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Written byby Jenn Chen
Published on January 27, 2020
Reading time 7 minutes
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With more than 371 million posts tagged #food and 41 million with #drinks, food and beverage photos are easily some of the most popular types of content on Instagram. It’s very likely that your customers are posting with or without your interaction.
When 88% of people are influenced by reviews and online comments, having an intentional digital strategy is important to your restaurant or bar.

A post shared by Patrick Janelle (@aguynamedpatrick)

In this guide to social media for restaurants and bars, we’ll discuss:
According to our Q3 2016 Sprout Social Index, 75% of people purchased a product because they saw it on social media. Of that percentage, 60.7% need to see a post 2-4 times from the company before making a purchase.
If you’re not visibly active on social media, then you’re missing out on a large customer base.
If you’re just getting started on your restaurant social media accounts, make sure pertinent information like your hours and contact information can be easily accessed on your profile. The less clicks it takes to find out about your bar, the better.
Milwaukee-based Camp Bar has multiple locations that they squeeze into their Twitter bio.
Multi-location Buffalo Wild Wings uses the limited Instagram bio space to speak directly to their customer. Wings are part of their name and a big customer draw. It makes sense to have the meal featured prominently in their bio and in their photos.
Facebook Pages offer an easy way to input your information, including opening hours, address, messaging options and popular times to visit. The Publican’s Facebook Page showcases its busiest hours. This can be incredibly helpful for those who are unfamiliar with the restaurant.
There are many other attributes of Facebook Pages that you should take advantage of:
If you need more information on how to set up your Facebook Business Page, check out our complete guide and walkthrough.
If you have multiple locations, Facebook makes it easy for you to add all the addresses. While it may be a pain to set up in the beginning, the benefit is that the closest locations will pop up for your customers. If you have numerous locations, consider uploading a spreadsheet to Facebook instead. You can use this to your advantage later by creating location-based Facebook ads.
Think of the main Page as the umbrella Page, as demonstrated by the Revelator Coffee Page below.
Each location is able to have its own subpage linked to the main one like this Birmingham location. Depending on your social media marketing strategy, you can have the individual locations handle their own posting.
This can benefit you in a few ways:
While establishing location-based Facebook Pages can have its advantages, there are downsides to managing multiple Pages.
In the same Sprout Index, research discovered the most annoying action brands make on social media is too many promotional posts. What do promotional posts look like? They’re the in-your-face marketing that you encounter on a daily basis.
Most promotional posts talk about discounts or a specific product. It’s the equivalent of the party guest who only talks about themselves. But if that person began conversations with questions, listened to other guests and made new connections, then you wouldn’t mind a bit of boasting every now and then.

A post shared by Buffalo Wild Wings (@bwwings)

Promotional posts don’t need to be blatant marketing. Incorporate action shots or product placement in a way that is visually attractive to your customers. The best photos or videos can get your customer momentarily imagining themselves at your business.

A post shared by Starbucks (@starbucks)

A post shared by Dunkin’ (@dunkin)

A post shared by Three Dots and a Dash (@threedotsandadash)

Approach social media like you would a group of strangers at a party. Sprinkle tidbits about yourself while mostly engaging with other people. Engagement posts focus the conversation on your customers.
Here are a few ideas to begin a conversation:
What are you brewing this fine morning?
— Blue Bottle Coffee (@bluebottleroast) July 23, 2016

A post shared by Glazed and Infused Doughnuts (@goglazed)

It’s important to know the best times to post to social media, but make sure you understand your core audience first. Take time to analyze your current stores’ traffic to know when to best reach your customers.
For example, if your bar doesn’t open until 8 p.m., then posting about mixed drinks at 9 a.m. won’t work very well. This is why it’s important to work with time ranges instead one specific set time. See our data on restaurant brands’ best times to post on Instagram:
Alternatively, you can post content that’s easily digested (no pun intended) at any point of the day. Examples of this type of content include staff features, interior and exterior shots, general food items (excluding alcoholic drinks) and behind-the-scenes company updates.

A post shared by Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (@jenisicecreams)

Yes, we are ready. @Seahawks pic.twitter.com/W883fis5Dp
— Top Pot Doughnuts (@Toppot) January 2, 2017

Any favorite songs come to mind? 🎶 (💭 : @akaMikeG) pic.twitter.com/sq5RHt1Y1c
— Five Guys (@FiveGuys) December 28, 2016

Because social network timelines are more algorithmic, we highly recommend a social media advertising strategy that pairs with your posted content. You can promote posts at a designated hour to ensure that your customers see the burger special before dinnertime.
What’s the point of posting a mouthwatering dinner photo if your customers don’t see it until the next morning?
Location-based advertising allows you to control when people see your ads, oftentimes within a certain radius. On Facebook, you have the ability to target from specific business locations. When a customer walks by a location and happens to be browsing Facebook, they’ll be served up a Facebook Ad.
According to NinthDecimal’s Mobile Audience Insights Report,
If you feel like you’ve got your digital strategy down but still need a little spunk in your posts, consider one of these advanced marketing strategies:
Collaborations work well in person and in digital form. Begin by picking a restaurant or bar that you would enjoy working with.

A post shared by Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits (@bangbangpie)

Take advantage of social media influencers by offering exclusive meals or curated experiences. One way to feature a takeover is to invite an influencer to showcase nearby experiences they enjoy. For example, if your restaurant is based in Denver, they can post about your food and other local attractions they enjoy.

A post shared by Denver Food + Scene (@chow_milehigh)

Another way to work with influencers is to create a collaborative menu item or event. This can be especially useful for ingredient-oriented brands. For example, a BBQ sauce brand could work with someone to create a special recipe that becomes published on an influencer’s blog.

A post shared by Stubb's BBQ Sauce (@stubbsbbqsauce)

Stream parties, game-day events and talk about new promotions on live video. This is also a great way to go behind the scenes on your bar. Set up a live Q&A with your chef or feature a mixologist who can show you how to mix a drink at home.
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse in San Francisco is a very small space. However, lines for their cruffin are out the door every morning and the bakery has become a destination spot for Instagrammers.
From the neon sign to the tiled words “Holmes Sweet Home,” customers flock to the store just to prove they were there.
You can take a similar approach with uniquely tiled floors, wallpaper or other signage. Highlighting what makes you unique should be clear in your social promotion.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLmPfwcg4oE
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOvI0_lDiwA/
All of the effort you place into creating content, maintaining your community and responding to reviews mean little without data to back it all up.
Sprout Social’s Group Reports allow you to connect multiple Facebook Pages, Instagram profiles and Twitter accounts to give you a high-level report on your company. This report can keep track of all of your locations without someone manually inputting data into a spreadsheet.
To get you started, here are some statistics you can track:
The food and drink industry has an advantage on social media. The perfect slice of pizza or freshly baked bread being sliced open can cause a visceral, mouth-watering reaction in the viewer. The content is waiting for you in your restaurant.

A post shared by noma (@nomacph)

Jenn Chen
Jenn Chen is an SF-based digital strategist, photographer, and writer who works with specialty coffee companies to make them look awesome online. She also has a penchant for cake donuts. Connect with her online @thejennchen & at jennchen.com.
Read all articles by Jenn Chen
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