As a small business, you can’t afford to turn a blind eye to social media—particularly when it comes to sites like Facebook, which has one billion active users and growing, according to Fox Business. Getting in on social media platforms is crucial in terms of generating awareness within your local community. According to SEO Austin, a company that offers comprehensive SEO services, a bar in particular needs all the local followers it can get, and there are many ways you can promote your bar effectively on Facebook.
Create a Page
First off, you have to create a Facebook page to get started. Fortunately, bars and restaurants are fairly easy to promote because everyone loves food and drink. Just take a look at all the delicious meals and creative cocktails that people post on Facebook. Creating a buzz about the drinks and food items you sell at your bar starts with a personalized page all about you and your business. There are easy-to-follow steps involved in creating a business page that’s separate from your personal page. Choose a cover photo that captures the essence of your business, such as a logo, and incorporate a few short, to-the-point sentences that promote your brand.
Incorporate All the Must-Haves
If you want people to frequent your bar, you need to tell them where it is, when you’re open, and what you serve. Make this information prominent so no one has to go searching for it. Include the address, phone number, website, hours, and menu. Make your Facebook page snazzy by including photos of all your best appetizers, or videos of any special events that have gone on recently, such as karaoke night. Include surveys of your patrons’ favorite drinks, take polls, and encourage people to post their own photos of their favorite time spent at your bar.
Share, Share, Share
There’s no sense in having a Facebook page if you don’t update it on a daily basis. This involves sharing content—and a lot of it. You want your updates to appear in your followers’ feeds, so post comments, share events, post photos, and invite people to post answers to your questions. The goal is to remain visible to your customers so they don’t forget about you. You can achieve this through short video clips, photos, daily food and drink specials, weekly events such as ladies’ night, and postings about happy hour. Time these posts intelligently. For example, post-lunch specials around 11 a.m. and happy hour specials around 3 p.m. when people are thinking about leaving work soon, advises Score. It is possible to overpost on your social media channels, so make sure you know how to read your audience so you don’t get on their nerves.
Interaction
Keep an active eye on your Facebook page daily. If you can’t do this personally, hire someone who can. Got a special cocktail on tap for the holidays? Post a photo and invite people to come in and try it. Got a dart night you’re looking to gather teams for? Send out a call to action. When your followers ask a question or comment on something, answer them immediately. There is no other platform more valuable than instant interaction with your customers, so take advantage of it.
Create coupons, and offer codes for 10 percent off the appetizer of the day, and look for any reason to get people to your bar. Promote it, and they will come.
