In a day and age where video marketing has proven to deliver the highest marketing ROI, it’s a wonder why the Restaurant industry is not utilizing the medium more. In fact, statistics show that in the MENA region including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 80%. For restaurants, online video is one of the proven ways to attract new customers and to remarket to old ones. Using video in your marketing grows revenue 49% faster than marketers who don’t use video.
A few things to remember when getting started:
1 – Make sure your whole team is aligned. That means everyone from the front of house, the service staff, the kitchen staff, the chefs, and restaurant manager, even the housekeeping. By turning this into a team effort, everyone is aligned to put their best foot forward in the videos. It can also become a fun teambuilding exercise and you never know where some of the best ideas come from. The most successful restaurant videos I have produced is when the whole team cares about the outcome.
2 – This is your opportunity to introduce your restaurant to a new audience by giving them a sneak peek. Make sure your restaurant is looking the way it needs to be. Everything from your branding, to cleanliness to uniforms. 78% of referrals from YouTube food videos to brand sites are from first-time customers which means you want to showcase the restaurant at its very best. Keep in mind that its important customers experience an accurate representation of the video you are producing.
3 – Remember that your video content is an extension of your brand and perception is reality. So quality does matter. 62% of consumers are more likely to have a negative perception of a brand that published a poor quality video. So don’t cut corners when it comes to the video production. If you thought photos were important, videos are even more so.
4 – Make sure your content is clearly visible on a mobile phone and plays well on all devices. Mobile phone penetration in the MENA is the highest globally, so it would make sense to ensure you have thought through your audiences viewing experience.
5 – Make sure the content you share is useful for your audience who are searching for you online. A Google research study found that one-third of restaurant sales are driven by online research. Create a content strategy that includes a range of video types. In the last year, views of food content on YouTube grew by 59% so creating cooking and recipe videos with your Chef in the kitchen can be very rewarding. Other types of content can include getting to know the staff, promotional videos, and behind the scenes of the kitchen.
Utilizing video marketing for your restaurant is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ and in 2019 is definitely a ‘must-have’. It is important to realize that videos are being used to make all kinds of spending decisions and that includes decisions on dining, so it is in your interest to put your best foot forward and get started before you get forgotten. Out of sight, out of mind. Food for thought.
