If you run or own a cafe, creating a Facebook page should be one of the first steps in building that all-important online presence required to be a successful business in this day and age. The power of Facebook as a marketing medium is no secret.
- Almost 70% of digital advertising growth is expected to be driven by mobile during the current year.
- 76% of users rely on their Facebook newsfeed to find interesting news, articles, and videos.
- Facebook offers you the flexibility of choosing your target audience and it offers near real-time analytics.
- You can connect with other apps like Instagram to reach out to even more potential clients.
- Facebook Ads are low-cost and offer high rewards.
- Facebook advertising can complement other cafe marketing strategies such as Google AdWords.
The thing is, creating a Facebook page is not enough. Maintaining an active profile and utilizing advertising tools will help you reach Facebook’s full potential.
So, what are the best ways for an online-savvy cafe to get ahead?
Facebook Advertisement on a Budget
Your Facebook Page
Think of it as an extension of the cafe’s website. The persona of the brand must also be your Facebook persona. The profile picture should be your logo or a photo that customers can relate to (such as your best selling meal or drink). Remember that it will reflect as a thumbnail against all your posts.
Display
There can’t be anything more inviting than the picture of a delicious food. Post pictures of your food. They should be beautiful and look appetizing. With the quality of modern mobile camera phones, they are usually all you need to take a yummy photograph if you are creative enough.
Time Your Posts
There is an avalanche of content on Facebook every day. To help your posts be seen, understand that quality is more important than quantity.
Pointers such as the best time to post (for many cafes between 4 PM and 7 PM, but you need to test it with your audience), not more than 3 – 4 times a week and adhering to a 60 minute turnaround for responses to posts and comments can make a big difference.
Respond
The best way to engage people on Facebook is to constantly engage with them. You should always answer questions, address concerns of the customers, and acknowledge when they make the time to post on your page. Even a thank you can go a long way in satisfying the customer.
Offer Learning Opportunities
You can showcase your food and use the opportunity to educate the customer on how and why you do things the way you do. Or, you can share with them the recipe or make a video about the origin of your ingredients. There are many ways you can impart knowledge and help people learn. All these will help keep your brand name fresh in their minds.
Ensure Transparency
Even though none of us like receiving negative comments, it is bound to happen on occasion. Although you might be tempted to delete them and forget, it would be very wise not to. Instead, use that negative feedback to improve, and to highlight how you handled the situation. Your willingness to help and address the problem should be out in the open.
Facebook Advertisement with a Budget
Use Location-Based Ads
This strategy can benefit if your cafe is located in high traffic areas. As people browse Facebook while waiting for their appointments, your ad will pop up in the newsfeed.
It could be an ad featuring your special equipments, signature drinks, a discount code, or just telling them you are around the corner.
Retarget Your Audience
Retargeting is connecting to those customers who have shown previous interested in your cafe — they might’ve browsed your website earlier or signed up for a newsletter or alert. It is an effective way of reminding them you are here.
You can retarget people if:
- They accessed your most recent newsletter and you want to remind them of your new products and special services.
- They’ve checked your menu and you want to show them a yummy food option.
- They visited your store and you want them to come back and be a regular as a customer.
Make Creative Ads
Ads are your big chance to make a great first impression. If the images and copy manage to catch the attention of people, there is a high chance they’ll respond. For greater impact, follow these tips:
- Use high quality and eye-catching images. Facebook does not allow text to be placed over an image; so keep it on topic and fun. For a cafe, photographs of your offering are ideal.
- The text should be straightforward and sell your cafe. What are you about? A seasonal menu? Amazing coffee? Superb sandwiches? Know what your strengths are and focus on them.
- Create several different ads and monitor their performance — if one ad is getting more attention, take note of why and refresh the low-performing
Take Advantage of Analytics Tools
You want to know that the time and effort you are putting into Facebook is reaping returns. And if isn’t, understand more about where to make changes. Using tools like Facebook Insights can provide you with real, live information about your actions and trends. And better yet, they are free.
Used as a tool for managing your cafe’s marketing, Facebook provides many free and paid options — as long as you have the know-how!
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