Take the Guess Work Out of Your Digital Marketing with 2023 Social Media, Website & SEO Best Practices!

Are you ready to maximize your 2023 digital marketing efforts? Then you’re in the right spot! While it may seem overwhelming and complicated, digital marketing doesn’t have to be.

We created this guide so that business owners who want to get ahead can get started without all the guesswork. Get best practices and top-ranking strategies for social media, website design, SEO and review management – all in one place.

Let’s jump into it together and find out how businesses can tackle digital marketing effectively with our 2023 best practices checklist.

Social Media Best Practices

1. Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin

Focus on the channels your target audience favors and adjust your posts according to those platforms. Remember to watch for emerging platforms your audience might start using and stay current on the latest usage trends.

2. Consistency is Key

Consistent posting and engagement are key on social media. Support your static posts with stories, reels, collabs and lives. Each platform has different benchmarks for optimal post frequency, but the general rule is to post at least two times a week.

3. Engage and Engage Some More

A common misconception is that posting is enough to get your brand out there. But you’ll see a significant increase in engagement if you comment on other brands’ posts, respond to customer comments, invite people to like your page and interact with aligned hashtags.

4. Use a Mix of High-Quality Media

Be diverse in using various types of media to keep your audience interested and support the goal of increased reach & engagement. Make sure the media created has a consistent brand look and feel. Consider a content mix of photo, video and customer-generated (curated) content. Make sure the media is sized correctly for the respective platforms.

5. When Collaborating…

… be sure to tag the businesses you’re collaborating with separately on each platform. Collaborate with other restaurants, vendors, and influencers to increase brand awareness and social following. Consider asking your audience questions and running contests, giveaways, or co-branded events and promotions.

6. Use Relevant Hashtags

Be strategic in using hashtags. Create a branded hashtag (if you haven’t already) and spread the word to get your customers to use the branded hashtag when posting content at the restaurant. Avoid using random hashtags and only use ones that are relevant to the content in the image/video. Max 1-2 hashtags (FB) & 3-5 hashtags on Instagram per post.

Reputation Management Best Practices

Effective management of online listings will help reinforce customer engagement and loyalty–both of which translate into sustained growth for any business.

1. Maintain Your Restaurant Listings

Ensure all your listings are up-to-date with the latest menu, hours of operation, contact information, photography, links to social media, the website etc. There’s nothing more frustrating than standing in front of closed doors.

2. Post Specials and Promos

Highlight specials and promotions on listings like Google Business Profile (Google My Business). When you post new content directly through your GMB listing, you are sharing relevant content and information about your local business, which contributes to building your location authority.

3. Claim Local Listings

Claim any listings that auto-populate to ensure you have control over changing information and media and can respond to reviews. Listings can include Google My Business, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Facebook, OpenTable, Zagat, Foursquare, MapQuest, Apple Maps, Local.com, etc.

Review Solicitation Best Practices

1. Ask for Reviews

Simple and effective. Personalize your email/sms and keep your message short and simple. Provide clear instructions on how to do it. DO NOT gate reviews to get only positive reviews over negative reviews.

2. Respond to ALL Reviews

Whether positive or negative, you want a dedicated person to respond to all reviews quickly. Taking the time to respond to reviews will not only show potential customers that you care, but it can also foster repeat business.

3. Use Reviews Across Platforms

Reviews have a positive impact on SEO. Moreso, it’s great curated content that can be used across channels, i.e. on the website, monthly social media posts, and email highlights to not only share the experience of others’ but also encourage customers to leave their own review.

Website Best Practices

1. Maintain Your Website

Keep your website updated with new images, menu updates, and business updates. Websites have a shelf life of 3-5 years. Avoid an outdated website as the user experience is often poor, especially on mobile, which can also impact SEO.

2. Brand Convergence

Keep in mind that your website is your digital storefront. It’s often a first touchpoint and should convey your message as clearly as possible. The colors, fonts, tone of voice, and pictures should all tell your story and give potential customers/clients a taste of what they will find when they work with you.

3. Use High-Quality Media

When it comes to your website’s gallery, you need high-quality, good-resolution images. Sometimes, pictures or short videos do all the persuasion you need. Think about your pictures as an investment. You can crop and reuse the photos on social media, flyers, or banners.

SEO Best Practices

1. Basic On-Page SEO

To ensure your site is indexed properly now and in the future, check your robots.txt and XML sitemap. Set up Google Search Console to look for errors. When it comes to on-page, ensure that you have unique and keyword-specific page URLs, title tags, meta description tags, headings, page copy, and image alt attributes.

2. Focus on Local SEO

Regardless of whether they go out to eat or order at home, most people choose restaurants close to them. You need to optimize your website for searches that would be relevant to people near you. Include terms like the name of the neighborhood, streets or landmarks near your place to make it easier to find.

3. Monitor, Analyze & Adjust

You need to monitor and analyze how your website and SEO efforts are working; SEO for restaurants is a gradual process and takes time. Set up Google Analytics and periodically check the daily traffic to your website and the behavior of website visitors on-page. From there, continue to make adjustments as needed.

Staying up-to-date with digital marketing best practices can seem daunting when trying to juggle all of the other components of having a successful business. From social media, review management, website and SEO, there are endless moving pieces and changes continuously taking place in this ever-evolving digital world.

It may seem like setting your digital marketing foundation for success is an uphill battle, but with the right strategy and team behind you, we believe that it doesn’t have to be!

Don’t let it overwhelm you; take small steps each day to ensure your online presence is seen and heard.

And if things start to feel too difficult, remember: we’re here to help! Our team of experts specializes in all things digital marketing – let us take some of the burdens off of your hands so you can focus more on what counts: growing your business.

Michelle has been with Mountain Mojo Group as Content Creator and Lead Social Media Manager since early 2020. Throughout her time here, she has led efforts in graphic design, social media, content writing, and branding strategies for our clients.