A detailed marketing strategy demonstrating my approach to local restaurant social media

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Royal Baths has built a strong reputation in Harrogate through exceptional food quality and their stunning historic venue - they rank #1 in local search with 675 Google reviews averaging 4.3 stars. However, a digital audit reveals they're leaving significant opportunity on the table.

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About This Strategy

This is a comprehensive marketing strategy I developed for Royal Baths, an authentic Chinese restaurant in Edinburgh, to demonstrate my approach to local business marketing. This analysis is based on publicly available information and showcases how I identify opportunities and create actionable plans for food businesses.

Brand story: bring the taste of Guangzhou to your table

The Challenge: Success Built on Tradition, Limited by Digital Neglect

Three Critical Gaps

1. Abandoned Social Media Presence

• Last Instagram post: June 2022 (over 2.5 years of silence)
• Last Facebook activity: sporadic posts spanning 18-month gaps
• No Instagram Stories, Reels, or TikTok
• Only 30-50% of comments receive responses

2. Dormant Google Business Profile

• Last GMB post: April 2023 (18+ months without updates)
• No "Reserve a Table" integration
• Drops to #6-7 in mobile map searches
• 675 reviews aren't actively leveraged for engagement

3. Mobile Performance Issues

• Website fails Core Web Vitals on mobile
• 2.6-second load time creates friction when potential customers are actively deciding
• Desktop performance is excellent, but the mobile experience drives away conversions

The Core Problem

Royal Baths is passive rather than proactive digitally. They've succeeded through word-of-mouth and their exceptional physical location, but they're essentially invisible to the growing market segment that discovers restaurants through social media first.

What's at stake: Competitors with inferior food and ambiance but active social presence are capturing market share from customers who never discover Royal Baths exists. With Harrogate's affluent, food-conscious demographic actively engaged on Instagram, the restaurant is missing conversations they should be leading.

The Opportunity: What's Possible

Harrogate has a thriving food scene with an engaged social media community actively searching for authentic dining experiences. Royal Baths has several competitive advantages:

• Authenticity: Real Chinese cuisine, not westernized versions
• Story potential: Family recipes, traditional cooking methods, cultural heritage
• Visual appeal: Vibrant dishes, skilled preparation techniques
• Local gap: Opportunity to become the go-to authentic Chinese restaurant in the area

What Success Looks Like (60-90 Days):

• Consistent posting schedule (4x per week)
• Engaged local follower base of 300-500 Edinburgh food enthusiasts
• 20-40 direct inquiries or reservations through social channels
• Improved Google Business Profile ranking for "Chinese restaurant Edinburgh"
• Established presence in Edinburgh food blogger/influencer community
• Measurable increase in foot traffic from social referrals