The Coronavirus pandemic has hit the restaurant industry harder than most, with restaurants worldwide being forced to shut down. Whether the restrictions have been lifted and you were able to reopen, or you still have to rely on takeout and delivery, it’s important to keep in touch with your customers, now more than ever.
Video is one of the best ways to do this thanks to its dominance of the digital world and social media. Here are five easy video ideas that you can use as a restauranteur to raise engagement and maintain sales.
Restaurant video ideas that are easy to make
1. Retain customers with short and informative updates
Is your shopfront closed? Now that people can’t visit your restaurant, keep in touch with customers online. Bring them up-to-date on the state of your business using video on social media.
An alternative to animation is behind-the-scenes footage. If you’ve started delivering due to Coronavirus, create a video showing how your food is cooked backstage. Show your chef in action and your staff packaging the food.
If you’re up for even more interaction, try live streaming bits and pieces of your restaurant’s life during the pandemic. Featuring your staff (with their consent, of course) is a great way to give them the recognition they deserve for helping you stay in business during these trying times.
2. Boost orders with a “We deliver” video
Are you delivering yet? If not, now is the time to find an online ordering system and start taking orders. Once you’ve got that sorted, let everyone know that you’ll bring their favorite dish to their door.
Another approach is to give customers peace-of-mind with footage that shows how their food is cooked and delivered safely.
You can also shoot short clips of all the steps and put them together, or you can make a video collage documenting the delivery process. This is an excellent way to let more people know that you now deliver.
If you want to make a clip highlighting your delivery process exclusively for Instagram, try the platform’s Tik Tok lookalike, Reels. It might even help you find a newer, younger demographic.
3. Showcase your cleaning and disinfection routine
Speaking of putting customers’ minds at ease, they might also like to know what you’re doing to ensure their food doesn’t get contaminated and is prepared in a safe, clean environment.
Let customers know what you’re actively doing to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, and they’ll feel more inclined to order from your restaurant.
If you want to be 100% transparent, make a video with footage of you cleaning and disinfecting your restaurant.
4. Build loyalty with recipe videos
Most people can’t afford takeaway every day. For this reason, recipe videos are a big hit right now. Come to your customers’ rescue by sharing easy-to-make recipes online.
Create a YouTube channel, if you don’t already have one, and start uploading a recipe video every week. You can even use a hashtag like #RecipeMonday for marketing this idea on your other social media profiles.
You can share generic recipes or go one step further and teach people how to make your signature dishes. Of course, you might not want to give away your super-secret recipes, but if your menu contains a variety of dishes, you’re sure to have a couple worth sharing.
Stock imagery and photography is the easiest way to create a recipe video. Create one like this when you’re away from the kitchen.
5. Have your staff review menu items
If your employees are willing to appear in front of the camera, you can create a series in which different employees review items on the menu. Here, you can go in multiple directions.
For example, you can decide on a serious format in which the staff tastes the food in front of the camera and talk about its flavor, texture, and ingredients.
Alternatively, you can do something out-of-the-box and create funny reviews or reviews that consist only of sounds (think of all those yums and ums). This will tempt customers to order the items for their next meal.
If your menu also includes drinks and you have a bartender, you can also share your bartender sampling their wares.
Put video to work for your restaurant
Even though we’re in the middle of a pandemic, loyal customers will always support the restaurants they love. Your job right now is to help your customers love your restaurant even more. Teach them how to prepare food, give them something to do, and forge a connection with them using video marketing. The results will speak for themselves.
- About the author
Laura-Andreea Voicu
Laura-Andreea Voicu is a content writer and marketing specialist at GloriaFood. She helps restaurant owners and managers connect with their customers, promote their products, and ultimately boost sales through quality content and out-of-the-box marketing techniques.