DIGITAL Marketing Agency FOR RESTAURANTS

Restaurant Marketing

Are you searching for a Chicago Restaurant Marketing Agency with a marketing team that has managed restaurants, worked at restaurants and visits restaurants in Chicago regularly?

Digital marketing for restaurants has evolved past posting flyers on doorsteps. The restaurant marketing team at SEO Design Chicago has a ton of ideas that you can implement immediately for your restaurant anywhere in the country!

Advertising becomes more digital every day for restaurant owners. Our Digital Advertising options for restaurants and bars of all sizes include many specific choices regarding locations to target, income levels to target, traits of your clientele, and even attributes of your competitions clientele. There are a variety of ways that Restaurant Advertising can work for your business with several different kinds of marketing campaigns. Lets talk about how customers can order from you first.

Your Success – Our Promise

At SEO Design Chicago, your restaurant’s success is at the heart of everything we do. As a dedicated restaurant marketing agency, we’re committed to delivering world-class digital marketing and advertising solutions that drive real results. More restaurant owners choose us because we don’t just provide services – we become your trusted partner. From the first consultation to ongoing support, we work side-by-side with you to ensure your needs are met and your goals are achieved.

Online Ordering for Restaurants Software

The restaurant industry has undergone a significant transformation since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The ease of ordering food for in-person dining, carry-out, and delivery has become vital for restaurant survival and success. As a result, every restaurant operation needs to develop a unique solution and carefully consider which online ordering software to implement.

Our Mission for Restaurant Marketing

At SEO Design Chicago, we’re more than just a digital marketing agency – we’re your partner in navigating the challenges of today’s ever-changing restaurant industry. We understand the unique hurdles restaurants face, from post-COVID consumer expectations to economic pressures and fierce competition.

Our mission is to provide tailored, results-driven marketing solutions that boost your online visibility, adapt to shifting consumer behavior with digital tools, protect your online reputation, drive repeat business through personalized promotions, and maximize your marketing ROI with cost-effective strategies.

The Importance of Online Ordering

Online ordering systems have become essential for restaurants of all sizes. They offer several benefits:

1. Increased revenue through additional sales channels
2. Improved customer experience and convenience
3. Reduced order errors and improved efficiency
4. Valuable customer data collection for marketing purposes
5. Ability to reach customers beyond the restaurant’s immediate vicinity

Top Companies Offering Online Ordering Services

Several companies have emerged as leaders in providing online ordering solutions for restaurants. Here are some of the top players:

1. Grubhub

Grubhub is one of the most well-known online food ordering and delivery platforms. It offers a wide network of drivers and a large customer base. Restaurants can either use Grubhub’s delivery service or their own staff.

2. DoorDash

DoorDash has quickly grown to become a major player in the food delivery space. They offer a robust platform for online ordering and their own delivery fleet. DoorDash also provides marketing tools to help restaurants increase their visibility on the platform.

3. Uber Eats

Leveraging Uber’s existing network of drivers, Uber Eats has become a popular choice for many restaurants. They offer a user-friendly interface for both restaurants and customers, along with marketing support.

4. ChowNow

ChowNow differentiates itself by offering commission-free online ordering. They provide restaurants with their own branded mobile apps and websites, giving restaurants more control over their online presence.

5. Toast

Toast offers a comprehensive restaurant management platform that includes online ordering capabilities. Their system integrates seamlessly with point-of-sale systems, making it a good choice for restaurants looking for an all-in-one solution.

6. Olo

Olo specializes in providing digital ordering and delivery solutions for multi-location restaurant brands. They offer customizable platforms that can integrate with a restaurant’s existing systems.

Choosing the Right Online Ordering Service

When selecting an online ordering service, restaurants should consider several factors:

1. Commission rates and fee structures
2. Integration capabilities with existing systems
3. Ease of use for both staff and customers
4. Marketing and promotional features
5. Customer support and training provided
6. Delivery options (in-house vs. third-party)

Implementing Online Ordering

Implementing an online ordering system often requires updating a restaurant’s existing website and integrating third-party apps. Many digital marketing agencies, such as SEO Design Chicago, specialize in helping restaurants make this transition. These agencies can offer solutions to:

1. Update existing websites to accommodate online ordering
2. Integrate third-party ordering apps into restaurant websites
3. Develop custom online ordering solutions
4. Optimize websites for search engines to increase visibility
5. Create marketing strategies to promote online ordering services

By carefully selecting and implementing the right online ordering solution, restaurants can enhance their operations, reach more customers, and thrive once customers walk into the door.

Choose social media platforms that align with your target audience and restaurant concept.

Restaurant PPC Advertising

Google Ads for restaurants or bars may be a good marketing platform depending on your volume and location. For high end restaurants or nightclubs in Chicago, the cost may be appropriate to the amounts you gain with covers and high margin alcohol sales.

Google Ads (PPC)

Pay-Per-Click advertising on Google can be highly effective for restaurants, especially in competitive markets.

PPC strategies for restaurants:

• Use location targeting to reach customers in your area.
• Bid on competitor brand names (if allowed in your region).
• Create ads for specific menu items or promotions.
• Use ad extensions to showcase your phone number, location, and links to specific pages.
• Implement remarketing to target users who have previously visited your website.
• Use dynamic keyword insertion to make your ads more relevant to specific searches.

Restaurant Facebook Marketing

Facebook Ads for Restaurants are very popular due to the precise targeting and customer engagement. When we target diners, we can target by current followers, fans of similar restaurants or even the users in a specific location.

Do you want to target tourists or locals? Nearly anything is possible with Facebook Ads for Restaurants. Online marketing for restaurants on Facebook is also a great way to quickly increase your visibility.

Restaurant LinkedIn Marketing

LinkedIn is a great marketing platform for larger Restaurant groups or Bars. If you have a versatile spokesperson or chef that has a big following, LinkedIn can expand your Restaurant or Bar reach. This platform is useful for charity events, special events or to reach key stakeholders in specific industries.

Content Creation for Restaurant Websites

Content for Restaurants and Bars starts with great pictures of the location, as well as food and drink items. SEO Design Chicago helps restaurant owners have more than just a menu and boring website. We can help you create an atmosphere online that shows why patrons should visit your restaurant or bar.

Content Strategy

Develop a content strategy that engages your audience and showcases your restaurant’s unique personality.

Content ideas:

• Behind-the-scenes glimpses of kitchen preparation or staff interactions.
• Chef spotlights or interviews.
• Recipe tutorials or cooking tips.
• Customer of the week features.
• Local supplier or farm highlights.
• Time-lapse videos of dish preparation.
• Live Q&A sessions with your chef or sommelier.

Posting tips:

• Maintain a consistent posting schedule.
• Use high-quality images and videos.
• Engage with your followers by responding to comments and messages promptly.
• Use relevant hashtags to increase discoverability.
• Experiment with different post types (e.g., stories, reels, live videos) to see what resonates with your audience.

We can also help you with your email marketing campaign. Federal law regulates email campaigns. When you send emails, they must accurately reflect who the email is from, the destination and the originating domain and email address.

Restaurant Website Development

An outdated restaurant or bar website can keep customers away from your business. We have all seen those 10+ year old websites in the past with poor pictures, misspellings and non responsive website design. Today, website designers are almost as important as restaurant designers. To be cutting edge, restaurant owners need to update their website and/or build a website that uses modern design and features.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Local SEO

Local SEO is crucial for restaurants as most of your customers will be searching for dining options in their immediate area.

Getting found locally on Google maps, may be more important for a restaurant or bar than any other type of business. Local search engine optimization is one of the most important factors for restaurants and local businesses.

When it comes to Local SEO for restaurant websites, if you are not on the first page of search results, your chances of being seen by a potential customer is effectively nil. Restaurant website SEO should utilize proven methods to make your rankings higher.

A good Restaurant SEO agency will be able to target locals, tourists, or even those looking to grab a steak or a beer. Customers will typically use the internet to identify what is good near them.

Local SEO strategies:

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile.
• Ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) is consistent across all online platforms.
• Encourage and respond to customer reviews.
• Create location-specific pages if you have multiple restaurant locations.
• Use local keywords in your website content (e.g., “best Italian restaurant in Chicago”).
• Get listed in local directories and restaurant-specific platforms like Yelp and TripAdvisor.

Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first thing potential customers see when searching for your restaurant.

Optimization tips:

• Use a high-quality profile photo and cover image.
• Keep your business hours up-to-date, including special holiday hours.
• Add your menu directly to your profile.
• Regularly post updates, special offers, and events.
• Respond promptly to customer reviews and questions.
• Use Google Posts to share timely content directly on your profile.

Bing Places for Business

While not as popular as Google, Bing still has a significant user base. Don’t neglect this platform.

Optimization tips:

• Claim and verify your Bing Places listing.
• Ensure information consistency with your Google Business Profile.
• Add high-quality photos and your restaurant’s menu.
• Encourage customers to leave reviews on Bing.

Restaurant-Specific SEO Strategies

Tailor your SEO efforts to the unique needs of the restaurant industry.

Key strategies:

• Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content (e.g., menu items, reviews, events).
• Optimize for voice search with conversational keywords (e.g., “Where’s the best pizza near me?”).
• Create content around specific dishes or cuisines you specialize in.
• Include information about dietary options (vegan, gluten-free, etc.) if applicable.
• Optimize your website for “near me” searches.
• Create separate pages for each location if you have multiple restaurants.

Online Reviews and Reputation Management

Monitoring Reviews

Stay on top of what customers are saying about your restaurant online.

Review monitoring strategies:

• Set up Google Alerts for your restaurant name.
• Use social listening tools like Mention or Hootsuite to track mentions across social media.
• Regularly check popular review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Reviews.
• Consider using reputation management software like ReviewTrackers or Reputation.com.

Responding to Reviews

Engage with both positive and negative reviews to show that you value customer feedback.

Response guidelines:

• Respond promptly, ideally within 24-48 hours.
• Thank reviewers for their feedback, whether positive or negative.
• Address specific points mentioned in the review.
• For negative reviews, apologize for their poor experience and offer to make it right.
• Invite the reviewer to contact you directly to resolve any issues.
• Keep responses professional and avoid getting defensive.

Encouraging Positive Reviews

Implement strategies to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews.

Review generation tactics:

• Train staff to politely ask happy customers to leave reviews.
• Include review requests in follow-up emails after a customer’s visit.
• Use table tents or receipt inserts with QR codes linking to review sites.
• Offer small incentives (e.g., entry into a monthly draw) for leaving reviews.
• Highlight positive reviews on your social media to encourage others to share their experiences.

Restaurant SEO Services

Can Restaurants or Bars have good SEO or bad SEO? They sure can. Our Restaurant SEO services are built for the hospitality industry.

It is important that a restaurant website features information about the dishes and drinks they serve as well as biographical information about the head chef or sommelier. Some patrons will specifically search for the next new restaurant from a top chef. Text and images need to be properly tagged as well for maximum restaurant SEO value.

Partnerships and Local Marketing

Cross-Promotions

Collaborate with local businesses to expand your reach and offer added value to customers.

Partnership ideas:

• Team up with local hotels to offer dining discounts to their guests.
• Partner with nearby theaters or venues to create dinner-and-show packages.
• Collaborate with local farms or food producers to showcase their products in special menu items.
• Join forces with complementary businesses (e.g., a wine shop partnering with a cheese restaurant) for joint events or promotions.
• Work with local fitness studios to offer healthy menu options or post-workout meal deals.

Implementation strategies:

• Clearly define the terms of the partnership, including duration and responsibilities.
• Create co-branded marketing materials to promote the partnership.
• Use each other’s social media platforms to cross-promote.
• Track the results of the partnership to measure its effectiveness.

Community Engagement

Become an integral part of your local community to build brand awareness and customer loyalty.

Community involvement ideas:

• Sponsor local sports teams or cultural events.
• Participate in food festivals or farmers markets.
• Host charity events or donate a percentage of sales to local causes.
• Offer cooking classes or workshops for community members.
• Provide catering for local business events or school functions.

Best practices:

• Choose causes and events that align with your restaurant’s values and target audience.
• Encourage staff involvement in community activities.
• Share your community involvement on social media and your website.
• Build relationships with local media to gain coverage for your community initiatives.

Technology Integration

Restaurant Management Software

Leverage technology to streamline operations and enhance the customer experience.

Some of the most important key software solutions for restaurants include:

• Point of Sale (POS) systems: Choose a system that integrates with your online ordering, reservations, and loyalty programs.
• Inventory management software: Track ingredients, reduce waste, and optimize ordering.
• Reservation systems: Implement online booking capabilities and manage table turnover efficiently.
• Kitchen display systems: Improve communication between front and back of house.
• Customer relationship management (CRM) software: Track customer preferences and dining history.

Implementation tips:

• Train staff thoroughly on new technology systems.
• Ensure all systems integrate seamlessly to avoid data silos.
• Regularly update software to access new features and maintain security.

Contactless Dining Solutions

Adapt to changing customer preferences with contactless options.

Contactless technologies to consider:

• QR code menus: Allow customers to view menus on their phones.
• Mobile payment options: Accept contactless payments through various platforms.
• Self-service kiosks: Implement for quick-service concepts or for ordering add-ons in full-service restaurants.
• Contactless loyalty programs: Use mobile apps or card-linking technology for seamless point accrual and redemption.

Best practices:

• Ensure your Wi-Fi can handle increased usage from digital menus and ordering.
• Provide options for customers who prefer traditional methods.
• Clearly communicate your contactless options to customers.

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