How to Promote New Year’s Eve Online

New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest restaurant nights of the entire year. Guests look forward to special menus and Champagne toasts, and operators prepare for a celebration that can make or break your bottom line. Eater reported that in 2015, many restaurants tripled their business on  New Year’s Eve when compared to regular service. Needless to say, executing a memorable New Year’s Eve is a top priority for many restaurants.

While December 31st is the big night itself, there are plenty of things you can do digitally before the holiday hits to help get the word out and ensure your celebration is a success. Here are our top tips for promoting your New Year’s Eve offerings online:

Looking for an easy way to tell all your guests about your New Year’s Eve Party or special menu? Two words: email marketing. Email marketing delivers a great return on investment—one study found that email is 40 times more effective than Facebook and Twitter alone.

In the email, make sure to include all of the event details, such as time, place, price and a link to reservations if necessary. If you have any specials, like a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight or a pre-fixe menu, include that information here, too. Treat it like a personal invitation to your own New Year’s Eve party, making your guests feel more inclined to attend.

New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest nights out of the year, and guests are searching for fun, unique experiences. One way to satisfy that desire is by promoting and selling special packages, gift cards, and merchandise on your website.  

Maybe your restaurant wants to sell tables to make your guests feel like VIPs. Or perhaps you want to take advantage of the catering side of your business by offering special New Year’s Eve gift baskets or meals. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you promote it across all of your social media platforms and on your website. Your guests will be looking online to figure out what to do this New Year’s Eve, so make sure your restaurant comes up on search results!

Of all events your restaurant throws over the course of the year, New Year’s Eve is the time to bust out the tickets. Selling tickets not only makes it easier to predict how many guests will show up, but it is also the best way to receive money upfront—while your guests finish on a high note by not having to pay a steep bill once the night is over. 

Ticketed events don’t have to be complicated. Even something as simple as offering an open bar with the cost of a ticket is a smart idea—changes are, most guests won’t be able to drink enough to meet your cost of serving alcohol. As for food, whether you do prix fixe, small plates, or buffet style, you have total control over food costs and can account for them in the price of the ticket. Take your tickets a step further by selling them online. Not only does this help you and your staff prepare in advance, but you can also promote your event and ticket sales across email, social media and on your website.

Though popping the bubbly is a big part of most New Year’s Eve celebrations, your food menu can also be a big deciding factor for guests. According to Google Trends, the search interest for “new year’s eve menu” has increased by more than 47% over the past 3 years.

Guests are increasingly interested in what’s on your menu for  New Year’s Eve, and they’re turning to the internet for answers. Make it as easy as possible for them to find out by including your special menu on your website—this is the best way to show up in search results. You can include a new tab on your website dedicated to your special menu or set up an alert on your homepage to let every guest who visits know right away.