Restaurant Marketing Isn’t Just About Going Viral

When I speak to restaurant owners about marketing, I often hear the same thing:

“We’re doing some influencer stuff…”

“We just got featured in a magazine…”

“We’re hoping to go viral on TikTok…”

These are all good tactics—but they’re not a marketing strategy.

If we want to grow sustainably, we need to stop thinking of marketing as a one-off event, and start seeing it as a system—a rhythm of visibility and engagement.

And to build that rhythm, you need to understand two core pillars:

Discovery and Retention.

Part 1: Discovery = Getting Found First

There are two types of customers you're marketing to:

1. People who have never heard of your restaurant
2. People who already know you but need a reason to return

Most restaurants only focus on the first group—and even then, they often rely on just influencers or a one-time PR boost.

But the truth is, discovery isn’t just about a moment of hype—it’s about building layers of visibility that compound over time.

Let’s break down the discovery stack:

1. Traditional Media (PR)

• Newspaper write-ups
• Magazine features
• Critic reviews

Why it matters:

• Brings credibility from established publications
• Strengthens your restaurant’s SEO through backlinks
• Improves visibility on Google search and Maps

It may feel “old school,” but PR works quietly in the background—boosting your discoverability for months, not days.

An example of our merchant, Abundance, featured in The Straits Times—showcasing how PR builds long-term visibility and credibility.

2. New Media (Influencers & Content Creators)

• Instagram reels
• TikTok videos
• Blogger shoutouts

Why it works:

• Creates quick bursts of attention
• Helps drive FOMO and urgency
• Reaches a younger, trend-sensitive crowd

But it’s also fast-moving and short-lived. One viral moment doesn’t guarantee long-term traffic.

3. Organic Channel Management (Google Reviews, Socials, Database)

This is the most neglected discovery channel—and yet the most powerful.

• 90% of customers check Google reviews before dining
• Your Google Maps ranking is based on review volume, freshness, and rating
• Customers search by location + cuisine (“best Thai in Katong”), and Google decides who shows up

A 4.3-star restaurant with 1,000 reviews often outranks a 4.7-star one with just 80.

Yet most restaurants don’t have a system to build reviews, reply to them, or update their profile.

Managing your Google and Meta presence might not feel exciting, but it’s what fuels daily discovery—quietly, reliably, and compounding over time.

Part 2: Retention = Fixing the Leaky Bucket

Let’s say your discovery strategy works. Customers come in.

But what happens next?

If they never return, you’ve got a leaky bucket—and all your marketing spend is going to waste.

Retention is how you plug that leak.

It’s how you grow without constantly chasing new customers.

Let’s break down how to make that happen.

Step 1: Capture Every Customer

You can’t re-market if you don’t have data.

Start capturing:

• Every diner, not just the one who paid
• Through reservations, check-ins, loyalty programs, and online orders

The more customers you capture, the more touchpoints you can create.

Step 2: Run Matched Audience Ads to Build Brand Recall

Once you’ve built a database, run matched audience campaigns on Meta, TikTok, or Google.

Let’s say your database has 30,000 customers.

You want each of them to see your content 10 times a month (brand recall = repetition).

That’s:

30,000 × 10 = 300,000 monthly impressions

At $5 CPM on Meta, your cost is:

(300,000 ÷ 1,000) × $5 = $1,500 per month

For $1,500, you can remind every past customer that you still exist—at the exact moment they’re deciding where to eat.

And because they already know you, these campaigns convert better and cost less than targeting strangers.

Abundance running different ad angles targeting a matched audience—driving recall and repeat visits efficiently.

Step 3: Reinforce with Weekly EDMs

Email is still one of the most effective and affordable remarketing tools.

• Open rate averages ~30%
• When sent weekly, ~50% of your database sees at least one email per month

Use email to:

• Share new dishes or promos
• Highlight convenience (delivery/reservation links)
• Celebrate milestones or holidays

The key isn’t design—it’s consistency.

The more you show up, the more likely they are to return.

So What Should a Restaurant Actually Do?

Here’s how to tie it all together:

1. Plan Occasional PR Pushes
2. Host Organic Food Voices Regularly
3. Build & Retarget Your Database Consistently

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Discovery fills the top of the funnel.

Retention ensures your revenue compounds month after month.

If You’re Not Sure Where to Start…

Ask yourself:

• Are we showing up on Google when people search our cuisine?
• Are we capturing all our customers, not just the one who pays?
• Are we reminding past customers to come back?

If you’re unsure on any of these, we’d be happy to help.

Until next time,

Jonathan Lim

Founder & CEO, Oddle