7 Ways to Level Up Your Restaurant Advertising

Every restaurant owner and manager knows the impact that effective advertising can have—it’s essential for attracting new customers and keeping regular diners coming back for more.

But creating the right marketing strategy isn’t always easy, especially with the demands of daily operations taking up most of your time. That’s why we’ve put together this guide with seven top restaurant advertising tips and ideas to inspire your marketing creativity and help you stand out in a competitive field. Let’s get started on boosting your table bookings and your restaurant’s chances of success!

Check out our guide to attract more diners to your restaurant, whether they're new visitors or return customers!

What are the main types of restaurant advertising?

Advertising is an ever-evolving landscape. There are a number of different ways to break down the advertising for restaurants, including:

Digital advertising vs traditional advertising

Digital advertising refers to marketing your business through digital channels. In the 21st Century, this is an area of advertising that hospitality businesses are particularly focussed on. You’re probably using it for your business right now.

Types of digital advertising include:

• Email marketing.
• Social media marketing.
• SMS marketing.
• Booking platforms.
• Search engine ads and optimising for organic results.

Traditional advertising refers to more old-school means of getting the word out about your business. This can include:

• Partnering with local businesses.
• Sponsoring and getting involved with local events.
• Placing advertisements in local newspapers and other publications.
• Distributing flyers and posters in the local community.
• Direct mail campaigns.

While digital advertising is a major focus for hospitality businesses, it’s important not to overlook traditional methods. It can enable you to appeal to different demographics who may be less inclined to look to technology to find restaurants.

You can even marry these campaign styles. For example, you could add a QR code leading to your booking page within a newspaper ad.

While traditional advertising still has its place, there’s no denying the accessibility and reach that digital solutions can offer. This makes it a great choice for hospitality venues of all shapes and sizes.

Paid advertising vs organic advertising

Another way to categorise advertising methods is the difference between paid and organic advertising. As the name implies, paid advertising incurs a direct cost to your business for exposure.

On the other hand, organic advertising involves earning exposure through various means, without directly paying for it. It's important to remember that "organic" rarely translates to "free". Earning organic coverage often requires investment in terms of time and money. The best form of organic advertising is of course, word-of-mouth recommendations from your adoring diners!

This distinction can apply within traditional advertising. Doing something newsworthy within your restaurant, like switching to a zero-waste menu, can result in local newspaper coverage you do not pay for. This is very different to purchasing advertising space in a newspaper.

These terms are often applied in digital marketing. Some examples of this divide in action are:

• Purchasing Google Ads vs search engine optimisation for organic search results.
• Purchasing ads on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram vs making posts designed to gain organic visibility.

If you have the resources, a balanced approach to advertising can have great results. If your advertising budget is more limited, you may want to drill down into types of advertising you feel will have the best return on investment for you.

7 best ways to advertise your restaurant

Not sure where to start in advertising your business? Here are seven of the top ways you can boost your online presence, take more table bookings, and  increase the appeal for existing diners.

1. Google Search and Maps

Google is a great option for advertising your business through both paid and organic means. With over 8.3 billion searches made every day, there's no denying the remarkable opportunity it can offer restaurants. “Restaurants near me” is Googled around 137,000 times a month in Australia and 285,000 times a month in the UK. 

The process of making your business more visible in organic Google Search results is referred to as search engine optimisation (SEO). In short, you want Google's algorithm to think that your business is the best website to show for a set of given keywords you target.

Here are a few ways you can help your business perform better in Google Search:

• Google Business Profile: Google Business Profiles are displayed in Google Maps listings. This is important real estate for hospitality businesses as you want to appeal to local searchers. To improve your GBP rankings, ensure you provide comprehensive and accurate business information. You can also take advantage of GBP features like community posts and answer questions that customers leave on your profile.
  
  
• Keywords: Using relevant keywords in content and headings on your website allows Google and users to understand what your business is about. This increases the chances that Google will show your business for relevant key terms like "cafe in Chelsea" or "fine dining in Marrickville".
  
  
• User engagement: User engagement signals are an important way for Google to rank different websites. Your website should be visually appealing for customers, and you should have some clear actions for them to take when they click on it. For instance, you might have a link for them to view your menu, or a widget for them to place a booking.

When you improve your Google visibility, you can leverage the best results with ResDiary's Google integration. This integration allows you to place booking widgets directly into Google Search and Maps results. All customers need to do is click the Reserve button and they’ll be on their way to placing a reservation.

This vastly simplifies the process of acquiring bookings through organic search results. Customers don't even need to click onto your website to easily place their booking. It's the perfect way to get a reliable return on investment from search engine marketing.

For a more immediate impact on your restaurant's visibility, consider Google Ads. Google Ads offers a fairly intuitive system to set up your advertising campaign. You can follow this simple five-step process to get started:

1. Add your business information.
2. Set campaign goals, such as driving sales or generating leads. This helps Google tailor your Google Ads experience.
3. Create your ad using your campaign assets.
4. Select your audience and budget. This dictates the reach of your ad.
5. Confirm payment details and launch your campaign.

2. Facebook

Another online channel which can offer serious opportunities for your business is Facebook. With 55.9 million users in the UK and 19 million in Australia, successful campaigns on Facebook can have big returns.

For organic success on Facebook, you'll need to create a business page. Then, here are a few ways you can try to get greater visibility for your business page on Facebook:

• Posts: To increase engagement with your business, share posts to your followers. Showcase the things that make your business unique and appealing to customers. Make sure to take advantage of the visual appeal of your food with photos and videos.
  
  
• Trends: In social media marketing, trends are king. If a new trend is sweeping social media, consider jumping on board. Remember to prioritise trends that are relevant to your business in an organic way.
  
  
• Groups: Another amazing way to engage with local diners by engaging with Facebook Groups. For example, if you come across a group dedicated to local food enthusiasts, engage with it on your business page.

Facebook Ads are run through Meta's Ads manager, which is also used to manage ads on Instagram. It offers an impressive number of features to help you get the most out of the service, including:

• Ad creation.
• Defining your target audience for greater ads success.
• Easy management and tracking of your ads budget.
• Simple A/B testing to identify the best ads for you.

Once you've defined your budget and set your campaign parameters, operating your Facebook campaign through Meta Ads is a simple, user-friendly process.

Whether you're using organic or paid ads on Facebook, you can benefit greatly from ResDiary's Meta integration. With this tool, you can place an attractive, enticing booking widget directly onto your Facebook or Instagram profile.

This is the perfect way to turn your advertising campaign into direct results. Once a customer decides they are interested in your restaurant, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to convert into a paying diner. That's exactly what ResDiary's Meta integration empowers you to do.

3. Instagram

As Instagram is owned by Meta, just like Facebook, it's straightforward to conduct simultaneous campaigns across these platforms. Of course, food venues and Instagram go hand-in-hand, and there's a good chance you're already engaged on the platform in some way.

You can use the Meta Business Suite tool to manage business activity and campaigns across both platforms.

Instagram has 35 million users in the UK and around 14 million in Australia. No matter where your restaurant is in the world, you have the chance to connect with local diners on Instagram.

The great thing about Instagram is its use of the visual medium. It's the ideal place to share photos and videos of your restaurant's finest food or best moments of ambience.

You can strive for the most organic reach on Instagram by:

• Captions: Captions can make or break your Instagram posts. Captions should be snappy, original and incentivise engagement. For some inspiration, check out our guide to the 216 best restaurant captions for Instagram.
  
  
• Hashtags: Hashtags are an important part of Instagram posts. They show users and Instagram's algorithm what your post is about. Hashtags are also a popular way Instagram users search for content. Popular hashtags your venue might use are #food, #foodphotography and #yummy.
  
  
• Engagement: Actively interact with your audience by responding to comments and encouraging conversations through your captions. Hosting giveaways and running polls in Stories can also boost engagement. High engagement signals to Instagram's algorithm that your content is valuable, which can increase your organic reach.

With Instagram Ads also being operated through Meta Ads, it's easy to run paid campaigns across Facebook and Instagram. It's also simple to use ResDiary's Meta integration across both platforms, ensuring that your viral posts convert into customers.

4. Booking platforms

Booking platforms are widely-used systems where food lovers can find their next favourite dining spot. For example, ResDiary's booking platform Dish Cult (available in the UK only) has a user base of 9.7 million foodies.

The good news for ResDiary customers is that your Dish Cult listing comes free when you sign up for ResDiary. Plus, when customers place a booking on Dish Cult, there are no commission fees paid. It's an outstanding low-cost way to attract more customers to your business.

ResDiary also integrates with Quandoo for customers in Australia and New Zealand. Just like ResDiary's integration with Dish Cult, this means your booking system is automatically connected to the system and diner data is synchronised without any effort on your part.

This makes it easier for customers to place their bookings and for you to manage diner data, resulting in better service.

Booking platforms are somewhat similar to social media in that they require you to compete for attention with other restaurants. So, make sure your profile is optimised, highlighting your business' unique selling points. You should utilise professional photography to showcase your menu, and also take advantage of the opportunity to promote special events and offers that hungry diners simply can't refuse.

5. Email marketing

Email marketing is a vital channel for restaurants to use. When you accept a booking through ResDiary or another restaurant reservation system, you get the chance to store a customer's email for marketing purposes - so in essence, every new booking becomes an opportunity to grow your marketing database.

On your restaurant marketing journey, this database is a vital tool for maintaining relationships with your customers, as it offers you a direct route to communicating with them. When you send a targeted email, you know that it will appear in a customer's inbox and they have a good chance to open it.

This contrasts with channels like social media. Competition for attention is significantly more intense on these channels.

ResDiary allows you to create and send branded emails to your database. It's an easy and intuitive system for any restaurant owner or manager to use. This has many benefits for your business:

• Building your brand identity: ResDiary makes it easy to create emails using key elements of branding like logos and specific imagery. This is an important way to make your business stick in the mind of your diners.
  
  
• Triggered emails in response to actions: With ResDiary, you can send emails in response to customers making a booking and further emails to remind them about their booking. This helps to prevent no-shows in your business. You can also send emails after customers have dined with your restaurant to show your continued care for their dining experience.
  
  
• Promotions and events: Email marketing is the perfect opportunity to showcase new promotions, such as a tasting menu, or an event like a wine tasting evening. Reach out to customers who have previously dined with your business and give them a great reason to return.

6. Local publications and partnerships

It's easy to become fixated on modern, digital methods of advertising your restaurant. However, more traditional methods of getting the word out in your local area could still have a place in your restaurant marketing plans.

Local newspapers and magazines can still be  a high-value way to promote your business. As they are read almost exclusively by people living in the same area as you, so there's a good chance your restaurant can be seen by someone with a strong interest in dining with you.

You can get placed in local publications by purchasing advertising space, which is usually a straightforward process once you get in contact with the publisher. Another option is to "earn" coverage in these publications by doing something newsworthy in your venue and attracting press coverage - special events are a good example.

This could also include becoming well-known for a notable menu item, winning awards, or even charitable work giving back to your community. You can even reach out to these publications and let them know you'd be happy to provide an interview and imagery for coverage about your restaurant.

Another way to attract more local interest to your restaurant is by partnering with other local organisations. This could range from sponsoring a sports club to providing catering for an event at your local library.

This not only allows you to showcase your business on a local stage, but also allows you to create strong roots in your community. This is a great way to create a stronger reputation for your business. 

7. Host special events and promotions

Crafting a restaurant marketing strategy around the day-to-day operations of your business can be your bread and butter - pun fully intended.  Also, hosting special events is an amazing way to attract different kinds of customers to your restaurant, while offering fresh material to include in your restaurant ads.

Some kinds of events you could consider hosting (and marketing) are:

• Wine tasting: Wine lovers are passionate people, and they're happy to pay up for their favourite stuff. A wine tasting night is a fun way to bring a more premium appeal to your business. When advertising a wine tasting night, make use of the attractive colour variety that wine offers. You should also mention the specific wines and brands that are on offer at your event.
  
  
• Live music: Live music is highly popular among a wide variety of demographics. Partner with local artists to bring memorable performances to your venue. Be sure to spread the word on social media with functions like Facebook events. Ensure that the performing artist spreads the word with their personal following, too.
  
  
• Cooking class: If customers love dining in your restaurant, they'll appreciate the chance to learn from your chefs. One of the best ways to promote an event like this is to dip into your email database and reach out to customers who have previously dined with you. They'll be interested to look behind the curtain, and you can increase their loyalty to your venue.

ResDiary can be a major help for operating events in your venue and harnessing their advertising potential. In the UK, ResDiary integrates with Tonic, an easy-to-use ticketing platform to help manage your event.

Plus, when you use Tonic you get free exposure with a listing on the DesignMyNight platform. DesignMyNight has over 3.9 million monthly users, offering a great opportunity to draw more guests to your event.

ResDiary will also help market your event with branded emails. You can analyse your booking data to ensure you're fully prepared, and use our Stripe integration to easily collect deposits and prevent no-shows.

5 proven tips to create irresistible restaurant ads that attract diners

Need a little more help creating the best possible ads for your hospitality venue? Here are five more tips to help out:

• Define your target audience: You should have a clear understanding of the types of individuals you want to reach with your ads. Consider demographics like age, spending power and family status. You can rely on restaurant marketing tools like Acteol (a UK ResDiary integration) to develop a strong understanding of your current customers, and who you want to reach in the future.
  
  
• Remember existing customers: While attracting new customers is an important component of restaurant advertising, you should also dedicate time to diners who have previously visited your venue. This gives you the chance to create more loyal customers who will return to your venue time and again.
  
  
• Build your brand: Your restaurant's brand identity is a pivotal component of your marketing campaigns. To ensure that your business is able to stick in the minds of your customers, ensure that you have strong branding and it is incorporated into your marketing efforts.
  
  
• Highlight unique selling points: Showcase the things that make your restaurant stand out. Whether it’s a signature dish, sustainable ingredients or a unique ambiance, emphasise these unique elements in your ads to attract diners who are looking for special experiences.
  
  
• Diversity: You should spread your marketing efforts as widely as you're able to, especially if you want your venue to have a broad appeal. Different channels will allow you to speak to different kinds of customers. For example, family-oriented customers may appreciate your business' local partnerships, while younger customers can be accessed with social media marketing.

Boost the value or marketing and advertising for your restaurant with ResDiary

ResDiary is an excellent tool to help market your restaurant online and beyond. From easy-to-create branded communications to a wide array of marketing integrations, you can use these tools to automate many of the most difficult parts of restaurant marketing.

Data is vital in the world of marketing, and ResDiary helps your business collect critical data about your customers. From email addresses and SMS details to add to your database to dining preferences and so much more, it's the perfect way to get to know your customers better.

Book a ResDiary demo today and find out how you can take your restaurant marketing up a notch.