First-of-its kind report launched to help Midlands pub and bar industry thrive
Birmingham-based digital marketing and web development agency, Brew, has served up a data-driven report aimed at helping the Midlands pub and bar industry thrive.
Brew’s Pints & Profits report is based on interviews with marketing leaders working within the sector and a survey of more than 1,000 pub-goers.
Aggregated data from 750 pub and bar websites has also been analysed.
Among the Pints & Profits report key findings include the fact consumers extensively plan their next trip to the pub, often researching reviews and menus beforehand. Customers use Google (56 per cent) followed by booking platforms, such as Booking.com and TripAdvisor (21.5 per cent), to conduct their research.
Out of seven main marketing channels*, Google Business profiles generate the highest booking conversions (9 per cent).
The impact and ripple effect of the pandemic, rising business rates, tax, an increase in the minimum wage and the cost of living crisis are among the historic and existing challenges faced by the hospitality sector.
At the same time, the way customers choose to spend their downtime and use and interact with the pub and bar scene when they do go out, has dramatically changed.
The report also shares a best practice list of practical digital marketing recommendations pub and bar owners can go away and implement.
Matt Bowell (pictured), director of Brew, said: “The world has changed, and so too has the hospitality sector landscape, particularly since the pandemic. Pubs and bars are now facing challenges from every possible angle.
“Having spent the last 15 years providing the hospitality sector with digital marketing support, we’ve experienced many of these challenges first-hand.
“We’ve also been able to help pub and bar owners understand what makes 21st century customers tick and, more importantly, how they can appeal to this new breed of customer and boost their sales.
“This is the first time such a broad dataset has been used to understand the contribution of digital marketing to the sector.
“While many pub and bar owners may be using digital marketing in some shape or form because of the technology-driven world in which we now live, not all of them realise or know how to use it to increase footfall and spend per visit.
“The pub remains one of the few-remaining institutions that welcomes people from all walks of life.
“We are passionate about helping make sure Birmingham’s pubs and bars continue to prominently feature within our communities and providing pub and bar owners with the insight and tools they need to achieve a competitive advantage and give today’s 21st century customers what they want.”
