In the world of check-ins, self-proclaimed “Foodies” and endless #FoodPorn posts, a pretty obvious assertion that one can make is the undeniable connection between eating out and social media, that is certainly here to stay. Restaurateurs have started capitalizing on this trend by making sure their restaurant’s Instagram profile is catchy enough to tempt customers. To make the most of it, it is imperative for restaurants to have a comprehensive Instagram marketing strategy that includes much more than old school social media marketing.
Here are some of the most powerful (read – effective) Instagram marketing tips to make the most of your social media strategy.
Try Instagram Stories
On an average 80% users ‘Forward Tap’ through Instagram Stories rather than ‘Exit’, proving that people like to stay on for the ride. Therefore, your users are lured into watching things they didn’t even know they wanted to, which is why it’s the perfect place for businesses to be. Add your restaurant’s personality, use quirky gifs and give your followers glimpses of your restaurant to keep them updated.
#UseTheRightHashtags
Did You Know that Instagram posts with at least one hashtag get 12.6% more engagement? Using the right hashtags is the single biggest thing you can do to drive organic impressions and increase your reach. Other than the common food hashtags, add relevant trending hashtags like #WorldFoodDay #InternationalTeaDay, etc.
Tip – To search for relevant and popular hashtags, use hit and trial to look up popular hashtags on Instagram (e.g. pasta).
Interact With Your Followers
Search out and engage with other Instagram users. Use Instagram to search for photos that are tagged to your location. You can then interact with those users by following them, liking their photo, reposting the photo, or commenting with a compliment on the photo. This will help build your fan base on Instagram and engage customers.
Tip – Put a strategy behind your interactions with followers. Since you probably don’t have time to interact with every follower’s post about your restaurant, be sure to interact with the individuals who have a bigger following. This will ensure that your business gets subtle visibility through the more prominent Instagrammers even if you can’t reply to everyone.
Don’t Forget to Add A Personality
Letting your personality shine through can be tricky when you’re trying to remember colors, hashtags, fonts, and handles, but it’s Instagram — so remember to have fun! Add in some creative polls or ask questions about food or the restaurant. Taking advantage of Instagram’s features will, in turn, will help keep viewers interested and more engaged.
