The era is upon us where the digital world has taken over every aspect of our lives. Everyday tasks such as housing, shopping, seeking jobs, all depend on this world. It won’t be an exaggeration to term ourselves as the digital generation.
In the restaurant industry, consumers expects fresh food, whether it is in season or not, with an exotic dining experience. This has unquestionably made the restaurant sector one of the most competitive industries on the globe. This is both good and bad as the rising competiveness makes it harder for restaurants to make its business look unique to attract greater numbers of customers. Modern day restaurants require the right tools and their proper use to help them look creative and unique. There are 3 things which are of utmost importance to all restaurants in this digital era; digital commination, social media and mobile optimization.
SPEAKING TO YOUR DINERS ….. DIGITALLY
Digital Technology is drastically changing the way in which restaurants communicate with their customers and potential customers. Customers turn to the internet for information on just about everything. If a restaurant is not easily found on the internet, it can have a big impact on the amount of new customers it can acquire. In order to have a presence online, most restaurants turn to either a website, social media or both to communicate with their customers. One thing many restaurants forget about is to sign up for as many online lists as possible. Yelp, Yellow Book, White Pages, Trip Advisor, Urbanspoon, etc. are just a few that are used by many restaurants. The easiest way to determine which place to list a restaurant based on its niche or surrounding market is just to do a Google search for: restaurants in (your location). Whatever websites show up in your search are sites that are being used in your area and you want to be listed on.
SOCIAL IS STILL THE SECRET ….. BUT HOW ?
To further supplement this communication with customers, digital channels such as Social media allows restaurants to build their own individual brand and reach out to diners online like they never have been able to before. For many small business owners, it is leveling the playing field with national chains who have much larger marketing budgets and an already existing clientele. Successful restaurants now are taking advantage of Facebook, Twitter, and many other social media platforms to extend their bond with their regular customers. Some restaurants even choose to have their chefs speak directly with their customers via YouTube or Facebook Live. Other restaurants update their daily specials, give tips about healthy recipes or an event going on at the restaurant or in the area. This adds an additional way for restaurants to build stronger relationships with their customers.
MOBILE IS A MUST…. SERIOUSLY 
Because of the importance of having a website and using social media to communicate with your customers. It is equally important to make sure all of those websites are easily accessible via mobile devices. The two most important design techniques to deal with this problem are called responsive and adaptive designs. It does not really matter which type you use for your website, but it is crucial for your website to be easily accessible on a mobile device. It was found that 60 percent of all searches are done via a mobile device. Because so many searches are taking place on mobile devices, it is crucially important for a restaurant to leverage their online branding via website or social media to have a presence on the sites where their potential or regular customers frequently search using a mobile device.
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