“Hey Triin – thanks for setting some time aside to talk social media.”
Triin: My pleasure, happy to be here!
“So… Social media for restaurants, why is it important?”
Triin: Where do I even begin! Increased visibility and reach is a no-brainer. If you don’t have an account on some of the main social media platforms, then do you really even exist? 😀
“Wow, is it that important?”
Triin: You don’t need to become a viral sensation or anything, but having a social media account is indeed quite important. It makes you more approachable to guests; they can easily get in touch with you or simply look at your delicious content and save it or share it with their friends. And the cherry on top – guests are eager to share stories and tag the restaurant when they visit a new place. One guest has an average of a few hundred followers, so think about how many potential new guests that is!
“Really interesting! So which platform would you recommend?”
Triin: Two platforms – Instagram and Facebook will do! Those two platforms complement each other pretty well – Facebook has a slightly older user base, whereas Instagram users are on average a bit younger, so you will cover a big ground. TikTok is another platform that I encourage to try out if you want to appeal to an audience between 18-24.
“What about format (pictures, video)? What would you recommend?”
Triin: Regarding format, it’s always a good idea to try out different formats and be creative. At the moment, the algorithm pushes Reels quite heavily, especially if you are using viral audio. How to find viral audio, you might ask? I’d say best is to do some scrolling of actual videos by others and see if you can find a song you like. By clicking on it, you can see how many people have already used this sound, which gives you a good estimate.
There is also trending audio…
“Trending audio, what does this mean?”
Triin: This means they are not completely mainstream yet, so if you catch this kind of audio way in advance, you have better chances at making your post a success!
“Wow, this all sounds pretty time-consuming and a bit complicated… Is this something restaurants can do themselves?”
Triin: It does require some time and often restaurants have their own marketing person just for handling social media. But don’t be too alarmed, you can also create amazing content with just the team you have.
“Do you have a ‘top tip’ for our readers?
Triin’s top tip: For sure – In my experience, content that has a user-generated (original) vibe to it performs better than overly-polished, professional photoshoot content. You don’t need to spend hours editing photos or coming up with fancy designs. Keep it simple!
“Thanks, Triin—that’s all the time we have for today! There was some really great advice here. We’d love to chat with you again soon if you’re up for it?”
Triin: Absolutely, thank you for having me!
Keep your eyes peeled for a follow-up chat with Triin and in the meantime, check out the blog for more inspiration
