• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer, Yesterday

OpenTable on Tuesday announced the launch of a media network, OpenTable Media, to help advertisers tap into millions of data points it collects.

The search and reservation engine for restaurants fills 1.9 billion seats across 60,000 restaurants yearly, collecting first-party, dining behavior data.

The company on Tuesday opened that network to advertisers through contextual display, email, and experiential media formats designed to personalize consumer experiences.

Diageo, Ghirardelli, and Cobra Beer participated in early pilot program, demonstrating how retail media continues to expand beyond ecommerce and grocery into the hospitality industries.

Consumers search for restaurants on OpenTable by entering criteria such as location, cuisine and the date and time. They can browse by neighborhood, special offers, or restaurant features.

Restaurants that sign up to use the reservation service also can request credit-card information to hold a table, and then charge the customer if they do not show up.

A summarized conversation with Olivia, the OpenTable Media AI chatbot, follows:

MediaPost:  Where will the ads run?

Olivia:  Onsite display ads on OpenTable’s website such as confirmation and cancellation pages, in targeted email marketing campaigns, and through branded partnerships and sponsorships.

MediaPost:  Does the company offer creative support, and are the ads based on CPM impressions?

Olivia:  Yes, OpenTable Media offers creative support, but restaurants can either provide their own ad content or collaborate with a team to design the campaign.

Campaigns are not based on CPM impressions. Advertisers pay for actual seated guests. The ad spend is tied directly to when a diner books and dines at the advertiser’s restaurant connected to the campaign performance, not just for ad views or clicks.

MediaPost:  How does OpenTable Media uses artificial intelligence and advanced data?

Olivia: Both help restaurants track the ads that drive reservations, not just clicks.

By integrating with platforms like Google and Meta, OpenTable connects ads directly to the restaurant's reservation-booking widget, allowing marketers to see the campaigns that fill tables and optimize targeting for better results. 

MediaPost:  What type of reports and data does OpenTable Media offer restaurants? 

Olivia:  Reports based on data such as the number of guests served, seated, along with how much they spent. All used to track the volume of business for that party. It also gauges the reservation against benchmarks and other local restaurants.

MediaPost:  Where is the best place to target consumers having a power lunch in New York City?

Olivia:  OpenTable helps you reach power lunch diners in NYC by tapping into our massive diner network and promoting your restaurant when guests are searching for their next table.

Would you like to learn how to use OpenTable’s marketing tools to attract more business professionals during lunch hours?