The Top 5 Restaurant Digital Marketing Trends in 2017

In 2017, restaurants will engage in more digital marketing and advertising initiatives than ever before. If your restaurant doesn’t follow suit, you could be missing out on a prime opportunity to reach new and existing customers. From posting enticing food photos on Instagram to spending ad dollars on local search ads through Google, the restaurant industry is embracing the world of digital marketing. Below are the top 5 restaurant digital marketing trends your business should be aware of. The Top 5 Restaurant Digital Marketing Trends in 2017 1. Sponsored Social Media Posts Rise Up In 2017, sponsored social media posts overtook community/event sponsorship as the most popular form as restaurant advertising. Overall, there was a 20% increase in restaurants advertising on social media compared to historical numbers. 2. Facebook Remains Social Media Queen 73% of restaurants named Facebook as their most-used social media channel, distantly followed by Instagram at 18%. These findings also revealed only 4% of restaurants do not use social media. 3. Ad Spend Isn’t Stopping 84% of restaurants will either spend the same or more on advertising in 2017. Additionally, the number of restaurants who intend to spend no money on advertising decreased by 25% in 2017. 4. The Surge of Search Engine Ads Search engine advertisements on sites like Google and Bing dethroned direct mail advertisement to become the 4th most popular choice of restaurant advertising. These online ads saw an increase in usage of 36% in 2017, while direct mail saw a 6% drop in popularity. 5. Snapchat Slow to Grow Only 16% of restaurants are currently using Snapchat for their business, with no restaurants in the survey naming it their preferred social media channel. YouTube will be the most newly-adopted social media channel in 2017, with 27% of restaurants intending to start using the site this year. Article courtesy of Toast Blog . As always shop RestaurantSupply.com for all your restaurant needs.