Restaurant influencer marketing is nothing new. At the same time, the trends and ways of conducting it change all the time.
In this article, we’re going to:
- Discover what influencer marketing is
- Discuss the pros and cons of restaurant influencer marketing
- Explore how to choose the right food influencers for your restaurant
- Go through examples of well-done influencer marketing
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is a cool way of advertising where brands team up with social media influencers to promote their products or services. Picture this: social media influencers are those folks with a bunch of followers on Instagram, TikTok, you name it, who can sway what their followers think about a product or a place.
Let’s say a restaurant wants to get more people through the door. They can work with these influencers, who will create tasty-looking food content that makes their followers want to try that place out ASAP.
Restaurant owners get into this game because it’s a smart move. By leveraging social media marketing, they can reach a wider audience without having to spend a fortune on traditional ads. The influencers do what they do best – snap it, share it, and talk it up – all while tagging the restaurant and using hashtags that get the campaign buzzing.
It’s not just about making things look good on the plate, though. The whole marketing campaign needs to feel genuine and resonate with the audience.
If done right, influencer marketing can be a win-win: the influencer gets cool content and possibly a free meal or payment, the restaurant draws in foodies looking for their next Instagram-worthy meal, and the followers get recommendations from a trusted source. It’s like having a friend tell you about this awesome spot they found, but on a much, much bigger scale. Just make sure to measure the outcome using restaurant analytics.
Restaurant influencer marketing pros & cons
Let’s get this straight: influencer marketing can be great for your business if you know what you’re doing. As with everything else, there are pros and cons to look out for. Just make sure that your influencer marketing campaign is in line with your restaurant marketing plan.
Cons
Risk of inconsistency: Every influencer is different. It’s up to you to establish boundaries and plan ahead to make sure the content matches your brand.
Risk of reputation loss: Your restaurant's reputation can become tied to the influencers you collaborate with. Do research and don’t hire arbitrary people.
In the end, navigating the restaurant influencer marketing scene requires a balance of strategic planning, choosing the right partners, and keeping an eye on both the tangible and intangible benefits. It’s about finding the right mix that works for your food brand.
How to choose the right influencers for your restaurant business?
The next key step is choosing the influencers that will match your marketing strategy and boost your revenue. Choosing the right influencers for your restaurant business is a bit like crafting the perfect menu; it requires understanding your audience, knowing the flavor of your brand, and selecting elements that complement each other. Let’s take a look at how you can pick the best influencers to represent your restaurant.
Do your homework
Start by understanding who your ideal customers are. Are they young professionals, families, foodies, or students? This insight will help you identify influencers who speak directly to your target demographic.
Then, look for influencers whose values and image align with those of your restaurant. If you pride yourself on sustainability, find influencers who are passionate about eco-friendly practices. This alignment ensures authenticity and resonates more deeply with your audience.
Before deciding to work with an influencer, evaluate their engagement rate. It’s not just about the number of followers. An influencer with a smaller but highly engaged audience can be more effective than one with a large but passive following. Check their posts for likes, comments, and shares to gauge how much their audience interacts with their content.
Also, influencers who have genuine interactions with their followers and share honest opinions are more trusted and can sway decisions more effectively. Watch out for those who have a high percentage of sponsored content without much personal or original content, as their recommendations might be seen as less genuine.
Are they for real?
The influencer’s content should be visually appealing and of high quality, especially in the food industry, where presentation is everything. Their ability to cool shorts, reels, and all the other cool stuff will influence the effectiveness of the campaign.
- Review past partnerships: Look into their previous collaborations to see how they’ve worked with other brands, especially within the restaurant industry. Successful past partnerships can be a good indicator of how well they can engage with your target audience and reflect your brand’s essence.
- Discuss expectations: Before finalizing any partnership, discuss your expectations regarding the content, including the messaging, hashtags, and any specific campaign goals. Also, consider their creative freedom; often, allowing influencers some flexibility leads to more authentic and effective promotions.
- Analyze the fit: Finally, take a step back and consider whether this influencer feels like a natural fit for your restaurant. Do you really need luxury restaurant influencers to promote your food truck? Will this high-profile Instagram influencer actually match your target audience? Analyze the fit and pick accordingly.
Restaurant influencers — best examples
Now that we know what we’re looking for let’s go over some of the industry’s best examples and influencer uses.
When looking at these examples, remember that no matter how good it may look in this particular case, what matters most in the end is that the influencer knows how to match your your brand.
1. Instagram Influencer example: colormygeneva
Colormygeneva is a French travel and food Instagram influencer. She does pretty much right—from presenting the location and the food and being generally charming, she does everything to leave the right impression.
Her engagement is through the roof; her followers seem to genuinely care about her and her travels. That’s pretty much a blueprint for a good influencer.
2. TikTok Influencer example: hungryhotline
If you’re looking for a TikTok influencer, look no further. TikTok’s hungryhotline is one of the most professional food influencers out there. Would you hire them?
@hungryhotline If you haven’t been to @azchimneycakes, drop what you’re doing and GO! This place is so good! Perfect dessert spot located in Mesa! 🍦 📍AZ Chimney Cakes 1055 N Dobson Rd Unit 104 Mesa, AZ 85201 #chimneycake #chimneycakes #azchimneycakes #arizona #dessert #azfood #reels #hungryhotline #azinfluencer #foodinfluencer ♬ original sound - Hungry Hotline | Foodie
3. Instagram influencer: eatwcass
Another Instagram food influencer on the list is eatwcass. As you can see, they do a good job of presenting the food and making sure to leave restaurant recommendations in the description.
They also are a good example of a channel that has high levels of engagement.
4. Facebook influencer: Into The Foodiverse
Even though Facebook lets its users post video content, a lot of influencers continue to post blog-type content almost exclusively.
This is the way foodies used to do their thing; it’s the OG way of doing food influencer marketing. This type of influencers can be very effective if the majority of your customers are over 40.
5. TikTok influencer: thequeenfoodie
The last influencer on the list is thequeenfoodie. If the majority of your customers are Gen Z, then this is the sort of influencing you should be looking for. The shorter and funnier, the better. Elaborate Facebook posts like the previous example are a no-no.
@thequeenfoodie What i mean when i say Cheese Burger 🧀 #satisfyingfood #cheesepull #cheeseburger #junkfood #foodporn #dinerfood #foodinfluencer #foodblogger ♬ sonido original - editsbybruno_
Key Takeaways
- Restaurant influencer marketing can be a great addition to your restaurant marketing plan if done correctly.
- Restaurant influencers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Make sure to choose the one that matches your target audience and brand!
- Review key metrics like engagement rates, past partnerships, and how active and lively their communities are. Followers are important, but that’s definitely not the most important metric.
- Check some of the most creative restaurant guerrilla marketing strategies to promote your restaurant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where to find restaurant influencers?
- Social media: Use food-related hashtags and local tags to discover influencers who are actively engaging with your cuisine and area.
- YouTube: Search for food vloggers and reviewers in your niche or location.
- Food Blogs and Websites: Look for bloggers who specialize in your cuisine or local dining scene.
- Influencer search tools: Use platforms like Modash or Upfluence to filter influencers by location, niche, and audience size.
