Sure, smartphones have pretty much turned everyone into moths flitting at their mobile screen porch lights, but there are still a lot of effective ways to draw customers to your business:

• Start with your own mobile app A Total Loyalty Solutions custom mobile app will engage your customers like never before. Send push notifications to your followers, update your menu, announce special events and so much more. You’ll put yourself ahead of your competition when you put your business in your customers’ smartphones.
• Hop on board If you haven’t already, join Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any of the myriad social media sites that will put your business name in front of internet surfers.
• Less = more Short attention spans and infinite online content means you have to catch your readers’ eyes fast and make it count. Keep app notifications and Facebook posts to fewer than 40 characters; Tweets should be between 70 and 100 characters.
• Post at the right time Send push messaging about tonight’s specials to your app’s followers after 5pm and watch your restaurant fill up. Likewise, studies show that in order to get the most Facebook shares, post your content at 1pm. For the most clicks, try 3pm. And for the most Twitter retweets, send your content at 5pm. QuickSprout.com
• Post on the right day You can use your mobile app any day of the week to connect with your followers; a slow night can turn busy when you send a push message about a great special. Your best Facebook results will likely happen on Friday, when the most likes, comments and shares occur. Sending a tweet to your customers? Do it on Wednesday or over the weekend. QuickSprout.com
• Post pictures and video Pictures of your daily specials or a short video of your chef creating a unique dish will get your posts noticed. Facebook posts that include a photo get 85% more clicks than those without. And with a TLS mobile app, you can post pictures and video anytime in your own gallery, the perfect way to show off your best dishes, products and services. Backlinko
• Ask around Engage your fan base by asking them what they like about an upcoming holiday, about their favorite item on your menu, or even their favorite vacation spot. Getting a conversation going will tell you a lot about your patrons.
• Use hashtags Tweets with hashtags get twice the engagement of those without and are over 50% more likely to be retweeted. But use this newfound power in moderation — posts with too many tags get fewer hits than posts with a single hashtag. Buddy Media, Dan Zarrella
• Include a call to action Don’t forget to nudge your readers in the right direction; encourage them to come in, buy a limited time offer, to share your post, to leave a comment, etc.
• Time to play Contests, even without prizes, are irresistible to many consumers. Post a simple contest or game to get more interaction, or include quick factoids for shareable trivia your followers will pass around (along with your business name).
• Reward them With your TLS mobile app, you can create Rewards Cards to encourage frequent visits, turning one-time customers into regulars.
• Coupons work Customers love using clickable coupons on their smartphones so much that studies show they’re 10 times more likely to use them over paper coupons. And that means 10 times the chances of higher sales when you get a TLS mobile app for your business.