Survey Finds Nearly Half of U.S. Diners have Tried a New Restaurant Because of Social Media Posts

MGH, a full-service restaurant marketing agency, today announced the results of a study that examined how influential a brand's social media marketing can be when it comes to driving restaurant trial and customer loyalty.

The survey determined that nearly half (45%) of U.S. diners said they've tried a restaurant for the first time because of a social media post made by the establishment itself, while 21% claimed posts could be a deterrent. Further, 22% said a restaurant's social post enticed them to return.

Results from the study demonstrated that positive restaurant-to-consumer social media engagement often leads to ...

Online Tribes Are Defining Health for Consumers in America

U.S. consumers are seeking their echo chambers of health or tribes through blogs and social media, much in the same way they use them for lifestyles and politics, reports The NPD Group. Health professionals, friends, and family were once go-to sources for information on health, but the rising number of bloggers and online communities enable consumers from anywhere on the planet to find like-minded individuals. And just like other echo chambers, oftentimes consumers will follow plans promoted by a blogger or online community as opposed to sound science.

An example of the internet’s influence on health is that nearly 60 percent of consumers who engage in clean eating, research their foods online. More than a quarter of adults rely on social media for information on GMOs and in which food they’re found. Consumers engaged in the lifestyles like paleo, Whole30, and plant-based often...