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How to promote your restaurant on YouTube

Maja Jankowska's photo

Maja Jankowska

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YouTube promotion - article

👋 Hello restaurant owners! Are you looking to make your restaurant the talk of the town? Let’s chat about YouTube. This platform is way more than just funny clips and personal stories – it’s a fantastic tool for businesses, especially restaurants like yours. In this easy-to-follow guide, we’ll dive into how you can use YouTube marketing to get your restaurant noticed and attract more customers.

Launching your restaurant’s YouTube channel

Launching a YouTube channel for your restaurant is a strategic step in today’s digital landscape. It serves as a dynamic platform to visually showcase your culinary specialties, the ambiance, and the unique experiences your restaurant offers. By creating engaging video content, you can tell your restaurant’s story, connect with a wider audience, and enhance your brand’s online presence.

Why do you need a YouTube channel?

Having a YouTube channel is essential for your restaurant as it opens doors to a larger, more diverse audience. It allows you to visually engage potential customers, showcase what makes your restaurant special, and build a community around your brand. 

Videos can be more impactful than traditional marketing methods, offering a real taste of the dining experience you offer. In essence, a YouTube channel is not just a marketing tool; it’s an extension of your restaurant’s identity in the virtual world, inviting viewers to experience your culinary world beyond physical boundaries.

What kind of content you should post on your restaurant’s YouTube channel?

Showcase your menu

Let’s start with what you know best – your food! Showcasing your mouth-watering dishes is a no-brainer. But why not spice it up a bit? How about a time-lapse video of a busy day in your restaurant or a fun challenge where your chef creates a gourmet dish using only five ingredients? The key is to make it fun and shareable. Remember, the more entertaining your content, the more likely it is to be shared and noticed.

Explore the great example of an engaging video of The Dollhouse Tea Room, a client adeptly managing their café with resOS. They creatively highlight their menu with fun, shareable content like spotlight shots of their dishes. 

Get inspired by their approach and see how resOS contributes to their success in the case story

Source: https://www.thedollhousetearoom.com/

Behind-the-scenes: The secret sauce

People love to see what goes on behind the scenes. Take your viewers on a virtual tour of your kitchen, introduce them to your team, or share the journey of how a dish is made from start to finish. This transparency builds trust and a deeper connection with your audience. It’s like inviting guests into your home but through their screens.

Example: Share a day in the life of your head chef or a time-lapse of your kitchen during rush hour.

Tip: Keep it authentic – let your staff’s personality shine through to create a personal connection with viewers.

Cooking tutorials: Share your 🧑‍🍳 culinary wisdom

You’re offering more than just a meal; you’re offering memorable experiences. To extend this connection with your audience, consider sharing cooking tips or easy recipes through YouTube Shorts. These bite-sized videos can help position your restaurant as a culinary authority and keep your audience engaged, even when they’re not at your establishment.

Example: Create YouTube Shorts featuring quick recipe tutorials or kitchen hacks from your restaurant’s chefs. These snippets are not only informative but also fun and easy to consume.

Tip: Encourage your viewers to try these recipes or hacks at home and share their experiences. This approach fosters an interactive community around your brand, where customers feel more connected and involved.

The transparency trend: your supply chain

In today’s world, the conscious consumer wants to know where their food comes from. Create a story around your ingredients — perhaps a visit to your local farmer or a sneak peek into how you select your produce. It’s a compelling way to show you care about quality and sustainability.

Example: Feature a video about your local produce sourcing, including interviews with suppliers.

Tip: Emphasize your commitment to quality and sustainability, which resonates well with modern diners.

Collaborate with food influencers

Don’t overlook the power of influencer marketing. Reach out to food bloggers and YouTubers who can help amplify your reach. A review or a feature from them can work wonders in getting your restaurant noticed. Plus, it’s a fun way to see your restaurant through someone else’s lens.

Example: Invite a local food blogger for a kitchen tour and tasting session, and ask them to document their experience.

Tip: Choose influencers whose audience aligns with your target customers for maximum impact.

Promoting across platforms

Don’t just stop at YouTube. Share your videos on other social platforms like Instagram and Facebook. This not only increases your reach but also helps in creating an omnichannel online presence for your restaurant.

Optimize Social Media - button

Example: Cross-post your YouTube video highlights to Instagram stories or Facebook posts.

Tip: Tailor your message to each platform’s audience for a more targeted approach.

Engage with live events

Get creative with live events. Host a virtual cook-along, a Q&A session with your chef, or a live-tasting event for a new menu launch. These interactive sessions are great for real-time engagement and add a personal touch to your digital presence.

Example: Host a live Q&A session with your chef, discussing menu items or answering cooking questions.

Tip: Promote these events in advance on YouTube and other social platforms to build anticipation.

Optimize your content with resOS insights

Tap into the power of resOS to enrich your restaurant’s content strategy! By making use of the extensive customer profiles generated through our booking management tool, you’ll be in the perfect position to craft content that truly resonates with your audience. Dive into insights on menu favorites, peak times, and guest feedback to tailor your YouTube content for maximum impact.

Imagine showcasing the making of a crowd-pleaser dish or hosting a live Q&A during your busiest hours. This strategic, data-driven approach not only enhances the appeal of your videos but also boosts their relevance to your audience. With content that’s both engaging and tailored to your customers’ preferences, you’re setting the stage for a stronger, more impactful online presence. 

Let resOS guide your content journey and watch your YouTube engagement soar!