Cat videos, food ASMR, and viral memes are dominating the internet like nothing else. This shift has totally changed the face of marketing today. If you own a restaurant, it is very important to understand how impactful video marketing can be to your business. By lifting up your marketing strategy with video marketing, you can seriously amplify your results.
“Video can increase conversion rates by more than 80% in various industries.”
Well, this shows the power of video marketing.
As traditional ads fade away, video marketing is becoming the medium to lean on. And yet, too many restaurants still have not grasped their full potential. In this blog, we are going to break down video marketing for restaurants with concrete examples and actionable tips.
What is video marketing?
Before shifting to the whys and ways, let’s understand the definition of video marketing.
So, what is video marketing? Basic definition, says that it involves shooting videos to showcase your products, grow your business, connect with a larger audience, and improve online engagement. You can also use video marketing to showcase restaurant events, showcase your humour, or create how-to and instructional videos, among other things. To get a little bit more insight into video marketing, click and watch one of the best marketing ads in history delivered by Nike, campaign named “Dream crazy”.
Watch the video now!
Why is video marketing important for restaurants?
1. Improves customer experience
Video is the closest thing a customer can experience about your restaurant, not even visiting it. The lively visuals and sound really bring out your brand’s personality and highlight things that just cannot be shown with still images.
Tip- Behind-the-scenes clips are an excellent way to let customers see what is happening in your kitchen. You can take them on a special tour to meet your amazing chefs and show off your top-notch equipment. Plus, customer testimonials in video form are super powerful. Watching and listening to real guests sharing fantastic dining experiences makes a much bigger impact than just reading their words.
2. Increase in conversion rates
Adding video to your website or landing page can increase conversions up to 80%!
Videos showcase your brand personality much more than any brochure ever can. Customers are able to get a glance of the menu items, atmosphere, and the service before actually walking into your establishment. That familiarity comforts them, therefore driving the conversions.
Tip- Create a virtual dining experience video. Show off popular dishes, highlight your restaurant’s ambiance, and feature a warm welcome from your staff. This personal touch can transform viewers into loyal customers.
3. Boosts engagement & reach
When it comes to grabbing attention, video outshine all other forms of content. People are way more inclined to watch a video than to read long paragraphs or scroll through pictures. Actually, video posts have the potential to achieve 135% more organic reach compared to text posts. Even a short, catchy video can go a long way. On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, videos shorter than two minutes have been found to hold viewer attention the best.
Tip- Keep videos under two minutes to maximise engagement. Try fun snippets, like a 60-second “day in the life” or a quick tutorial on your signature dish. Don’t forget to add subtitles as many people watch with the sound off!
4. Builds brand identity
Video is the best medium for telling your story. Showcase the journey of your establishment and what makes your food unique. This background and authentic messaging separate your brand from the competition. New, frequent video content keeps your customers interested and connected to your ongoing story. In fact, 64% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands publishing videos regularly compared to those that don’t.
Tip- Create a “meet the team” series or a mini-documentary about your restaurant’s origin story. Showcasing your passion helps build emotional connections and customer loyalty.
5. Improves SEO
Google is full-on into video content.
Why is that? Because videos really capture people’s attention and keep them on your page longer, which tells the search engines that your stuff is worth checking out. By sharing videos, you can boost your website’s position in search results as more visitors come to see the engaging visuals. This amount of traffic influx also aids in SEO, reducing bounce rates while increasing the time spent on each page and the number of pages viewed per visit.
Tip- Optimise video titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords. Embed videos on your website and share them across social media to drive traffic back to your site, boosting SEO naturally.
6. Cost-effective
People think that video marketing is super expensive, but it’s really not. It can actually be cheaper than old-school advertising methods. For instance, a local TV ad will cost you about 2,000 dollars. In contrast, the cost per mille, or CPM, of a Facebook video ad is around 20 dollars. Conversely, a single billboard can cost upwards of $1,500 a month, whereas the creation and dissemination of a video on YouTube or Instagram could be very cheap in comparison. You can get more bang for your buck and actually reach and engage with many people using budget-friendly video marketing.
7. Shareability
Video content is highly shareable, which means one needs to do very little to have many eyes glued to the video content. One might watch a TikTok and send a link to ten friends, then in an instant, a tiny video has gone viral. Before you know it, your small video campaign is making waves and getting your brand noticed everywhere. Teasers and trailers are really good to create hype around events or new menu items. Episodic series, on the other hand, let you share updates about your menu, new team members, and more through a series of videos. Plus, those fun, quick clips are a breeze to make and are super easy to share on social media. Increase your visibility by getting your viewers to like, comment, and share your fun video content.
Tip- Start small with smartphone videos. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube offer free tools to edit and share. User-generated content from loyal customers is another budget-friendly option.
The more you enjoy making videos about your restaurant, the more viewers will enjoy them and share them. Videos provide that opportunity to showcase your restaurant’s unique vibe. Consider what you love about your restaurant and start there. Trust that others will love it too.
But here’s the big question, do you have the time for video marketing with everything else on your plate?
We know running a restaurant is a 24/7 job. That’s why we’re here to take the marketing off your shoulders and let you focus on what you do best, creating amazing dining experiences. From website development, social media marketing, and paid ads to SEO, menu design, online reviews, and reliable POS systems we’ve got you covered.
