Are you using social media for the best impact?

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Social media might seem overwhelming at first, but trust us—it’s not as complicated as it looks, and it can make a massive difference for your restaurant, café, or bar. This guide will walk you through the basics and provide simple steps to help you harness the power of social media effectively.

Why you need social media for your restaurant, bar or café

Think about how people discover new places to eat or drink today. Chances are, they’ve seen a mouth-watering photo on Instagram, a glowing Facebook review, or a viral TikTok video showcasing an irresistible dish. This is why social media isn’t just an option for your hospitality business—it’s essential.

Social media has revolutionised how people connect, share experiences, and make decisions about where to spend their money. This means your online presence is about more than just posting pictures of food or drinks. It’s about building connections, attracting new customers, and strengthening your brand.

In this short guide, we’ll explore key social media platforms, how to use them effectively, and what people expect from you online.

Start with a simple social media strategy

Even if you’re just starting out, having a basic social media strategy can make all the difference. This doesn’t need to be a lengthy document—just a clear plan outlining what you want to achieve and how you’ll leverage social media to do it. A social media strategy can help you define how you’ll:

Engage with customers and keep them informed

Increase online visibility and brand recognition

Establish credibility and professionalism

Create a direct communication channel with customers

To build an effective social media strategy, start by defining your goals—whether it’s increasing foot traffic, boosting online orders, or growing brand awareness. Identify your target audience and choose the social media platforms they use most. Develop a content calendar with a mix of posts, including promotional content, customer engagement, and behind-the-scenes insights. Lastly, track your performance using platform analytics to refine your strategy over time.

Ideas for your content calendar

You might feel a bit stumped when it comes to what kind of content to post. Fear not, there’s a myriad of ways to create and share engaging content on social media. As just a few examples, you could:

Showcase your most beautiful dishes and beverages to entice new customers in.

Share menu updates and specials to bring regulars in to sample your new offerings.

Highlight great reviews and reshare posts from customers – people trust third-party recommendations.

Engage with your customers by responding to their comments and messages.

Post behind-the-scenes glimpses of your kitchen, staff and preparation processes – for example, the Head Chef experimenting with new flavours; or your top bar tender creating a new cocktail.

Tell the story behind how your business started to create interest and drive engagement.

Introduce team members and share their stories with photos and videos.

Which social media platform?

Each social media platform is different, with slightly overlapping but distinct audiences and approaches to content. While some platforms prioritise visual storytelling, others focus on real-time interaction, community building, or short-form video. Understanding these differences will help you decide where to invest your time and resources.

For example, platforms like Instagram and TikTok emphasise visually appealing content, so they’re ideal for photos of beautifully plated dishes and immersive dining experiences. Facebook, on the other hand, acts as a community hub where you can share updates, interact with loyal customers, and provide essential business information. TikTok offers the potential for viral exposure through creative, bite-sized videos. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, so choosing the right mix depends on your restaurant’s goals, audience, and brand personality.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each platform and how you can use them effectively.

Instagram: The visual powerhouse

Instagram is a top platform for restaurants, cafés, bars, breweries and other hospitality businesses, because it’s so visual. It’s the perfect platform for showcasing stunning food and drink photography and beautiful pictures of your space. Over a billion people use Instagram each month, and it’s where most Millennials and Gen Z go to check out a venue.

You should post to your Instagram feed three to five times per week and add multiple stories with behind-the-scenes content. You can also create reels – these are short, engaging videos that reach a broader audience.

Content ideas for Instagram include gorgeous food and drink photography, behind-the-scenes clips, customer photos and experiences (with permission), menu updates and special offers. If possible, use natural lighting, engaging captions and geotags to enhance your Insta posts.

Facebook: The community hub

With nearly three billion monthly users, Facebook remains a powerhouse for restaurants. It serves as a one-stop shop for information, engagement, and customer interaction.

Make use of your Business Page on Facebook, being sure to add your menu, hours, location and contact details. Post regularly (at least one to three posts per day) with updates, promotions, and customer stories. Use Messenger to offer direct customer support (make sure you keep on top of it and respond quickly); and Facebook Events to promote special occasions, live music and seasonal offers. You can even get a feel for how much interest there is in your event, through the ‘going/interested/not going’ function that allows users to respond.

If you want to flex a bit further, try using interactive posts (polls, questions) to boost engagement. Always keep your business details updated and experiment with Facebook’s powerful advertising tools to target your ideal customers.

TikTok: The viral game-changer

TikTok is a rising force in hospitality marketing – its short, engaging videos can easily go viral, while the ‘For You Page’ (FYP) helps hospitality businesses reach new audiences. TikTok trends and challenges also provide creative marketing opportunities for the canny business owner.

For TikTok, consider showcasing signature dishes and drinks in fun, fast paced and vibrant videos. Use trending music, sounds and challenges to make your content relevant. Give behind-the-scenes looks at the way you prepare dishes and drinks, feature customer reactions and testimonials, and you could even consider collaborating with local influencers to get exposure to their audience.

Consider offering a prize or gift of some sort to encourage customers to generate their own TikToks about your venue and tag you in them.

Tips for social media success

There are a few key tips and tricks that will help you achieve social media success across any platform.

First, be consistent with your posting schedule. Whether it’s daily, weekly, or somewhere in between, maintaining a steady flow of content keeps your audience engaged and builds familiarity with your brand. At the same time, prioritise quality over quantity—it’s better to share a few polished, well-thought-out posts than to flood your feed with low-effort content.

Additionally, stay authentic and let your brand’s personality shine. Social media users value real, relatable content, so don’t be afraid to show the human side of your business. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages—building genuine connections will encourage customer loyalty.

How to know if it’s working

All social media platforms provide analytics so you can see key metrics like reach (how many people saw your content), engagement (how many people interacted with your content), click-through rate (how many people clicked on links in your posts), and more. You can use analytics to track performance, work out which types of social media activity are working for you, and ultimately do more of what works and less of what doesn’t!

Final thoughts

Social media has transformed the way hospitality businesses connect with customers. By focusing on engaging content, active customer interaction, and platform-specific strategies, you can enhance your restaurant’s visibility and attract more guests.

Your brand extends beyond your physical space—it’s also shaped by your online presence. So, embrace social media, have fun with it, and watch your business thrive.