Venue Social Media Marketing – How to Increase Bookings Via Social Media
Utilising venue social media marketing is incredibly important for creating a successful venue business.
In the ever-growing arena of hospitality, businesses are constantly faced with newer challenges.
Regardless of the venue – bar, pub, or restaurant—you must shed your blood and sweat to bring in new customers.
Brands use innovative strategies to outsmart their rivals and reach out to their audience.
That said, businesses focus on two elements to promote themselves: their venue and social media.
If you are into the hospitality business and want to know how this works, this page is just for you.
The mantra is venue social media marketing.
You need to market your venue through your social media platforms.
Still not sure?
No problem.
In this post, we discuss the sure-shot strategies to promote your venue on social media and help increase bookings through these channels.
6 amazing ways to successfully perform venue social media marketing
1. Promote your menu
2. Create themes for your venue
3. Flaunt your venue as best as possible
4. Use social media ads
5. Collaborate with influencers
6. Engage with your audience
1. Promote your menu
Whether your venue is a restaurant, pub, or bar, your unique selling proposition will usually be the flavorful food or gorgeous drink on your menu.
Your customers visit the venue primarily to eat some tasty food or drink, with other factors like ambiance or decor being relatively less significant.
A great strategy for venue social media marketing is to promote your special dishes or drinks on these platforms.
Channels like Instagram or Facebook let you post images to your prospects for a sneak peek into your delectable items.
Post pictures with captions like “Drink of the day” or “Enjoy the special treat” to create interest in your customers’ minds.
Additionally, offer QR codes in social media posts, which customers can scan and get special discounts on these items when they visit the venue.
2. Create themes for your venue
Another often neglected yet effective venue social media marketing strategy is letting guests enjoy their time at your place with specially crafted themes.
While most bars, restaurants, or pubs decorate their venue with specific themes only on special occasions like Christmas or New Year, you can make this a more regular feature.
Having vibrant colors, sparkling lights, confetti, or a fairy tale setting certainly lights up your guests’ moods.
These are the usual elements in crafting a theme. With technology offering newer options, you can easily achieve your goal.
Have you heard of Metaverse?
If you are moderate to a relatively larger venue, it makes sense to leverage this emerging trend and carve immersive experiences for your customers.
Keep it simple in the beginning by offering 3D glasses or such devices to your audience.
You can get this job contracted with a third party that is an expert in this. Always keep your budget in mind.
Based on how your guests respond, develop your ideas further. While trying to go the extra mile, you need some great reward, right?
Well, promote a glimpse of such “experiences” on your social media page with endorsements from existing customers.
And, for those excited to visit your venue to enjoy an equally mesmerizing theme, they need to scan the QR code to make a booking! Makes sense?
3. Flaunt your venue as best as possible
A rule of thumb in any marketing strategy is – what you showcase best, sells best.
Only when you thoroughly demo all the features of a product or the uses of availing a service does it appeal to the customer.
Do you agree?
The same applies to venue marketing.
These days, with more tools to “give life” to inanimate objects, businesses can edge over their competitors.
Create magnificent pictures of your venue from different angles. Even if your bar or pub is a small one, technology can do wonders. Use some professional photography and capture unique images of your venue.
Additionally, include not just the decor or dining but even your crew.
Yet another powerful tool to leverage is video.
Get some ecstatic moments of your guests captured while they are at your venue (with their approval) or candid conversations among your staff in the kitchen.
Next, you just need to create a sharp and clear video.
The grand finale starts with you uploading this video on your social media page.
Just keep a tab on the number of likes, shares, and more.
This will soon be followed by people thronging to your bar or restaurant.
So, that’s a great way to unleash the power of your venue’s social media marketing.
4. Use social media ads
You get the optimum results when you serve your target audience.
While creating content and posts on social platforms certainly boosts your efforts, you can maximize your revenues by niching your reach.
Most social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter let you focus on specific customer segments by leveraging their ad feature.
Through social media ads, you, as a business, can segment your audiences, run campaigns, and send out tailored content to the respective customer groups.
This will increase engagement, enhance your reach, and boost your revenues.
Social media ads are a key element for venue social media marketing, as you may “theme your venue” or “tailor your menu” for segments like families, kids, teenagers, or others.
Make sure to include a compelling call to action like “Register to reserve in advance,” or “First 10 seats at 10% discount,” and so on.
5. Collaborate with influencers
Most of us, including your customers and prospects, trust info when it comes from the horse’s mouth.
That said, in the case of social media, the content, posts, and other stuff from influencers grab the most attention and drive leads.
If you are a small or medium-sized business, your concerns might be around the budget.
Well, it’s a myth that influencers are only for elite businesses.
The reality, however, is you can find those that suit your pockets.
Influencers can significantly bolster your venue social media marketing efforts as they serve as endorsers of your brand.
They are experts in their niche and add the extra element of authenticity that brings you closer to your leads.
With such undisputed content from reliable sources, your prospects will certainly make a gesture towards visiting your venue.
Provide your contact details or the QR code option so that interested parties can contact you to make a booking.
6. Engage with your audience
Engaging with your audience is a crucial aspect of social media marketing that often gets overlooked.
It’s more than just posting content; it’s about fostering a genuine connection with your followers.
By actively responding to comments, messages, and reviews, you show that you value their input and are committed to providing excellent customer service.
This not only builds trust and loyalty but also encourages word-of-mouth marketing.
When engaging with your audience, be authentic and personal. Use their names, ask open-ended questions, and genuinely listen to their feedback.
By creating a sense of community, you can turn casual followers into loyal customers.
Additionally, consider hosting social media contests or giveaways to encourage interaction and generate excitement.
This can help you reach a wider audience and attract new followers. Remember, social media is a two-way street.
By actively engaging with your audience, you can build a strong and loyal following that will drive bookings and increase your venue’s revenue.
Wrapping up
As brands in the hospitality sector compete for a niche audience, tools like social media serve as powerful marketing channels.
Whether you are a bar, pub, or restaurant business, it’s time to promote your venue aggressively.
Follow the strategies for venue social media marketing outlined in the blog and get more bookings through these platforms.