Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
Key insights
- YouTube is a search engine that might help restaurants reach latest audiences.
- Short clips grab attention, but long-form content helps brands turn viewers into loyal guests.
- Metadata and geolocation tagging are only as necessary because the content you post.
Restaurants don’t need content to achieve success. But it makes winning lots easier.
For years, restaurants competed on location, menu and word of mouth. Now also they are competing for attention. And increasingly, on YouTube, that spotlight is gained long before a customer even walks within the door.
At Google’s offices in New York City, this shift was evident: People are watching content on YouTube before they visit YouTube. Farah ShirzadiStrategic Partner Development Manager, Travel & Local Search at Google sees YouTube as some of the powerful tools restaurants have today.
“There are many different ways to use YouTube,” says Shirzadi. “You can have your long-form video, you can have YouTube shorts, you can do YouTube Lives, you can record podcasts like we’re doing right now.”
Restaurants aren’t any longer limited to a single variety of content or a single method to engage with guests.
There is a restaurant in London called fallow That proves the purpose. His YouTube channel doesn’t just show plated dishes. It takes the viewer into the kitchen, into the method, into the personalities behind the food. When someone books a table, they already feel like they know the place.
“So if there’s a long story that you want to tell, or maybe about your chef or maybe the farms that you use and you go and pick produce, something that you really want to immerse your viewer in, then the long form is the perfect solution,” says Shirzadi.
This is the change: restaurants aren’t any longer just places you go. They are brands that you just experience before you arrive. The first impression has shifted from the front door to the YouTube videos. And the restaurants that understand this convert spectators into guests before a reservation is even made.
Restaurants win on YouTube
If YouTube is where customers form their opinions, the following query is:
Start with what you have already got. For operators already posting on other platforms, the barrier to entry is lower than it seems. “Get the content you already have on YouTube,” says Shirzadi.
Don’t reinvent the wheel – it’s about being consistent and letting the info guide what comes next. And that is where YouTube excels.
“We love data here and that’s why we want you all to have really strong data behind the videos,” Shirzadi said. From the person watching to how they found you, this information becomes the roadmap. But content alone is just not enough – context is significant.
“Make sure your metadata in the videos is actually meaningful, such as the description, and that the title actually accurately reflects what the video is about,” says Shirzadi.
These details help match the fitting video to the fitting viewer. The same principle also applies to location.
“Make sure your geolocation tag is as specific as possible,” says Shirzadi. “If you have multiple restaurant locations, make sure the location you tag is also featured in the video.”
Small details, big impact. And restaurants don’t must do it alone.
“The one thing we haven’t touched on yet is the power of collaborating with local creatives in your community,” Shirzadi said.
This collaboration brings latest perspectives and latest goal groups. The playbook is just not complicated:
- Turn up
- Be clear
- Use the tools
- Pay attention to the info
Because the restaurants which might be searching for views don’t win on YouTube. They are those who construct connections with the fitting audience, video after video.
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Key insights
- YouTube is a search engine that might help restaurants reach latest audiences.
- Short clips grab attention, but long-form content helps brands turn viewers into loyal guests.
- Metadata and geolocation tagging are only as necessary because the content you post.
Restaurants don’t need content to achieve success. But it makes winning lots easier.
For years, restaurants competed on location, menu and word of mouth. Now also they are competing for attention. And increasingly, on YouTube, that spotlight is gained long before a customer even walks within the door.
At Google’s offices in New York City, this shift was evident: People are watching content on YouTube before they visit YouTube. Farah ShirzadiStrategic Partner Development Manager, Travel & Local Search at Google sees YouTube as some of the powerful tools restaurants have today.
