Chelsea Allenby is a Digital Marketer of 9 years and Managing Director of Allenby Digital Ltd, an online marketing agency she set-up in 2015, specialising in social media and content marketing. www.chelseamarketing.co.uk
Cracking Instagram isn’t as easy as some people make it look. If you’ve noticed those highly influential individuals with thousands of followers and you’re wondering how they’ve done it, here’s the truth. It probably took them a very long time, and in that time they have probably committed themselves to daily content and regular interactions. It’s typically easier for an individual to reach fame on Instagram than it is for a brand to grow at the same pace.
One crucial element is having brilliant visual content. If you can master this, growing your Instagram community will be much easier. No one wants to follow an account with low-quality images, no structure and no consistency. That’s why these types of images always win…
Putting Your Customer in the Spotlight
Customers enjoy being featured by brands; provided they have shared the photo publically and tagged your restaurant/bar (or given prior permission). This type of content shows other prospective customers that your joint is the place to be. It almost plays on ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out) and entices new customers to come and join in the fun. Choose a photo with big smiles and laughter to deliver this message. Check out this example from Zing Zing, how much does this photo make you want to join in?
Highlighting Your Fantastic Employees
A high-quality friendly service is one of the main reasons diners return to time and time again, that and the food, of course. One of the best ways to deliver this message is to showcase your amazing employees through photo and video content.
Focusing on the Food & Drink
It’s the star of the show and one of the most popular things to share on Instagram across the globe… the food itself. Just as you would select only the best images for your menu, apply the same concept to your social channels. There’s a reason #foodporn has over 133 million tags. If your photos don’t look like food porn on a plate, don’t even waste your time! Angles, lighting and set-up are really important. A lot goes into the perfect photo, but it’s worth it to have a sharp looking Instagram profile.
Consider Photos That Match A Theme
Some of the most successful Instagram accounts have a ‘theme’ across their content. In the world of Instagram, this simply means photos/videos that are consistent either in colour palette or layout. Themes are very popular for fashion and beauty bloggers, so using their success for inspiration might work in your favour.
This blogger focuses on a black and white theme across her account to keep it fresh and aesthetically appealing.
Of course, in the food and drink industry choosing a specific colour might be a challenge, but this doesn’t mean you can’t apply your own twist on a theme. Pizza Hut applies similar colour palettes to all of their photos. At first, this might seem as though the account lacks variety, but for pizza lovers, it’s simply highlighting how delicious their pizza looks.
Finally, don’t forget to be yourself and showcase your unique individuality as a restaurant. It’s great to take tips and inspiration from other restaurants, bars and brands on Instagram. In the end, though, the most successful Instagram accounts are being creative in their own way. So don’t forget to set your own tone through methods that others haven’t applied.
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