It is no secret that creating a website for your restaurant is crucial. More and more consumers are turning to the Internet to find information on a place to eat, and so most restaurant websites include pictures of the restaurant and the food, hours and location, contact information including links to social networking accounts, and of course the menu. However, there is one aspect of a company website that the restaurant industry seems to be missing: a blog.
Many individuals have started blogs about the food industry, and the vast majority of companies have some sort of blog on their company website, yet most restaurant websites skip this step. With blogging becoming a more and more popular choice for readers, restaurants should be asking: Why aren’t we getting involved?
Tips and Tricks to Blogging Successfully in the Restaurant Industry
One of the biggest reasons restaurants probably ignore the blogging phenomenon is because they don’t understand how it can help their business. Although consumers might be initially going to a restaurant’s website for the menu, a blog is a great feature. Below are a few different ways that you can successfully utilize a blog on your website:
- Education – Use your blog to teach your audience about aspects of either the restaurant industry or your restaurant specifically, as well as topics related to your genre of food. Give advice on what you do so that other restaurant owners and future customers can see you as an industry leader.
- Opinion/Newsletter – Use a blog to give your opinions on different menu items or different things going on in your restaurant. If you’re having an event, write a blog post that describes the event and why people should attend.
- Guest Blogging – Guest blogging (having someone outside your company submit articles to your blog) is becoming more and more popular as a way to earn backlinks and share information. Take advantage of this and ask your customers to send in guest blog posts that relate to your blog. People will be excited to recommend your website and your networking will only improve.
- SEO – A blog will ensure that your website has a lot of content. This makes for easier search engine optimization (SEO), or helping your restaurant show up at the top of a Google search engine results page.
The greatest thing about starting a blog is the idea that you don’t have to add content everyday. A blog is simply another way for visitors to connect with your company and learn more about your industry and restaurant. Even if you only update the blog once or twice per month you can still earn the benefits of a blog.
Does your restaurant have a blog on its website? Have you found that the blog has been successful? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Photo Credit: blog.successfulwriting.com
Amanda DiSilvestro is a professional blogger that writes on a variety of topics including Memphis restaurants. She writes for Restaurants.com, a leading directory of top restaurants.
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I’ve started a blog for a friend of mine who owns a restuarant in Pnuket, Thailand.
I’m using the posts as a newsletter as well as adding other related content.
There are several large blogs here in Phuket however they are mostly review sites.
I don’t know any restaurant owners blogging here.
Really appreciate you writing this post as it will be helpful for his business. Thanks
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Every restaurant owner should read your post, because as you correctly mention in your text, one of the biggest reasons why restaurant owners are skipping the step of having their own blog is the reason that they don’t understand how it could help their business.
Thanks for writing this post – a few of my friends own a restaurant, so I will recommend them reading your post.
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Thanks so much for reading everyone! I’m really glad that you agree–restaurants are definitely missing out.
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Agreed! They are missing out, however, what restaurant operator has the time? Same with managing their social media, which is why they hire companies like mine I suppose. Many of my clients have wanted me to start a blog or them, but they’re too busy running their restaurant to even give me content. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.
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Hi Amanda,
This is a tricky one. So many of your points are true, blogs can be a great added value feature and good for SEO, but I would tend to agree more with Terri, that blogs are very time consuming. It really depends on the level of involvement of the chef/owner on a day to day basis. If they are in the thick of it, then the blog will inevitably go stale. An outdated blog is a huge pet peeve of mine. Restaurants need to have a blog strategy in place before they commit. Who’s writing, what will the topics be, how often will they be posting, etc. I’d say first make sure they’re updating their website, then their social media, then following and responding to review sites and THEN add a blog. Cheers!