Four Tips For Promoting Your Takeaway Menu On Instagram

Instagram has become more valuable to restaurant marketing than any other method, with people constantly searching for new places to eat, drink and hang out.

But in the current climate with a lot of venues being forced to close or convert to takeaway only, businesses have had to rethink the way they market. Which is where Instagram comes in.

So, if you’re looking to up your Insta-game, check out these tips for promoting your takeaway menu.

Create A Venue Hashtag

When you set up your business Instagram, come up with a hashtag that is unique to your venue (where possible). Post this hashtag in your bio for customers to tag when they post photos at your venue. This will allow you to keep track of your user-generated content which you can use across your business’ instagram.

User-generated content is a great tool for businesses to utilise on social media, as it’s essentially free content! When a customer posts a photo of your food and tags the business, you can repost this content and include a message thanking them for their support.

Story Highlights

Since Instagram introduced this feature a few years ago, it has proven to be an excellent way for businesses to promote themselves across the platform. When someone new (or a regular) lands on your profile, you want to provide them with a full virtual experience of your restaurant/bar/cafe before they visit.

Story highlights essentially act as a menu on your Instagram profile, so treat your page like you would your website.

Break your highlights up into categories, for example ; food menu, drinks menu, specials, trading hours, and then perhaps a highlight showcasing customers story posts.

This will give your customers both new and current, the opportunity to access information about your business whenever they wish. It also makes your profile more engaging and appealing.

Photography

Possibly the most important component of promoting your business is photography. Particularly on a platform like Instagram which is visually-orientated, it’s imperative that your food and beverage photography is light, bright, sharp, and showcases your menu effectively.

Natural light lends itself well to Instagram, so depending on the style of venue you are promoting this style of photography will work well.

Something else to consider is the way the food is photographed. If you’re showcasing new menu items, take a few flat-lay photos of dishes on a table or a single dish against a white background.

Another effective way to showcase your menu on Instagram is to have someone (either yourself or a staff member) in the background holding a plate out in front of them. This will bring an element of community and personality to your feed, and overall your page will be much more engaging for customers.

Plan Your Content

And last, but certainly not least, PLAN your content. This is especially important during the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic.

Set aside some time to plan a few posts per week (3-4 is recommended), focusing on your trading hours and any changes to business operations, and then ensure there are a few awesome photos of your menu! This will ensure your social media is taken care of and you can get back to running your business!

Want to know more?

If you’d like to know more about ways to market your business during the COVID-19 pandemic, we offer specialised hospitality advice and want to help where we can. Get in touch with us today!