but also on their behavior. It means that you can select people who’ve already shown interest in food. You can even be more specific. You can add other interests related to your restaurant’s theme.
· Make Noise in Your Neighborhood
Aside from being able to target food enthusiasts, you can also be more general. You can target everyone near your restaurant. Most platforms will provide you with the option to advertise anywhere you want.
Tweeting photos of your tasty rice bowls is already an invitation. You can tweet them to your next-door neighbors or nearby students. You can even hit on tourists who are visiting your area. They’re more likely to share their experience than residents. Not only are you getting free exposure, but you’re going to have positive feedback from them too.
· Get Your Customers to Return More Often
As they say, old is gold. Your old customers are the ones you need to woo first whenever you have something new on the menu. If you have a list of loyal customers, you can upload it to Facebook Ads Manager. You can also do this on other platforms. You can then run a campaign targeting them from there.
Keeping current customers happy and loyal is less expensive than getting new ones. Plus, they bring in more money as they visit more often and are likely to invite someone new every time. That is why you should never disregard them.
· Paid Social Media Ads Are Easy to Measure
Organic strategies on social media marketing have their merits. But unlike paid social media ads, you won’t see the results immediately. So it’s harder to track when it comes to what works and what doesn’t. Good ad campaigns will have a place in your marketing strategy. Meanwhile, bad ones will be lessons for you to learn to become better at marketing.
Does your new restaurant need an effective long-term strategy? You should always start with paid social media ads. Imagine pursuing tactics that won’t convert. You haven’t tested them by trying to save money.
Summary
Paid social media ads may come at a price, but they deliver results right away. Restaurants need customers as soon as possible. They need this more than other businesses to stay afloat. So if you’re new to the game, it’s never a bad idea to run ads on social media and reach your audience without delay. Need help? Contact Tulumi today.
