The majority of people mainly use their socials to share their lives with family, friends and so on. But do you know what else is big on social media? Food! So one of the best ways to boost your profits and get more customers dining with you is through having an active presence on social media – especially on Facebook and Instagram.

Here are some social media post ideas for restaurants and other eateries.

The menu

Encourage customers to dine with you by showing them snippets from the menu that are just too good to refuse. Use social media to advise customers what is available on your menu. If it changes seasonally, showcase it.

Be sure to have posts that boast about the dietary requirements you cater for as well. Clean eating is on the rise, and it’s becoming more important to have something for all appetites.

Photographs of your food

You make delicious food, to start taking photographs that you can show off to potential diners.

If you want to stand out from the crowd and get people talking about your food, you need to plaster it everywhere (metaphorically, of course), especially on Instagram. #foodporn is a hashtag on Instagram with over 220 million posts – people love looking at food. Other popular hashtags to use include #foodie and #foodgasm.

You’ll quickly build up an audience. Plus anybody looking up your business online is likely to come across it on Instagram, and be interested in seeing how tasty your dishes look.

Also, don’t think you have to be a world-class photographer to take great photos of your meals. Nowadays we all have smartphones with good cameras – just focus on presentation and find a spot with good natural lighting.

Special offers and seasonal promotions

Why should someone follow you on social media?

People don’t just follow accounts now for satisfying pictures or funny things to read. Consumers want to feel like they’re gaining something by following you. Make it worth their while.

Chances are you run regular special offers, like a lunchtime menu special or a set menu for Valentine’s Day or Christmas. Make sure you’re shouting about these offers on social media, as consumers love to get good value for money.

Also run promotions exclusively on social media so customers need to be following you to be aware of certain offers, such as 2 for 1 on particular cocktails or ‘Wing Wednesdays’. Go the extra mile and create a mailing list for people to sign up to via social media, which offers them treats when they enter their details. Perhaps a special discount for signing up, or a unique gift on their birthday.

These types of posts should be boosted on Facebook and Instagram for extra impact.

Behind-the-scenes content

People like people – rather than being a faceless business, show off your staff to add some personality to your brand. This content works particularly well on social media.

Consumers are more interested than ever in what goes on behind closed doors, so show your followers what happens before their food gets to them. If you use locally sourced produce, shout about it.

Show off your chefs working hard in the kitchen or your waiting staff preparing for a special event. There are lots of ways that you can pull back the curtain and offer something unique.

Share other people’s content

When people take the time to buy into your business and take even more time to post about it on their social media accounts, engage with their content and reshare it. It not only gives you extra free content to use on your socials, but if people are encouraged to share photos and tag your business, that’s free brand awareness as well. A double win!

Repost photos that you’re tagged in and always remember engagement is key.

Recipes, how-tos, and tutorials

Show off your expertise by showing your followers how to make your food. If you run a carvery on a Sunday, then record a quick video sharing how you make your famous gravy, or tips on getting those Yorkies perfect.

By sharing some tips, you’ll not only show people you’re an expert at what you do, but you’ll create some valuable content that can be shared time and time again.

Would you like more tailored advice for your business?

I can provide a social media strategy, bespoke to your business, based on your industry, target market, and what you wish to achieve from social media. It includes specific content ideas, the platforms you should be using, the best free online tools to use, and much more. This is priced at just £195. Get in touch to find out more!