Marketing
13 Best Marketing Agencies for Your Restaurant
October 13, 2022
Need more support for your restaurant’s marketing efforts? Here are some marketing agencies that fit the bill.
Between selecting a great restaurant name, making interior design choices, posting on social media accounts, understanding SEO and designing a menu, there are a lot of marketing decisions that restaurants need to make. Most restaurant owners and workers are passionate about delivering memorable food and hospitality, not marketing.
If you’re looking for support on your marketing efforts, it might be time to consider working with a marketing agency. Below, you’ll see a few reasons why an agency could be the right fit for you and a list of great marketing agencies working for restaurants.
Why Restaurants Use Marketing Agencies
1. Dedicated marketing support
Unless you’re a hospitality group, chances are you don’t have someone on staff dedicated to your marketing efforts full-time. Because the hospitality industry is highly competitive, it’s important to spend the resources on differentiating yourself and investing in your marketing is a great way to do that. When your team becomes stretched too thin to manage all marketing responsibilities, it’s time to think about outsourcing.
2. Deep expertise in a particular topic
Even if you do have a marketing professional on your team, it may be helpful to supplement their knowledge with an agency. For example, someone might excel in graphic design and photography but know little about SEO. If you’re looking for help on a specific type of marketing, you can find a specialist at an agency.
3. An outside perspective
The most experienced and educated marketer still benefits from an extra set of eyes. Hearing the viewpoint of someone who isn’t embedded in your brand has its advantages and an agency offers an analysis from a different vantage point.
If you’ve been struggling to decide the best layout for your printed menus or the right content for your social media posts or how to respond to Yelp reviews, an outside perspective can bring clarity and reassurance to you.
13 Best Restaurant Marketing Agencies
Open to working with an agency but not sure where to start? Here are 13 well-respected firms to take into consideration. We've included links to their websites, an overview of what they offer and a list of their specialties.
Anchor Design + Business Consulting
Anchor Design + Business Consulting is a design studio based in Royal Oak, Michigan. They’re self-described “design snobs” focused on brand identity and web design for a wide range of clients including many food service concepts.
Specialities: Web design, web development, e-commerce design, brand design, package design, menu design, logo design
Beamed Media
Beamed Media is a woman-owned agency based in Freeland, Maryland with an expertise in digital marketing. Helping small businesses, including many restaurants, create a digital identity and build an online presence are the two key focuses for this team.
Specialities: Reputation management, social media marketing, local SEO, paid digital advertising, WiFi-based advertising, email marketing, text & SMS marketing, videography, photography
Capxure Growth
Capxure is a growth strategy collective with a passion for translating brand vision into sustainable marketing strategies for hospitality. The Las Vegas based firm offers actionable, KPI-driven strategies paired with ongoing leadership and follow-through or advisory to keep your marketing team on track.
Specialties: Marketing leadership, growth strategy, market positioning, marketing automation, content strategy, experiential marketing, partnerships
Carbonate
Carbonate is a brand communications and creative services agency located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The group’s strategists and storytellers specialize in four key areas (brand strategy, design, social media and media relations) for food, beverage, restaurants, hotels and destinations.
Specialities: Market positioning, identity development, messaging strategy, content development, social media campaign ideation and execution, media monitoring
Cohere
Cohere is a design-forward branding, marketing and creative studio with a passion for telling good stories for hospitality brands. They’re based on the East Coast, with offices in New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Specialities: Market research, focus groups, SWOT analysis, copywriting, website strategy, signage, merchandise and product design, vendor procurement, interior design direction, virtual events
Digital Society
Digital Society helps small businesses thrive online. The Austin, Texas digital marketing agency supports restaurants in attracting new customers and growing local awareness. Social media management including content creation, posting and engagement strategy is their forte.
Specialities: Online reputation management, social media advertising, newsletters, email marketing, A/B testing, Google Analytics reporting, website management, follower acquisition
Embark Marketing
Embark Marketing is a digital marketing agency in San Antonio, Texas specializing in the food & beverage industry. For the past 10 years, the company has assisted restaurants and bars in storytelling that creates long-term connections with hungry customers.
Specialities: Websites, SEO, photography, public relations, content creation, social media
Fivespot
Fivespot is a fully remote SEO agency that helps restaurants master their online profiles like Google MyBusiness, understand review sites like Yelp and improve web searchability. In addition, they offer a variety of digital marketing services.
Specialities: Google and Yelp management, pay-per-click advertising, local SEO, web design and development, custom email campaigns
IRL Agency
IRL is a social media and events agency for experience-driven brands. Based in Washington, DC, the creative company goes all in on bringing a brand’s vibe to life — both online and offline — through social media, content and events.
Specialities: Caption writing, social community engagement, creative direction, location scouting, permits & licensing, event staffing, experiential marketing
Jastor
Jastor is a branding agency with offices in Florida, Georgia, Colorado, Mexico City, Dubai and London. They’re all about being brand disruptors, innovators, creators, incubators and accelerators with a soft spot for hospitality.
Specialities: Signage design, renderings, uniforms, merchandise, animation, packaging, digital strategy, podcasts and radio
Marketing Success
Marketing Success is an internet marketing company out of Troy, Michigan. Their two focus areas are eCommerce and marketing services with the goal of creating online success for their clients.
Specialities: Website and email hosting, payment processing solutions, SEO, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, website design
Saint Urbain
Saint Urbain is a branding and design agency in New York and Los Angeles that’s made up of young, dynamic creatives. They’re passionate about helping restaurants with concept and identity, packaging design, menus, merchandising, marketing and interior design.
Specialities: Brand activations, food photography, video production, influencer relations, marketing strategy, customer analysis, mood boards, naming and taglines
Stevens Group
Stevens Group is a public relations, marketing and branding firm for restaurants, hospitality, luxury brands, food and beverage companies. Based in Houston, Texas, they have experience with both independent and multi-unit restaurants.
Specialities: Media relations, media buying, crisis management, community relations, graphic design and packaging, event planning, social media, litigation support
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