Actionable Twitter Tactics for Restaurants

twitter-advertising-tacticsThe best restaurant Twitter tactics require careful planning and execution. Austin restaurants, cafes and fast food establishments should make this part of an integrated online marketing strategy to engage audiences effectively. The exploding use of smartphones and tablets makes it imperative that restaurants have active Twitter and Facebook social media campaigns. Well-designed Twitter programs can increase sales to mobile consumers and loyal customers.

There are four key aspects to an effective Twitter restaurant marketing campaign – Content, Timing, Engagement and Integration. Here are some proven Twitter tactics that can enhance your restaurant’s social marketing program and bring in more followers and customers.

Content – Make the Most of Your 140 280 Characters

  • Start your tweet with a provocative hook. You want your followers to read the whole tweet and act!
  • Include menu items and combinations, so followers imagine a meal at your restaurant.
  • Use flavor and aroma words to heighten this effect.
  • Target customer groups with theme-oriented events. In addition to the usual Ladies Night or Seniors Lunch, promote holiday-oriented events, Red Shirt Day, Indie Movie Happy Hour, Toyota Owners Breakfast, etc.
  • Shorten long URL links with Bitly, Ow.ly or TinyURL.

Timing – Synch tweets with follower situations and expectations

Needless to say, Twitter followers generally expect time-sensitive information, interaction and deals. Otherwise they’d be using email or reading the newspaper!

There are five key Twitter lead times for restaurants.

  • Right Now. The concert just ended – “Frozen margaritas at . . . “
  • Hour Before Mealtime. “Spaghetti Bolognese, salad and drink $9.95 at . . . “
  • Morning Of. “Kansas style barbecue and live music tonight at . . .”
  • Day Before. “Lawyers Night seafood specials tomorrow at . . . “
  • Few days before Holiday or other event. “Romantic chocolate-covered strawberries with Valentine’s Day dinner at . . . “

Most importantly, tweet ‘em before they’re hungry!

Restaurant Twitter Tactics – Listen and Respond

  • Plan and schedule your Tweets like an editorial calendar. HootSuite, Sprout and Tweetdeck are good tools to help manage this process.
  • Promptly respond to follower feedback. Unlike snailmail, your audience expects a quick reply.
  • Monitor the performance of your Twitter tactics and audience engagement. You can only manage what you can measure.
  • Re-tweet favorable and informative customer and business partner tweets. Help others and they will help you.
  • Offer innovative or quirky specials. Discounts for blue shirt, red hair, out-of-state drivers license.
  • Create contests to stimulate participation and increase social media interaction among followers.
  • Adjust your Twitter tactics to increase impact, reach  and ROI.

Integration – Combine with Online, Offline and In-Store Marketing

  • Link to your website’s menu page or dedicated Twitter landing page.
  • Use SEO-SEM keywords to drive website traffic and conversions.
  • Post tweets to FB timeline, company blog, and/or restaurant review sites.
  • Coordinate Tweets with in-store, website and and multi-media promotions.
  • Put Twitter, Facebook LinkedIn social icons/links on your website.

Advanced Twitter Tactics – Advertising – Contests – Sales

As more consumers go mobile, Twitter offers tremendous potential for engaging loyal customers and recruiting new customers. Integrating Twitter tactics with your overall online marketing program will maximize your ROI. As you might expect, tailoring tweets to the requirements and expectations of followers will bring you more prospects and happy customers. For more ideas about Twitter Tactics for Restaurants, contact Semantic Advantage or visit the main Social Marketing page of our website.