/RestaurantDotOrg /NationalRestaurantAssociation Restaurant.org

2 Online Reviews: The New Word of Mouth Natalie Montalvo December 11, 2013

3 The New Word of Mouth Today, word of mouth is more pervasive and powerful than ever due to the increasing popularity of online reviews and social media. Over half (53 percent) of 18- to 34-year-olds report that online reviews factor into their dining decisions, as do 47 percent of frequent full- service customers.

4 What does that mean for your restaurant? An online search for your restaurant is likely to find not only your website, but also your restaurant’s profile page on Yelp, Urbanspoon, TripAdvisor and other review sites. Online reviews can help make or break your business.

5 What you’ll learn: We’ve developed a guide designed to help you optimize your presence on review sites. Our tips fall into the following categories: Enhancing your presence on online review sites Monitoring/responding to online reviews Measuring trends to leverage sites as a business tool Best practices for problematic reviews Advertising to/targeting customers through review sites

6 How can I optimize my restaurant presence online? We identified 10 steps to help you take advantage of your online presence and manage your brand online: 1.Check out the sites 2.Get listed 3.Claim your page 4.Check the facts 5.Link to more information and services 6.Tell your story 7.Remember: A picture tells a thousand words 8.Keep the content fresh 9.Make an announcement 10.Consider discounts and deals

7 How can I monitor online reviews? Keep on top of what customers are saying about you online. Delegate the responsibility to someone who will make the time to follow the information flow. Monitoring strategies include: Sign up for instant notifications Set up Google Alerts Manually check the sites Monitor the metrics Consider enrolling with a monitoring or reputation management service

8 How can I use online reviews as a business tool? Tracking your reviews is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of your restaurant. Use the review sites as an opportunity to accentuate the positive and get feedback from negative experiences.

9 Accentuate the positive: Highlight favorite shout-outs Celebrate successes Use feedback to guide expansion efforts Publicize your popularity Announce awards Hook into social media

10 Brace yourself for negativity Be prepared Look at the big picture Take feedback to heart Concentrate on the customer’s message, not tone Make sure the feedback trickles down

11 How should I respond to reviews? Some sites, like Urbanspoon, Yelp or TripAdvisor, let restaurants respond publicly or privately to reviews for free once they “claim their page.” Crafting an appropriate reply can be challenging, so we mapped out three steps for serving up satisfying responses. 1.Prep work 2.Recipe for successful responses 3.Finishing touches

12 Should I pay for advertising and other services? While it won’t eliminate negative reviews, advertising is an option to consider. Review your business plan to determine whether you should invest in online marketing, taking a close look at your budget, your target audience, your goals and the ROI of your current advertising efforts. Some paid marketing strategies to consider: Enhance your profile page Facilitate reservations Offer a deal, when appropriate Sponsor a link

13 How can I target mobile customers? Given the explosion in smartphone usage, consumers are increasingly accessing restaurant information on the go. Check-in offers provide a great way to entice mobile customers. Using their mobile devices, customers can “check in” to your restaurant on Foursquare or Yelp. Consider creating incentives for them to do so. Check-in tips: Bring in new customers and keep the regulars coming back for more Create a buzz about your restaurant Invite the whole gang Train your servers

14 Download Online Reviews: The New Word of Mouth Visit Restaurant.org/Reviews to download the guide and get more detailed information on the following: Claiming your page on online review sites Monitor and response plans to online reviews Business tool suggestions for leveraging sites Best practices for problematic reviews Advertising/targeting customers through review sites Yelp health scores in select cites Detailed information about popular review sties

/RestaurantDotOrg /NationalRestaurantAssociation Restaurant.org