Term | Pronunciation | Definition | Context/Example |
Algorithm | al-goh-rith-um | The automated system used by social media platforms to determine what content is shown to which users | "Post consistently to work with the platform algorithm." |
Analytics | an-ah-lit-iks | Data and metrics measuring the performance of social media posts, profiles, and campaigns | "Review your analytics weekly to understand what content performs best." |
Bio | by-oh | The short profile description on a social media account summarises the restaurant's identity and details | "Keep your social media bio updated with current hours and booking links." |
Brand awareness | brand ah-wair-nes | The degree to which a target audience recognises and recalls a restaurant's identity and reputation | "Consistent social media activity builds brand awareness over time." |
Brand voice | brand voys | The consistent tone, style, and personality used across all of a restaurant's communications and content | "Maintain a consistent brand voice across all platforms and responses." |
Caption | kap-shun | The written text accompanying a social media post is used to provide context, personality, or a call to action | "Write a compelling caption to increase engagement on food photos." |
Check-in | chek-in | A social media feature allowing guests to tag their current location, increasing the restaurant's visibility | "Encourage guests to check in on Facebook or Google when they visit." |
Collaboration | kuh-lab-oh-ray-shun | A joint content or promotional partnership between a restaurant and an influencer, brand, or other business | "A collaboration with a local food blogger increased our following significantly." |
Content calendar | kon-tent kal-en-der | A planned schedule of upcoming social media posts, campaigns, and promotional content | "Follow the content calendar to ensure consistent and timely posting." |
Crisis management | kry-sis man-ij-ment | The process of responding to and managing negative press, reviews, or public incidents affecting the brand | "A clear crisis management plan protects your online reputation." |
Engagement rate | en-gayj-ment rayt | A metric measuring the level of interaction a post receives relative to the account's total followers | "Our engagement rate is above the industry average for hospitality." |
Follower | fol-oh-er | A social media user who has subscribed to an account's content | "Growing your follower count increases organic reach." |
Food photography | food foh-tog-rah-fee | Professional or styled images of food used for menus, social media, and marketing purposes | "Good food photography directly drives customer interest and sales." |
Google Reviews | goo-guhl rih-vyooz | Google's customer review system, which directly affects a restaurant's local search ranking and visibility | "Respond to all Google Reviews — positive and negative — promptly." |
Hashtag | hash-tag | A word or phrase preceded by the # symbol is used to categorise social media content and increase discoverability | "Use relevant, location-specific hashtags on every post." |
Influencer | in-floo-en-ser | A social media personality with an established following who can promote a restaurant to their audience | "Partnering with local food influencers boosts visibility and reservations." |
Instagram-worthy | in-stah-gram wur-thee | A dish or setting is visually appealing enough to be photographed and shared on social media | "Make every plate Instagram-worthy — presentation drives shares." |
Link in bio | link in by-oh | A call-to-action directing followers to a clickable URL in the account's profile, used for bookings and menus | "Direct followers to the link in bio to make a reservation." |
Online reputation | awn-lyn rep-yoo-tay-shun | The overall perception of a restaurant is formed by online reviews, ratings, and social media presence | "Actively manage your online reputation — respond to all feedback." |
Organic reach | or-gan-ik reech | The number of people who see a social media post without any paid promotion | "Strong organic reach reduces the need for paid advertising." |
Paid promotion | payd proh-moh-shun | A social media advertising strategy where money is spent to increase the visibility of content to a targeted audience | "Allocate a monthly budget for paid promotion around key events." |
Reach | reech | The total number of unique accounts that have seen a piece of content on social media | "Our reach doubled after the viral post." |
Reply | rih-ply | A public or private response to a comment, review, or message on a social media platform | "Always reply to guest comments within 24 hours." |
Repost | ree-pohst | Sharing another user's content on your own account is typically used to amplify guest photos and reviews | "Repost guest photos with their permission and always credit them." |
Review platform | rih-vyoo plat-form | A website or application where customers can publicly post ratings and written feedback about a restaurant | "Monitor all review platforms daily — TripAdvisor, Google, Yelp, and others." |
Review response | rih-vyoo rih-spons | A public or private reply from the restaurant to a customer review, demonstrating engagement and accountability | "A professional review response to a negative comment can recover guest trust." |
Social media manager | soh-shuhl mee-dee-ah man-ij-er | The staff member or agency responsible for managing a restaurant's online presence and content strategy | "Our social media manager posts daily and monitors all platforms." |
Story | stor-ee | A short-form, temporary post visible for 24 hours on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook | "Post behind-the-scenes kitchen content to your story to increase engagement." |
Tag | tag | Linking another social media account to a post or photo, notifying them, and increasing mutual visibility | "Ask guests to tag the restaurant in their food photos." |
TripAdvisor | trip-ad-vy-zer | A major international review and travel platform where guests rate and review restaurants and hospitality businesses | "A strong TripAdvisor rating drives significant tourist traffic." |
User-generated content (UGC) | yoo-zer jen-er-ay-ted kon-tent | Photos, reviews, and posts created and shared by customers rather than the restaurant itself | "Encourage user-generated content — it is the most authentic form of marketing." |
Viral | vy-ruhl | Content that spreads rapidly and widely across social media through sharing and engagement | "That dish photo went viral and generated 200 new bookings." |
Yelp | yelp | A major US-based review and local business platform where customers rate and review restaurants | "Respond to all Yelp reviews promptly — positive and negative." |