As you know, RMG has been following the Restaurant Social Media Index closely. As far as the world of restaurant marketing is concerned, this is currently one of the most effective and innovative ways to get your name out. It’s today’s modern-day “word of mouth”.
In fact, National Restaurant News has created a completely new website that is designed to measure the top 100 restaurants with a social media index. It also measures the top Facebook likes and followers, as well as social consumer sentiment and growth of brands.
Surprise Social Media Star in 4th Quarter
Recently, Cracker Barrel topped the social media rankings with Twitter Top Growth Brand. Their growth was measured at 85.5 percent, which turned quite a few heads. The number 2 ranking wasn’t even close with Mimi’s Café coming in at 64.7 percent growth.
Cracker Barrel Twitter Strategy
It’s par for the course when restaurants set up a Twitter account and then mention restaurant specials and new menu items. Other strategies are designed to accomplish brand awareness during slow times of the day.
Cracker Barrel took a different approach. It’s all about sparking conversation. By deeply engaging the consumer with tweets that are interactive, they grew exponentially. The typical tweet may have involved a conversation starter about old country music or how you like your grits, but people responded enthusiastically.
The next time the store gets in a new CD or has a visit from a musician, you’ll hear about it. Fans are deeply engaged in tweets like these and pay more attention to what you have to say next.
So what is the best strategy for your Twitter account? You don’t want to tweet your customers to death with specials and coupons. Try interacting with your customers and responding to them. It is not just a platform for advertising. Use this tool to develop customer loyalty.
Jim Balis' Blog 