How to Use Video to Market Your Restaurant

Direct selling is great for your restaurant business. However, it can never actually help you meet all your goals. In today’s connected world, the average consumer is always looking and your ability to produce good content is what’s going to help you engage with your patrons. 

So, what’s the best way to get your content out there? Well, there are plenty of ways, but, none of them have the sheer attention grabbing power of video. 

But, the effectiveness of the video depends on how creative you are what kind of styles and themes you implement. So, in case you’re confused, here a few video ideas to help you market your restaurant. 

The cooking show

The Food Channel is one of the most popular channels on TV.  However, the Food Channel does not cater to individual interests. When people want something specific, they come to YouTube for information. So, if you find that a particular dish of yours at the restaurant is doing really well, you can, maybe create a video on how to prepare it. Of course, you can conveniently leave out the secrets if you want. 

This kind of a video presentation will help you connect with your customers better and even help you create some brand awareness. 

Of course, you may not get too many hits on your video at first. However, it will arouse a certain level of curiosity among your customers when they find it on your blog, website, or social media profile. 

This, in turn, will gradually boost the popularity of the video. As more people begin to watch it, like it, and share it, your video will begin to attract the attention of people who have probably never even heard of you before. 

Make sure you promote the video further every time it reaches a milestone. 

Another thing to focus on is video length. Make sure your video isn’t too long. It’s been observed that shorter videos tend to be more effective when compared to the longer ones. Focus only on including relevant information. 

The kitchen tour

Customers love their fair share of action and nothing says action more than a video of your restaurant’s kitchen. You can try capturing specific moments in the kitchen. For instance, an event or a party is going to be a busy day in the kitchen. That would be a great subject for a kitchen tour. 

You will also need to shoot the video by focusing on how your kitchen works. For instance, you can track a customer’s order and then record the entire process of how it gets to the kitchen, how the  order is prepared and finally, how it is presented to the customer. 

Try creating a storyline. That will keep customers paying attention. Melty Cone is a marketing video production company in NYC.

Making a purchase

Restaurant operators and staff know how to source and buy their food products. They are experts in this area. You can probably create a video guide of sorts to help out your customers as well. Customers buy the same stuff as restaurants, but, they lack the expertise needed to spate the good from the bad. A video telling them how to differentiate can be helpful and more importantly, put your restaurant in good light. 

Think of it as a creative way to offer your services to the community. 

Events

A brilliant way to grab your customer’s attention is to capture videos of restaurant events and even, external events. For instance, if you have a restaurant in New Orleans, find a way to connect the Mardi Gras event to your restaurant. This will show people, especially tourists, that you’re a popular restaurant operating in the area and this can help you draw in fresh customers. 

Interviews

Get your staff members to talk about their experiences working as a chef or waiter. Don’t just focus on testimonials. Include content about life stories or special incidents at the restaurant. This will help you connect with your community. 

Also, try to avoid making the video commercial. Videos like these need to be humanized in order to make them relatable to your customers. That’s where these video really stand out. They show what is known as the human element aspect of your business. 

Journeys

If your restaurant has been in operation for a long time, there’s no better way to get it more attention than by highlighting its origins. Show how the whole journey began. If there are people who have been involved with the restaurant from day one, get their interviews done. 

Highlight the changes that have occurred over the years and explain why these changes were made. You can even focus on loyal customers. For instance, highlight customers who have dined at your restaurant generation after generation. Get their testimonials. 

Craft the content like a story. Your customers are bound to find this highly appealing. 

Pull a stunt

At the end of the day, it’s all about getting attention. So, do whatever you can to get attention with your video. For instance, you can incorporate creative ideas for promotions. Think of things that are unusual or something people wouldn’t expect from you, but, would love to see you do. 

However, make sure everything fits your image and meets the expectations of your patrons. If you cater to an older demographic, you must factor in their feelings towards certain topics. Avoid anything that would ruin your image or stir up unnecessary controversy. Be sensible, but, don’t hold back. 

Do your best to keep things positive. 


What is Melty Cone? Melty Cone is a full-service video production company in NYC. We make videos from start to finish; from creative idea conception to final video delivery.

Lucas Chu

Melty Cone is a full service video production company in NYC. We make commercials, corporate videos, branded content, brand videos and the best videos in New York!