Nowadays, when everyone searches daily for the products and services they need on Google, and when 90% of homes are connected to the Internet, having an online presence is essential for local businesses, including bakeries. To help you succeed, here are some digital marketing tips to help you succeed with your online bakery.
1. The basis: being visible online (showcase site or store)
Before even selling your first pain au chocolat, your bakery must first be known and visible. That is why The first step to growing your online bakery is to create a website or online store which will allow you to be visible on the web. This site must have various qualities: be beautiful, ergonomic, practical, clear and organized, get straight to the point to meet the demands of your customers, and of course highlight your products.
Once your site is created, you will need to optimize its content for search engines (SEO) so that it appears at the top of search results when people are looking for bakeries in your area. To do this, the key to improving your SEO is to use relevant keywords – for example the names of your products, nut bread, traditional baguette, butter croissants, sandwich, etc. – in the content of your site, and to acquire quality links to your site, because domain authority is a primary factor.
2. Get customer reviews
Your website will sell better if it has a good reputation. In this regard, customer reviews are the royal voice to improve the online reputation of your bakery. On a daily basis, use your store to encourage your customers to leave reviews on your website, on Google or rather on systems like Trustpilot, where reviews are controlled, therefore more reliable, therefore of better quality. Positive reviews can help attract new customers by acting as “social proof” (if others like it, I like it too), while negative reviews, apart from the fact that they can give you the opportunity to improve your service, simply serve to make it true – because in a good story there is always a grumpy person.
Always respond to reviews, positive or negative, in a professional and courteous manner, and if possible funny and friendly. This shows that you care about your customers and are willing to listen to their feedback.
3. Offer click and collect
Services linked to the sales formula are among the best ways to distinguish your offer from the competition. Click and collect, or in-store collection, is an option increasingly used by local businesses; it allows customers to order and pay online, then later pick up their order in store at a time convenient to them.
This formula will find its maximum power if you combine it with a promotion for large purchases, such as “More than 10 items purchased, or more than €60 purchased, 5% reduction”. This will allow you to reach large families or small businesses. Customers can order their bread and pastries in advance and collect them in the morning on their way to work, or at lunchtime.
4. Offer home delivery
Home delivery allows your customers to receive their bread and pastries directly at home, without having to travel. On Sundays in winter, this formula could well be a hit if your bakery is located near a residential area or in a wealthy area: because who, in families, wants to spend 15 minutes in the cold just to pick up croissants, when they can arrive, hot, by a delivery man on a bicycle or scooter?
You can offer delivery yourself – but it’s work – or use a third-party delivery service. In both cases, set reasonable delivery rates and clearly communicate delivery times to customers – you don’t want to collect customer reviews like “I’ve been waiting for my brioche for 3 weeks”.
5. Post promos
Promos, discounts, “buy 3/get 1 free” and other special offers can help your bakery attract new customers and retain existing customers. You can offer discounts on online purchases, free shipping offers for large orders, or discovery packages for new customers.
There you have it, I hope that these tips for developing your online bakery and attracting new customers will have given you ideas and desire. Remember to always provide excellent service and quality products, as this is what will retain your customers in the long term.
IMAGE: https://pixabay.com/fr/photos/boulangerie-pains-assorti-1868925/