Catering companies have a unique business model. Unlike restaurants which are reliant upon a large number of individual patrons, catering companies seek large groups (i.e. weddings, parties, etc.) who serve as a single customer. It is important to understand how to effectively target the right customer in the right way.
Digital marketing is perhaps the best marketing approach for catering services as it allows you to maximize your outreach in your local area and more reliably attract customers for your food and services. In this review, we discuss everything catering companies should know about digital marketing, including what it is exactly, what services are included in a campaign, and more.
Digital Marketing for Catering Services Explained
Digital marketing for catering services is a marketing and advertising approach that utilizes online channels to target potential customers and clients who are searching for catering services in your area. For example, a digital marketing strategy for catering services may be designed to reach the following customer types:
- Wedding planners
- Party planners
- Birthday party hosts
- Funeral home directors
- Office administrators
- Sports team administrators
A personalized digital marketing strategy should target the keywords that are related to these titles and the specific services you provide. A comprehensive strategy may involve the creation (or redesign) of a professional website, SEO optimization, content creation, and paid advertising via Google Search and social media accounts.
A Recommended Digital Marketing Strategy for Catering Services
There are a range of service options for catering companies. Ultimately, you should personalize your marketing plan based on your company’s unique needs and online marketing goals. Notably, however, digital marketing services for catering businesses include search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, website design, and social media marketing; paid advertising and reputation management strategies may be right for you as well. Specifically, we recommend the following four types of digital marketing services for catering-style businesses.
SEO for Catering Services
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is one of the most popular and well-known forms of digital marketing. This marketing approach involves efforts to optimize your website (and individual web pages) for Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO involves technical efforts such as optimizing page speed, building backlinks to high-authority sites in your industry, and more.
Content Marketing for Catering Services
Content marketing often goes hand-in-hand with SEO services. This involves the creation of content via blog posts, service pages, videos, and more. Content is viewed by many as the currency of the internet. The more high-quality content you produce the more opportunities you have to reach individuals in your area in need of catering services.
Website Design for Catering Services
A quality website with a friendly and easy-to-use interface and professional design is a great way for your catering business to close sales once you attract new visitors to your site; it can also help your rankings improve on Google search as well. You may also need to optimize your website for easy online ordering and reservations. All of this and more should be offered and included in digital marketing services.
Social Media Marketing for Catering Services
Social media should be a key part of any business that operates within the hospitality (and restaurant) industry. Catering services, in particular, can largely benefit from a personalized social media marketing strategy. This should include organic and white-hat methods of growing your audience and the development of high-quality social media posts.
There is also a rise in influencer marketing for catering services (and restaurants), and it can be an effective way to establish more authority for your company. A paid social media advertising strategy can be helpful as well.
What are The Benefits of Digital Marketing for Catering Services?
The results from your digital marketing campaign depend on the specific services you choose, the current market position of your catering company, your location, and a multitude of additional factors. However, it is not uncommon for catering companies to see a 50% to 125% increase in organic traffic and online sales in as little as 6 months.
For this reason, we strongly recommend digital marketing services for all catering companies. The fact is a well-established website that is optimized for search engines, along with a sound social media strategy, is a requirement in the modern day. With the right strategy, you can implement a predictable marketing funnel that continually attracts your ideal audience in the local area and see sizable returns on your online marketing investments.
Tunl Agency Offers Digital Marketing Services for Catering Services
Are you considering a personalized digital marketing strategy for your catering business? If so, then contact Tunl Agency today for a free proposal. We are glad to assist you with your online marketing needs and can help you reach your goals in a cost and time-efficient manner.