Ten ways that a restaurant or bar can collect email addresses for marketing

So after a 15th year of hard work and graft, we recently received these two awards for our agency. Don't worry I'm not going to do an acceptance speech a la The Oscars, but times like this does make you feel really proud and look back at where you started and where you have got to. When I remember my dreams back in 2007, I didn't know where it was going to take me. The internet was relatively new, mobile phone purely made phone calls, tablets and laptops weren't invented and social media consisted of MySpace and Friends Reunited! Fast forward 16 years and our website company has evolved into a multi faceted agency offering anything and everything to help businesses to "Become Best Known". To have this recognised not only by clients, but by leading award organisations is a testimony to the teams hard work, answering messages on Facebook at midnight, making urgent website changes within minutes and genuinely caring about our clients business welfare. Thanks everyone x

How website design and how people perceive them has changed over the years and how you can take control

Christmas is a major holiday season for many businesses, and the hospitality industry is no exception. Restaurants and coffee shops etc can see a significant increase in sales during this time, but only if they are prepared. Here are a few reasons why it is important to start marketing for Christmas early: To secure bookings. The best tables and reservations tend to go quickly, so it is important to start marketing early to lock in bookings. This is especially true for popular restaurants and coffee shops. To create excitement. Christmas is a time for celebration, so businesses should create excitement and anticipation for their holiday offerings. This can be done through marketing campaigns that feature festive decorations, delicious food, and special events. To beat the competition. Many businesses start marketing for Christmas early, so it is important to be one of the first to get your message out there. This will help you to capture a larger share of the holiday market. Here are some specific tips for marketing your hospitality business for Christmas early: Create and start posting across your social media suggesting booking etc Create a christmas-themed website page. This is a great way to showcase your festive offerings and capture leads. Send out email newsletters and social media posts with christmas "early bird promotions". This is a great way to stay top-of-mind with your customers. Partner with other businesses. This is a great way to cross-promote your businesses and reach a wider audience. You can both share each others posts. By starting your marketing early, you can give your hospitality business the best chance of success during the Christmas season. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your marketing campaign today! Here are some additional tips: Make sure your website is up-to-date and optimised for Christmas. This includes adding Christmas-themed content, such as photos and recipes, as well as ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly. Get creative with your marketing materials. Use festive colors and images to capture attention, and come up with unique promotions that will appeal to your target audience. Don't forget about your employees. Make sure your staff is aware of your Christmas marketing plans and that they are prepared to answer customer questions. By following these tips, you can ensure that your hospitality business is well-positioned to take advantage of the Christmas season.

Threads by Instagram: A New Way to Connect Threads is a new app from Instagram that allows you to share text updates, photos, and videos with your closest friends. It's a more personal and intimate way to connect than Instagram's main app, and it's perfect for staying in touch with the people you care about most. It's really similar to Twitter so if you are on Twitter already it'll be a breeze! How to Install and Use Threads To install Threads, you'll need to have the latest version of Instagram installed on your phone. Then, open Instagram and tap on your profile picture in the top left corner. Scroll down and tap on "Threads." You'll be prompted to create a new account, or you can sign in with your existing Instagram account. Once you're in Threads, you'll see a list of your closest friends. You can start a new thread by tapping on the + button in the top right corner. Threads can be up to 500 characters long, and you can include photos, videos, and links. Tips for Using Threads Posts can use up to 500 characters You can add a photo or a carousel or a video Use Threads to share your thoughts and feelings with your closest friends. Share photos and videos from your day-to-day life. Share threads as a story on your Instagram profile Ask questions and start conversations. Use Threads to keep in touch with friends who live far away. Use Threads to plan events and get-togethers. Should Your Business Be on Threads? Whether or not your business should be on Threads depends on you! It is difficult to second guess whether your target audience will be on there, but given the uptake in the first day, the chances are that it is going to be used by people from all demographics. As with all the major platforms, it seems amiss to not have any presence on an app where there are millions of people using it throughout the day, plus if you already have the content created for another platform, then it'll only take a couple of minutes to add it to Threads. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to use Threads is up to you. If you think it could be a valuable tool for your business, then I encourage you to give it a try. Here are some additional tips for businesses using Threads: Use Threads to share behind-the-scenes content and give your customers a glimpse into your company culture. Use Threads to announce new products or services. Use Threads to answer customer questions and resolve customer issues. Use Threads to promote your business's social media accounts. Conclusion Threads is a new and exciting way to connect with your friends and family. It's a more personal and intimate way to share your thoughts and feelings, and it's perfect for staying in touch with the people you care about most. If you're looking for a new way to use social media, I encourage you to give Threads a try. Please give me a follow at https://www.threads.net/@onlineguruuk

How to Post on TikTok 1. Set up your shot and pick out special effects. Tap the center tab to enter camera mode. To face the camera in the right direction, tap the Flip icon in the top right. On the right side of the screen, you’ll also see icons for the following: Speed: Allows you to record your video in slow motion or speed up. Beauty: An AR filter that can hide blemishes and smooth out your skin. Filters: Lets you change the color filter of the camera. Timer: Allows you to set an auto-record countdown if you want to film hands-free. Music and Effects On the top center of the camera screen, you’ll also see music notes with “Add a Sound” next to them. Tap this to choose the musical overlay or sound effect that you want to work with. On the bottom of the camera, you’ll also see an Effects icon to the right and an upload button to the left — in case you want to record your videos outside of the app. When you tap the Effects button, you’ll see a giant lineup of AR filters and other special effects that can augment your face or your surroundings. You can also pick out a video overlay-styled filter here. In the black bar under the camera, you can set the time limit for your video or tap Photo Template to create a photo slideshow instead of a video. 2. Record the video. Once you’re ready, press and hold the red record button. You can either record your video all at once or in pieces. If you want to fit different shots in each video or record it in pieces, simply hold the record button for each segment, then let go, then press and hold it again when you’re ready for your next shot. Don’t want to hold your record button the whole time? Before you enter record mode, you can also use the timer to give yourself enough time to prop up your phone and pose in front of it before it starts automatically recording. 3. Make final edits and add a caption to the video. When you’re done recording the video, you’ll still be able to add a musical overlay, filters, and other basic special effects. You can also add stickers and text overlays on top of the video. When you’re done, press Next. You’ll be directed to a page similar to Instagram’s post page where you can add a caption, relevant hashtags, and account handles of others. You can also set the privacy of the video, turn comments on or off, allow duets or reactions, and tap “Save to Album” to download it to your smartphone’s photos. If you aren’t ready to post yet, just press the Drafts button at the bottom left to save it for later. 4. Duet with other users. See a musical post that you love? Want to join in with the person who made it? TikTok allows you to reply with a Duet video. To use this former Musical.ly feature, find a video you want to duet with, press the Share button to see sharing options, then press the “Duet” option on the bottom row in the center. Your camera screen will appear next to the video. From there, you can press record and sing along, dance, or do whatever you want to the music. If you make a post and don’t want anyone to duet with you, you can tap the “Duet/React Off” button on your Post page before publishing. 5. Participate in a challenge. Like other social media platforms, you’ll occasionally see videos with hashtags for “challenges.” A challenge is when a video post, company, or person encourages users to film themselves doing something oddly specific. Participants then film themselves doing the action and hashtag the challenge name in their post captions. There usually aren’t any winners in a TikTok challenge, but hashtagging it might help you get more followers or views as people find you when searching the hashtag. A Few TikTok Takeaways Yes, TikTok may seem like a pretty odd platform right now, but it might be a great tool for engaging and spreading awareness to your younger audiences later. Because it is only one year old, it is also a great place for early video experimentation. As you’re brainstorming or filming your first videos, here are a few tips to help you create unique and engaging posts: Have fun with the special effects. There are a ton of ways to zest up your video, and audiences on TikTok expect it. So play around and experiment with them. Embrace the music. Most videos on the platform have some type of song or sound effect in the background. Film a few videos with multiple shots. This will make it feel more interesting and active. Don’t be afraid to show a lighter side or a sense of humor. People come to this platform to be entertained. Use trendy hashtags and try out a challenge video. Then, include relevant hashtags in your post caption so your video shows up when people search it. Look at what other brands are doing. While your company might not need to jump on TikTok just yet, videos posted by other brands could inspire some ideas for your own strategy.

With more than a biillion monthly active users, TikTok has taken the world by the scruff of the neck, giving many of us some light relief during what has been a difficult couple of years! As with all major apps, they do tend to get used initially by the younger generation, before their parents and then grandparents jump on board (by which time the kids have run off and find somewhere else to hang out away from prying eyes!! With the growth of the app being so ferocious, for businesses it’s imperative to at least give TikTok a go and see if you feel is going to work for you. The best way to learn more about the app, its user base, and the type of content that engages audiences is to start producing your own posts on a personal or business account. To help you conquer the app, I’ve put together a quick guide to show you how to use it. Here’s a list of instructions — with pictures — that will walk you through setting up your profile, filming your first video, adding special effects, and using challenges or duets to engage with other users. Setting Up Your Account 1. Download the app and sign up. Go to the App Store or Google Play and download TikTok. When you open it, TikTok makes it pretty easy to sign up. You can do an instant sign-up with Facebook, Gmail, or Twitter, or add a standard username and password if you don’t want any of those accounts connected. 2. Set up your profile. Once you’re logged in, you’ll instantly be brought to the feed of videos. Tap the icon in the lower right that looks like a person’s outline to see and edit your profile. Once you enter your profile, tap the Edit Profile button, then select a profile photo or video. You should also add your username and bio information. If you want to show off your other social media profiles, you can link up your Youtube and Instagram pages. If you’re a business, this could be a helpful way to advertise your other visual platforms. Finding Videos and Engaging with Users 3. View the video feed, Now that you’ve set up your profile, tap back to the first tab which shows you the video feed. Think of this feed like Twitter’s, but where video is the primary content. If you don’t have any followers yet, the app will send you random trending videos. As you begin following and interacting with more people, your feed will become more personalised to your interests. 4. Like, comment, or share videos you enjoy. When you find a video you like, you can tap the heart to like it or the speech bubble to comment on it. To share the video, press the forward sign underneath the comment symbol to see your sharing options. These symbols are all located on the right side of the video. If you really like a video and want to see if the user has more posts you’ll enjoy, swipe left to toggle to their profile 5. Search for videos. Tap on the second tab, or magnifying glass, to enter the app’s search area. On this tab, you can either search out accounts or videos, or you can look below the search bar to see videos by trending topic. 6. Follow users via videos & search. If you want to keep up with a great video creator, you can follow them by pressing the icon that includes their profile picture and a plus sign above the heart button on their video. After that, just spend a couple of weeks scrolling videos and pick up ideas along the way. Videos are obviously more time consuming than just taking a photo, so try not to be too precious quality wise, about your videos. Just do your best and upload. Have fun!!

As a business, you want to get your products in front of as many people as possible. The more people who know about your business and what you do, the better chance you have of increasing sales and growing your business. There are many ways that businesses can market their products or services: through social media, print materials (like leaflets), billboards and even word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers. But which method is best? Understanding Leaflet Distribution What is a leaflet? A leaflet is a piece of paper or card that contains information about your business or product. It can be used as an advertisement, brochure and more. Leaflets are commonly used for promotional purposes because they're inexpensive to produce, easy to distribute and have the potential to reach large audiences. Advantages: Affordable - The cost of printing leaflets is much lower than other types of marketing materials such as magazines or newspapers. Easy distribution - You can easily hand out leaflets at events like trade shows or conferences where there's already an existing audience for them (i.e. people who are interested in what you're selling). You don't need any special equipment either; just grab some folders from home and start handing them out! Using Leaflets in Your Marketing Strategy When you're designing your leaflet, it's important to consider the audience that you are targeting. For example, if you're marketing a product or service aimed at children and young adults then bright colours and fun designs work best. On the other hand, if you are targeting older people then more muted colours might be better suited to their tastes. The other thing to think about when creating leaflets is how much information they should contain. You don't want them too wordy because this can make them difficult for customers who aren't used to reading lots of text at once but equally it's worth including enough detail so that people know exactly what they're getting themselves into when they sign up for the specific service/product etc. Once you've got all of this figured out, then it's time for distribution! This can either be done manually by going door-to-door or handing out leaflets in public places such as supermarkets where there will be lots of foot traffic passing through regularly. Understanding Social Media Social media is a powerful tool for marketing, but it can also be a risk. It's important to understand the risks of social media before you begin using it. Social media has become one of the most important ways that people communicate with each other and build relationships. The goal of any business owner should be to reach out to customers, build relationships with them and get their feedback on products or services offered by your company. Social media gives you this opportunity in real time so that you always know what people are saying about your company or brand at any given moment in time. Using Social Media in Your Marketing Strategy Social media is an excellent way to gain exposure and build your brand. You can use social media to: Promote your business, product or service Encourage people to buy from you Share useful information that will help them make decisions about their lives (e.g. how-to videos) Integrating Leaflets and Social Media There are a number of ways that you can integrate leaflets and social media. The first is by tracking how many people have seen your leaflet, and then measuring the return on investment (ROI). If you're using a service like Google Analytics, there will be an option to clicks on links in emails or SMS messages. This will allow you to see which links were clicked most often--and therefore which ones were most effective at driving traffic back to your website or landing page. Another way of integrating leaflet distribution with social media is by using hashtags on Twitter or Instagram when posting pictures of your leaflets being distributed around town. This will help increase visibility among potential customers who may not otherwise have seen them! Conclusion: You've learned about the benefits of leaflet distribution and social media, as well as how to use them together to create an effective marketing strategy. If you're ready to get started with your own campaign, we'd love to help!  If you have any questions or comments about this article, please leave them below in the comments section. We'll do our best to respond quickly!

Social media posts are a great way to engage with your audience. You can use them as a way of communicating with them, sharing content and building relationships. While there are many benefits to posting regularly on social media, it's important that you understand the importance of consistency before starting a schedule for yourself. Benefit 1: Increased Visibility The first benefit of posting regularly is that you'll have an increased visibility. This means more people are likely to see your posts, which can lead to more followers and potential customers becoming aware of your brand. The more frequently you post, the larger audience you will reach. Benefit 2: Improved Engagement The second benefit of regular posting is improved engagement. When you post on social media regularly, you're engaging with your followers and building relationships with them. You can respond to comments and questions, creating conversations that keep people coming back for more. If you want to see results from this strategy, try tracking how many likes, shares and comments each post gets over time. You'll be able to see which types of content are most popular with your audience--and use that knowledge when planning future posts! Benefit 3: Increased Brand Awareness The third benefit of regular social media posting is increased brand awareness. Regularly posting on social media will help to establish your brand, create a strong presence and differentiate yourself from competitors. When you post regularly, it's easier for people to recognise you as an authority in the field and they will be more likely to follow what you say or do. The more followers you have, the greater reach your posts will have across all platforms (Facebook, Twitter etc.). Benefit 4: Increased Traffic The fourth benefit of posting regularly is increased traffic. If you post on social media, it's likely that your followers will share the content with their friends and family. As a result, more people will see your posts and visit your website or landing page. This can help increase conversions as well as sales in the long run. Benefit 5: Improved SEO Regular posting will help to improve your SEO rankings and help to increase organic search traffic. This is because Google and other search engines love fresh content, so if you post regularly, it's more likely that people will find your website when they search for keywords related to what you offer. Additionally, regular posting helps boost your website's visibility in social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter which are often used by potential customers looking for new businesses like yours! Benefit 6: Increased Credibility * Regular posting will help to establish your credibility. * Build trust with your customers. * And help to establish your authority in your industry. Benefit 7: Improved Lead Generation One of the most important benefits of posting regularly is that it can help you to generate more leads. When you post content on social media, people will see your business as an authority in its field and want to learn more about what you offer. This can lead them directly into becoming a customer by signing up for email updates or following your brand on social media channels, which makes it easy for you to communicate with them in future about new products or services that may be relevant for them. Benefit 8: Enhanced Analytics Regular posting will help to track and measure your success, analyse the performance of your posts, and help to adjust your strategy as needed. Conclusion: Regular social media posts are a great way to stay in touch with your audience and build your brand. They also help you attract new followers, who may become customers or fans of your business. If you post regularly, you can use the data from analytics tools like Facebook Insights or Twitter Analytics to see what content works best for your audience. This will help you create more effective content in the future!

Now, I know some of you might be thinking, "Twitter? That's so 2010!" But hear me out, my friends. Twitter is still relevant, and it can be a game-changer for your business. Here's why: Firstly, Twitter is a great place to connect with industry experts, thought leaders, and influencers . By following the right people and engaging with their content, you can gain access to a wealth of knowledge and insights that can help you grow your business. Secondly, Twitter is a great platform for staying up-to-date with industry news and trends . By following relevant hashtags and accounts, you can get real-time updates on what's happening in your industry and stay ahead of the curve. Thirdly, Twitter is a great platform for networking and building relationships . By engaging with other users and participating in Twitter chats and discussions, you can connect with potential customers, partners, and collaborators. And finally, Twitter is a great platform for promoting your brand and reaching a wider audience. By sharing valuable content and engaging with your followers, you can build a strong online presence and attract new customers. So there you have it, folks. Twitter might not be the newest, shiniest platform out there, but it's still a powerful tool for finding great information and growing your business.