How to Advertise Your Restaurant for Free: Quick Wins and Strategies
How do restaurant owners advertise for free? It's a question that is asked by restaurant owners all the time. They want to be able to reach their customers, but they don't have an advertising budget. In this article, we will discuss some quick wins you can implement today so that your restaurant stands out from the crowd and gets noticed!
Google My Business
Your hungry customers are most likely going to find you by typing 'restaurants near me', so make sure your on that list with a properly setup Google My Business page. Your account should list the correct address, phone number, website, and logo.
People love photos so give them what they want! Be sure to upload high quality images of your restaurant's food and interiors as well as an enticing image for the restaurant that will make people think 'I need to eat there'. All these photos will show up in the search results page, so make sure to put your best foot forward.
More Info
Read our article on How to Make a Restaurant Website That Increases Your Bottom Line. You'll find some website optimization tips to make it your best sales tool.
Don't Forget About Bing
Although Bing is less popular then Google, it still is valuable to make sure your information is correct on there. Microsoft knows they're second place to Google in terms of search engine dominance, so they've made it simple to import your existing Google My Business profile over to their own Bing Places. So save yourself time by making sure your GMB profile is correct, and simply import it into Bing.
Facebook Community Groups
Search out on Facebook for any neighborhood groups that do restaurant or small business reviews and join them as your page. Engaging with people with their reviews of your restaurant (good and bad!) helps establish your presence int he community. If you get good reviews, thank them for taking the time to let everyone know! If they have negative things to say about your restaurant - respond politely and try give insight into what might be causing their issues.
There are also plenty of community groups on Facebook that allow restaurant owners to post information about their restaurant or specials they are running. Joining groups that are relevant to your restaurant or cuisine is a great way to meet potential customers and increase brand awareness for your restaurant!
Post On Your Facebook Page
When posting on Facebook make sure you choose an image/video with high quality, keep the copy short (under 100 words) and try use hashtags when you can. People are scrolling through their feed quickly, so they won't stop to read long copy when the image/video is grabbing their attention!
Partner With Local Artists
Your restaurant needs decor, and artists need a place to display their work. Why not partner together and give local artists a place to hang up their pieces your for restaurant visitors? This is great exposure for the artist as well as an opportunity for you to up your restaurant's decor with some unique designs. Turn your coffee shop or bar into a mini-art gallery, and you can see some extra foot traffic coming through the door.
So there you have it restaurant owners - some quick wins that will help increase brand awareness for your restaurant without having to break the bank. Implement these strategies in your restaurant marketing plan today and watch the customers roll in!
