bake - January/February 2024 - 8

practical marketing
Demonstrating
You Care
Demonstrating community involvement plays an instrumental
role in the success of your bakery business.
" Consumers are increasingly turning to online reviews not only
to make in-person dining decisions, but also to discover new
places to dine, " says Monica Ho, CMO of SOCi. " A restaurant's
online reputation, therefore, has a profound impact on its success
and its local visibility - how prominently it features in local
search results and the likelihood it gets discovered by potential
customers. As such, effectively managing online reputation becomes
a strategic imperative for enhancing local visibility and
driving business growth. "
SOCi Inc. recently released a comprehensive review and ranking
of the leading sit-down restaurant chains in the US based on
their online reputation score. Each reputation score was carefully
calculated based on five key parameters, evaluating overall
restaurant location performance across top social and business
listings platforms, Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
SOCi analyzed velocity, the rate of new reviews each month and
whether it was increasing or decreasing; volume, the average number
of reviews per location, tracking upward or downward trends;
variety, the mix of positive and negative reviews; response, how
quickly and how often a company responds to positive and negative
reviews; and ratings: the average score a company receives
on each platform across all locations. In total, SOCi analyzed over
100 signals measuring online performance and engagement, including
reviews, questions, and rankings across online listings for
thousands of sit-down restaurant locations.
The Cheesecake Factory achieved the top position with a reputation
score of 75 out of 100 possible points, surpassing other
renowned establishments.
Olive Garden comes in a close second with a score of 74, with
Outback Steakhouse (64) and Applebee's (60) following.
The average score for the sit-down restaurants in the ranking
is around 62, with room for improvement.
To focus on the top chains, the analysis applied rigorous selection
criteria, considering only chains with hundreds or thousands
of locations, leading annual sales figures, broad geographic or
global presence, strong brand recognition, and a track record of
success over time.
The ranking exhibits a tight competition amongst middle-tier
restaurants, with Outback Steakhouse, Chili's Bar and Grill, TGI
Friday's, and Applebee's all scoring in the low sixties. It's noteworthy
that small differences in management of online reputa08
< JAN-FEB 2024 | bakemag.com
tion can make a significant difference in standing.
Sit-down restaurants, on average, have higher reputation
scores compared to Quick-Service Restaurants (QSRs), with average
scores around 65 and 45, respectively. This indicates that
sit-down restaurants are generally more effective at managing
their online reputations, perhaps due to a more focused emphasis
on customer service and dining experience. This can also be a
point of differentiation for sit-down restaurants in the competitive
food service industry.
The gap between the highest and lowest-scoring sit-down
restaurant chains (The Cheesecake Factory at 75 and Buffalo
Wild Wings at 58) suggests a significant performance variation.
This indicates the immense potential for lower-scoring chains to
improve their online reputation and, subsequently, their overall
business performance.
" After reviewing scores, 'ghosting,' or ignoring online feedback
and reviews, poses a significant challenge to the restaurant
industry, " says Ho. " It erodes consumer trust, depresses conversion
rates, and weakens customer loyalty, which can greatly
affect a restaurant's online reputation and overall brand value.
The key to building and maintaining strong local visibility lies in
being responsive to customers, acknowledging their feedback,
and addressing their concerns in a timely manner. By fostering
an environment of engagement and dialogue, restaurants can
drastically improve their online reputation, ultimately driving
customer satisfaction and business growth. "
In 2023, The Cheesecake Factory was recognized as one of
the 2023 PEOPLE Companies That Care®, according to PEOPLE
magazine and Great Place to Work®. Earning a spot on the
list means that The Cheesecake Factory has surpassed rigorous
benchmarks.
THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY
http://www.bakemag.com
bake - January/February 2024

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