Digital Age

where trends can feel like they emerge out of nowhere, catch fire overnight, and possibly fall to the wayside in the blink of an eye. “There’s always something new and worth looking into in the social media world,” notes Ryan Baggott, creator of Tap the Table, based in Bluffton, South Carolina. “From new, emerging platforms like Tik Tok to understanding new platform rules and regulations in order to stay compliant with terms of service, the industry changes daily!”

The good news is, what people want to see online is what independent pizzeria owners already have in spades: personality and authenticity. Whether you’re trying to grab more eyeballs through a Facebook post or reaching regulars through e-newsletters and text messages, we’ve assembled here a bevy of expert tips to help operators best manage their online marketing efforts.

1 you do, how you do it, and how your journey has evolved through the present day,” Meyer says. “And what makes a good story? Struggle and overcoming adversity! Being vulnerable brings people along and ultimately makes them a part of your tradition.” Tell your story in bite-size snippets that are easily digested, adding more pieces over time to flesh out the tale you’re telling. Photos or Facebook Live videos can show employees working behind the scenes, while the owner acts as a protagonist for audiences to root for. “You want to show that there’s a family or a human behind the pizzeria and share what you’re working on and what’s happening right now,” Meyer says. “That will allow people to know more about you and feel like they’re not only buying your pizza—they’re buying into part of your living story. That creates a shared history—a communal and social aspect.”

TREND WATCH. Baggott has noted some recent trends in the digital marketing space. First, more restaurants are focusing on better ways to serve their customers digitally— and translating that into sales. “Today’s customer is all about convenience and speed, and in the restaurant space, the very reason owners are posting beautiful images or videos of their food is to get sales—not just likes and comments,” Baggott says. “As restaurant owners get smarter, they’re also expecting to get more and better trackable results from their social media marketing.” Text message marketing is also getting results for many restaurants, since more than 90% of text messages are read within the first three minutes of receipt. Finally, look out for the newest tools that allow for as much automation as possible. “You want tools, software and apps that are, in essence, ‘set it and forget it,’” Baggott says.

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SHARE YOUR STORY. Stuart Meyer, founder and chief storyteller at Social Frequency Media in Naperville, Illinois, says making a strong and lasting impression on audiences often comes down to one simple strategy: letting them behind the curtain. “Stories are important because we can all relate to them on a human level, and it’s key to get deep into details so people can visualize where you came from, what

3KEEP AN OPEN MIND. When it comes to online platforms, today’s customer may be here, there and everywhere—and operators should be in those places, too. In other words, take an omnichannel approach, meeting customers where they are (and where they expect to be met): via your website, email, text messages, and/or social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. “Omnichannel is the way to go,” Baggott says. “If you choose to be only on Twitter, think about all of the people you won’t reach.” If you have to choose just one ecosystem, Baggott recommends joining the Facebook portfolio, which includes Facebook, Messenger and Instagram. But he stresses that you should be running an ad within this realm to maximize visibility. “In general, without spending some money, you don’t have the chance to be seen, unless you make some viral-quality content,” he explains. “Don’t be on social media at all if you’re not doing ads. The good news is, a little money goes a long way on Facebook, and with digital advertising you can track the success of every campaign.”

Quick Tips

Stuart Meyer, founder and chief storyteller at Social Frequency Media in Naperville, Illinois, shares additional tips for making the most of digital and social media marketing:

• Go live. Facebook Live videos improve your ability to reach your audience organically. As the pandemic closes indoor dining (and therefore limits in-person interaction), use these videos to show what’s happening inside your business. Aim for three- or four-minute videos twice a week and ensure that the business puts its best face forward (i.e, employees wearing masks, cleanliness prioritized, etc.).

• Concentrate on current customers. One-time deal seekers may never come back, but rewarding your most loyal customers with freebies is money well-spent. I recommend using 75% of your budget to engage current customers and 25% to get new ones.

• Mix it up. For email and text, build your contact list through a loyalty program. But make your email or text permission-based, building by one opt-in at a time—don’t just start communicating! Monthly e-newsletters can highlight your LTOs, for example. But don’t make it only marketing; use your storytelling, too. Text can be used to pep up business on a slow night or give important updates; for this medium, offer something that is valuable to recipients.

• Go grassroots. Little Pops NY Pizzeria added a QR code to its pizza boxes, and customers can scan for extra content. We started with a welcome video, including bloopers-type outtakes for humor. Over a weekend, anyone who scanned the code and posted a picture of the box on social media (with the pizzeria tagged) was entered to win a free pizza. It adds to the customers’ fun and experience, and we get customers to do grassroots marketing for us!

• Stay engaged. Extend your in-store experience to social media. For example, you wouldn’t ignore a customer at your counter, so make sure to respond to messages online. Enjoy connecting with them and building those relationships. It doesn’t take a lot to make someone feel included!

4BE AUTHENTIC. Meyer encourages pizzeria owners to think of their online presence (including marketing) as an extension of their customer service. Show who you are: a hard worker who puts in long hours so families can enjoy great food and camaraderie at your establishment. In pandemic times, meanwhile, show what you’re doing in terms of community involvement, such as giving back to frontline and essential workers. One of Meyer’s clients, Little Pops NY Pizzeria in Naperville, Illinois, told its own shutdown-era stories on social media, sharing info on delivering pizzas to hospitals and grocery store workers. It also offered a chance for customers to sponsor pizzas, donating $10 to have their name handwritten on a pizza box filled with food for deserving recipients. “We set a 10,000-slice goal at the start because that helps create the arc of the story,” Meyer says. “We tell that story through social media channels and email, updating our ‘frontline heroes counter’ once or twice per month, which encourages our community in difficult times and shows people they’re valued.” Once the 10,000-slice goal is reached, the pizzeria will continue the effort, this time targeting “neighborhood heroes” who deserve recognition.

Little Pops NY Pizzeria added QR codes to pizza boxes for customers to receive bonus content—and to participate in sweepstakes that generated grassroots marketing for the business.

5AVOID THE OBVIOUS. Getting real with your audience helps you stand out from the crowd—i.e., the sea of online ads. After all, today’s consumers are accustomed to ignoring ads as they scroll through their social media feeds. By crafting a post that’s less sales-oriented, you’re more likely to engage viewers. “If your ad looks like an ad, no one cares,” Baggott says. “Don’t just say, ‘$1 off spaghetti.’ Instead, have a beautiful picture that shows off the food or a family enjoying a meal. Make it look like a ‘regular’ post, and people will look at it for longer.” On the other hand, when scrollers spot a price, they’re more likely to think “transaction” and whiz right by it. Ironically, Baggott says, taking the focus off a sale will be more likely to generate sales while building more rapport and trust with your audience.

Tracy