Reasons to ‘like’ social media

Take a little tour of Facebook and Instagram for businesses and find out how restaurants like yours can discover new customers and keep current customers coming back. You’ll quickly learn how to set up an account, find and keep followers, and drive more orders to your kitchen.

One of the best aspects of restauranteering is that there’s always more you can do to boost business. Social media can do just that.

Did you know that two thirds of Facebook users visit local businesses’ Facebook pages every week? New customers are there and waiting...

Here are some tips to get your business thriving on Facebook and Instagram.

Setting up your business account

If you already have a business account, make sure your Facebook URL is personalised, i.e. ‘facebook.com/yourbusinessname’ not ‘facebook.com/user123’. Select ‘Edit page info’ to update it. If you already have an Instagram account for your restaurant, simply switch it to a business account, this will give you access to features that can help you grow your business. Tap on ‘Settings’, then ‘Account’, here you can ‘Switch to Professional Account’ and select a category for your business.

If your business isn’t on Facebook, select ‘Create page’ at the top of your personal account’s feed, or ‘Add new professional account’ on Instagram by tapping on ‘Settings’ then ‘Account’.

Find followers, build community

Reach new audiences where small businesses are welcomed and celebrated! The more followers you have, the more potential customers will see your restaurant, and it’s totally free. Start by inviting all your friends and family. Plus add links to your Facebook and Instagram page on your website and let them know why they should follow you.

Keep them coming back

Sharing your passion with engaging content will help reach potential customers and elevate exactly what makes your restaurant special. Explore what your customers are loving and post regularly so your followers see your restaurant as much as possible. Share your posts during commuter hours and after work when most people are online and make sure your posts grab attention: use bright colours, tag people and encourage them to tag others, ask questions, and reply to comments. And do this in as many ways as possible: videos, images, reels, stories, events, etc. You can also promote the offers you run for Just Eat customers (Put on an offer in Partner Centre.)

Deepen your restaurant’s impact, drive more orders

Make sure your website URL or Just Eat menu page URL are easy to find. To do this go to ‘edit page info’ and click on ‘Website’.

You can also pay to reach new audiences who don’t follow you. Reach them by clicking ‘Boost post’ on any of your posts. You can then target people within your delivery zones by using ‘location targeting’, and add a clickable link straight to your page. Make sure to follow government guidance and avoid targeting anyone under 18.

Finally, Facebook and Instagram Ads Manager shows you how well your posts do, gives data on where to invest, and manages your new campaigns. You can access Facebook Ads Manager as long as you have a page that is set up as a ‘Business manager’. It’s just as simple with Instagram where you can boost your posts, inspire new and existing customers, set a budget that works for you and track your ad performance.

So that’s the basics covered... and one more potential revenue stream for your business. It’s time to start making social media work for you. Keep testing and trying. If a post doesn't work - try something else until you find the golden spot.