Facebook: which images to post?
Facebook is one of the social networks where the sharing of photographs is the order of the day. Over the years, the importance of images has increased exponentially, giving life to real social networks dedicated to this type of content (Pinterest and Instagram, to name two examples). There is a reason for the growth of interest in visual content. Images are acquiring more and more relevance because they allow you to communicate quickly and with impact , attracting users' attention to the ocean of content they browse, and they also require less processing time.
Another aspect that characterizes the images is their virality , the predisposition that makes them easily re-shareable. For this reason it is important to know how to manage a restaurant on social media: if users share the contents produced by the restaurant page, the chances of reaching new customers increase, as does the sense of belonging of the most trusted customers. However, the images and in general all the information published must be of interest to the audience of the page , otherwise the viral potential is considerably lowered. Images can have three different purposes:
- give informations
- advise users
- entertain and amuse
The first example we report is that of Viva Nachos , a place that offers take-away nachos. On the occasion of Halloween, the shop managers have decided to activate a promotion, advertising it on Facebook. The communication is mainly based on an image that explains the dynamics of the offer, a strategy that aims at simplicity but which is very impactful and direct.
The Orsone tavern is instead a good example to show how to manage a restaurant on social media by publishing posts with tips and advice. Useful for a place that offers special dishes or wines, to propose new pairings or to suggest a different choice than usual.
The last example refers to images created to entertain and amuse. Taking numerous selfies in the original bathroom of the club, oTTo has published an album with users' shots, creating the dedicated hashtag #SelfieoTTo.
Another fundamental aspect is to insert your logo in the image, in order to make its origin recognizable even after sharing it on other people's bulletin boards. Having a recognizable image with your logo and the choice of coherent graphics greatly helps the memory and recognition on the web.
These are all demonstrations where page managers produce visual content. But what to do when the photo is not our property? The question is very complex and varies from the type of image, which may or may not be used for commercial purposes. In general it is good practice to credit the author of the image, just insert his name in the post with the image. There are several image banks where you can find free photographs to use for your content, you can find some in this Wired article dedicated to free photo services ( this link ) . However, we advise you to always prefer photographs taken by you in your establishment, they make the information more real, faithful and true.
Sometimes the management of social accounts can cause some public crises, in these cases you need to be ready to know how to manage them professionally.
Recently the case of Piovono Zucchine broke out, a restaurant in Brindisi that left users dumbfounded with the publication of an image that makes fun of the violent earthquake in central Italy. It seems that the graphics were used to advertise a charity initiative but not well understood by users. Unfortunately, communication is not what you want to say, but what the recipients understand, so there have been no shortage of comments and negative reactions to which the page has responded decisively and not inclined to apologize. In a short time, the strategy turned out to be a boomerang. In fact, Facebook users lowered the restaurant's rating from five stars to one, drastically reducing the reputation that the place had acquired over the years.
How to manage a restaurant on social media avoiding mistakes?
1. Don't go viral at all costs, using sensational images or provocation. "The important thing is that we talk about it" is harmful on social media, where the public is very active and has infinite capacity to destroy a brand's reputation in a short time.
2. Learn to manage crises, admitting your mistakes and apologizing to users who have felt offended. It demonstrates professionalism and seriousness, indeed it often involves its customers who will expose themselves in the front row to defend us
Timing: how much and when to publish?
Contrary to what you think, posting with assiduous frequency does not offer greater visibility of the contents. Information bombing is a counterproductive strategy because users annoyed by the wave of shares could decide to unlike the page. There is no precise rule that defines how often to post, but common sense dictates to remain constantly present on Facebook. One or two posts a day is the ideal number to keep the page active.
A fundamental tool for sharing content is the Insights section of Facebook. In this area you will find all the data and statistics relating to your page, including the time in which the posts could be more likely to be viewed. The Post section of Insights therefore helps to understand user habits and plan a strategic content publication. It allows you to identify the moments of the day when fans are online, which is useful for sharing your posts during peak hours when traffic is heavy.
To summarize, here's how to run a restaurant on social media. Images are important, they favor direct and rapid communication. However, they must be interesting and represent at least one of these three types:
1. informative content
2. content as advice
3. entertainment content
To be active and present, publication on Facebook must be constant, on average one or two posts a day. It is always better not to overdo it because this strategy could turn out to be a boomerang in a short time.
If you are looking for more advice on how to manage a Facebook page for a restaurant, we refer you to our article dedicated to optimizing the company page. And what strategies do you use on your Facebook channel?