Project Summary

Our client, a prominent restaurant chain in Toronto, embarked on a unique project by introducing a novel concept eatery in Chinatown under a new brand. Despite garnering a remarkable 4.7 rating on Google Business within the first year, the restaurant faced the challenge of slow business. Recognizing the minimal social media presence as a hindrance, they sought our expertise to boost online visibility, distinguish themselves in a competitive market, and ultimately increase delivery orders and dine-in customers. 

 

The Challenge

The client faced several challenges before starting the SEO project, including:

Impressive 4.7 Rating, yet business remained slow: Despite a stellar rating, and being awarded “Most Loved Restaurant” on DoorDash, the restaurant faced challenges in converting positive reviews into increased foot traffic and orders.

Low Social Media Presence: The restaurant had a minimal presence on social media platforms, limiting its ability to connect with the digital-savvy audience, such as college students nearby and young professionals. 

Lack of Online Visibility: In comparison to competitors, the restaurant struggled with online visibility, hindering its potential to attract a broader audience beyond the immediate vicinity.

Competitive Location: Situated in the saturated and highly competitive neighborhood of Chinatown, the Asian-style restaurant faced the challenge of standing out among numerous dining options, each vying for business.

Rising Food Costs: The industry-wide challenge of increasing food costs added financial pressure, necessitating strategic pricing and cost-effective marketing solutions.

No Brand Awareness: Prospective customers lacked awareness of the restaurant’s identity and cuisine, contributing to hesitancy to try the establishment. The challenge lay in defining and communicating the unique offerings.

The Strategy

Develop Consistent Branding:

Define Colors, Mission Statement, and Overall Message: Established a cohesive brand identity by selecting specific colors that resonate with the restaurant’s theme. The mission statement, “Have you eaten yet?” was crafted to convey a message of love and care, fostering a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Unique Value Propositions:

Focus on Clay Pot Rice Bowl: Emphasized the uniqueness of the clay pot rice bowl, educating customers about the dish’s origin, preparation, and what makes it special and delicious. This served as a key selling point to differentiate the restaurant in a competitive market.

Photography and Videography:

Create attractive and enticing content. Developed visually stunning content showcasing the unique rice bowls and the newly introduced beef noodle dishes. High-quality imagery and engaging videography were essential to capture the attention of potential customers.

Create Social Media Strategy:

Align with Branding: Ensured the social media strategy followed the established brand message and colors, creating a consistent online presence.

Build Transparency through Video (Reels) and Stories: Utilized video content, including Instagram Reels and Stories, to provide behind-the-scenes glimpses of the kitchen, staff, and the making of signature dishes. This approach aimed to build transparency and connect with the audience on a personal level.

Run Ads on Social:

Increase Awareness and Reach: Launched targeted advertising campaigns on social media platforms, with a focus on increasing awareness and reach.

Geo-Targeting: Targeted customers within a 2-3 km proximity to the restaurant, maximizing visibility among the local audience.

University Student Targeting: Recognizing the proximity to universities, tailored ads to appeal to the student demographic, leveraging their potential as repeat customers.

Improve Call to Action:

Incentives/Promotions: Introduced incentives and promotions to encourage customer engagement, such as exclusive discounts for social media followers or special offers for sharing posts.

Guiding Customers to Landing Pages: Implemented clear calls to action directing customers to specific landing pages, making it easy for them to explore the menu, place orders, or learn more about the restaurant.

Rewards for Following Social Media: Instituted a rewards system, providing perks for customers who followed the restaurant on social media platforms, fostering a sense of loyalty.

Results

Our Client was more than pleased with our hard work, understanding, and ROI:

• Increased Online Visibility:

  • Photography strategically distributed across platforms: social media, business directories, Google My Business, BIA websites, and advertisements. Our clients business showed up on many more review sites such as Yelp and Trip Advisor. 

  Content Creation (Impressions):

  • Our Social Strategy, Including Posts, Reels, Hashtags, Captions, Stories: Achieved over 16,265 impressions within a month, showcasing remarkable growth at 879%.

  Short Form Video (Engagement):

  • Recognized the significance of short-form videos for social media engagement.
  • This resulted in an impressive 592% increase in engagement, emphasizing the effectiveness of this format.

  Social Media Ads (Reach):

  • Addressed the challenge of a low follower count in the initial phase.
  • Implemented Ads to extend reach, yielding a remarkable 2223% increase in accounts reached within the first month.

  Revenue Growth:

  • In the inaugural month of our social media marketing and ads campaign, facilitated a substantial 253% increase in delivery sales and 165% increase in orders.