70% of Millenials Make Purchase Decisions Influenced by their Social Media Network

By Kyle Osher

Word of mouth has and always will be the most important factor in how restaurants and hotels become popular.  It’s why public relations firms exist: to generate and influence opinions and to get people talking! Deloitte just released their Digital Democracy Survey which found that 70.3% of millennials (14 to 32 year olds) thought a positive opinion among their personal network on sites like Facebook and Twitter ultimately influenced what they bought.  So how can you make sure they are talking about your hotel or restaurant?  A few easy tips:

Take Crave-worthy Photos: Spend 5 minutes browsing through Instagram and you’ll know that beautiful food imagery dominates the landscape.  Investing in food photography not only puts your best foot forward, but increases the occurrence of sharing amongst your guests and their network alike.

Geo Targeting: Generally, any restaurant’s bread & butter is going to be that local crowd of regulars and neighbors.  Increase the value of your purchased ads by geo-targeting your guests.  Most online services, from Facebook, Google AdWords or Twitter, offer the ability to choose your targeted demographic based on a number of factors, location being key.  Try geo- targeting in your next digital ad spend and help ensure that your message gets in front of the right guest.

Time Your Tweets: Twitter can be a valuable asset for any restaurant if used correctly.  Be sure to time your tweets to garner the effect you want and gain traction among your audience.  Regular and scheduled posts can be a great way notify your guests of daily specials or happy hours establish a pattern of engagement.

Leverage Instagram as a Brand Tool: Instagram is a remarkable communication platform.  Say as little or as much as you want, or let a photo do most of the talking.  When you combine dozens and hundreds of posts over time, a larger picture starts to come into view.  Leverage Instagram’s ability to refine and amplify your brand’s message, start sharing today.