Impact of Digital Marketing in the Food and Beverage Industry

The food industry is undergoing a series of digital transformations and digital marketing has become a crucial aspect of digital marketing in the food industry. No longer can food businesses rely solely on the quality of products and services to draw customers.

Rather, they must now engage with them digitally and promote their offerings through promotion. In this blog post, we’ll look at why digital marketing is essential in today’s food industry and how it helps businesses stay competitive while reaching more consumers.

Digitisation Trends in Food and Beverage Industry

In this highly competitive business environment, visibility is equally important as food quality. To be successful, brands should convince customers that they offer something unique and better than their competitors. However, unlike in the past, word-of-mouth publicity is no longer sufficient. Investing sufficient time and resources in digital marketing is also necessary.

The following facts and figures suggest the importance of adopting digitisation in the food and beverages industry.

1. Increased online food delivery:

As per a report published by Allied Market Research, the market of online food delivery is expected to reach $365 billion by 2026. This will mark a growth of 10.7% CAGR in five years between 2019 and 2016.

2. Digital technologies in food production:

ResearchAndMarkets has found that the global market in digital technologies for food and beverage production will grow at 9.2% annually between 2020-2025.

3. Rise in food tech startups:

Technology has played a major role in revolutionizing the food industry. Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods use technology to create plant-based alternatives to meat.According to Zion Market Research, the global e-commerce grocery market will grow to $180 billion in 2022.

4. Mobile apps:

Statista’s study shows that mobile app downloads have increased in the past few years. This trend is likely to continue.

10 Impacts of Digital Marketing in the Food and Beverage industry

1. Greater reach:

It is now easier for food and beverage companies, including those located across the globe, to reach more people through digital marketing. Companies can reach customers previously unreachable through social media, email marketing, and search engine optimisation. 

Companies can create engaging content that is easily shared across multiple platforms in order to expand their reach and visibility. This can increase brand awareness and website traffic.

2. Real-time Analytics:

Companies can monitor their marketing success with digital marketing by using real-time analytics. You can track customer engagement, website traffic, as well as sales data. These data can be used for making better sales and marketing decisions. 

This information can be used by companies to optimise their campaigns, adjust messaging and improve results. Companies can use real-time analytics to remain agile and responsive to market changes and consumer behaviour.

3. Personalisation:

Digital marketing allows food and drinks companies to target specific customers and personalise their messages. Companies can create personalised content, offers, or experiences that resonate with customers using customer data and analytics. 

This data can be used to create targeted campaigns that convert more and drive sales. Personalization is crucial to creating strong customer relationships and a memorable brand experience.

4. Cost-effective:

Digital marketing can often be cheaper than traditional advertising methods like billboards, TV commercials, print ads and TV commercials. It is a great option for small and medium-sized companies looking to promote their products. 

Digital marketing campaigns can be a great way for companies to generate more revenue and a high return-on-investment (ROI). Companies that are looking to maximise their marketing budgets and achieve tangible results need to be cost-effective.

5. Social media engagement:

Food and beverage companies have embraced social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to connect with customers. These platforms allow them to promote their products and interact in real-time with customers. 

Social media marketing can be a powerful way to increase brand awareness, engage customers, and drive sales. Social media can be used by companies to establish a strong brand voice, and a loyal following.

6. Online Reviews:

Consumers now consider online reviews when making purchase decisions. Food and beverage companies can use positive reviews to boost their marketing campaigns. You can share positive reviews on your website, social media and other digital channels. 

This will help you build trust and increase sales. Online reviews are an important part of reputation management. They can either make or break a company’s online presence.

7. Experience for mobile devices:

Food and beverage companies must ensure that their websites are mobile-friendly due to the increasing use of mobile devices. Customers can browse and buy products while on the go with this mobile optimisation. 

Mobile optimisation is crucial for providing a seamless user experience, increasing conversions and ensuring seamless customer service. Mobile optimisation is a critical component of attracting customers.

8. Influencer Marketing:

Food and beverage companies have found that influencer marketing is a great way to reach new customers. To promote their products, companies can work with social media influencers or personalities. 

Influencer marketing is a great way to increase brand awareness, engage followers, and drive sales. Influencer marketing can be used by companies to reach niche audiences and build credibility with their customers.

9. Email Marketing:

Email marketing can be a cost-effective method for food and beverage companies to reach customers directly. It can be used by companies to share new products and offers with customers, as well as provide exclusive content. 

Email marketing can be a powerful tool to build customer loyalty and drive repeat business. Email marketing can be used by companies to maintain customer relationships and keep them connected with their brand.

10. Online ordering:

Digital marketing has made online ordering and delivery possible. With a mobile app or website, customers can order food and beverages online. This is especially important in light of the COVID-19 epidemic when many people are reluctant to eat out. Online ordering and delivery can be a convenient and secure option for customers while increasing their sales.

Best Digital Marketing Practices for Food & Beverages Business

The food and beverage industry is gaining immense popularity in the coming times. It has been expected that by 2024, this industry will reach a market volume of, say, $105.7 billion. The market growth rate will make it more competitive.

Considering this, we have mentioned the list of 8 best digital marketing practices for your food and beverage business:

1. Develop a Website to Display Food and Beverages:

Marketing your food items and drinks online is the most essential thing in this digital era. It hardly matters what kind of campaign you run, but you tend to send a lot of people to your page. When you invest in online marketing for food/beverage manufacturers, then you build an engaging and user-friendly website.

Approximately 94% of the first visitors to your website will relate to your industry through your web design. And, if your web design is not that engaging, then you set a negative impression on the audience. So, it is important to build an appealing site by:

• Establish your style guide so as to showcase what your different components look like.
• Integrating relatable photos and videos to generate interest amongst the audience.

Apart from the visual aspect, it is important to have a user-friendly website. To have a user-friendly site, you need to check the page speed so that the pages load quickly. The CTA buttons direct the audience to go to the next step and make the information visible to them.

2. Majority of the Consumers Trust Food Bloggers:

Presently, food bloggers sway the highest degrees of trust at online portals. The entertaining and educational content of these bloggers provides a wonderful opportunity for this industry to enhance their brand awareness as well as retention and gain new consumers.

It has been estimated that:

• Nearly 80% of the users believe in bogs for information about food quality.
• Food bloggers have more or less 4 times as many followers as any other industry
• Approximately, 81% of the consumers desire to know about the recipe of the food and beverage and check behind the scene footage.

It is advisable to partner with food bloggers and influencer marketing for your food business. This will help you introduce your menu to audiences and gain an immense following. To make it more interesting, you need to create content about organic and vegan products.

3. Start Email Marketing

It is better that you initiate an e-mail marketing program and generate a monthly or annual schedule so that your food/beverage posts are spaced out properly. No doubt, emails can be sent in just a few seconds, and for that, you just require email listings of probable consumers.

Send the mailers about new product offerings, exciting deals and offers, interesting events, and discount coupon codes to keep the consumers engaged.

4. Use Social Media Marketing Platforms:

Look for different ways to connect with the audience on a one-to-one basis. But, how is this possible at this time? It is only possible with the help of a social media marketing strategy. This way, you will connect with people who are food lovers. Social media is one of the best ways to reach the old existing consumers in a short period of time. It has a great impact on consumers.

Social platforms give a wonderful opportunity to market as well as highlight your products. There are several platforms that can be used for food and beverage marketing. These are as follows:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

These social platforms will assist you to connect with the audience and share information about the business. You can post photos and videos as these are visual platforms. It works really well for your food and beverage business as food lovers enjoy looking at the pictures and watching videos.

Posting organic content is a must to engage the consumer with your business. This is how you build relationships and brand name familiarity in and around your business.

5. Use Pay-Per-Click or PPC to capture leads:

 If you are actually searching to reach the leads, then PPC ads are the best strategy for online marketing of food and beverage manufacturers.

These ads are the paid ones that appear at the start of search results. However, to start running PPC ads, you need to select relevant keywords, and your selection will determine which place your ad will come in search results. For the right leads to discover your business, you need to concentrate on long-tail keywords.

The long-tail keywords draw the attention of more interested leads, and they cost less as well. Some businesses opt for long-tail keywords as they are a bit specific, and this also lowers their cost per click.

No wonder PPC is a priceless part of digital marketing for this kind of industry. And, if you are searching for strategies that are simple to get started with, then without fail, PPC ads are the best.

6. List your Business in Online Directories:

You will come across several websites like Zomato, Swiggy, Food Panda, Uber Eats, etc., where you can easily list your food and drink items. With the help of smartphone apps and these websites, you can access these platforms to sell your products by giving a certain amount of commission to such platforms.

Moreover, with amazing offers and discounts, you can procure more and more consumers within a short span of time. This way, you can market your product and make it known to the public. Last but not least, your main motto must be to offer the food to the liking of the consumers.

7. Consumers Turn their Attention to YouTube for Food and Beverages Tips:

In the present day, a lot of people depend on YouTube, and this is the reason why there are so many YouTubers in the market. This channel enjoys an immense following of food and beverage consumers. Usually, consumers look for culinary tutorials or recipes. It is a wonderful opportunity to attract the attention of millions toward your brand.

• Nearly half of adults learn from food and beverage videos on YouTube
• Since Covid-19, the interest among individuals in cooking skyrocketed by, say 110%.
• 85% of people turn to YouTube to take guidance for preparing special meals

Hence, there are infinite opportunities to promote your brand name. Starting from catchy covers to packaging designs to box packing, everything is looked at by the consumer. Delivering food to your doorstep with amazing packaging is what an individual needs. Just understand the psyche of the probable consumers and then make every possible effort to reinvent your brand name in the market.

8. Use of Digital Channels for the Food / Beverage Industry Today

You cannot deny the fact that if you invest in online marketing for food and beverage manufacturers, then it will definitely help to raise your business. You will attract more traffic and reach higher leads interested in your business. Therefore, you will earn more revenue for your business.

It is not easy to drive revenue from any business, and likewise, the food and beverage industry is also not easy. For two years, this industry is also facing hard times, and sales have decreased to a great extent. So, looking for digital marketing practices to promote your brand will eventually help you to succeed in the near future. So, look no further and take the assistance of a reputable company for your digital marketing for the food industry.

How is food digital marketing different compared to other industries?

Food digital marketing is a unique form of digital advertising tailored to the food industry. While many principles of digital marketing apply across all industries, food digital marketing stands out in several ways from other sectors:

i) Focus on Visuals:

Food digital marketing is heavily visual, such as photos and videos of dishes and ingredients. Food products are highly visual, so the quality of visuals can make a huge difference in how appetizing they appear to potential customers.

ii) Focus on Taste and Experience:

Food digital marketing often emphasises the taste and experience of the product, rather than simply its features or benefits. This could involve showcasing various sensory elements like aroma, texture, and flavour in order to convey a complete sensory experience while eating the food.

iii) Localisation:

Food is often tied to local cultures and traditions, so food digital marketing may highlight regional cuisines and ingredients. This may involve targeting specific geographic regions and creating content that resonates with local audiences.

iv) Seasonal and Temporal Promotions:

Food digital marketing often takes advantage of seasonal and timely promotions, such as holiday-themed dishes or limited-time menu items. These offers can create an atmosphere of urgency and anticipation among customers.

v) Influencer Marketing:

Influencer marketing can be especially successful in the food industry, as food bloggers and influencers typically have large and engaged audiences that trust their recommendations. Collaborating with influencers helps food brands reach new customers and bolster credibility with existing ones.

Bottom Line

The food industry has changed drastically over the years. Today, it’s harder to own a successful food business.

Even street vendors could offer good service at times in the food and beverage industry. The digital era has raised the level of competition. In any case, it takes a bit more time and effort to engage and convert customers into sales.

Emerging food businesses can benefit from a variety of digital marketing channels. Through multiple channels, food and beverage brands can reach out to customers.

It is always best to choose or hire the best digital marketing agency, which can dramatically increase the ROI of your food and beverage business’s digital marketing campaign without having to hire or train an in-house team.

Choosing a full-service digital marketing agency for your food business will allow you to create a seamless and effective strategy. It is important to consider how much an agency emphasises ROI and measures it when hiring a digital marketing company.

Expand My Business helps you in getting in touch with your best digital marketing agency to help you find reliable results. By providing our clients with digital marketing services, we help them stay on top of their competitors. With the latest technology and trends, Expand My Business provides clients with digital marketing services in the Food and Beverage industry tailored to meet their needs.

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