In today’s competitive landscape, restaurants and coffee shops need more than just mouthwatering menu items—they need a strategic marketing recipe to capture attention and inspire patrons to visit. Social media, once a novel way to connect with customers, has become table stakes. While it excels at visual storytelling and building communities, measuring its direct impact on sales can be tricky. Recently, text marketing has emerged as a rising star with a proven ability to drive engagement and action. But using these tools in isolation is like having half the recipe. The magic happens when you combine social media and text marketing, creating a multi-channel strategy that drives customers through your doors.
Olive + Leo understands the hospitality industry and the challenges of marketing a restaurant. That’s why we’ve created a platform that seamlessly integrates text marketing with proven social media strategies, eliminating the guesswork and empowering you to create a winning recipe for customer engagement and sales.
Combining Social Media and Text Marketing for Restaurant Success
Here are five reasons why combining social media posts with text marketing campaigns is a powerful communication strategy for restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and other hospitality businesses:
Reach Customers Across Different Channels
Think of social media as your visual storyteller, captivating audiences with mouthwatering photos and engaging narratives. Text marketing, on the other hand, delivers a personalized, direct message, like a secret ingredient whispered to your most loyal patrons. This cross-channel approach ensures you cater to different preferences, reaching customers wherever they crave connection. Imagine showcasing a new dish on social media and sending an exclusive SMS discount to customers who’ve opted in for your loyalty program through the Olive + Leo platform.
Amplify Engagement and Drive Action
Social media is great for whetting the appetite with exciting announcements and event teasers. Text marketing provides a tangible call to action, like a reservation link or online ordering prompt. For instance, tease a new menu launch on social media and then use the Olive + Leo platform to send a special discount and a link to order directly, turning anticipation into action.
Personalize the Customer Experience
Social media allows for broad targeting based on demographics and interests. Texting lets you hyper-personalize messages based on individual preferences and purchase history. For example, imagine sending customers an automated text message with a special offer on your signature dish after their second “check-in” to your restaurant. With the Olive + Leo platform, you can send automated, segmented text messages based on your customer’s engagement level and purchase history.
Foster Two-Way Communication and Build Loyalty
Social media encourages comments, shares, and community-building. Texting enables real-time conversations for feedback, order tracking, and special requests. By using both, you create a dialogue and build stronger relationships. Restaurants should have a plan for responding to comments on social media and then offer 1×1 text messaging to capture in-house reviews or reservation confirmations with Olive + Leo.
Track and Measure Results Effectively
Social media provides valuable insights into reach, engagement, and brand sentiment. Text marketing platforms such as Olive + Leo offer more detailed and measurable data, such as open rates, click-through rates, and redemption rates. This combined view gives you a holistic understanding of your marketing efforts to discover the type of content that resonates with your audience on social media and entices patrons to check in.
Social and Text Marketing Campaign Examples
Here are two delectable campaign ideas that put these insights into action:
Idea #1: Sunday Funday FOMO
Social Media: Post mouthwatering brunch photos and videos on Instagram and Facebook, highlighting the fresh ingredients and vibrant atmosphere. Encourage users to tag their friends and use an engaging caption like “Start your week off right with our decadent waffles!”
Text Campaign: Send an exclusive SMS offer on Sunday morning, announcing a special discount on brunch for the next two hours. Include a link to your online reservations page and emphasize the limited-time nature of the offer.
Impact: The social media post generates buzz and desire, while the SMS campaign provides a direct incentive and drives foot traffic during a typically slower period.
Idea #2: Seasonal Cravings Satisfied
Social Media: As you head into fall, post enticing photos of your new pumpkin spice latte and harvest-inspired dishes on Facebook and Instagram. Encourage users to share their fall favorites by using a branded hashtag and mentioning your restaurant in their posts.
Text Campaign: When the new menu launches, send an SMS to subscribers showcasing the seasonal offerings and offering an exclusive “early bird” discount for those who dine in during the first week.
Impact: The social media post creates anticipation and leverages user-generated content, while the SMS campaign incentivizes early adoption of the new menu and drives foot traffic during the launch period.
These are just a few examples. The possibilities are endless, depending on your restaurant’s unique offerings and target audience.
Ready to Craft Your Winning Recipe?
With Olive + Leo, the possibilities are endless, allowing you to create a multi-channel marketing experience that leaves your customers craving more. Don’t just serve up social media or text marketing alone. Instead, combine them for a winning recipe that guarantees both online buzz and real-world results.
Ready to start cooking? Explore our plans and packages to discover our wide range of effective, affordable customer engagement tools. You can choose between DIY and fully managed marketing campaigns based on your capacity and needs.
