When the first pizza was ordered online in the 90s, not many people suspected the boom of the food delivery industry. Much like Dabbawalas in Mumbai, an extensive food delivery network has appeared in every city in the world. As the revenue of delivery platforms approaches the $200b mark, standing out from the crowd is of paramount importance. That is the moment where marketing enters the room. A thorough and adequate food delivery app marketing plan will step up your user acquisition and retention efforts. When done right, you will be able to see an increase in the lifetime value of your customers, therefore your app's overall revenues.

The main three marketing elements you cannot live without

So, you have got yourself a neat, fast, and user-friendly app. That's great! But before you start promoting it on every possible channel, make sure you have three main marketing assets at hand. I'm talking about your target audience, unique selling proposition (USP), and brand guidelines. 

Why?

• The target audience will inform you where your customers are spending their time,
• Unique selling proposition will help you coin catchy text copies that convey your main message,
• Strict brand guidelines will ensure every marketing campaign will have the same look and feel.

Without these, delivery apps are prone to wasting ad spend, bland messaging, and inconsistent visual identity. Every good marketer aims to create an instantly recognizable campaign that gets people talking. Think of this Coca-Cola ad that understood the assignment.

Do you have all three in place? Great, it is time to begin.

The most crucial channels every food delivery app marketing plan must include

Millennials, the first generation of digital natives, are currently the demographic segment that holds the most purchasing power. Delivery apps must take the omnichannel marketing approach that crosses digital/analog, mobile/ desktop, and other borders.

Landing page

Today's buyer journey is dispersed as it spreads among multiple devices. Make sure your users can log in and order via the device that best suits them at a specific moment. The landing page acts as an app substitute but should always direct users towards the app that offers the best user experience.

App Store Optimization (ASO)

Roughly 40% of smartphone users find apps through the app store. Ranking within the top 10 – 30 apps in Google Play or the App Store creates a more than a significant increase in consumer reach.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A regularly updated blog is an integral part of your content strategy and the best way to increase your SEO rankings. Creating blog posts that provide value to your audience is the best way to spread awareness. It also acts as a tool to acquire new partner restaurants.

Email marketing

Email is still a strong channel for performance and retention. As a food app, you are already gathering user data. Occasionally sending an email update to your customers will build a strong relationship with them and keep your app top of mind. Make sure the content is relevant, periodic, and you gained the necessary consent first.

App notifications

An average smartphone user receives 46 push notifications per day. That is a tough environment to compete in. But opting for timely, decisive, and genuinely useful notifications will increase the number of orders you receive and prevent users from opting out.

Physical advertising

While their effect is harder to measure, traditional marketing methods such as billboards and flyers prove themself useful for food delivery apps. As most of the end-consumers order from the same location, being present in the neighborhood you operate in builds brand awareness and trust.

Social media

Did you know that 86% of millennials who come across desired food-related content online will eat at that restaurant in the near future? And since millennials prefer ordering than dining out, that is your shot to offer them your app as a solution. Social media is a cost-effective marketing tool, as it instantly provides targeted audience metrics that can help you optimize your campaign performance.

On-location marketing

Your partner restaurants should proudly showcase your name. Provide them with promotional material such as stickers, bags, and napkins to benefit from their foot traffic.

Influencer marketing

The underdog of digital advertising, influencers are currently far from the fringe of the marketing world. Reach out to the micro and macro (depends on your budget) foodies and entice them to order one of the most interesting meals your restaurants provide.

An ultimate food delivery marketing asset: food photography

Strong photography is your best option when it comes to promoting your food delivery app. Visual content makes up a wide range of your marketing materials, whether it's your landing page, app store, social page, or physical ads. 

Besides that, food delivery apps should know what benefits professional food photography brings to the table. Having visual menus will greatly increase your average order value (AOV) and user retention rate.

Food photography can indeed be difficult to get right. Challenges such as low-quality photos with unflattering angles and the time-consuming photographer search can turn away many companies.

Luckily LemonOne's effortless platform automates your visual content creation process from photographer booking to editing. Get in touch to find out how we can streamline your photography production!

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