It's no secret that social media has completely changed the way restaurants regularly communicate with their customers. Social media has become an important part of foodservice brands' marketing strategies, from simple outreach to connecting with diners anywhere, anytime. But recently, social media has become a hub for brands to further connect with their customers and more importantly, nurture a loyal community of followers in today's digital age.
In our latest report on social media trends, co-authored with TalkWalker, a leading consumer analytics and deep listening firm, we revealed the top 10 predictions brands should expect to be on top in 2023. The social media industry, especially restaurants, has seen social trends over the years that often die out once they go viral. By simply listening well and using their deep understanding of consumers to reach their communities, restaurant brands can quickly jump on the bandwagon before diners move on to the next best thing.
To stay relevant and continue to appeal to their target demographic , fast-casual brands must use social media to improve digital customer service, promote community building, and gain valuable customer insights. Do you want to know more? Here are three top trends for food service professionals:
Trend no. Myth #1: Customer service is becoming more social
Consumers have a greater sense of urgency following a pandemic, and customer service is no exception. Instant delivery services and contactless pickup options are just a few examples of customers wanting near-instant service with little or no effort. Regardless of what's cooking in the kitchen, the quality and consistency of your customer experience (CX) across digital channels is what keeps diners coming back for more.
Brands known for their quick response are already ahead. Without these carefully crafted, personalized responses, disgruntled users will pile up and won't be heard the way you want them to. This year, we expect more brands to create specific social networks on each platform, facilitating quick and effective responses, especially through direct messages (DMs). Beyond the ability to meet your customers where they are, brands that use social media as a means of ongoing support are more profitable in the long run.
The alternative to serving the same customers in traditional ways is far more costly and expensive, while social media allows businesses to save money, have more effective conversations, see positive ROI and ultimately contribute to higher customer satisfaction. Foodservice brands need to test and expand into new channels where their engaged customers live and shift their engagement strategy from active to passive to maximize retention.
Trend no. Myth #2: Community building has become important in the restaurant world
While brands initially looked to 'people' to better understand their target customers, we now expect them to gain deeper knowledge of their consumer ecosystem and reach out to the wider brand community. This is particularly exciting for the restaurant industry due to the large presence of brand advocates and influencers deeply involved in this space. From Instagram-worthy meals to TikTok food reviews, your brand's cheerleaders are everywhere and stronger than ever.
We expect influencers of all sizes, employee advocates and even everyday consumers to participate in brand communities to foster authentic connections and create consumer-facing content. While content creators continue to launch on major platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram, more private communities are starting to gain momentum on alternative platforms like Discord. 2023 is the year that brands begin to harness the dynamics of community ecosystems to develop more authentic relationships and meaningful connections.
Trend no. Myth No. 3: Predictive analytics are revolutionizing marketing
Predictive analytics is not new, but it is making waves in the marketing industry and will drive decision making in the future. While deep listening provides the social media insights you need to make informed marketing decisions, predictive analytics can use artificial intelligence to predict the next big wave before humans can. This opportunity offers great potential for industries like the food and beverage industry to keep up with thousands of new trends every day.
Instead of working tirelessly to predict the next big social movement, issue or campaign in your industry, predictive analytics gives marketers a digital crystal ball into the industry's most valuable data. Foodservice brands can start by using listening data from social media or CRM to learn recurring patterns and accurately predict the best course of action to increase ROI.
The future of social media marketing is within your brand's reach
Social media has become a seamless business tool for fast-casual restaurants to improve digital customer service and break through the oversaturated digital ecosystem . From viral TikTok recipes, popular Instagram hashtags, Facebook memes and more, brands that know how to identify and engage with trends early have a better chance of being heard.
Atiya Ali is currently a Corporate Value Advisor at Khoros and has spent the last 4.5 years with the firm supporting larger corporate clients. He has over 9 years of experience in digital strategy, brand strategy, social listening and analytics, customer value and ROI, influence/advocacy and crisis management. He currently resides in Austin, Texas.
