The promote button on Facebook follows your restaurant’s posts everywhere. Facebook asks if you would consider paid ads to boost your posts’ reach.
You are left wondering: is there a better way of advertising my establishment and increasing my bookings?
Guess what? There is!
Here are 5 ways you can grow your audience on your restaurant’s Facebook page. The best part? They’re all FREE – let’s dive in!
Facebook marketing for your restaurant — is it worth it?
Social media is, without a doubt, a great and effective way to increase your restaurant’s online visibility. It is a source of inspiration, a place to find new experiences and look up reviews.
According to Statista, Facebook is still in 2024 the most popular social media platform. Not surprising: over 3 billion active users access it every month!
So yes! It is worth it! Facebook marketing is a terrific place to start if you want to promote your restaurant online.
Here’s why you should do it:
- Your restaurant will show itself to potential guests
- Customers can build a strong relationship with your restaurant, becoming loyal fans
- Get that sweet social proof by building your following on Facebook
- Potential customers can get a glimpse into the experience you offer
- You’ll increase traffic to your website and get more table reservations
How can you best promote your restaurant on Facebook?
Now that we covered the basics about why you should strengthen your presence on Facebook, let’s dive into how you can do it.
Here are 5 ways you can create engaging content and promote your restaurant for free!
#1 Plan and schedule your posts
You want to be online when your audience is also online.
If you’re running a brunch café, it doesn’t make sense to post in the evening. You’ll want to strike in the morning when coffee is brewing!
If you own a bar, it doesn’t make sense to post in the morning. Your customers will be sleeping!
If your restaurant is busy during the weekend, posting when the number of active users is high is a great strategy.
But, wait, you mean I need to be on Facebook when my business needs me the most?! No, don’t worry.
You can use Facebook’s scheduling feature:
- Access your Meta Business Suite account
- Schedule your posts
- They are then posted automatically on future dates
Piece of cake 🎂
You can plan out plenty of posts and schedule them for the next week or even month!
This way, your Facebook page is continually active and spitting out interesting content. You will stay on top of your customers’ minds. They can then book an online reservation and you just got yourself another lead!
#2 Create engaging posts
It is easier to retain customers, than acquire new ones. You have probably heard this before.
Create posts that encourage your customers to engage with you! It is a sure-fire way of building a relationship with them 🙂
They can talk with you about their experience at your restaurant/café, so always remind them with a call-to-action.
Make sure they feel heard.
Ask for their opinion, feedback and reviews. For example, are you thinking about introducing a new dish to your menu? You’re unsure whether they would like it? Ask!
Get their opinion
- What’s your comfort food?
- What have you been craving lately?
- What do you think about this super awesome and exclusive offer?
- What do YOU think?
Get those likes, comments and shares
- Share with your family/friends/loved ones
- Question! Do you prefer our _____, ______ or _______? Comment down below!
- Have you tried our specialty? Like it or LOVE it? Tell us!
- How was your experience? Tell us in the comments!
Get your followers in your restaurant
- Book now!
- Get your spot now!
- What’s your opinion on our newest ______? Haven’t tried it yet? Come on over! (you can add a link to your online booking reservation calendar)
Lastly, encourage your customers to send photos they took at your restaurant. Share this user-generated content (UGC) – with their permission, of course – and you’ll see engagement pouring in.
Customers love to feel that their opinions matter. Plus, everyone likes their 5 minutes of fame. Kill two birds with one stone! Don’t cook them though.
#3 Mouth-watering photos are winners
A picture is worth a thousand words. So, favor visual content over lengthy texts.
Make sure the photo carries a pleasing aesthetic and the quality is top-notch.
Don’t be frightened by the latest design softwares. You won’t need them. Facebook offers an image editor that helps you optimize your photos and add texts to them.
Canva is another user-friendly option, great for non-designers and beginners!
Showing the experience and food you offer is more important. It’s a great way of attracting customers.
#4 Be creative with your video content
Although it might be more time-consuming, video content is definitely worth it though!
Offer your potential customers a more personal view of your restaurant. Share:
- “Behind the scenes” with the chefs working in the kitchen
- Waiters greeting guests
- Your bartender preparing drinks
- Live cooking demonstrations, tips and tricks
- The overall vibe of your establishment
Even better is sharing live videos from your restaurant! These show the atmosphere live that any person would love to be part of. Never forget to plug your table reservations link, so that curious users turn into paying customers.
#5 Promote restaurant events, news and offers
Facebook is a great platform to announce:
- Restaurant events
- Your brand-new menu
- Exclusive offers
- Special occasions, like Valentine’s Day
Encourage your followers to share the post to spread the news! AND tell them to book a table so they don’t risk missing any of it. Benefit from their FOMO 😎
Promoting your restaurant on social media
Facebook is only one of the many great platforms you can use to promote your restaurant for free.
Besides Facebook, you can also take a look at Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. These are amazing platforms to engage with guests and entice them to try your restaurant.
Don’t know how to take advantage of social media platforms? Take a look at these guides:
- How to engage with your guests on social media
- How to promote your restaurant on YouTube
- How to promote your restaurant on Instagram
Gaining more table reservations with social media
Picture this: your customer is checking out your Facebook or Instagram profile. They actually like what they see and want to experience your restaurant themselves.
What should they do?
Allow them to book a table via your social media profile!
You take advantage of their curiosity and nurture the relationship right there.
Partner up with a restaurant booking system like resOS and get the most out of your customers!
Still confused or unsure? Contact us at [email protected], and we will help you set up a table booking page for your social media. Our treat.
