How to Correctly Incorporate Social Media into Your Restaurant’s Website

You have started a Facebook page and you started a Twitter account for your restaurant. You have been using both regularly; but you aren’t really seeing an increase in your business.

What gives?

The problem could be that you haven’t attracted enough attention to your social media pages.

In order to have success with your social media campaign, you need to let people know about your presence. (tweet this)

How do you do that?

Through your website!

Your website is one of the most valuable tools for your business. It is how your current customers, and your potential customers, find out what they need and want to know about your restaurant; your menu, your hours of operation, special events and the like. Since your website is the place where people go to find out about your restaurant, it only makes sense that this is where you should let your customers know about your social media profiles.

Here are some suggestions for incorporating your social media accounts into your restaurant’s website.

Incorporate Social Media Buttons

A simple and extremely effective way to integrate your social media pages into your website is by displaying social media buttons. Make sure the buttons are easy to see. They should be large enough and placed in an area that your visitors will definitely see; along the side of your home page, for example. These buttons should link to your social media pages. When customers click on the Facebook button, they should be directed to your Facebook page.

Feature Share Buttons

Incorporate share buttons on your site so that your visitors can easily recommend your restaurant on their social media pages. For example, you may want to include these buttons next to menu items. When a customer likes a particular menu item, he can let his Facebook friends know by clicking the share button.

Incorporate Facebook Reviews on Your Site

Make your customers Facebook reviews visible on your website. (tweet this) When a customer comments on your Facebook page, it will automatically show on your website. This will let others know that you have a Facebook page and increase the likelihood that they will ‘like’ you on Facebook.

Add Video

Another great way to incorporate social media on your website is with video. If you have a YouTube account, you can post your videos right on your site. For example, you could post a video of a special event, or an advertisement for your restaurant. Videos draw attention and can make your website more interactive, and post your social media exposure.

Make Sure it Makes Sense

Make sure you are integrating social media on your website where it makes the most sense. For example, only promote those social sites that you actively use. For instance, if you regularly post to Facebook and Twitter, promote those sites on your website; but, if you don’t use your Google Plus account often, it doesn’t make much sense to promote it on your site. Promoting inactive social media profiles is counterproductive.

Don’t Go Overboard

While share buttons are a great way to integrate social media on your website, too many share buttons isn’t necessarily a good thing. Only place these buttons where they make sense, not all over your website. You’ll confuse customers and just make your website look unattractive.

By integrating social media onto your restaurant’s website, you will drive more attention to your social media pages, which will drive more attention to your restaurant – and after all, that is the entire point.

Do you need help with integrating social media into your website? Give us a call today. We’d be happy to help!

Photos: Ken Zirkel and Brantley Davidson