How Video Marketing Can Boost Your Restaurant

Did you know that 100 million hours of video are watched every day on Facebook alone? It’s not just cat videos the internet are consuming either. Businesses across the globe are using video to communicate information about their products and services. So better start creating your first video for your restaurant marketing straight away.

In fact, you’ve probably seen everything from cleaning products to holiday resorts pop up on your own timeline. These videos are reaching millions of users, achieving sales every single day. The restaurant industry is no different. In fact, more restaurants are creating professional tailored content through video platforms than ever before.

So, if you’re yet to get your restaurant on board with video marketing, now is the time to start! Here are our top tips to help you understand video marketing for your restaurant. It’s as simple as lights, camera, pasta.

The Magic of Video

One of the reasons video works for marketing within the restaurant business is because it’s so tangible. Think about your restaurant and how when you bring your dishes out there is huge anticipation. The food is expertly presented and looks delicious, the atmosphere is incredible. Humans are visual creatures so showing your audience this in video form makes it seem like we are experiencing it for ourselves.

Compare this to simply writing a post on Facebook saying you make the best roast dinners in town versus actually showing people it. Steam rising from the plate and all. Or, cutting into a delicious dessert and showing people layers of sponge with custard cascading down it. All of that would be simply impossible to communicate with text alone, and even photography doesn’t do it the same justice.

Make It Worth Their Watch

Nobody is going to stay around for a whole four minutes just to watch a floating head talk about a really boring topic. Plus, the majority of users will watch your video with the sound off (aka browsing the internet when you should be working).

The first 10 seconds are make or break, so keep things interesting! Create an enthusiastic start to your videos with an upbeat, positive tone. Experiment with camera angles and shots, and make sure anyone talking can clearly be heard over music if you use it.

With shooting food you have a huge advantage because you can instantly hit your goal (to make people hungry) within a few seconds by showing the exact right shot. Use your most popular dishes in the shots. After all, great food speaks for itself!

It’s Versatile

These days, video marketing doesn’t have to be static videos you post on your website or YouTube channel. Why not do a Facebook live showing your new seasonal dishes? You could even take viewers behind the scenes in the kitchen promoting your fresh ingredients and cooking methods.

Instagram stories and videos can also generate a large reach. With Instagram in particular, you can tag your location and heavily tag to reach as many people as possible. Always include a hashtag of your city and county to reach passing trade including tourists who might be in the area.

If you haven’t already, set your Instagram profile to a business one which will give you more options and insights. Also ensure your Facebook is a page and not simply a profile, as some businesses are still yet to make the switch. Encourage those likes with great video marketing to really get the ball rolling!

It Will Boost Your Reach

Video marketing isn’t just about getting lots of people to watch your video alone. The aim is also to encourage tagging and sharing, especially on social media.

One of the best examples of a company getting this right is Food Insider. They post video content every single day showing restaurants in action. Despite the page only being a subsidiary of ‘Business Insider’, the page has 9 million followers. Better still, millions of people watch, like, comment and tag on every single video they post.

When it comes to analysing your social media stats, you will really notice a huge spike once you get to grips with video marketing. You could even create a paid campaign using a video of your restaurant. Show people exactly what they are missing out on, and include a call to action encouraging them to book with you.

It’s Cheaper Than TV

If you’re still not convinced, did you know it can cost up to £30,000 to book an advertising slot on British TV? That doesn’t even include the production costs! Very few restaurants can feasibly afford TV advertising, meaning they are missing out on reaching customers through traditional video means.

Video marketing created specifically for your website and social media, however, can virtually be done for free. All you need is a smartphone, and even if you create a professional production it will never cost as much as a TV ad would.

Another advantage is that with social media, it can be viewed 24/7, whereas with TV you are relying on someone viewing a channel at a particular time. Unless it’s a huge event, the audience figures are never going to compare. Social media can be targeted to reach a specific demographic, meaning you stay in control. Plus, you can see real-time analytics of how many people have viewed or interacted with your video.

Conclusion

Nothing makes a human hungrier than showing them a delicious piece of food straight out of the oven. This is exactly the same effect you trigger with video marketing, so it really is a valuable marketing tool if you are yet to explore it.

Whether you get a professional in to create a slick production, or even if you do an Instagram live on your smartphone – the results are there for the taking.

If you are looking to connect with your customers, Stampede can give you real-time analytics to understand your business like never before. Track your quiet spots and create personalised marketing to keep business booming.

Restaurant, Pub, Bar