Girl & the Goat – Social Media Force
For the last few months, we have looked at major brands and businesses who have rocked social media. Today, we bring it back home as we examine one of the top local restaurants in Chicago who rose from the very fierce competition of Bravo’s Emmy award-winning series ‘Top Chef’ during season 4 in 2008. After being the first female winner of the show, Stephanie Izard collaborated with her team in order to open Girl & the Goat in 2010. Four short years later, her team has not only excelled in making extremely delicious food, they’ve also become a great example of local businesses who are rocking social media.
Girl & the Goat Website
From the second you click on the site you’re introduced with the ambiance and culture of a restaurant who knows how to be social. They not only welcome you into their kitchen, they invite you to join them on a deeper level by making it easy to view their gallery, menu, events, and social media channels. One thing that I really liked about their site is the awesome little goat that moves! They even offer a cookbook to teach you the ways of the Jedi Chef.
With an impressive following of 9736 followers, Chef Izard gives her audience a great perspective of her delectable creations as well as a view from the Roof top of their second establishment, Little Goat. Why is it that they hold a large audience? Because they created an interactive blend of restaurant culture, a fun workplace environment, and a personalized use of their brand logo. They manage to do all of this while maintaining a casual, yet humble voice that makes you want to book a reservation.
Unlike many businesses and brands, Stephanie uses Twitter to build a relationship with her audience of 48.2K by demonstrating a more personal side of her while still incorporating a social media strategy to properly market her business. From conversations with Kitchen Aid to interactions with other Star Wars enthusiasts (we loved the hair-do by the way), this girl and the goat know how to entice your curiosity to come see what her restaurants are all about.
Facebook is a great place to engage with an audience. A recent study showed that photos are far more likely to get engagement than text based statuses. The Girl & the Goat does an excellent job of including an image, a short copy with a direct message and a call to action. They also do a great job of getting their staff involved in their social media efforts which add a personalized touch to their brand. However social isn’t always about the brand itself, a lot of it is about the community. This Girl & the Goat have a great community who not only supports them, but have also went to great lengths to have their engagement celebration there!
Connecting with the Chef
The restaurant website and social media channels are not the only way to connect with Stephanie. You can engage with her on a deeper level by visiting her personal website which consists of a blog, recipes, and so much more. She even has an ‘Ask The Chef’ section where visitors can engage with her through a variety of questions. Some of these questions include where the best culinary schools are, to inquiring about recipes.
Overall, Stephanie has come a long way in just 4 short years of opening her awesome restaurants in the best city in the world. She and her team have excelled in food, and are demonstrating to the audience that they stand true to their efforts in creating a “rustic and badass environment in the kitchen,” and on social media.
As we come to the end of our blog, do you know of another local business in your area that’s kicking butt on social? What are they doing that sets them apart from the competition? Feel free to share it with us by leaving a comment or sending us a tweet at @BoxlessMedia.
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