In today’s digital world, running a successful pub (or restaurant or hotel) means more than just offering great food, drinks, and hospitality. You’ve got to get your marketing right, especially on social media. With paid social campaigns, you can reach new customers, keep your regulars coming back, and ensure your establishment stays top of mind. Here are our top tips for making the most out of paid social for your pub, restaurant, or hotel.
1. Target the Right Audience: Acquisition and Retention
One of the biggest advantages of paid social is the ability to target specific audiences. For pubs, restaurants, and hotels, this can mean the difference between a full house and a quiet night.
Acquisition Audiences:
Use data from your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to create lookalike audiences. These are people who have similar characteristics to your existing customers but haven’t yet discovered your establishment. It’s a great way to bring in new faces. If you cannot access CRM data, social platforms like Meta also offer their own targeting options, allowing you to reach specific demographics based on age, location, interests, and behaviours.
When targeting acquisition audiences, it’s crucial to consider both location and age demographics to ensure your campaigns reach the most relevant people. If your establishment has a new children’s menu, for instance, you can specifically target parents in your local area. Here’s how to do it:
- Location Targeting: Focus your ads on people within a certain radius of your establishment. This ensures that your promotions are seen by those who are most likely to visit. For example, if your pub is in Newbury, you can set your ads to be shown to users within a 10-mile radius.
- Age Demographics: Tailor your ads to the appropriate age groups. For example, if you have a weekday daytime menu that is perfect for retired patrons, you can set the age range to 65+. Similarly, if you are hosting a club night likely to be enjoyed by 25-45-year-olds, you can target them specifically as well.
- Interest and Behavioural Targeting: Use data on interests and online behaviours to refine your audience further. For example, promoting the new kid’s menu? Target parents interested in family activities, local events, or parenting groups can increase the likelihood of your ads resonating with the right people.
By carefully selecting location and age groups, and leveraging the detailed data available through your CRM and social platforms like Meta, you can create highly targeted and effective acquisition campaigns that bring new customers to your pub, restaurant, or hotel.
Retention Audiences:
Retargeting past customers is essential for keeping your business bustling. Use your CRM data to remind past patrons about upcoming events, new menu items, or special offers. This helps in retaining customers who already love what you do.
2. Reuse and Recycle Creative Content
Creating fresh, engaging content can be time-consuming and expensive. The good news is, you don’t always have to start from scratch. Here’s how you can make the most out of your existing content:
- Repurpose Successful Posts: If a particular post performed well organically, give it a boost with some paid promotion. This could be anything from a mouth-watering photo of your new dish to a behind-the-scenes video of your pub.
- Seasonal Variations: Adjust your creative content for different seasons, occasions or holidays. For example, a springtime garden party image used originally to promote the garden space, can also be used to share your party menu options.
Menu Highlights: Regularly feature different items from your menu. This not only keeps your content fresh but also encourages potential customers to click to view the menu. This brings us to…
3. Push to View Menu
While the ultimate goal is to get bookings, don’t underestimate the power of getting potential customers to view your menu. This step can turn a casual browser into a booking.
- Enticing Imagery: Use high-quality images of your best dishes and drinks. A picture speaks a thousand words and can be the nudge someone needs to book a table.
- Easy Access: Make sure your menu is easy to find and navigate on your website. A seamless user experience can significantly increase the chances of converting a menu view into a booking.
- Special Offers: Promote special deals or limited-time offers to create a sense of urgency. This can push viewers to act quickly and secure their reservation.
Our top tip: If your menus are PDFs on your website, direct your paid ads to the menu page rather than the PDF itself. While this adds an extra click for visitors, it allows them to view all available menus—such as brunch and dinner options—in one place. Plus, it provides an easy way for them to book a table, rather than landing directly on a PDF with no immediate booking option.
4. Complement with High-Intent Strategies
Paid social is fantastic for reaching new audiences and keeping your brand in the minds of your customers. However, it’s often considered a low-intent marketing strategy. This means it works best when complemented with high-intent strategies like SEO and PPC.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): Ensure your website is optimised for search engines so that potential customers can find you easily when they’re searching for a place to eat, drink, or stay. Check out our 3 Must-Do Local SEO Tips for Pubs & Restaurants.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click): Running PPC campaigns (like Google Ads) can help you capture those high-intent searches. For example, someone looking for “best pub in Newbury” or “hotels near Highclere Castle” is likely ready to book. Learn more about how to set up PPC ads here.
Tips and Tricks for Engaging Paid Social Campaigns
- Use Video Content: Videos are highly engaging and can capture attention quickly. Showcase a short clip of your chef in action or a panoramic view of your cosy pub.
- Tell a Story: Use storytelling to connect with your audience. Share the history of your pub, the inspiration behind your menu, or customer testimonials.
- Leverage User-Generated Content: Encourage your customers to share their experiences on social media and feature their posts in your campaigns. This adds authenticity and builds trust.
- Experiment with Ad Formats: Try different ad formats such as carousel ads, story ads, and collection ads to see what resonates best with your audience.
By following these tips, your pub, restaurant, or hotel can maximise the effectiveness of paid social campaigns. Remember, the key is to target the right audience, make the most of your creative content, and complement your efforts with high-intent strategies.
We can help! We have been supporting the hospitality industry with their marketing needs, including paid social media, to allow them to get back to doing what they do best. Get in touch today.
