The roadmap is out, the countdown is on, and as excitement builds toward bars and restaurants being able to throw open the doors, we’re all planning which of our favourite hotspots we’re going to be making a beeline for, and who we’re going to enjoy them with. Hurrah for the hospitality sector – we’ve missed you in all your glory!

Consumers are going to be bombarded with the choice that has been so sorely lacking, and drawn in by countless offers and promotions, but how can hospitality business owners get ahead of the game, put their best foot forward between now and reopening and optimise the return to trading for the long term?

Many will have been lured towards boosting the occasional post on Facebook previously, but investing in a targeted Ad campaign with the right objective and optimisation is a game changer in terms of building awareness, affinity and action among your target audience.

We know that online interactions and social media usage have gone through the roof and mobile tech has been a game changer for the sector over the past months. We’re all checking our social media feeds more…and that means your ideal customers are too. 49% of people search Facebook to find new restaurants, searches for local business increased 23% from February to May, 2020 – the list of stats is endless, but your audience are using these platforms and they provide a cost effective and accessible proven route to market.

So, while preparations are underway for reopening in the coming weeks, here are 7 types of Ad campaign we think you could be running RIGHT NOW:

1 - ENGAGEMENT

An engagement campaign is always a winner in terms of connecting with your audience and building a relevant page following. Whether you’re sharing eye-catching food photography to entice the foodie instagrammers, asking for feedback on the new menu, or running a simple competition, running an engagement campaign now will help put your venue front of mind and will also build an audience of people who interact with your Ads who you can retarget for future promotions.

2 - VIDEO ADS

Video is great for communicating a bit more about the atmosphere and vibe of your restaurant. They’re scroll stopping and can appear in various placements (the main feed, on Stories, In-stream).

They don’t have to involve a full creative production, they can be as simple as turning a Facebook Live into an Ad, or animating a set of photos. The key is generally to keep them short and sweet and make sure the thumbnail is eye-catching. Running a Video Ad now is a great way to build up a new audience of viewer that can be retargeted later.

When you want to run ad hoc promotions for special events or launches or to fill quieter sessions, retargeting audiences like this are key. They’ve already ‘seen’ your brand so will be more receptive to further messaging, making them quicker to act next time and bringing the cost of future Ads down.

3 - COVID CONFIDENCE

Ads can be used to reassure and build confidence within your local community

·      What you have available such as outdoor spaces, private areas etc.

·      The new innovations in place and steps that you have taken to maximise their safety

·      Any new look and feel

·      How to book and any cancellation policy in place

Social platforms are great places for people to access this sort of information, and proactively getting it out there with Ads will help build that all important trust factor.

4 - EMAIL LIST BUILDING CAMPAIGNS

Ads are amazing for list building, a quick and inexpensive way to get the right people on your list…who you can then nurture with email marketing and loyalty offers. Scary as it may be Facebook has a wealth of information on its users from the other websites they have visited and the actions they take online. This granular profiling enables super detailed targeting. To the point that if you already have a good quality list of top customers you can simply direct Facebook to find more of the same via a ‘lookalike’ audience, whereby Facebook will find people with the same behaviours and purchasing attributes as the seed audience, within the specified area…and who doesn’t want more top customers?

5 - APP DOWNLOADS

63% of Millenials have at least one food service App on their phones.

If your restaurant has an App then Facebook can help you promote it, growing your customer base and encouraging them to interact with your business. You can optimise Ad delivery so that the people who are most likely to install a restaurant App in your area are the ones that see the Ads via their socials. It’s another great way to keep in touch with your customers and share news and promotions.

6 - ONLINE CONVERSIONS

You’ve moved retail product online, you are offering takeaways or you may even have promotional meals or finish at home packages – maximise your returns on these by driving sales through a conversion campaign.

This works best if you have an existing online audience or mailing list, a good number of followers or if you have previously warmed up target audiences with Ads (such as engagement or video ads as described above).

7 - LOCAL TARGETING

“84% of consumers decide where to eat less than an hour before a meal”

…and if they are hopping on their phones to help make that decision with a quick scroll on Instagram or Facebook it’s nice to be the restaurant there to greet them!

This is one to launch when doors reopen and you want to bring people in from the street. If you have multiple locations, using Store Traffic Ads you can deliver Ads to people within a set distance of each venue, showing relevant local information and promotions for each and even directions to help lead them right to your door! Great for boosting trade over quieter sessions.

Overall, showing up early and consistently will reap the rewards for your restaurant in the longer term. It’s all about building the ‘awareness, affinity and action’ that will drive consistent sales.

Let us know which campaigns you decide to go with and how they help your reopening this Spring.

If you need further support with Advertising, Nutshell manage paid social media advertising for hospitality businesses of varying size. We’re more than happy to make your life easier and help you take your social campaigns to the next level and beyond!

Sources: “Food Delivery Apps: Usage and Demographics” by Zionandzion,  “QSR diners xAd Mobile Path to Purchase” by CivicScience, “What Mobile Apps, Millennials Reveal About Restaurants” by QSR, “18 Digital Food Ordering Statistics Every Restaurant and Hotel Should Know in 2020!” by Omniexperience.