If your restaurant is not searchable online, it might as well be non-existent. That’s how powerful online marketing is for businesses. Customers are searching, browsing, tweeting, and posting food-related content. If you want your restaurant to be remembered, you have to make sure you constantly produce share-worthy posts, ‘instagrammable’ content and get as many 5-star reviews as you can. Sounds like hard work? Don’t worry, this list of best practices and examples will help you. So let’s sit down and take cues from these three Petaluma restaurants winning in the online marketing game. I also included some tips on areas where these restaurants can improve on.

1. Lagunitas Brewing Co

Why It’s Awesome: One look at Lagunitas Brewing Co’s Facebook page and you already know how fun these folks are. “Fun place, great beer, great service.” Their TripAdvisor reviews are more than enough to make you want to pay a visit. Shoutout to the social media team of Lagunitas Brewing Co for being consistent in their branding and creating fun share-worthy content on Facebook and Instagram. Their #MumblePhone series is seriously getting a lot of views for pure creativity and entertainment!

Here’s A Tip: For the holiday season, the fun-loving people of Lagunitas Brewing Co may consider an exclusive discount for their loyal social media followers. Share your #LagunitasBrewingCo experience and get $5 off on your next purchase. Now that’s a great deal that will get fans sharing and reposting!

2. Water Street Bistro

Why It’s Awesome: Water Street Bistro is also one of the best-reviewed restaurants in Petaluma. One of their winning points is that their Facebook posts do not read like a marketing script. Their Facebook posts feel like the owner is a close friend talking to her friends, the restaurant patrons. As I often say, customers choose the business with a face they can relate to. A restaurant with a personal touch is always a winner. It also helps a lot that Water Street Bistro’s food photos look so tempting and delicious!

Here’s A Tip: While the personal touch is definitely helping Water Street Bistro’s branding, they may also consider hiring a social media manager to help in posting consistently while still keeping in-line with their branding. The holiday season is fast approaching and it can be hard to focus on the day to day operations of a restaurant while staying visible and active on social platforms.

3. Cucina Paradiso

Why It’s Awesome: Do a quick Google search of best restaurants in Petaluma and Cucina Paradiso is sure to be included in the list. The fact that it is ranked #1 in TripAdvisor is a sign that Cucina Paradiso is winning in getting rave reviews which is very important for a restaurant business. With more than 1,000 combined reviews on TripAdvisor, Yelp, Facebook and other social platforms, happy customers are literally doing the marketing for Cucina Paradiso.

Here’s A Tip: Even the crowd favorite can still benefit from an active social media page. Perhaps Cucina Paradiso can consider featuring more of their delicious food regularly on Facebook and Instagram. Their eager fans will surely engage more and keep coming back. Plus points for Cucina Paradiso for having a website but they may also consider updating it and using it as a lead generation tool instead of just containing basic information.

Do you know of other restaurants doing great marketing online? Let me know in the comments below or send me your suggestions at wikki@livtechmedia.com.