Get the most out of your hospitality or food business's social media channels

Do you already have social media accounts for your business? If you don't, it's time to create them. Start with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. These channels are the best places to share pictures and videos of your products, dishes and business with millions of users. You'll create greater visibility, brand awareness and even customer loyalty. Social media is the easiest and fastest way to interact with your target audience. At the tap of a button, you can like a comment, share a photo or respond to a message.

Do you know what makes social media even more interesting to culinary entrepreneurs? It's totally free to create and manage these accounts. You only spend money when you use ads. So, for start-ups or businesses with limited marketing budgets, social media marketing is a viable channel. However, it's always smart to use this tactic as part of an overall marketing strategy.

Want to go a step further than just posting photos and videos? Use your social media channels to hold giveaways, ask for feedback with polls or to respond to the latest trends. With a little creativity, the options on social media platforms are endless.

To get the most out of your social media strategy, it's important to have a good strategy. For this, you need to take some important steps.

Step 1: determine your goals

To be able to measure the impact of your efforts, you have to set goals. Some possibilities:

• increase brand awareness,

• increase visitors to your business,

• improve customer loyalty and engagement,

• promotion of new products or menu items,

• increase online orders and/or reservations.

And you can also combine several goals.

Step 2: identify your target group

You need to determine, know and understand your target group before you start your social media strategy. Analyse their demographic data (age, gender, location etc.), their socioeconomic data (interests, lifestyle, values etc.) and their online behaviour (which platforms do they use and what type of content do they consume?).

Step 3: analyse your competition

To differentiate yourself, it's important to know what your competition is doing. Analyse which platforms they are using, what type of content they are posting, how often they post and the level of interaction they have with their followers. See which posts work and consider how you can utilise this information.

Step 4: choose your platforms

Now you know your goals and where your target group and competition are active, it's time to choose your platforms and make your accounts. Some examples:

• Facebook: good for sharing photos and video content, but also for events, promotions and other announcements. You should also list your opening hours, contact information and location on your account to help potential customers find you.

• Instagram: ideal for visual content, such as photos and videos of dishes and products but also to give people an idea of the vibe of your business. Ever heard of an Instagram takeover? Look it up, it's worth a try! Regularly post stories, use hashtags and create reels.

• TikTok: the best platform for responding to trends, posting funny videos and even sharing recipes. Tip: reuse your videos and post them on other channels. Omichannel strategy? Check! Sounds like a plan!

Step 5: develop your content strategy

Decide what type of content you want to share. Consider a mix of:

• photos and videos of your dishes and products,

• behind the scenes images of your business, staff, kitchen and processes,

• customer reviews and testimonials,

• promotional posts about special offers, events or new menu items,

• educational content like cooking tips and recipes,

• interactive posts such as polls or questions for your followers.

Step 6: create a content calendar

It's almost time to start posting but first you need to make a content calendar to ensure your posting is consistent. Decide how often you want to post (daily, weekly, three times a week) and make sure you pick a frequency you can sustain. Prepare some posts in advance, for example on a monthly basis, so you can post new content at the tap of a button. Make sure you include topical hashtags like #meatlessmonday or #winewednesday. You don't want to miss out!

Before you share your first post, carefully consider your tone of voice and visual identity. These two aspects determine your online identity and how you come across to customers. Put this down on paper and make sure you refer to it often because consistency makes your business more trustworthy and recognisable.

Step 7: use smart tools

Are you doing everything yourself? Tools will help you do more with less. Canva allows you to design your visual content, Google Analytics gives you a way to monitor your goals and with Hootsuite and Buffer you can automate your posts. Quick, easy and effective.

Step 8: encourage interaction

It's great to have lots of followers on your social media channels but follower counts aren't everything. It's engagement that determines the success of your channel. Engaging with your audience allows you to cultivate a relationship with your regular customers but also attracts new customers to your business. And those are the metrics that count. Encourage your followers to comment, share your posts or tag people. Share user-generated content (e.g. photos customers have posted), hold online competitions or giveaways...let's get social!

For your social media, you need beautiful, stylish photos. That's why top-notch food photography is of the essence. The experts at La Lorraine Bakery Group have a few tips to share.

Tip 1: use natural light

Natural light gives your photos a fresh and realistic look. It prevents the hard shadows and unnatural colours that are often created by artificial lighting. So, take your photos near a window with indirect sunlight. You could also use a white reflector to brighten the shadows.

Tip 2: styling and props

Well-presented dishes and carefully chosen props make your photos look more visually appealing. Make sure that the background and props complement your dish, without overwhelming it. Use accessories such as napkins, cutlery, herbs and fresh ingredients to add atmosphere and context to the dish. Keep it simple and avoid too much distraction. Your dishes are the stars after all.

Tip 3: shine a spotlight on your target group

Relatability is an important factor on social media. So use models who resemble your target group to bring attention to your products and dishes. This will allow you to show off your location as well. Why not ask your regulars if they'd like to pose for a photo? Tag them, let them share the post on their stories or feed and ask them for a great review.