Are you starting a new restaurant? Based on my experience, here is what you should do when it comes to marketing a new restaurant for success.
If I was to start a new restaurant, here are the 3 things I’d focus on for marketing to get customers right out the gate.
1. Social Media
The biggest social platforms when it comes to food-related content would be #Instagram and #TikTok. They’re also hyperlocal. So hire somebody or get a good camera, and you don’t need to recreate the wheel. See what others are doing when it comes to that type of content. Make it very visually appealing when it comes to the food, the decor, and overall ambiance of the place. Follow the trends. Follow the sounds. Other people have done it successfully, so copy that style.
2. Build Your Digital Presence
Your website, Google Business Profile, Citations, branding, etc.
You can use Squarespace, quick and easy, develop it yourself, no problem. Then create your Google Business Profile. It’s what shows up on Google Search and Maps — name, address, phone number, branding, photos. Start getting reviews. Those are going to be important right out the gate to get people finding your business when searching for “restaurant near me,” “Greek restaurant near me,” whatever the case might be. Also create your third-party listings, directories, and citations. So this is like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Apple Maps, Bing — all those different platforms should have the same name, address, and phone number across them for overall digital relevance.
3. Press
The last thing would be press, buzz, and PR. Hire a press firm, or contact writers at your local news outlets. Contact them on X or Instagram, have a good story for them, invite them in, have them taste the food, and get the word out for you.
Those three things have done really well for a lot of local businesses and restaurants that have opened — getting buzz, crushing it on social, creating a strong digital presence and reviews, and of course, having really good food and great service. It comes down to that, and I think you’ll have a great time.
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