According to Buffer, 62% of businesses use YouTube as a channel to post video content. Since 89% of people research restaurants online before they visit, restaurants are creating their own video content, or engaging guests with Facebook contests to tell their brand stories online. Once they find your website or social media page, a video can be a great way to tell your brand's story in an engaging way. Here are a few recommendations for getting started with video marketing for your restaurant.
You don’t have to do it yourself.
Some of the best video content restaurant brands use online today is customer-generated. Not only does it create engaging video content, but it also plays off recent marketing research that shows that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family, and 70% trust online reviews. A video testimonial is a compelling online review—and the Facebook format encourages guests to share their videos with their own networks of family and friends.
Content is king.
Don’t be bland—think outside the (pizza) box. There is an enormous amount of room for fun, creativity, and innovation:
- Tell your brand story. It’s okay to be silly if that fits your brand.
- Involve your customers. Get them talking about your friendly staff and fabulous food, and sharing their favorite menu items.
- Make an appeal. Get behind a community group or a charity that’s important to you.
- Teach something. Walk your guests through the steps to make the world’s best dough.
- Share a video of a customer fundraiser night or your involvement in a community event to encourage sharing.
Be creative with design.
Visuals matter, and would-be guests love a sneak preview. Don’t be afraid to make yourself the star—when you show your enthusiasm and expertise in front of the camera, people will associate your face with your restaurant brand.
Keep it short, but pack a lot of punch.
When it comes to video, longer is rarely better. Could you just shoot a promo for your business without offering free tips and advice? Yes, you can. However, these types of videos rarely go viral. When you share good stuff, people not only "Like" and "Comment" on your videos, but they also share them on their own social profiles.
Promote it across your platforms!
Make sure your content is published across every digital channel available to you (this is called cross-platform promotion). TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are all video-first or video-supported social media platforms where your content has the opportunity to gain some traction. Every YouTube video has an embed code. If you place the embed code on your own website, your visitors can view it there too, and sharing videos across your profiles is even easier. Choose a descriptive (and engaging) title, and remember to "tag" your video with keywords when you add it to YouTube to make it more likely to appear in search results.
Fun Facts:
- YouTube has 2.5 billion users worldwide
- It's the second most popular search engine (after Google)
- People watch over 1 billion hours worth of video every day on the platform
- More than 5 billion videos are viewed on YouTube every day—and video ranks best on Google
Post often.
One thing is clear: brands that achieve long-term success on YouTube are those that consistently publish fresh, relevant, and entertaining content that offers value to their viewers. This is no different for the restaurant industry.
Ready to learn more about incorporating social media into your digital marketing strategy? Check out Insta-Love Worthy Instagram Tips for Restaurants.
