The Evolution of Restaurant Reviews
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In looking at the evolution of user-generated content and the power and influence of social media, it is interesting to note the effect it has on restaurants, large and small. In fact, eating establishments now look to social media as one of the primary sources to learn what today’s restaurant goers want.
On Facebook, chefs post pictures of new creations to share with friends, and more importantly, learn what the public likes and how to improve upon their already existing menus. In turn, this generates substantial buzz for the restaurant. And this isn’t just happening on restaurant Facebook pages or Twitter feeds. It’s all over chef profiles, as their personal pages become more intertwined with where they work and their networks become brand advocates, posting and sharing the content as well. According to the McKinsey Quarterly, word-of-mouth marketing and reviews can have a profound influence on consumers, as they are actively seeking the required information to finalize their decision to use a product or service.
From reviews in the newspaper, to Yelp and UrbanSpoon, to social media, the evolution of what is a restaurant review has blurred. And that’s ok with me. Honestly, I think the more involvement the public can have in the creative and marketing process of restaurants, the better.
