More and more managers are looking for advice on how to promote a bar on Instagram , the social network which, together with Facebook, is most used by users to decide what and where to eat. It is therefore essential that it is well cared for and that you have a clear idea of the strategy to follow. Take advantage of our advice to give your restaurant's Instagram profile a good sprinkling.
1. Taking care of the images
Instagram is a social network whose contents are images and videos accompanied by texts. This aspect becomes a point in your favor to show the dishes on the menu, an aspect that shouldn't be underestimated if you think that nowadays people also choose the place based on their presence on social media. Taking care of the images is your new business card, you have to make users salivate to induce them to choose your place .
How to improve your shots?
- Choose natural sunlight over artificial light;
- Position the light in front of or to the side of the plate to be photographed;
- Photographed at a 45° angle, if the plate is not very bulky opt for 90°;
- Use the camera grid to take straight images;
- Rely on the rule of thirds to focus the eye on some details;
- Avoid applying filters that are too distorted to keep the color of the dish real.
Filters, if used without distorting the images, are a perfect trick to make your photos recognizable. As does La Fabrique , a Belgian restaurant that always uses the same type of filter (that is, the same dosage of brightness, contrast and saturation). To edit the images you can rely on applications such as VSCO Cam and Snapseed.
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2. Customer engagement
You may have seen customers intent on taking and sharing photos of the dishes you serve. Well, the positive and engaging user experience is an excellent way to advertise, with credibility and without economic investment. Just like positive reviews, pictures customers post of your restaurant's dishes become the best word of mouth .
How to promote a bar on Instagram by involving customers?
- Create the geotag and the official hashtag of the venue;
- Encourage customers to use the geotag and hashtag, communicating it on placemats, coasters or in the bathroom, the favorite place for selfies;
- Interact with users who have used Instagram references;
- Learn to handle even negative comments with a willingness to listen.
Speaking of selfies, the oTTo venue in Milan uses the images posted by users to strengthen the community and bond with customers. An easy example of how to help retention with Instagram.
3. Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are the most powerful tool at the moment to get closer to users. It is possible to create a real narrative in which the public becomes a co-protagonist by interacting with polls and questions. The Stories last 24 hours, but it is possible to keep the most important ones highlighted in the Instagram profile so that users can review them at any time.
How to use Stories to talk about your place?
- Show the dishes on the menu and save them in the form of a highlight album, like Rodolfo of Bologna does;
- Talk behind the scenes of the preparation of your dishes;
- Create a flash promotion that lasts only 24 hours;
- Engage your audience with all the Stories features.
For example, the cooking blog Yum Box introduces a new recipe with a survey to get closer to the user. The Stories are extremely accurate, we advise you to follow the profile for inspiration. There are many applications to edit them with creative formats, one of the most popular among influencers is Unfold .
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4. The call to action
As has already happened for Facebook, now even Instagram company profiles can insert buttons to invite customers to contact the restaurant. The best way to complete the strategy is then to place these calls to action .
Steps to set up direct touch keys:
- Switch to the company profile by selecting the item in the account options;
- Connect the Instagram company profile to the Facebook page of the venue;
- Enter your phone number, email address and location;
- With this data, the button on your profile is created automatically.
The quick and easy step will allow potential customers to contact you instantly directly from Instagram. Here is an example of how the three contact buttons appear on the Marghe Pizza profile.
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@marghe_pizza[/caption]Why exactly Instagram?
Now that you have clear how to promote a bar on Instagram, you may be wondering why focus your communication on this platform. Although Facebook remains the most used social network by Italians, the data show a growth of 36% in 2018. There are over 11 million active users every day and most of them are under 35 years old. With the data in hand, Instagram presents itself as a perfect tool for promoting a bar and expanding the audience.
Let's not forget that the food sector has been one of the stable trends for years. Research by the American University of St. Petersburg has drawn up a ranking of the most photographed dishes on social media , with coffee reigning first with 80 million tagged posts. Riding this wave helps you get in touch with new users and potential customers right away.
Are you looking for other tips on how to improve your online presence? Find out how to get on the first page of Google .