Creative Ways to Promote Your Restaurant on Instagram
Nowadays, enjoying food isn’t just about taste, it’s about aesthetic appeal and virtual experiences, too. This explains why so many millennial consumers rely on Instagram — a visual-driven app — when deciding where and what to eat.
True enough, 30% of consumers admit to steering clear of restaurants that don’t have a good Instagram presence. So if you want to establish your restaurant business and reel in more customers, then you definitely need to work on your Instagram profile. And here are some creative ways you can promote your restaurant.
Offer exclusive deals to customers in exchange for posts
This is a great technique to gather user-generated content (UGC), which is one of the most effective ways to drive sales and convert customers. People value authenticity, so when they see posts by satisfied customers, they’ll be more willing to give your restaurant a shot. Meanwhile, asking customers if you can share their posts will make them feel like they really matter to your business and will encourage loyalty. In exchange for the content your customers are posting, you can even offer deals such as discounts or freebies. Indeed, this give-and-take relationship with your community will benefit you both.
Work with influencers
Working with food bloggers and influencers is a quick and easy way to get your restaurant’s name out there — especially if the influencer you choose has a huge and engaged following. However, there are some questions to ask yourself before working with influencers. For starters, are they a good fit for your restaurant? You can’t have a vegan blogger at your burger joint. Is their community actually engaged? Check out their existing posts to see how they interact with their followers. Have they worked with other brands already? If they have, you can check to see their approach with sponsored content — whether it looks contrived or natural. Finding the right influencers will attract the right community and ensure your investments in them pay off.
Show behind-the-scenes footage
Social media accounts are all about personality. There are already tons of photos of restaurants and food on Instagram, and some of these may even be the same dishes that you serve. So what else can make you stand out from the competition? Add a human element by posting some behind-the-scenes footage, such as food prepping or a candid tour of the kitchen. By sharing something that most customers don’t get to see when they visit your restaurant, it establishes a more personal relationship between you and your audience. They’ll appreciate the stories behind your business and realize that you’re much more than just another restaurant.
Feature your staff
This is another way to give your account some personality and more human elements. You can do an “Instagram takeover” with your members. This essentially means letting them take control of the restaurant’s account for a day. What does a normal day at work look like for your different employees? For your chefs? For your front-of-house? This kind of “slice-of-life” content can be fun and engaging for viewers. Moreover, it makes your employees feel appreciated and seen.
Instagram is just one social media platform you can use. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, consider expanding to other social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and even TikTok to widen your reach even more. The bottom line is, there are endless ways for you to get creative online, so have fun with it!
I’m a Publicist passionate about letters, bibliophile par excellence, and happily dedicated to being an amateur cook in my spare time. Not much free time and not many good recipes, but I try;)
