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…

So your business has a Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn account, etc. Now what? Social Media experts from all over have set etiquette guidelines, content strategies, tips for building a following, and tips for keeping them. There’s a lot of information out there, so I’m going to try and make it easy for you by summing it all up.

Let’s start from the beginning. First, Social Media Consultant Jeff Bullas says you need to ‘define and understand the target market.’  Ask yourself…

“Real-life sharing, rethought for the web” is this growing social networking site’s slogan. With your business’s involvement in Google+’s circles, hangouts (video chats) and more, you can give your customers another place to experience your business in “real-time.” But, besides its goals for…

Brian Gatti, TableSites.com

Ah, social media. It's awesome! Who doesn't love Facebook? You connect with your friends, your colleagues, your clients, and potential customers. And you can play Farmville (or Castleville or Whateverville) for hours on end. And then there's Twitter, which is like the Attention Deficit Disorder kid in the social media classroom. Millions of tweets blasting by, all begging for your attention. Then there's LinkedIn. Then there's Google+. 

What…

Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve got a great idea for a Facebook status update, but it would be better to post it TOMORROW instead of RIGHT NOW? Never fear, Facebook offers a simple (yet, somewhat unknown) tool that allows you to schedule posts in advance – or even back date them. Today,…

by Brian Gatti, TableSites.com

I’m staging an intervention. I gathered all of your friends and family, we discussed the situation and we

all agree you have a problem. You need a website for your restaurant. Just being on Yelp…

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…

by Aprons & Smocks

A new feature on Facebook called Graph Search has the potential to be a big influence on restaurant referrals and word-of-mouth. While this Facebook function is still in the beta testing stage, experts believe it could be a powerful partner with search engine optimization strategies. Furthermore, Graph Search might even become a fierce competitor with Yelp.com.

The Way Graph…

We found a great list of videos that explain all the basics of the Google+ social network, from a personal perspective. If you’re interested in exploring Google+ for restaurants, I’d suggest taking 30 minutes to watch these simple, explanatory videos as Google+ 101. These are more…

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…

One question I get a lot when I talk to restaurant owners about social media is “Will Facebook get me on the first page of Google?” My answer is always the same: yes and no. Let me explain why.

First of all, I want to make clear that SEO/SEM (search engine optimization/search engine marketing) is a whole industry of its own, and it’d be simplistic of me to say that by having social media pages, you’ll rank higher in searches. SEO is complex, and it involves a lot of algorithms,…

If you are wondering what will happen with social media in 2013, you are not alone. Everyone is wondering what Facebook will do next or if a new social network will surge. While no one can really foresee the future, there are some trends that will probably be stronger in 2013.

The first trend I want to…

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by ERIC MELIN on JANUARY 8, 2013 [reposted from Spiral16]

When is the…

Reported by foodem.com, the online wholesale food marketplace-

Two of the biggest shopping days of the year are without a doubt here, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Businesses near and far are ramping up their holiday promotions, while gearing up for hoards of deal-seeking crowds. There are TV and radio commercials, Facebook ads and Twitter ads fighting for the attention of eager shoppers.

According to an October survey from…

Not sure which Social Network to use or wondering about the differences between them all? No worries, we’ve created this helpful Cheat Sheet for you. Feel free to download it and share it with everyone!

Click here to download: www.loyalrewards.com/SM_Cheat_Sheet_MT.pdf…

Last week’s Jobs Report, issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, echoed news we’ve all grown accustomed to hearing — U.S. job growth is weak.

But is that the whole story?

If you take a moment to study the recent news, there is a silver lining — at least for the restaurant industry. In the month of August, 96,000 jobs were added on a net basis across the nation and more than 28,000 of those jobs were in the restaurant industry. In other words, more than…

Join the restaurant industry and Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry all day on Monday, September 17th for the Dine Out For No Kid Hungry TwEAT OUT! You can help us spread awareness for the Dine Out with more than 2,000 bloggers and tweeters.

When: Monday, September 17, 2012 | 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST

How to Participate:

On Twitter:

Follow @Dine_Out and…

If you are like most restaurants, lunch is your slowest time of day. People are busy, and if they make time for lunch they hit the closest restaurant to eat and run. But you also know that if you get them in your door, they’ll be back. They’ll bring their lunch meetings to your establishment. They’ll invite friends to ‘grab lunch’ at your place. But how to get them there in the first place . . . . .



We have something you can do today that will get people in your door tomorrow –…

Reported by foodem.com, the online wholesale food marketplace-

Many companies and professionals alike utilize social networks for marketing, branding and spreading the word about their products and services. No matter which platform is used, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest or Google +, they all have similarities in that they give everyone a voice. But, there is one social network that is valued slightly higher than the rest in…

Remember Live Aid back in 1986?

Remember seeing Queen give one of the best performances in rock history? Phil Collins playing both London and Philadelphia?

Remember how it made us all fell to be a planetary communality that day?

You want to feel that feeling again? Well you can by helping out and getting involved and being a…