Appy Days: The Top Apps to Supercharge Your Restaurant Marketing

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In the age of smartphones, where pockets are practically glued to palms, reaching your target audience requires a digital presence that pops. For restaurants, this translates to a strategic online restaurant marketing campaign that entices hungry customers and keeps them coming back for seconds (or thirds). But with a seemingly endless ocean of apps vying for your attention, where do you even begin? Fear not, fellow restaurateur, for we’ve compiled a catch of the best apps to elevate your marketing game from bland to “damn, that looks delicious!”

Social Media Savvy: Spreading the Food Gospel

  • Canva: We all know aesthetics are key in the food world, and Canva is your secret weapon for creating drool-worthy social media content. This free design app boasts a user-friendly interface and a treasure trove of customizable templates for eye-catching posts, stories, and even video edits. Think mouthwatering dish photos overlaid with playful text announcing your latest brunch special.
  • Hootsuite/Later: Managing multiple social media accounts can feel like juggling flaming chainsaws. Enter Hootsuite and Later, social media management platforms that allow you to schedule posts across various platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) from a single dashboard. This saves you precious time and ensures a consistent brand voice across the digital landscape. Pro tip: Use these apps to plan themed content weeks, like “Taco Tuesdays” or “Weekend Brunch Goals,” to keep your audience engaged.

Building Buzz: The Email Advantage

  • Mailchimp: Building an email list is a goldmine for restaurants. Mailchimp, a user-friendly email marketing platform, helps you craft targeted email campaigns to keep customers in the loop about new menu items, special events, and loyalty program updates. Design visually appealing newsletters with Mailchimp’s drag-and-drop interface, and segment your email list to send personalized offers – a free birthday dessert, anyone? Brick & Bourbon has a list of over 12000 emails, and their weekly newsletters makes people come back again and again.

Loyalty Love: Rewarding Your Regulars

  • Loyalty Juggernaut/Punchh: In a competitive market, keeping your customers coming back for more is crucial. Loyalty apps like Loyalty Juggernaut and Punchh gamify the dining experience, rewarding patrons with points for every visit that translate into discounts, free meals, or exclusive menu items. These apps also provide valuable customer data, allowing you to tailor future promotions and offerings to their preferences.

Delivery Delights: Expanding Your Reach

  • Grubhub/DoorDash: In the age of convenience, offering delivery is a must. Grubhub and DoorDash connect your restaurant with a vast network of hungry customers who can browse your menu, order with a few taps, and have their food delivered straight to their doorstep (or park). These platforms also offer marketing tools to amplify your restaurant’s visibility within the app, ensuring your delicious dishes don’t get lost in the digital shuffle.

Reviews & Reputation: The Power of Perception

  • Yelp for Business/Google My Business: Online reviews hold immense power in today’s dining scene. Claim and update your listings on platforms like Yelp for Business and Google My Business to ensure accurate information and encourage customer reviews. Responding to both positive and negative reviews – especially the latter – in a professional and courteous manner demonstrates that you value customer feedback. Shrub has an excellent Google Review strategy that incentivises staff to ask every customer for a review.

Bonus Bytes: Going the Extra Mile

  • OpenTable/Resy: For restaurants that take reservations, online booking platforms like OpenTable and Resy are essential. These apps allow customers to seamlessly reserve a table at their convenience, reducing wait times and boosting efficiency.
  • Tabletop/Ritual: Enhance the in-dining experience with apps like Tabletop and Ritual that allow customers to order and pay directly from their phones. This streamlines the dining process, reduces wait times, and allows your staff to focus on providing excellent service.

**Remember, the key to successful app integration is to find the perfect fit for your restaurant’s specific needs and target audience. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to be everywhere at once. Start with a few key apps, master them, and then explore expanding your digital arsenal. With the right apps in your toolkit, you can transform your restaurant’s marketing strategy from meh to magnifique!

Now go forth and conquer the digital world, one delicious post, targeted email, and loyal customer at a time!

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