Ted's Most Best // Pizza, Panini, Salads, Pasta

Ted's most best is an Italian restaurant downtown that has a wide variety of wine and craft beer. I usually find myself enjoying a slice of pizza here during my lunch break. The atmosphere is fresh and relaxing, especially on the open outdoor seating area. I know there are several places to get pizza downtown but Ted's is by far the best when it comes to fresh ingredients. I recently started following them on social media because I saw a sign at the register with their social platforms. I am very impressed with their Instagram because they seem to post more frequently than any other local restaurant I follow. Every few hours they post photos of different pizzas and craft beers as well as specials and photos of guests. I even saw a post of a lost and found item! Their Instagram feed is creatives and inviting because it's not just photos of food, but inspirational images and quotes. They have 1,011 followers and 743 posts so far. I think the content on Instagram is great but they have room to improve when it comes to their number of followers. Ted's Facebook page is also successful, with 2,932 likes and 4.6 out of 5 reviews. I find it great that they take the time do include content other than copying straight from Instagram. Overall, Ted's has done a wonderful job with its social media marketing but like I mentioned before they have room to go when it comes to increasing followers.

Marker 7 // Come Escape for a While

Marker 7 is a delicious seafood restaurant in Five Points. I'm from St. Simons so it's hard to find decent seafood here in Athens when I'm really craving it. Marker 7 is probably my favorite restaurant on Instagram. They only have 134 posts and 486 followers but they upload delicious photos. About once or twice a week they post a new picture of one of their lunch or dinner specials. Their Instagram is full of only food pictures and all it takes is one post for the week to get me in the restaurant. Marker 7 also has a Facebook page with 2,538 likes and 4.5 out of 5 stars (100 reviews). The content posted on Facebook is the same as Instagram along with additional information such as related articles to the restaurant. These are the only two forms of social media Marker 7 uses, but I definitely think they're on the right track as far as content goes.

Depalmas Italian Cafe // Follow Us For A Chance to Win Monthly Freebies

Italian food is one of my go to weekly choices for dinner. Everything from pizza to shrimp alfredo, I love it all. DePalma’s is a great place to either take out or dine in for a nice meal. Just last week I started following DePalma’s on Instagram and they seem to post about once or twice a week. They have 718 followers and 78 posts. There posts include pictures of their dishes and specials along with specials like 50% off select wine. They also have a chance to win monthly freebies if you follow them. DePalma’s just recently created a Twitter page 13 weeks ago and posted on Instagram for everyone to follow. They have 84 followers so far and 124 tweets. I like how they post different content on their Twitter than on Instagram. In one post they ask followers to tag them in pictures and #foodie. I think DePalma’s is on the move to creating exciting content for their customers that follow them. Their webpage is very clean and easy to navigate. You can reserve a table, view the menu and weekly specials, request delivery and view locations from the tab at the top of the screen. I think it's a good thing DePalma’s decided to only create one account for all of the locations instead of making a separate on like Jittery Joes did. They are doing a great job and with time I believe they will have very successful social media platforms.

The National // Mediterranean Inspired

The National is a popular restaurant here in Athens. If i'm in the mood for a unique dinner you can find me here with a plate of shrimp salad. I just recently started following this restaurant on social media and have found they are constantly posting. The National tops all of the other local restaurants I follow with 2,739 followers and 405 posts on Instagram and 3,406 likes on Facebook. The content on their social platforms is a mix of different weekly specials and collaborations with charities and other local businesses. The most interesting part of the their social marketing is the Chef's Blog on the website. This is the first restaurant I have seen with an actual blog. It's very creative and includes the weekly menu and photos of his dishes. I would say The National is in first place for best social media so far!

Amici // "Best Pizza + Wings"

Amici claims to be "THE stop in Athens for the best pizza and wings" according to their Instagram bio. I must say I agree with that quote. Amici might have the best pizza but they don't have the best social media presence. It seems like they post about once a week on Instagram but only have 546 followers and follow 3 people. They post humorous photos here and there and weekly specialty pizzas. The Amici Facebook page tops Instagram with 2,108 likes and 4.4 stars. I also discovered they have a YouTube channel that features short advertisement clips. They don't have any subscribers but they post these videos on Instagram and Facebook. I like that they are doing something different by having a YouTube because most local restaurants haven't taken that step. The Amici website has a easy to read layout and is appealing to the consumer. The mobile version makes viewing the menu simple and gives directions to new customers. I think Amici is trying hard to have strong social media recognition but they do have room for improvements. What do you think?

Athens Bagel // Breakfast + Brunch

Who doesn't love a delicious bagel sandwich? Athens bagel is my go to breakfast spot when i'm in the mood for a filling treat. Between pizza bagels and everything in between they have something for everyone. I'm the first to admit I follow Athens Bagel on Instagram but it doesn't seem like they post very often. It surprises me that most of the downtown restaurants don't have much of a social media presence. After viewing their Instagram page with only 649 followers and posts only once every couple weeks, I decided to check out their Twitter. Athens Bagel seems to tweet more frequently than most of the restaurants I have viewed. They have 1,246 followers and tweet every few days. Another great feature they have is online ordering. It's great because you don't have to log into Bulldog Delivery, but instead just go straight to their website and you can even pay in the store! Next time you're in the mood for a satisfying breakfast/lunch be sure to check out Athens Bagel.

Jittery Joes // Roasting Coffee Daily

Jittery Joes has a big competitor, Starbucks. That being said, you would think Jittery Joes would be on top of their social media to compete with such a big company. I have searched all of their social media platforms but have found they have work to do. Jittery Joes on Barber St. has their own Facebook with 4,829 likes but they don't have an Instagram. On the other hand, Jittery Joes on Milledge has a Facebook page with 326 likes but they don't have an Instagram either. Jittery Joes Epps Bridge doesn't have a Facebook but they have an Instagram with 243 followers. Lastly, Jittery Joes has a general Instagram page with 1,641 followers but they don't have a Facebook page. That was a big confusing mess. I think Jittery Joes needs to focus on one Instagram and Facebook account. Jittery Joes does post interesting content but it would make it a lot easier for a consumer to follow one page with all the information. I understand that one location might have a promotion when another doesn't. This could benefit the company because a customer that only visits one location might go to the other if they know a special is going on. What do you think Jittery Joes should do to boost their social media traffic?

Pauley's Crepe Bar // Creative + Tasty

Pauley's is my favorite place to grab dinner and dessert! Their Instagram feed is full of delicious crepes, appetizers and drinks. One time I even had dinner prepared and saw a post for half off wine and was there in 10 minutes. I then found my self not only ordering a chicken caesar crepe... but also a s'mores dessert crepe. It only takes one picture or "promo" advertisement and i'm there in minutes. Pauley's has an Instagram and Facebook but doesn't have a Twitter for the Athens location. I think the company could benefit from creating a Twitter page as well as posting more frequently on the other social media sites. I have found Facebook to be the most helpful when it comes to picking a restaurant because you can read reviews without having to look on Google. You have everything you need in one spot. With 2,424 Facebook likes and 832 Instagram followers I would say Pauley's is doing okay but could definitely step it up a notch in the social media game.

Introduction // The Social Media Impact

I know everyone loves food, but does social media affect your decision of eating Mexican or Italian? You might not think so... I say think again! We are constantly on our phones/computers throughout the day. Scrolling down your news feed you see Rebecca posted a picture on Instagram of her milkshake and cheeseburger from Cookout. You might not think anything of it until you are on Cookout's Instagram page and see a promotion they have going on. The next thing you know you're at Cookout after class ordering a milkshake and cheeseburger. Restaurants have found there's a place for them on social media and posting something as simple as a mouth watering burger has us at the drive-thru in minutes. Throughout this blog series I will dig deep into my favorite restaurants in Athens and see if they have mastered the art of social media marketing on their social networks. What do you think I'll find?