Name: Lokanta
Based: Sheffield
Website: www.lokanta.co.uk
In April 2014 Lokanta restaurant in Sheffield launched a new website, created by digital marketing agency Zeun. This was the largest single project in a relationship which developed from Sheffield’s Digital Direction scheme, which helps encourage growth through new technologies.
Our biggest challenge is effective marketing within the tight budget of an independent restaurant. We opened at the end of 2009, focusing on our food and service, and relied on word of mouth. We have been featured in the Good Food Guide for four consecutive years.
Through the project funded by Digital Direction, we implemented social media strategies, including using Pinterest to communicate new projects such as our real doner kebab pop-up.
We need our website to be up to date with our latest offers, menus and news. I was faced with having to pay for this, so Jessica Zeun (founder of Zeun) taught me how to do it myself.
I am about to work with Jessica again to evaluate and set up pay-per-click advertising. As a small business owner there is nothing worse than handing over money to experts along with control, particularly on an open-ended basis. The investment with Jessica buys her expertise, facilitates learning and develops me to work smarter every day.
Ruth Gunay is the co-owner of Lokanta Turkish Restaurant
