@econads @carstenfranke @taraprice Perhaps not as such however it is a good way to have an easy to use way to quick-post content without having to navigate a full-blown website CMS. As easy as Wordpress is to use opening a page, typing words, and clicking “post” is far easier & quicker for the already over loaded small business owner.
They can signpost to that instance or embed it on their website or whatever. Their customers don’t *need* to interact with it more than a website.
@wiredfire
The thing is, most small food place owners that I know (ok only a few well enough) aren't particularly techy. They spend a great deal of focus running their business, they about know Instagram, but I'm not sure they even know what wordpress is. Their main business is food, in the real world. They don't have money to employ social media experts, and they certainly don't have the free time to research esoteric social media platforms. I think most people in this thread are being overly judgey if we're taking only about small business owners. For big chains yes, they got no excuse.
@econads @carstenfranke @taraprice
I’m not suggesting they should code their own website or learn sys admin, but they really should understand the value of an online presence they own and how leaning on insta etc directly adds risk. Sure they can be on insta etc as well, if that suits their market, but a passionate small business venture needs to have more, not less, control over their success :)
@econads @carstenfranke @taraprice
Big chains definitely have no excuse. Actually them sorting their crap out would also lead as an example to other smaller places to see what’s useful to do!
@wiredfire @carstenfranke @taraprice
I was thinking there might be some value in a service which posted the same thing to multiple platforms.
At the same time, the reach isn't great - you don't need to reach people in another country you need to reach more people within a few miles of you.
@brundaged
Interesting. I suppose that advertising of any kind might get people in the door the 1st time but it's the service and food, and value for money that bring them back, with their friends. If the place isn't all that they'll go elsewhere and tell others not to bother.
@brundaged @econads @wiredfire @carstenfranke @taraprice reminds me of the time that NPR pulled their Twitter account & found it made no noticeable difference to their traffic. Social media is not what it used to be even for the folks it was once pretty impactful for.
@econads @itsmeholland @wiredfire @carstenfranke @taraprice My only adjustment to this is good service isn't enough in the food business. Location, service, and cost have to be tuned to capture local traffic with minimum effort.
If people have to make some extra effort to dine in your restaurant, they may love it but won't do it often enough to sustain it. Learned from hard personal experience.
@brundaged
Story time :-)
@econads @itsmeholland @wiredfire @carstenfranke @taraprice
No real story. I built a great restaurant in a downtown area with high commuter traffic but no pedestrian traffic and limited parking. People loved it, but there was an invisible ceiling on how many people would visit and it wasn't enough.
@brundaged
That's a real shame, sorry to hear it
@carstenfranke @itsmeholland @brundaged @wiredfire @taraprice @econads
Great article! Thanks!
But do you think McDonalds would have the same results?
Reach matters. But then, I don’t go to McDonalds. <wink>
@brundaged @carstenfranke @itsmeholland @taraprice @wiredfire @econads
You’re probably right. (I assume you mean no social media presence).
But, consider, I’m sitting at my local Starbucks, having finished eating my favorite Starbucks guilty pleasure that was ready when I arrived because I ordered ahead.
There’s effective use of the Internet, and then there’s advertising. <wink>
@Hippasus500 @carstenfranke @itsmeholland @taraprice @wiredfire @econads Yeah, I did all that: Online ordering, ordering in advance, online reservations. Barely used. Not worth the effort.
You can't compare an established billion-dollar brand with a new, independent one.
Online services only add value *after* establishing a market, which again is primarily through location. I'm also willing to bet that Starbucks is in a prime spot.
@carstenfranke @taraprice @wiredfire @econads @brundaged @itsmeholland
You’re right, it’s not really a fair comparison and it’s not only because of scale. But my essential point is there is good use of the Internet, and there’s the other kind.
Starbucks’ approach was flood a region with outlets, and some are bound to be in prime locations. Lately, they’ve pulled back from that somewhat.
@carstenfranke @taraprice @wiredfire @itsmeholland @brundaged @econads
Regarding value added after establishing a market. Consider Amazon. Bezos radically changed the publishing industry because he realized selling books was constrained by reliance on physical location.
Not that I think anything that Amazon is doing today merits any particular praise. Nor Bezos, for that matter.
@Hippasus500
I also learned that Amazon established the market before investing much. They made websites for a wide range of areas and went with the one that got the most signups, which was book selling. Then they already had a mailing list of people who were interested. They're a case study for iterative development.
@carstenfranke @taraprice @wiredfire @itsmeholland @brundaged
@wiredfire @brundaged @econads @carstenfranke @taraprice
Derrick, I have no data either way regarding your proposition, although I suspect you’re closer to the truth than not (perhaps my bias).
Any business, small or large, is constrained by available resources, but needs to find ways to its market. Mass media, regardless of the medium, doesn’t cost much in $, but yields considerable control of its message.
Tough choices.
@carstenfranke @econads @wiredfire @taraprice @brundaged
Congratulations. I’d say that was savvy marketing. ^And^ that’s a hoot! But I need more persuasive statistics to be thoroughly convinced.
Plus I’m not entirely sure I want the countryside obscured with ever more billboards. They are energy efficient, though. And I fondly remember Burma Shave.
@Hippasus500
What's pleasant is a slightly different point from what's effective, or no one would have to deal with any adverts at all. :-)
I believe @carstenfranke because a billboard is location based, whereas a website/Instagram/mastodon is not. The exception might be, however much we hate it, a Google maps entry or other maps app. You need to advertise where your market is, when they're hungry/deciding where to eat. I assume, it's not my field.
econads
Wiredfire
Derrick Brundage
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Hippasus500 aka jwn2
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