With how time-consuming running a restaurant can be, it’s no wonder why artificial intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable tool for operators looking to scale their marketing efforts and reach a wider audience. From generating social media posts to crafting personalized email campaigns, AI has made connecting with customers easier than ever. However, while AI can certainly produce a high volume of content, it raises an important question: How do you create unique content with AI?

But first, why do you need unique content?

Effective marketing should reflect your restaurant’s brand, vibe, and offerings while resonating with your audience’s interests. In a market saturated with endless content and shorter attention spans, original content is vital for differentiating your restaurant from the competition and building a loyal customer base.  Doing so establishes a stronger connection with guests.

‍

That’s where generic AI tools fall short, with language that often sounds repetitive and awkward compared to how people naturally write. Plus, most AI solutions can’t incorporate specific information about your restaurant without detailed prompts from you, making it a difficult solution to scale and not much of a time saver.

How to use AI to create unique content

AI tools are only as good as the information that goes into them, so automatically integrating data from your website is the best way to ensure AI creates standout marketing content in a scalable way. When tools have access to information like popular dishes, great reviews, and events, they are better equipped to craft content catered to your audience's tastes.

For example, at Ruby’s Jamaican Kitchen, Popmenu AI Marketing promoted their Brown Stew, a slower-selling dish, just before lunch. What’s more, AI Marketing helped Ruby’s to grow their marketing-driven revenue from $2k to over $6k in one month and then doubled from there through consistent outreach. This illustrates just how effective unique content can be at helping restaurants drive sales.

Using AI to complement marketing efforts

Writing copy isn’t the only way AI can assist your restaurant’s marketing efforts. Here are other benefits of using AI to enhance your marketing strategy:

• Analyze customer data and patterns: AI can sift through vast amounts of customer data to identify trends and preferences, providing insights that can inform your marketing strategies. Use it to identify content that leads to more orders, ideal times to run promotions, and more.
• Content calendar creation: In addition to creating social posts, emails and texts, AI tools can help organize and schedule marketing content, ensuring a consistent and timely marketing presence. It also serves as a huge time saver. Eric Peterson, the VP of Operations for Fado Pubs, Inc. used AI Marketing and shared, “It turned the four days that it would take for content curation into two hours, and on the other side of that was better content than we were making before.”
• AI-powered chatbots and answering machines: Ensuring customers get their questions answered quickly is one of the most effective ways to drive business for your restaurant. Using AI to answer phones with custom responses or serve as a chatbot on your website can be a great way to ensure quality customer service without adding more staff.

• Automate personalized email sends: Personalized marketing is the best way to capture your customers' attention. Using AI to automate the email-sending process allows you to deliver impactful messages with perfect timing. For instance, Steam Boys drove $14,000 in online sales from one automated email that invited customers to place an order after they hadn't done so in 30 days. This example illustrates how AI-driven personalization can significantly boost your restaurant's sales and customer engagement.

Want to learn more about how AI is improving restaurant operations and enhancing the customer experience? Check out our AI in Restaurants Report to learn why this new technology is booming and how it’s being used.