What is digital marketing for a restaurant?
Digital marketing is how customers find your restaurant online, trust it, and take action - order, reserve, call, or visit - using tools like Google, your website, reviews, social media, and email/SMS.
Digital Marketing for Restaurant Owners
Overview
Digital marketing for a restaurant is simply how people find you, trust you, and choose you online - and then take a clear action, like placing an order, making a reservation, calling, or walking in. It's not one single thing. It's the combined system of your website, Google Business Profile, online ordering, reviews, social media, email/SMS, and (sometimes) paid ads working together to create demand and convert it into sales.
A helpful way to think about it- digital marketing isn't "posting content." It's removing friction between a hungry customer and your restaurant. When someone searches best tacos near me, compares photos and reviews, checks your menu, and decides to order - every step of that journey is part of your digital marketing. Your job is to make that journey fast, clear, and confidence-building.
What digital marketing does for restaurants
1. Gets you discovered when people search locally (especially on Google and Maps).
2. Builds trust through photos, accurate info, and reviews.
3. Converts intent into action with clear buttons like "Order Now," "Reserve," or "Call."
4. Brings customers back with reminders, offers, loyalty, and consistent communication.
5. Protects margins by increasing direct traffic and repeat business instead of relying only on third-party marketplaces.
For restaurants, digital marketing works best as a straightforward loop -
(1) Find you (2) Trust you (3) Choose you (4) Buy (5) Come back
Find you - Google search, Maps, local listings, social discovery
Trust you - reviews, photos, accurate information, quick responses
Choose you - clear differentiators (signature items, value, experience)
Buy - easy online ordering/reservations, clear calls-to-action
Come back - email/SMS, loyalty, seasonal updates, consistent experience
Once you understand that loop, digital marketing stops feeling like a random set of tasks. It becomes a repeatable system.
Brand Basics, Offer, Goals
Before you worry about posting more or running ads, you need a clean foundation. If you skip this step, your digital marketing becomes noisy - people see you online but don't quickly understand what you offer, why they should choose you, or what action to take. A solid foundation makes every channel (Google, social, email, ads) easier and more effective.
Start with the "3-second answer"
When someone lands on your website, Google listing, or Instagram profile, they should instantly understand three things -
1. What you are (concept + category)
2. What you're known for (signature items or experience)
3. How to buy (order, reserve, visit)
For example, "Modern Mediterranean bowls and wraps" is clearer than "fresh and delicious food." Clarity beats cleverness in digital marketing because online customers are moving fast.
Define your ideal customer
You don't need a perfect persona. You just need direction. Ask -
- Are you serving busy families, lunch commuters, late-night crowds, or foodie weekend diners?
- Are customers mostly locals, students, office workers, or tourists?
- What do they value most - speed, price, quality, health, experience, or convenience?
This matters because it shapes everything- the photos you choose, the promotions you run, and the channels you prioritize.
List your core revenue streams -
- Dine-in
- Takeout
- Delivery
- Catering / large orders
- Events / private dining
Then pick one primary focus to push for the next 30-60 days. Restaurants struggle when they market everything at once. If your best margin is takeout, your marketing should lead people to direct online ordering. If you want more weekday traffic, you may focus on lunch bundles or happy hour.
Set 2-3 measurable goals
Choose goals tied to actions, not vanity metrics -
- Increase direct online orders by X%
- Grow Google calls/directions requests by X per week
- Add X new reviews per month
- Capture X emails/SMS signups per week
- Improve repeat visits (measured through loyalty or POS) by X%
When goals are clear, decisions get easier. You'll know what to post, what to promote, and what to fix first. This foundation is the difference between doing digital marketing and building a system that reliably brings in customers.
Your Website and Online Ordering
A restaurant website isn't just a digital brochure. It's a conversion tool - meaning it should quickly turn a visitor into a customer. Most restaurant owners lose sales online for simple reasons- the menu is hard to read on mobile, hours are outdated, the "Order Now" button is buried, or the online ordering flow creates friction. Your goal is to make it effortless for someone who's hungry right now to take action.
What a high-converting restaurant website must include
At minimum, your site should make these questions easy to answer within seconds -
- Where are you? (address, map, parking notes if needed)
- When are you open? (accurate hours, holiday updates)
- What do you serve? (menu that's readable on mobile)
- How do I buy? ("Order Online," "Reserve," "Call," "Directions" buttons)
- Why should I choose you? (best sellers, popular items, dietary options, reviews)
Your homepage should highlight your core actions - usually Order Online and Directions - above the fold. Don't make people hunt. Every extra click costs you customers.
Menu best practices
The menu is the most visited page on most restaurant sites. Make it -
- Mobile-friendly (not a tiny PDF that's hard to zoom)
- Scanable (clear categories, short descriptions, visible prices)
- Search-friendly (text-based menus tend to perform better in search than image-only menus)
If you keep a PDF menu, also provide a clean HTML/text menu version for easier reading and better search visibility.
If online ordering is part of your business, your ordering experience matters as much as your food. Focus on -
- Fewer steps to checkout (guest checkout if possible)
- Clear pickup/delivery options with accurate prep times
- Item modifiers that are simple (avoid overwhelming customers)
- Smart upsells (add a drink, dessert, side) that don't feel pushy
- Prominent direct ordering links on your site and Google listing
A key rule - don't send customers on a scavenger hunt across multiple platforms. Your website should be the hub, with one clear Order Now path. If you rely heavily on third-party delivery apps, still prioritize direct ordering where possible to reduce fees and improve repeat business.
Google Business Profile and Local Search
For most restaurants, the most important digital marketing channel isn't Instagram or ads - it's Google Search and Google Maps. When someone searches "pizza near me," "best brunch," or your restaurant name, Google decides what to show first. Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the storefront that appears in those results, and it often becomes the deciding factor for whether a customer visits, calls, or orders.
Set up your Google Business Profile
Your GBP must be complete and accurate. Start with these basics -
Name, Address, Phone (NAP) - exactly consistent everywhere online
Hours - correct daily hours, plus holiday hours (update in advance)
Primary category - choose the closest match (this impacts ranking)
Secondary categories - add relevant options (e.g., "Takeout restaurant," "Caterer")
Website + online ordering links - make sure the links go to the correct pages
Attributes - dine-in, takeout, delivery, outdoor seating, etc.
Photos - high-quality food, interior, exterior, menu highlights
Accuracy matters more than most owners think. If your hours are wrong or your phone number is outdated, you don't just lose a customer - you train Google to trust you less over time.
The weekly routine that improves visibility
Google tends to reward profiles that stay active and trustworthy. A simple weekly routine -
1. Add 3-5 new photos (food, specials, staff, busy moments)
2. Post an update (special, event, seasonal item, limited-time offer)
3. Check and answer Q&A (customers often ask about parking, reservations, allergens)
4. Respond to new reviews (more on this in the next section)
5. Confirm hours and links (especially before weekends/holidays)
This isn't busywork. Active profiles typically get more calls, clicks, and direction requests because they appear more relevant.
You don't need to be an SEO expert. Focus on the biggest drivers -
Relevance - your categories, description, and content match what people search
Distance - you can't control this, but you can serve multiple nearby areas with clear info
Prominence - reviews, ratings, photo quality, and consistent listings across the web
A strong GBP doesn't just help new customers find you - it also supports brand searches, protects you from misinformation, and increases direct traffic to your website and ordering pages.
Social Media That Drives Real Customers
Social media works for restaurants when it does one main job - it helps people decide to visit or order. The mistake many owners make is treating social like entertainment - chasing trends, posting randomly, or focusing only on follower counts. Instead, think of social media as a decision tool that answers - "Is this place worth trying, and what should I get?"
Pick 1-2 platforms and commit
You don't need to be everywhere. Choose platforms based on how your customers discover restaurants -
- Instagram is great for food visuals, specials, and local discovery.
- Facebook is strong for local communities, events, and older demographics.
- TikTok can work if you can consistently create short, casual videos - but it's optional.
- YouTube Shorts is a bonus if you already make video content.
Most restaurants should start with Instagram + Google as the core, and add Facebook if events or community groups are important in your area.
Instead of inventing new ideas daily, rotate a few repeatable categories (pillars). Here are five that consistently drive customers -
1. Food that sells - close-ups of best sellers, new items, limited-time offers
2. Proof - customer favorites, review screenshots (with permission), "top ordered this week"
3. People - chefs, staff intros, behind-the-scenes prep, culture moments
4. Promos and occasions - lunch specials, happy hour, weekend features, holidays
5. Community - local partnerships, events, neighborhood shoutouts
With pillars, you can post consistently without burnout - and your audience learns what you're about.
Make every post lead to an action
A restaurant post should have a simple call-to-action. Examples -
- "Order online (link in bio)"
- "Show this post for today's special"
- "Call to reserve for Friday"
- "Save this for your weekend plans"
- "Tag who you're bringing"
Use clear signals in your profile too - accurate hours, location, and an obvious ordering/reservation link.
The goal is consistency and clarity. Social media should reinforce what people already want - great food, easy ordering, and confidence they'll have a good experience.
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Reviews and Reputation
If Google helps customers find you, reviews help customers choose you. For restaurants, reputation is one of the highest-impact parts of digital marketing because it directly affects clicks, calls, reservations, and orders - especially when people are comparing you with two or three nearby options. The goal isn't perfection. The goal is trust, consistency, and responsiveness.
When a customer sees your restaurant online, they're looking for quick confidence -
- Is the food consistently good?
- Is the service solid?
- Is it clean and worth the price?
- Will my order be accurate and on time?
Your rating, recent review volume, and how you respond all help answer those questions. A restaurant with slightly lower stars but recent reviews and thoughtful responses can outperform a restaurant with a higher rating that looks ignored or outdated.
How to get more reviews
The best time to ask is when the guest is happy and the experience is fresh. Use simple systems -
- Train staff to ask at the right moment ("If you enjoyed it, a quick Google review helps us a lot.")
- Use a QR code on receipts, table tents, or takeout bags that links to your Google review page
- Send a follow-up text/email after online orders (short and polite)
- Ask regularly, not occasionally - steady volume looks more natural and builds momentum
Avoid offering discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews. It can backfire and may violate platform policies. Instead, make leaving a review easy and part of your routine.
Responding to reviews
You don't need long replies. You need consistency and tone.
For positive reviews -
- Thank them
- Mention something specific if possible (item ordered, occasion)
- Invite them back
For negative reviews -
- Acknowledge the issue
- Apologize (even if you disagree with the tone)
- Offer a next step (contact method, chance to make it right)
- Keep it professional - always assume future customers are reading
A smart mindset - review responses aren't just for the reviewer. They're for the hundreds of future customers deciding whether to trust you.
Look for repeated patterns in feedback -
- Slow service at lunch?
- A specific item too salty?
- Confusing pickup process?
Fixing one repeated issue can improve reviews, repeat visits, and operational flow. Then use the positives as marketing - highlight "best sellers," "customer favorites," or "known for fast pickup" in your website copy and social posts. In restaurant digital marketing, reviews are one of the few things that build value over time. The more consistent your review system becomes, the easier every other channel gets.
Email, SMS, and Loyalty Done Simply
Most restaurants spend too much time trying to attract brand-new customers and not enough time bringing back people who already like them. Retention marketing is how you turn one-time guests into regulars using email, SMS, and loyalty. The best part - it's usually cheaper than ads and more predictable than social media because you're marketing to people who already know your food.
Step 1. Build your list
Your goal is to collect customer contact info in ways that feel natural - not forced. Common, practical methods -
Online ordering checkout - add an opt-in checkbox for email/SMS updates
In-store QR sign-up - "Get specials + early access to new items"
Receipts and takeout bag inserts - short message + QR code
Wi-Fi sign-in (if you offer guest Wi-Fi) - optional opt-in for marketing
Loyalty signup - the list grows automatically when loyalty is part of checkout
Keep the message simple- customers don't want "marketing," they want value - exclusive deals, new item alerts, birthday rewards, and reminders that make their next meal easier.
Step 2. Know what to send
Most restaurants only need a few types of messages -
- New item or limited-time feature (great for urgency)
- Slow-day boost (weekday lunch, early week specials)
- Event reminders (holiday hours, live music, catering deadlines)
- Bounce-back offer (come back within 714 days)
- Seasonal promotion (game days, summer specials, family bundles)
Keep emails slightly more detailed (menu highlights, photos, story). Keep texts short and action-driven (1 offer + 1 link).
Step 3. Use a simple cadence that you can maintain
You don't need to message constantly. A realistic cadence -
Email. 2-4 per month
SMS. 2-4 per month (only when it's truly relevant)
Loyalty reminders. automated (points balance, "you're close to a reward")
Consistency matters more than frequency. If you disappear for 3 months and then blast customers, it feels random and increases unsubscribes.
Step 4. Keep loyalty simple and tied to behavior
A good loyalty program rewards the actions you want -
- Repeat visits
- Higher average check
- Direct ordering
Examples include points per dollar, visit-based rewards (buy 5, get 1), and birthday perks. Don't overcomplicate the rules. Customers should understand it in 10 seconds.
Retention is where restaurant digital marketing becomes stable. When your list grows and your loyalty program runs in the background, you stop relying solely on "new customer" traffic and start building a repeatable sales engine.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do email and SMS help restaurants?
They bring customers back. Email is great for monthly updates and specials - SMS is best for short, timely offers. Both work well for repeat traffic and slow-day boosts.
What metrics should I track to know if digital marketing is working?
Track actions - website visits, menu clicks, online orders, calls, direction requests, review volume/rating, email/SMS signups, and repeat purchase behavior (if you have loyalty or POS insights).
What's the best way to increase direct online orders?
Make the "Order Online" button obvious everywhere (website + Google profile), reduce friction in checkout, use clear promos sparingly, and drive repeat orders via email/SMS or loyalty.
What are the most important pages on a restaurant website?
Menu, hours, location/contact, and ordering/reservations. These should be easy to find on mobile and updated regularly.
