Frequently Asked Questions
Bar Marketing Basics is led by Erik Shellenberger, the award-winning and Amazon best-selling author of the Restaurant & Bar Marketing book series. With several decades of experience in the restaurant and bar industry, Erik and his team are passionate about helping restaurants and bars succeed through proven marketing strategies.
We focus exclusively on restaurants and bars, which means we understand the unique challenges and opportunities in your industry. Plus, our focus is only on SEO and reputation management, the 2 factors that drive new customer to your door. These strategies are backed by proven results and Erik’s expertise as a thought leader in restaurant and bar marketing.
The effectiveness of social media has tapered off overt the last few decades into a very ineffective approach to marketing a restaurant. It’s a “pay-to-play” environment which can get very expensive quickly, and success is very tough to measure. If you’d like to leverage social media, hire the right influencers and have them “brag about you on your behalf” which is statistically way more effective.
It depends on your target audience, but we typically recommend Instagram and Facebook for restaurants and bars. TikTok and YouTube are also great for sharing engaging video content. Just keep in mind that we do not recommend putting money into your own pages and profiles. These days, posting is best left to the experts – influencers in your immediate area.
No. We believe your money is best spend elsewhere so this is a service we do not offer.
Great reviews start with great experiences! We’ll suggest strategies to encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews and address any negative feedback professionally and promptly. Our reputation management services respond to all of your reviews on your behalf. We will also flag any negative reviews that conflict with terms and conditions to try and get them removed. We offer this service on Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor and several of the online reservation platforms.
Don’t panic! Negative reviews are an opportunity to show your commitment to customer satisfaction. We’ll respond to these reviews effectively and turn a negative experience into a positive one.
Yes! We offer reputation management services that include responding to your reviews, and implementing strategies to improve your overall online presence.
SEO helps your website rank higher in search engine and AI search results, making it easier for customers to find you online. With local SEO, we can ensure your business shows up when people search for terms like “best bar near me” or “restaurants in [city].” SEO for restaurants in crucial in tourist-heavy cities.
SEO is a long-term strategy, but you can start seeing improvements in 3-6 months. The key is consistency, we leverage state of the art AI software to constantly ensure your website is built with the correct content and formatting that Google can’t resist.
Yes! Since all restaurants and bars rely on people stopping in to a specific location, local SEO is our specialty. We’ll optimize your Google Business Profile, manage local citations, reformat your website, and ensure your business stands out in local searches.
Your website is often the first impression customers have of your business. A well-designed website not only looks great but also makes it easy for customers to find your menu, make reservations, and learn about your events. Your ranking in a search like “restaurants near me” hinges on how well your website is optimized to appear toward the top of the Google search engine results.
Yes, we do! We’ll handle content updates, security, and performance optimization so you can focus on running your business. This service is free for all of our on-page SEO clients.
There are so many to list here. Pick up one of Erik’s books in the “Restaurant & Bar Marketing” book series on Amazon for more.
Not having a clear strategy! Many businesses throw money away on ineffective social media posts or run ads without a plan. We do not offer these services but rather focus on getting NEW customers in your doors through SEO for restaurants and reputation management for restaurants.
Of course! Erik’s award-winning Restaurant & Bar Marketing book series is available on Amazon, and we’d be happy to send you a signed copy. Just let us know!
Our pricing starts at $349/mo. We offer package deals as well as multi-location deals. We NEVER rope you into contract of any kind. Read more on our pricing plans here.
We’re here to help! Reach out to us at 602-540-0128 or erik@barmarketingbasics.com, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. See our LA location‘s contact info here. Let’s take your restaurant or bar to the next level!