post image

Creating Your Social Strategy

Building a fun, engaging presence on social media requires teams to be nimble—curating content that showcases their restaurant or operation in an authentic way. But even if you haven’t learned the latest TikTok dance or followed this week’s trending Twitter hashtags, you can still capture the attention of customers through the universal language of food!

Mouthwatering photography, daily specials, and cooking demos can go a long way in terms of building customer loyalty and interest in your menu. Remember that engagement is critical for building your community—keep the conversation going! If people are taking the time to “like,” comment or share your content, ensure that a member of your team answers any questions and responds to feedback. These interactions matter and can turn occasional visitors into loyal customers.

Remember, there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to social media, so consider your patrons when planning your strategy. For example, teenagers are the heaviest Snapchat and TikTok users, while Boomers prefer Facebook and YouTube. It might even be worth surveying your customers to determine which social media sites they use—and where they want to engage with your business.

Let’s Get Social: 3 Tips to Boost Your Social Media Presence

1. Optimize

For multi-unit operators, create subpages for different locations under your main Facebook business profile. You’ll be able to reshare content, promote unit-specific menu specials and deliver location-targeted ads.

2. Engage

View Instagram insights under the “Most Active Times” tab to ensure you’re posting at the optimal time. Add a time-based content calendar to create an automated posting schedule and keep your followers engaged when they’re active on the app.

3. Take Action

Turn followers into customers by applying action buttons to stories and pictures of menu items, enabling customers to order food in real-time while staying engaged with your page.

By the Numbers

Take a look at some of the staggering stats around social media and how foodservice plays a major role.

  • 79% of Internet users use blogs and social media to make decisions about where to eat and what foods to try1
  • 5 billion foodservice visits were influenced by social media in 2020, up 43% since 20162
  • 45% of US diners said they’ve tried a restaurant for the first time because of a social media post made by the establishment itself3
  • 82% of the US population uses some form of social media4

Content courtesy of Conagra Foodservice

1Marie-Helene DiBenedetto, “Food Brands To Watch On Social Media: The 2021 Edit,” Moondust, March 19, 2021.

2The NPD Group/CREST, year ending December 2020.

3MGH, “Survey: Social Media Influences Nearly Half of U.S. Diners,” April 12, 2019.

4Statista, “Percentage of U.S. population who currently use any social media from 2008 to 2021,” March 2021.