Pro-Tip #1 For Posting On Your Restaurant Instagram Business Profile
Below are some helpful questions to ask yourself when you're getting ready to post your photos and videos to Instagram.
What is my goal with this post?
Who am I speaking to?
Is the image aesthetically pleasing & clean?
Are the items in this image currently available?
Does the post contain too much text in the caption?
Let's drill down on these one by one:
What is my goal with this post?
Decide what the post is doing for your restaurant business. Perhaps you're mentioning one of your most popular menu items - then say that! Maybe you're looking to showcase your restaurant's vibe - then make sure the copy reflects what we see in the photo or video. If you have a call-to-action like "Happy Hour 4-6pm" make sure that the image makes sense for this. If you're trying to sell a gift card, consider having a photo of the gift card in front of one of your dishes to connect with the caption. Disconnected image and copy is a big no-no in social media best practices. We recommend doing a giveaway once a month - people love to tag friends and engage with posts if they think they can get a free meal. It's an easy way to encourage customers to participate with your Instagram posts.
Who am I speaking to?
Know your audience - if you find that the majority of your customers are hipster millennials and your restaurant has a hipster vibe, then talk like them and make sure they know you're restaurant is where they want to be. If you have a restaurant that draws in family's then have a variation of posts that would let people know you're a family-friendly restaurant. Potential customers are going to appreciate when your restaurant's instagram gives a clear idea of your vibe.
Is this image aesthetically pleasing and clean?
Instagram is the platform for high quality images more than any other social media platform. If your images aren't high quality (in-focus, good lighting, good angles) then consider only posting it to the story rather than your Instagram feed. Instagram users will go look at your whole feed if they're interested in your post so it's important to have consistently good photos and videos. If photographing food isn't your forte, no problem - you have the option to share photos and videos that your customers tagged you in - when they take photos of their food they oftentimes know best lighting and angles.
Are the items in this image currently available?
Oftentimes we use scheduling software that makes us forget a post is going up about an item that's not available. Remember that your audience is going to be drawn to the post you put up today so if that item's not available don't post it. If you're using a scheduling app, consider scheduling menu items that rarely run out. If you run out often of certain menu items ... well that's an ordering issue.
Does the post contain too much text?
Again, Instagram is a unique tool in the world of marketing. Unlike many other social media platforms its best used with high quality photos and shorter captions. Why, you ask? Because the younger the users, the more they want instant gratification. Instagram happens to include the youngest group of online social media users so keep your captions short and to the point, include call-to-actions when it makes sense, and a couple localized hashtags that reflect your restaurant's business.
If you have questions or feedback, we'd love to hear it! Email us at info@bfmsocial.com!
We'd also love to see a few of your Instagram accounts if you find our tips are helping. Some of our favorite restaurants are locations that we've had the pleasure of helping!
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