A social media account is almost indispensable in a good marketing strategy these days. Instagram, Facebook and TikTok are here to stay, and there is considerable investment in reaching target audiences online through these channels. So is it necessarily necessary to pump money into ads? Not at all! Whereas ads and promotions are useful for reaching a specific target group, organic posts on your channels are very important for building a connection with the guest. But where to start?
Which platform do you choose?
There are countless social media platforms and new ones are emerging all the time that very rarely make it to the general public. As a hospitality entrepreneur, you can do two things: communicate through all sorts of different platforms, or focus on one or two platforms that best fit your concept. This is because you can reach your target group in a very targeted way not only with the content of your communication, but also with the platform itself.
For example, it makes more sense to use YouTube if you have a concept that attracts men than if you want to reach teenage girls [1]. In addition, TikTok is very interesting if you are looking for Generation Z, born between 1996 and 2015 [2]. By the way, this platform is not only attractive if your hospitality concept is aimed at younger guests, but also if you are looking for staff within this generation. Win-win in other words!
What does good content look like?
Once you've decided which platforms you want to be active on, it's time to think about what you're going to post, or the "content. One important aspect you can keep in mind when thinking about content is responding to trends.
One example of a trend now playing out on social media is video content. With the rise of the social media platform TikTok, videos are slowly taking over from photos, even on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook [3]. It is important to include this right away in the strategy so that you stay current and interesting on your followers' timeline.
An example of a catering business that responds well to this is Delft-based caterer Il Tartufo.By distributing videos in which they simply take viewers through the preparation of their sandwiches, they have managed to build a huge reach. For example, they have a whopping 84.1 thousand followers on TikTok and 10.3 thousand followers on Instagram!
This brings us to the art of not thinking too hard about what you want to show. Many guests already enjoy getting a look behind the scenes. Social media provides a venue for guest interaction in an almost friendly way. Using this interaction, building rapport with the guest becomes a lot easier. What contributes immensely to this is storytelling, or "telling believable stories that the target audience understands, remembers and that create an emotional connection." [4].
- For example, share sometime the life story of that regular guest who sits in front of the store every Sunday morning with a lungo and the Volkskrant.
- Or show off your hard-working staff during a celebratory get-together, like this video from Branding Beachclub.
- In addition, take advantage of interaction by engaging your followers in a win action. A good example of such a win action, is this Instagram post from The Avocado Show. One of the conditions of their win action is that participants must tag their best friends in the comments. This allows more people to see the post and creates a lot of traction.
Also, the interaction involved in social media provides the opportunity to respond to both good, and bad reviews. An unsatisfied guest, as in physical life, creates an open door for your hospitable qualities. By responding to a complaint, you can turn an unsatisfied guest into a returning guest. Do you have a new dish on the menu? Take a picture and have your followers guess what the ingredients are. Invite the winner to dinner for 2 and your post is ready to go viral!
Make it Instagrammable
As mentioned in the article Tips and tricks to steal the show online, offline and online branding can extremely reinforce each other. One way to capitalize on this is by creating an "Instagrammable" experience offline. This is an experience that invites sharing on social media [5].
Adding physical, iconic elements in or around your business will not only enhance the guest's overall experience, but also invite them to share that they are with you. As a result, his or her friends will get a "that's where I want to go" experience, and thus your awareness is automatically built. In this way, you actually transform your guests into ambassadors.
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Mama Kelly | Amsterdam
How to make your business' decor Instagrammable:
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For example, make room for an Instawall with a funny quote in your tone of voice, or dress up the inside of your business with eye-catching products in your unique branding.
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Also, by using fun quotes on your napkins, for example, you can ensure that guests don't swerve for a picture of their perfectly laid table.
Need inspiration? Pay a visit to The Streetfood Club or Mama Kelly! After all, their interiors are bursting with shareable nooks and crannies.
Also, our in-house designers can help you design unique, Instagrammable products in your own style. Bet your guests won't walk out the door without a photo anymore.
Source reference:
[1] Your target audience is also on youtube, Adformatie. Accessed October 12, 2022 https://www.adformatie.nl/campagnes/jouw-doelgroep-zit-ook-op-youtube-doe-er-je-voordeel-mee
[2] Millennials versus Gen Z: the best marketing approach for these troublesome young people, Salesforce. Accessed October 12, 2022 https://www.salesforce.com/nl/blog/2019/09/Millennials-versus-GenZ-de-verschillen-en-beste-marketingbenadering.html
[3] Staying visible with your hospitality business right now: 11 online marketing tips, Frankwatching. Accessed October 12, 2022 https://www.frankwatching.com/archive/2020/04/21/online-marketing-tips-horeca/
[4] Storytelling: an inspiring brand story in 5 steps, Frankwatching. Accessed October 12, 2022 https://www.frankwatching.com/archive/2018/04/16/storytelling-in-5-stappen-een-inspirerend-merkverhaal/#/:~:text=Storytelling%20is%20het%20vertellen%20van,er%20een%20emotionele%20band%20ontstaat
[5] Is your experience instagrammable enough, MarketingTribune. Accessed October 19, 2022
