Smokey Bones New Localized Website

Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill has taken an interesting approach with their new website. Back in the fall, they began rolling out their new branding in an attempt to market the restaurant, not just as a great place to eat, but also as a social destination for patrons to hang out at their bar and meet others.

SmokeyBones.com (screenshot)

According to a recent Nielsen report, social networks and blogs have surpassed email as a form of communication. Therefore, Smokey Bones wanted to revamp and improve their online presence with emphasis on several social media elements.

Their new website at SmokeyBones.com attempts to attract local consumers by incorporating information from each local restaurant location. All Smokey Bones locations have their own bookmarkable website, which includes restaurant photos, location-specific menus, promotions and events.

The sites are also skinned to reflect the unique location. Local Smokey Bones employees control the individual location website, as well as local MySpace and Facebook content. Smokey Bones is reportedly the first national restaurant brand to give total online content control to its local staff in this manner. Push, along with developer welikesmall, teamed up to develop the new Smokey Bones site with their multilevel, customizable content management system.

“We were challenged to incorporate the new Smokey Bones branding, while at the same time giving each Web site visitor an experience that is specific to them,” said Mark Unger, new media creative director and a partner at Push. “In the end, we created a dynamic Web site that is 100 percent new Smokey Bones, and also distinctly local with its content.”

The new SmokeyBones.com is an entirely interactive experience, especially for social networkers and mobile recipients. The site links to official Smokey Bones MySpace and Facebook pages, and promotes signing up for the Bones Club, where members receive promotions by e-mail or mobile — with text messages offering up-to-the-minute specials, such as free appetizers. A customized iPhone application, developed for Smokey Bones business use only, is used by the Web host or hostess at each location to sign guests up for the Bones Club, entitling diners to special member offers at no charge.

As they attempt to appeal to a younger, bar-going crowd, Smokey Bones is doing things right by tapping into the social media sites. The local angle aims to help customers connect with their local location as the go-to place to hang out with friends, have a few drinks and get a bite to eat. Check out more images from the Smokey Bones website, locations and social media applications below.

Smokey Bones Old Logo

Smokey Bones New Logo

Image: Smokey Bones

Image: Smokey Bones

Image: Smokey Bones

Smokey Bones MySpace

Smokey Bones Facebook

All images courtesy of SmokeyBones.