Top ten strategies for ghost kitchen marketing
Ghost kitchens rely primarily on online food marketing to generate revenue. While third-party marketplaces, such as Grubhub, will directly sell your kitchen concept in an app, you may incur substantial expenses.
Some cloud kitchens have chosen to bypass this step and instead rely on innovative ideas for marketing a ghost kitchen. Where a ghost kitchen’s website serves as its online storefront, social media is a vital marketing avenue for them to increase traffic and, as a result, sales.
Below are the top ten strategies for ghost kitchen marketing:
1. Download Food-delivery Apps
Ordering your favorite dish from a restaurant is no longer a hassle, thanks to the apps that help deliver it on demand. With a simple tap on the phone screen, you can access hundreds of delicious cuisines from different restaurants. Similarly, downloading a favorite food delivery app is an essential step towards marketing your ghost kitchen online. Through the app, you get some built-in ghost kitchen marketing for your restaurants and online kitchens.
Fortunately, these applications use your business location to suggest nearby restaurants, so you’ll be advertised to folks in your region by default. Your business page will attract customers if it includes your logo and looks, as well as those high-quality food photos. Additionally, you can create your meal ordering app or sign up for delivery services like Doordash, Uber Eats, or Postmates. The benefit of using a third-party app is that you gain access to the company’s vast client base and a steady supply of delivery drivers. However, be careful while selecting a third-party app because it comes with a fair share of challenges, namely;
Some apps may be costly, although the cost varies with the service provider. Most of them integrate several delivery partners that make it challenging to keep track of shipments as they arrive. Order aggregation and management systems like KitchenHub let virtual restaurants take control of their orders. The process makes juggling tablets and re-punching orders a thing of the past. When you’re using various third-party distribution platforms, using compatible logos and designs is impossible. Furthermore, requesting logo updates from multiple delivery partners can be time-consuming.
2. Take Control of Your Social Media Presence
Social media presence is key to increasing your visibility across different platforms. Therefore, stamping your presence across many platforms gives you an edge over your competitors. If you have a limited budget, choose the platforms that best fit your business and focus your efforts there. Here are the most important social media channels for ghost advertising:
Instagram
Instagram offers a creative, fun, and simple way to record and share whatever you want in different formats – stories, posts, Live, Reels. For business owners, it is a robust platform for marketing a ghost kitchen, with the potential to increase your sales. The platform has over 2 billion active users, making it the ideal place to showcase visual content and lure customers into eating your food
Your Instagram content has the potential to strengthen the bond between your company and its clients.You can post images of mouth-watering cuisines, step-by-step recipes, tutorial videos, and behind-the-scenes photos of what happens in the kitchen.
You can also interact with your consumers in the comments section, where you will be responding to frequently asked questions. You can gather as much opinion on how to make your clients happy too. You can increase audience engagement by hosting promotions, awarding bonuses, and sharing reviews from past customers who liked your services. Don’t forget about geo and hashtags, they work!
Facebook
According to Statistica, Facebook is the largest online community bringing together an estimated 3.07 billion active users every month.You can use Facebook to entice clients by informing them of special offers. By including calls to action in your postings, you can ensure that people are motivated to take action. As a restaurant sales strategy, you can allow customers to order your cuisine, download content, or receive discount codes with a click.To promote your business in the way Meta “wants” – according ti their regulations and algorithms – check that.
TikTok
TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social sites, with a user base of around 1,925 billion users.The Chinese-owned social network is younger than most social networks, it is 8 years old, yet making revolutions for online marketers. It features comics, dances, and educational content from different promoters. As a result, restaurants are more aware of its potential as a food online marketing platform. How else can you reach out to a younger audience unless you upload comic videos on TikTok? You can showcase a new dish with a short movie, demonstrate how you’re putting safety measures in place, or make a video with a comic element if it fits your brand.
3. Create an Appealing Website to Lay the Groundwork
A restaurant website platform is the internet home of your ghost kitchen. It gives potential customers a comprehensive picture of your company. A website also serves as a central location where customers find links to your social media accounts, examine menus, and even place an order.It is therefore critical to invest in a solid restaurant website platform if you want to be successful online. It should showcase appealing visuals, faster page loading time, and quality content that makes your clients come back.
Use engaging pictures of your food, as well as high-quality images or videos expressing your brand’s personality, on your website. Because you don’t have a physical dining room, this is the place to show off what the ambiance of your restaurant would be like in the real world. This will significantly assist in attracting more customers. However, for effective results, give your customers a thrilling call to action. You may include your restaurant’s story, links to menus and social media platforms, and buttons such as ‘Order Now’ or ‘Get 10% Off Your First Order.’ It is critical to invest in a solid website if you want to be successful online.
If you want to make a website on your own and need a quick launch with online ordering, Wix and Squarespace are great choices. For advanced customization and scalability, go for Webflow or WordPress.
4. Use Digital Consumer Retention to Your Advantage
Once you’ve persuaded a consumer to purchase a meal, you should entice them to order for more. It’s significantly less expensive to keep a customer who has already expressed interest than it is to find a new one.
For this reason, you need digital solutions that match the digital age. You can provide a variety of incentives such as loyalty benefits, a discount on their next order, or a special deal when they buy a meal for a friend. When designing a ghost kitchen marketing plan, your goal is to develop a solid relationship with your customers. Therefore, robust customer relationship management is the key. You can utilize a customer’s email address or phone number to retarget them when they order their first meal. You can use these channels to inform your consumers about a new menu or a special holiday deal to entice them to return. AWeber, for instance, is a free email marketing tool. It enables business owners to create and grow an email marketing list from their customers. You can sign up for free and take advantage of their basic package.
5. Encourage Referrals Over the Internet
Online reviews have been an essential feature in online marketing. 42% of consumers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Fake reviews can backfire – if customers sense manipulation, credibility and sales suffer. Platforms are also cracking down, making honesty the smarter long-term move.
Genuine reviews – even the critical ones – are way more valuable. They help businesses understand what really matters to customers and what needs improvement. Consumers are also becoming more flexible: they don’t need tons of reviews, just ones they can trust.
Instead of faking it, brands should focus on encouraging real feedback – it builds loyalty and creates a stronger reputation over time.
6. Improve on Negative Reviews
Remind yourself: reviews are the way to go! It is critical to keep your consumers satisfied, and reviews may provide you with fast feedback. Some of your evaluations will be immediately actionable: for example, if a customer is dissatisfied because the food arrived cold, you may wish to adjust your packing. If someone mentioned that the salad had too much dressing, you might want to keep your condiments in a separate container. What your customers say about you on the internet is important to potential customers.
As a result, it’s critical to respond to your evaluations, especially the bad ones. Answering the consumer and explaining what went wrong or simply informing them that you’ll do better next time demonstrates that you care and want to make it right.
7. Send Out a Frequent Newsletter Using Email Marketing
Email lists are like gold dust for digital marketers. According to HubSpot’s digital marketing specialists, email marketing is one of the most effective food online marketing tools you have. Once you have your customers’ email addresses, you may send them emails weekly or monthly to keep them up to date on new specials or dishes on your menu.
You can use this to remind them to place another order or to engage them in a special offer, to mention a few possibilities. Customers will look forward to the newsletter once they have grown accustomed to getting your frequent offers and information via email. When done correctly, this may be a vital instrument for building loyalty and repeat business.
Here are some great email marketing services for restaurants and small businesses looking to engage customers and drive repeat orders:
Klaviyo – Advanced personalization and data-driven automation, ideal for targeting customers based on past purchases or dining history.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) – Affordable and includes SMS marketing along with email campaigns. Perfect for small and mid-sized businesses.
Constant Contact – Simple to use with built-in templates and marketing automation, perfect for beginners.
Kit – More suited for content-driven marketing, but great for personalizing emails and building a loyal audience.
8. Master the Art of Menu Management
A great menu isn’t just about food – it’s a sales tool that influences orders and profitability. Start with high-quality photos and engaging descriptions to make dishes stand out. Use distinctive names like “Smoky Chipotle Burger” instead of just “Burger” to create a lasting impression. Keep the layout simple, highlight bestsellers, and limit choices to avoid overwhelming customers.
Beyond visuals, pricing strategy is key. Regularly assess which dishes bring the most profit and phase out low-performing ones. Combo deals and upsells (like adding drinks or sides) can boost revenue. Make sure your menu is synced across all platforms using tools like KitchenHub to prevent outdated listings and maintain branding consistency. Optimize for delivery by ensuring food travels well, packaging is secure, and customers can easily customize their orders. A well-managed menu improves efficiency, increases sales, and keeps customers coming back.
9. Enrich Your Website Traffic
Moving your Business ahead depends on getting to know your customers. Conduct a market segment to help you understand your consumer needs. Afterward, craft content that meets their taste and demand. Do people have varied tastes in different areas? What is the typical age of your customers, and what do they like to do?
Driving more traffic to your website is essential for increasing orders, building brand awareness, and staying competitive. More visitors mean more potential customers, but it’s not just about quantity – it’s about attracting the right audience who is interested in your food and ready to order.
How to Increase Website Traffic (besides using Social Media & Ads, Email and SMS marketing):
SEO Optimization – Make sure your website ranks on Google by using the right keywords, optimizing page speed, and keeping your menu updated.
Google Business Profile – A well-optimized listing helps your restaurant appear in local searches and Google Maps.
Influencer & User-Generated Content – Partner with food bloggers or encourage customers to share photos and reviews with links to your website.
Online Ordering & Exclusive Deals – Give customers a reason to visit your site instead of third-party apps by offering better deals or loyalty rewards.
10. Build a Seamless Omnichannel Strategy
An omnichannel approach ensures a consistent experience across your website, delivery apps, and social media, making it easier for customers to find and order from you.
Key Steps:
- Keep branding, menus, and messaging uniform across all platforms.
- Sync menus to prevent outdated pricing or unavailable items.
- Link platforms (e.g., social posts driving traffic to your website).
- Use customer data to personalize offers and re-engage past buyers.
To Summarize:
There are numerous methods for marketing your restaurant or ghost kitchen online. They include food delivery apps, social media platforms, creating a website, retaining past customers, and credible referrals. Additionally, you can build a frequent emailing list, design an appealing menu management system, and use an omnichannel restaurant.
Besides this, you should commit and keep true to your brand. After all, food is the most effective method to foster community. By implementing an effective ghost kitchen marketing strategy, you will increase your popularity and provide your delicious meals to an increasing number of people.
