If you are trying to decide on increasing the amount of money and energy you put into social networking for your restaurant, this might help you make the decision.

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, the number of U.S. adults using social networking stands at 72%. That's up from 67% less than a year ago. When Pew first did this study in February 2005, only 8% of online adults used any of the social networks.

No one is surprised that the highest numbers are in the younger age brackets, but seniors are making gains. Consider this information:

• Six out of ten Internet users age 50-64 are social networking site users.
• Adoption rates for those 65 and older have tripled in the last four years (from 13% in the spring of 2009 to 43% in 2013).

If your customer base boasts some diversity, also consider that, according to the study, social media usage extends across a broad range of demographic groups, with especially high adoption rates among Hispanics, college graduates, and those with incomes of $75,000+. 

Read more: http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2013/11514/who-uses-social-networks-age-race-gender-and-income-breakdown#ixzz2dxEsLWVB

A recent article in the online version of QSR quotes a 2012 Nielson study revealing that more than 90 percent of consumers say that recommendations from friends and family have the biggest effect on their purchasing behavior.

The Zocalo Group, a marketing agency in Chicago, reveals which social media tools work best for restaurants.

Although it is frustrating that they don't include any quantifiable numbers in the article, according to Paul Rand, the CEO of Zocalo, the #1 most credible source is YouTube. This is followed by someone liking a brand page and sharing it. The third favorite online vehicle for consumers is online brand reviews. 

The information was collected for Highly Recommended, a book Rand will release soon.

Rand says brands also shouldn’t be afraid to ask guests to give a recommendation. “Whether you’re large or small, give people opportunities to do what you want them to do," he told QSR Magazine. "People will recommend all day long when you ask them to do it.” 

This may be a big shock, but studies reveal that only 4% of Facebook fans return to your page after visiting and liking it.

This means if your messages don’t end up in a user’s newsfeed, they probably won’t be seen.  So, how do you get your Facebook posts to as many followers as possible?

Posts on a newsfeed are based on an algorithm called EdgeRank.  If you do things the algorithm likes, then your posts will get in front of more people.  Here's what the algorithm looks for:

Affinity:  The more posts a fan likes, comments on, and shares, the more likely they will see your future updates.

Weight:  Closely linked to affinity, this measures the action of each individual update.  The more action an update gets, the more likely it will be shown on more newsfeeds.

Decay:  If you are posting the same thing all the time, or you wait too long between posts, the algorithm starts to forget about you.

TIPS:  Try to post at least once a day, and pay attention to when you post and what kind of responses you receive.  Your followers may be more prone to responding at specific times.  Look for patterns of high response, make posts or ask questions that elicit answers, and try to be interactive.

With the widely recognized importance of social media, NetWaiter recently introduced another Facebook integration, called the NetWaiter Ordering App for Facebook.

With NetWaiter’s new Facebook App, customers are able to place orders directly from a restaurant’s Facebook page.  When customers visit a restaurant’s Facebook page, they can simply click “Order Online” and place their order.

According to a recent study by the National Restaurant Association, more than 95% of restaurant owners and managers acknowledge they will be on Facebook within two years.  "Social media is an increasingly popular way for restaurants to connect with customers,” said Jared Shimoff, a Sr. Director at NetWaiter.  “The new NetWaiter Ordering App for Facebook provides restaurants more exposure and allows customers another easy way to place orders,” added Shimoff.

This new Facebook App is not NetWaiter's first foray into social media.  In 2010, NetWaiter became the first online ordering provider to integrate Facebook into the ordering process.  When a customer orders online from a restaurant using NetWaiter, they can click a Facebook icon to quickly login and complete their order.  With the customer’s permission, a post is made to their wall/timeline that lets their friends know about their recent order.  The post includes the restaurant’s logo and a link for the customer’s friends to view their menu and also order.

The NetWaiter Ordering App is easy to install.  Restaurants can start the installation process from their NetWaiter Management Console and have it working on their Facebook page immediately.

There is a new feature available to all NetWaiter restaurants -- the NetWaiter Social Widget.  This dynamic tool allows restaurants to quickly communicate information with customers, and allows for instant customer interaction. 

Now, restaurant owners and managers can send out real-time updates to customers on all sorts of things. Announcements, new dishes, menu changes, or promotions can be posted on a restaurant’s Social Widget and instantly be available for customers to read.

NetWaiter was the first online ordering company to link Facebook to online ordering.  With NetWaiter’s new Social Widget, there is even more ability for restaurants and customers to interact.  It's all about keeping customers in the loop and engaged as much as possible.

If you want to run a two-hour special on appetizers on a Monday evening, the NetWaiter Social Widget is the perfect tool to get the word out.  Customers can also interact with a restaurant using the NetWaiter Social Widget, by giving a ‘thumbs-up’ to comments or making comments of their own.

Only customers who have placed orders, or those who are logged-in, can post comments and interact with a restaurant’s Social Widget.  Customers can also view comments of others, allowing them to share information and use the power of referral to influence each other’s ordering decisions.  Restaurants have full control of their Social Widget and the ability to delete any posts within their NetWaiter Management Console.

The NetWaiter Social Widget allows restaurants to step up communication with customers and encourage more interaction and engagement.  If a restaurant does not have the staff, or is unable to follow-up or monitor communications through the tool because of vacation or absence, they can disable the widget and then turn it back on at their convenience.

If you did a Google search for "Google +1 for restaurants", the first entry to come up is an article on FastCasual.com talking about NetWaiter imbedding this new social media tool into client NetWaiter sites. 

When a customer visits a restaurant’s NetWaiter site, they can click their Google +1 button, placing that restaurant on the customer’s Google profile as someplace they like and recommend. The Google +1 clicks can also improve their ranks in Google Search.

A June article in Mashable.com stated:  "Google’s hoping that +1’s integration in search results will make it an attractive option to publishers, which stand to gain more traffic when their visitors start '+1ing' content."  According to a Google blog post: “The next time your connections are searching, they could see your +1’s directly in their search results.”  FastCasual.com also mentions: "The biggest draw to Google+ is its potential to leverage every Google property, including Gmail, Maps, Places, Analytics, AdWords and Reader."

The increased focus on social media of all types is pervasive.  NetWaiter was the first web-based online ordering system to offer Facebook integration and we continue to see social media as an area for growth and a powerful tool to drive more business to our clients.  Google +1 is an option that can provide referrals to NetWaiter clients and NetWaiter wants to capture that benefit.  As the Google +1 network expands, it promises to have a substantial impact on everyone using Google, including customers searching for restaurants. 

How can NetWaiter help your restaurant grow?  View it as a consistent marketing tool.

Established restaurants invariably develop a loyal clientele. This clientele is important. You'll often find that up to 80% of a restaurant’s receipts come from this core group of customers.

The key to growth - to continue building this core group of customers - is getting new faces in the door. The best way to do this is through word of mouth. However - in order to get people to spread the word, you have to give them something to talk about.

This is where NetWaiter comes in. NetWaiter offers a unique package of services that can get people talking. The ability to order online is an attention-getter - but NetWaiter also offers other services. Facebook ordering, the ability to order from a Smartphone, and an instant link to your restaurant using your unique QR code are some great examples.

As you and your employees interact with customers, use these NetWaiter features to start a conversation. Impress them with your custom QR code. Get them to save your mobile NetWaiter site on their Smartphone. You might even run a special - a gift card or discount for every customer who shares your restaurant on Facebook or Twitter (they can email you proof).

Is online ordering an operational tool or a marketing tool? It is true - NetWaiter is certainly a better way to handle the takeout and delivery orders that come into a restaurant. However, as most restaurant owners discover, NetWaiter is actually a marketing tool.

For example - if you were to ask every guest how they first learned of your restaurant, you would quickly find that about four out of five people learned by referral - word of mouth. Social media - Facebook and Twitter - take word of mouth and put it online where it can grow exponentially. This type of new-age word of mouth advertising is built into every NetWaiter site. When a customer uses their Facebook account to place an order, a link to your site with your logo can be posted on the customer’s Facebook page for all their friends to see. The average Facebook user has over 130 friends. Imagine the impact!

Another significant marketing benefit is the ability to track customers. Of all the means you use to advertise and promote your restaurant, NetWaiter is one you can track. You can immediately see the payoff and have the ability to monitor customers.

Some restaurants spend a lot of money on expensive newspaper and magazine advertisements. They are virtually impossible to track. The only way to measure their impact is to provide some sort of redeemable coupon or discount. As a marketing vehicle, this is usually a losing venture.

So, not only is NetWaiter a marketing tool, it can actually be one of your best marketing assets, along with your website and other online media (email marketing, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

Bottom Line: Investing in the long-term success of your restaurant is a lot better than wasting money on one-time advertisements that cannot be measured. Online customers are the most loyal and profitable type of customer. So, rather than an expensive newspaper ad, you can more effectively leverage your marketing budget by promoting your own online ordering system. Not only will you be making good customers better ones, you will also be making them more profitable.

NetWaiter was recently featured in QSR Magazine in an article about online ordering and the use of Facebook and social media for the restaurant industry. 

QSR Article - NetWaiter Facebook Ordering.pdf (254.00 kb)

The New Year (like any other time of the year) is a good time to implement strategies that can boost sales and profits. Don’t overlook opportunities with online ordering. In fact, it can be a great starting point. Consider adding a special dish only available online or try distributing ‘secret’ promotional codes with each receipt to drive repeat business from customers within a certain timeframe.

You can also start cultivating an ‘ownership’ of your online ordering system with your employees. Develop a short pitch employees can deliver when speaking with customers. It should be brief and upbeat:

“Are you familiar with our online ordering capabilities? You can order takeout from us online with your computer or smartphone. It’s easy. Just check out our website, click “Order Online”, and make your selections. You can even use your Facebook account to login.”

Remember - online ordering is not only a way to attract new business, but also a way to make good customers better ones. This year – resolve to make better customers!

Valentine’s Day Sales Tip - Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, is a big day for restaurants. HOWEVER - not everyone wants to make a reservation and spend a ton of money. Think about offering a Valentine’s Day takeout special that includes an appetizer, dinner, and dessert for two. It’s a great way to get business from the sweethearts that want to spend the night at home!