Facebook is certainly NOT the “end-all, be-all” of online marketing. But, it sure can play an important role. And, if it’s not done well, a poorly managed Facebook page for your restaurant can result in missed opportunity, to say the least. Worst case…it could be providing wrong information or representing your…

Still wondering if Facebook is right for your restaurant? We see many restaurants who are waffling – should I or shouldn’t I get involved in social media? Finally, a blog post that sets things straight and gives you four solid reasons why your restaurant SHOULD NOT BE on Facebook.

Here we go. Your…

Want a good laugh? Watch this…(then come back to read the rest of the post!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CQo2FJPLeQk

I was recently…

Everyone agrees that Facebook is a great tool to stay engaged with your customers and build your brand loyalty.  That’s easy to say, but much harder to do when you stare blankly at the empty ‘Update Status’ box each day on your Facebook page.  You can only post the soup du jour so many days in a row before your fans lose interest. So to help get past that writer’s block, here are 25 ideas for creating Facebook content.

1. Cooking tips from the chef.
2. Survey your…

As close observers of the digital landscape, our team has noticed something over the last few years that can’t be denied: The lines between social, local and search are no longer blurring- they are disappearing.…

You probably have heard all about the benefits about using social media for your restaurant and all the different types, but do you actually know how to use it effectively? Connection to these sites allows restaurants to have almost 24 hour access to their customers and what's even better is that it's free advertising. When was the last time Facebook asked someone to pay to post how good their Starbucks frappacino was? However, if a restaurant wants to be successful in creating a social…

Last week, Facebook purchased Instagram, the barely 2-year old photo sharing startup for $1 billion dollars. The New York Times recently chronicled Instagram’s road to success, struggling as a fledgling start-up to keep up with server demand as thousands downloaded the iPhone version of the app and began uploading pictures hours after it…

There’s been negative buzz lately from marketers regarding the switch to timeline that automatically occurred at the end of March. We need to take stock in the fact that Facebook is a free and powerful social media platform, thus the powers that be can affect changes, which means we as marketers need to creatively adapt to those changes. Recently, Facebook Marketing Solutions posted this question to its fans: “For…

I’m shocked how many times I’ve opened my Facebook Profile to see what’s going on in the world, only to have my mouth hit the floor by a restaurant post! No, I’m not talking about an incredible sale or some wildly interesting fact.  It’s the kind of post that leaves you shaking your head and questioning whether or not you really want to patronize them anymore, regardless of how much you love their food, service, etc….  I’m sure you’ve seen it too and maybe some of you are guilty of…

An excerpt from a longer piece that summarizes how restaurants should be using social media. I wanted to share this piece for the cool infographic.

Facebook 

What it is: This is the…

Here's a great info graphic showing the power of the social media management programs we run for our clients. This particular graphic is specific to Facebook Fan Pages.  Check out Wicked Chicken. In this case, they are considered "David", while the others could be considered "Goliath".



This proves…

The official announcement from Facebook is today, but there are tips floating around the interwebs.  Below are a rundown of some links to check out.

This is an opportunity for restaurants to really think about how you graphically represent your brand.  There's a large "cover" image that will go at the top of your page.  It's not…

As many restaurant owners have found, investing in an active Facebook page takes consistency, creativity, and time.

Creating a Facebook page and leaving it to sit dormant is like having customers sitting in your booths and no servers to take their order or fill up their glasses.  Customers get annoyed and your restaurant look like they don't care.

Running a contest on your restaurant's Facebook fan page is a great way to grow your…

Static FBML V.S. Dynamic HTML

Several months ago I created a video on how to give your restaurant Facebook page a facelift. Today I created…

Facebook is rolling out a ton of new stuff and what it'll mean to you is pretty well lined out in a post by Jesse Stanchuk at SmartBriefs. (let me know if you need the link - FohBoh has told me that they do not allow posting links - how social is that?)

In the post Jesse says -

• This will happen again.
• This is an opportunity.
• This kind of user outrage happens every time.
• This will happen to you, too.

It's a good perspective that…

Now-a-days, not only does a Chef have to know how to cook and direct a culinary team; they need to be able to tweet, plus, post, blog, vlog, upload, download, pin and livestream. They must now...Be Social!

The job description of today's Chefs goes beyond the doors leading out of the kitchen. It continues into websites, blogs and personal pages. Not only must the Chef be able to prepare their recipe; they must…

Expanding your reach: why someone should “like” your brand

Social media is everywhere, and its critical in the restaurant/hospitality industry . The problem is that you may not have the time to really engage your target market. As the debate on the value and ROI of engaging in social media and marketing continues, calls to like, follow, join, fan, and watch are everywhere. But why? Why should the consumer connect your brand? We could spend days analyzing  how this applies to…

Now that Facebook has updated their algorithm to only show the updates from the pages and people your fans engage with, how does your message cut through the…