In 2014, the Magazine Chef & Co. was interested in the presence of Québec leaders on social networks. What about that of Quebec restaurants? To answer this question, we interviewed two social media specialists and took advantage of their expertise to determine the best and worst practices in terms of community management.
Are Quebec restaurants well represented on social networks?
According to Frédéric Gonzalo, speaker and strategist in marketing and tourism communications, the Quebec restaurants are present on social networks: "I would say that restaurants seem to have better understood the potential of social networks as digital marketing in general. "Indeed, there are more restaurants accounts on social networks than Internet sites dedicated to these institutions.
For Annie Laflamme, however, Quebec's restaurants are not well represented. Representative business development at Volcan, it is part of the team that created Websto, a company offering a web solution for the restoration. Based in Quebec City, it has the customer local restaurateurs who want better visibility on the web. These have indeed much to gain by joining social networks.
Social networks: advantageous for restaurateurs
"Social networks are an amazing advertising platform! Ms. Laflamme says. With sustained efforts, a restaurant may have its reputation and improve its customer loyalty is. Today, the target customer restaurateurs through social networks to learn and see the quality of a restaurant. Ignore this fact, it is almost dying. "
Gonzalo agrees, stating that a social network can reach a target audience. It also adds a social network can become a way to engage in conversation, to arouse the enthusiasm, but also to put forward promotions and restaurant menus. For conversation, targeted advertising and marketing, it recommends the use of Facebook; on TripAdvisor, it must be used for the management of feedback and online reputation.
The best and worst practices in social networks
Each social network has its own strategy, it is good to know some tips to ensure good visibility. "The first tactic that I find fundamental, which is basic, but very little, unfortunately, take time to do is to answer the questions and comments," said Gonzalo. A tactic that is among others used by the Antidote FoodLab restaurant on TripAdvisor his account.
Another tactic is to ask subscribers to sound them out on a particular topic, "When we ask questions and we encourage people to provide feedback on the menu or a cocktail, often people naturally have a generosity to want to meet, "says Gonzalo. When these issues are lined with competition aligned with their brand (eg. Getting a gift certificate), restaurateurs increase their chances of receiving answers.
According to Ms. Laflamme, Voice Maltée and Strain are among the restaurants with good practices on social networks. Just take a look at their accounts on Facebook to watch their pictures of meals and beverages. Indeed, the regular publication of pictures (food, staff, clients) and creating events are part of good practice in the eyes of Ms. Laflamme.
Of course, certain practices are to be avoided when a restaurateur or a community manager runs a social network account. "The most difficult behavior to let go, this is the control, believes Mr. Gonzalo. Often, managers, perhaps those of a certain age tend to want to control the message. And you need to know is that, on social networks, we do not control the message. By cons, it can enligner. "As for Ms. Laflamme, it mentions three behaviors to avoid: Do not be on social networks, consider these platforms as a waste of time and leave it to the customers to feed pages.
In conclusion, by following these tips and constantly publishing on social networks, a restaurant can actually retain target customers. However, a situation poorly managed social media can damage the reputation of a restaurant, as the case of Rose Dog in August 2015, when its owner has been in trouble with an unsatisfied client. And you, what do you enjoy restaurant for its management of social networks?
