Case Study: Driving Growth for Tony Boys Sandwich House in NJ through Unified Marketing’s Digital Strategy

Client Overview

Client: Tony Boys Sandwich House (Multi-location Franchise in New Jersey)
Industry: Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), Specialty Sandwiches
Objective: Increase in-store traffic, boost online orders, and enhance brand visibility across multiple NJ locations.

Challenges

Tony Boys Sandwich House faced several challenges before partnering with Unified Marketing:

  1. Low Online Visibility: With multiple locations across New Jersey, Tony Boys Sandwich House struggled to stand out in local searches, limiting online orders and new customer acquisition.
  2. Outdated Digital Presence: The previous website was outdated, difficult to navigate, and not optimized for mobile, leading to poor user experience and low conversion rates.
  3. Underutilized Social Media: The brand lacked a cohesive social media strategy and had minimal engagement from local communities, missing opportunities for organic promotion and customer engagement.
  4. Limited Exposure in Food Media: Despite a strong local reputation, Tony Boys had minimal presence in food blogs, YouTube channels, and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which are popular with food enthusiasts.
  5. Need for Hyper-Local Targeting: The challenge was to create tailored marketing strategies for each franchise location to effectively target local customers in diverse NJ communities.

Strategy & Execution

Unified Marketing implemented a multi-pronged strategy combining PPC, SEO, a new website, and influencer partnerships to generate hyper-local buzz and drive traffic to Tony Boys Sandwich House.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

To boost organic visibility and attract local customers, we executed a robust SEO strategy:

  • Local SEO Optimization: Created Google Business Profiles for each Tony Boys location, optimizing them with keywords like “Best Sandwiches in Hoboken,” “Quick Lunch Spots in Jersey City,” and “NJ Italian Subs.”
  • On-Page SEO Enhancements: Updated the website content, meta descriptions, and headers with relevant keywords such as “Italian Hoagies,” “Cheesesteaks,” and “Vegan Sandwich Options,” improving search engine rankings for local searches.
  • Hyper-Local Content Marketing: Published blog posts like “Top 5 Must-Try Sandwiches at Tony Boys,” “Behind the Scenes: How Our Famous Cheesesteak is Made,” and “The Best Sandwich Spots in New Jersey,” aimed at engaging local foodies and boosting search visibility.
  • Backlink Strategy: Secured backlinks from popular local food blogs, community websites, and regional publications to increase domain authority and drive referral traffic.

2. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

To generate immediate traffic and boost online orders, we launched targeted PPC campaigns:

  • Geo-Targeted Ad Campaigns: Created tailored PPC campaigns for each NJ location, focusing on hyper-local keywords like “Best Deli Near Me,” “Quick Takeout in Newark,” and “Sandwich Delivery in Clifton.”
  • Ad Copy Customization: Developed engaging ad copy emphasizing unique selling points such as “Authentic Italian Subs,” “Fresh Ingredients Daily,” and “Order Online for Fast Pickup.”
  • Seasonal Promotions: Ran time-sensitive PPC ads promoting seasonal specials, like “Game Day Sandwich Deals” and “Holiday Catering Packages,” to attract more customers during peak periods.
  • Retargeting Ads: Implemented retargeting campaigns to re-engage users who visited the website but did not complete an order, increasing conversion rates.

3. Website Redesign

Unified Marketing completely overhauled the Tony Boys website to improve user experience and conversion rates:

  • Modern, Responsive Design: The new website featured a sleek, user-friendly layout showcasing high-quality images of signature sandwiches, a clear menu, and easy navigation.
  • Enhanced Online Ordering System: Integrated an optimized online ordering system, allowing customers to place orders quickly from any device and select their preferred pickup location.
  • Mobile Optimization: Made the website fully responsive, ensuring a seamless experience for mobile users, who comprised a large portion of the target audience.
  • Local Landing Pages: Developed dedicated landing pages for each franchise location, featuring location-specific offers, popular menu items, and customer reviews, boosting local SEO performance.

4. Influencer Marketing and Social Media Campaigns

To build buzz and engage local communities, we collaborated with food influencers and executed targeted social media campaigns:

  • Local Food Influencer Partnerships: Partnered with popular New Jersey-based food influencers on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube who created engaging content such as taste tests, sandwich reviews, and behind-the-scenes videos at various Tony Boys locations.
  • YouTube Reviews: Influencers posted detailed video reviews on YouTube, showcasing their favorite sandwiches and highlighting the quality and authenticity of the ingredients, reaching a wide local audience.
  • Twitter and Instagram Reels: Collaborated with influencers to create short, engaging reels on Instagram and Twitter, using trending hashtags like #NJFoodies, #SandwichHeaven, and #TonyBoysNJ, driving increased brand visibility and engagement.
  • TikTok Campaigns: Leveraged TikTok’s viral potential by creating fun, shareable content like “Sandwich Building Challenges” and “Best Reactions to Tony Boys First Bites,” tapping into food trends and engaging younger audiences.
  • Hyper-Local Blog Write-ups: Secured features on local food blogs and community websites, with write-ups highlighting the unique flavors and popular menu items of Tony Boys, driving organic traffic and enhancing brand credibility.

Results

Unified Marketing’s integrated strategy significantly boosted brand awareness, online engagement, and in-store traffic for Tony Boys Sandwich House across its NJ locations:

  • Increase in Organic Traffic: Organic search traffic grew by 180%, driven by improved SEO and hyper-local content targeting popular search queries.
  • Boost in Online Orders: PPC campaigns, combined with the new website’s enhanced ordering system, led to a 75% increase in online orders within the first three months of launch.
  • Higher Social Media Engagement: Influencer marketing and social media campaigns resulted in a 200% increase in social media engagement, with significant growth in followers on Instagram and TikTok.
  • Viral Content and Media Placements: TikTok videos featuring Tony Boys gained over 500,000 views, while YouTube reviews and Twitter reels generated thousands of likes, comments, and shares, significantly boosting local visibility.
  • Increase in In-Store Traffic: The strategic focus on hyper-local targeting and influencer partnerships led to a 45% increase in foot traffic across all NJ locations, particularly during weekends and peak meal times.
  • Enhanced Brand Awareness: Hyper-local blog write-ups and features in popular food blogs helped establish Tony Boys as a go-to spot for quality sandwiches in NJ, attracting new customers and building a loyal customer base.

Client Testimonial

“The transformation we’ve seen since working with Unified Marketing has been incredible. From a beautiful new website to increased online orders and buzzing social media presence, we’ve truly connected with our local communities in a way we hadn’t before. We’re seeing more foot traffic and positive word-of-mouth than ever!”
— Anthony M., Owner of Tony Boys Sandwich House

Future Plans

Building on the success of the current campaign, Unified Marketing plans to:

  • Expand influencer collaborations to include regional food vloggers.
  • Implement seasonal PPC and social media campaigns focused on new product launches and limited-time offers.
  • Enhance local SEO with ongoing content updates and customer engagement strategies to maintain high search visibility.