There are over one billion of active Instagram users worldwide.
10 million of them are here in Australia- certainly an audience we don’t want you to miss out on.
6 Instagram tricks for restaurants to boost their revenue
#1 USE HASHTAGS TO BE FOUND
Hashtags and location tags help your potential clients find exactly what they are looking for and this could be you, for example searching ‘#SydneyItalianRestaurant’. I would recommend using ‘#SydneyEats’ which is currently sitting at 1.7M posts, along with #SydneyLocal sitting at 942K posts.
My tip: You can use up to 30 hashtags. Put them in the first comment, so that your caption remains clean.
#2 BENEFIT FROM UGC (USER GENERATED CONTENT)
Some of your clients will post on Instagram while visiting you. If you have an Instagram page, they may mention you ‘@businessname’ and tag your location. It is best if you choose a hashtag for your brand and invite people to use it. Inviting Instagram influencers to your venue using these tags will be beneficial.
My tip: Connect with the influencers before you invite them. Start by commenting on their posts so they get to know you. They will likely be more responsive when you invite them to your establishment. When they do come, let them know which hashtags to use.
#3 ADVERTISE ON A BUDGET
Instagram allows you to advertise to a targeted audience. You can choose who you want to display your ad to via location, interests, income, age, gender and more. With a few hundred dollars, you can reach thousands of people that are likely to click on your ad with genuine interest.
My tip: Make sure you have short copy and a catchy image with no text on it to maximise impact, or even better- post a video! If you want to provide more info, just include it in the caption. Don’t forget to make sure the link in your bio drives to a landing page related to your ad.
#4 STRENGTHEN YOUR BRAND
Instagram is your brand’s identity. Showcase photos of your dishes, specials and best sellers. It’s an opportunity for you to be authentic and share some personality. Let your followers see your kitchen, show them your produce, introduce your staff- you can even make a video of your chef buying fresh ingredients at the markets.
My tip: Use stories and highlights to make instant videos. Don’t hesitate to be spontaneous; your clients want to see behind the scenes!
#5 CROSS PROMOTE
If you work with partners or have people who support your business, don’t hesitate to tag them in your posts. They may want to share them on their own page, which will give you more visibility. Everyone is looking for quality content.
My tip: Contact local businesses to cross promote your brand. You can run contests and giveaways with them to have more impact and visibility.
#6 MANAGE YOUR COMMUNITY
Instagram is an easy way to be in direct contact your clients. They will ask questions about your menu, reservations, opening hours etc. It’s best that you answer them straight away- it could save you from bad reviews. If your clients know you will respond on this channel, they might send you direct messages after a poor experience instead of taking out their frustration on Trip Advisor.
My tip: Always check who mentions you and tags your location. That way you can comment, thank them for the visit and even repost quality photos.
WRITTEN BY
Laura Blanot is the director at Bistrot Media, marketing and communications agency specialising in hospitality. She’s always happy to pop in for a discussion about how to market your venue, especially if you have good coffee… or wine! You can follow Bistrot Media on instagram at @bistromedia