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You probably already know the importance of social media marketing for your business.
Instagram is a phenomenal tool for connecting with your customers and allowing new people to find your business. It’s also a great place to showcase delicious food.
At the time this post was written, there were 403,867,494 posts tagged #food, and 237,258,709 posts tagged #foodporn. Whether you’re a Michelin starred restaurant or a cafe with great baked goods, you’d be well served to have a robust Instagram account for your business.
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Below are our favourite tips and tricks for establishing a great Instagram account for your restaurant to reach new customers and engage your most loyal ones.
Highlight your food
Use your Instagram account to introduce new items or show off best sellers. Be sure to use natural light and a clean background when possible to showcase your delicious delicacies at their best. Props like a pretty place setting or a glass of wine also help create a winning image.
Go behind the scenes
Offer an all-access pass to customers – a peek into preparations for the dinner rush, staff collaborating for an event, or tests in the kitchen. Offering unique content that customers wouldn’t see on a regular visit is a great way to gain followers’ attention and get them excited for their next experience in your space.
Encourage follower engagement
Tag your business’s location and create custom hashtags for restaurant specialties, special occasions, and unique aspects of your space, so customers can get a preview of your offerings before they show up. Your hashtags can be displayed somewhere so restaurant patrons can use them, too.
You could also drive engagement by asking customers to vote on what your newest specialty cocktail should be, for example, or to comment with a favourite dish or memory of your space.
Embrace Stories, Reels and Instagram Live
Go live or create an Instagram Story to capture your followers’ attention. Your followers get a notification when you begin live streaming a video, so it’s a great way to engage and interact in real time.
Include promotions
Whether it’s a new happy hour or a seasonal menu update, spreading the word on Instagram is a great way to show off your offerings while driving engagement. Have a special Sunday night dinner? Share! Offer gift cards? Include those, too.
Share the local love
Besides being your customers, your locals offer an important support system, and it’s good to give back. Highlight your team’s favourite aspects of your local area, from other restaurants you might partner with to beloved local parks or great cafes. You could even highlight regular customers (with their permission, of course!).
