Is your bar currently sharing updates on social media?
Even when you’re closed, social media should be a key part of your marketing strategy. And here’s why…
It’s a tricky time for hospitality businesses, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your social media channels. Your potential customers are all really active on social media right now, and they can’t wait to get back out for food and drinks.
Because of this, we thought we’d share a few ideas for bars to help you to keep posting at the moment and keep those audiences engaged!
Firstly, give your Page a quick spring clean. Make sure that the bar’s About section is filled out, the cover photo is up to date (and the right size for mobile displays) and the website/contact information is all clearly visible.
Showcase any high quality imagery and videos of your bar you have, highlighting any cool aspects such as interiors and/or drinks that are popular. Tag your suppliers and brewers in these where possible, so that they engage too.
If all your photos are a bit blurry, you could get creative and make up some memes… For video, why not ask a bartender to do a demo on Facebook Live or pre-record a cocktail recipe? Virtual bars are also really popular right now!
The most important thing on Facebook is to keep the conversation going. Some ways for bars to do this include:
- Create a post asking people what they want to see from the bar when you reopen.
- Share a funny picture and run a caption competition with a drinks voucher or free VIP table for the winner.
- Use trends like ‘Throwback Thursday’ to share old pictures or reminisce about past events that were really successful.
This a big one for bars – not all of them are on Instagram but the ones that are see a lot of engagement!
Get creative with the visual elements of what your bar does. Whether it’s colourful cocktails or bold looking beers – sharing pictures on Instagram is a great way to show people exactly what you do.
As with Facebook, tag in your suppliers/brewers and use relevant hashtags e.g #cocktailtime #saturdaynight …One that’s really popular right now is #quarantini! If you want to reach new customers in your area, ready for when you open, use hashtag your bar’s location e.g #cocktailbarslondon #bournemouth #bristolbar. Top tip – eleven is the magic number for the Insta algorithm apparently!
(Want more hashtags for your Instagram post? Click here…)
Whether you’re having a refurb or just waiting to reopen, Instagram Stories are a fun, more casual way to share updates. Why not do a Q&A or a poll, asking your followers what their favourite thing is about the bar? You could also do a ‘Meet the Team’ series, or have each of them take over the account for the day.
Social Media Advertising
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – please don’t just boost posts at random! When you’ve got a bit of social media advertising budget, you want to make sure that money is being used effectively. A well-executed Page Likes or Traffic campaign right now is probably your best bet as you can target the bar’s potential customers, ready for reopening.
Not sure where to start? Our team have lots of experience when it comes to social media advertising and we’d be more than happy to help.
Think like the customer…
Our final bit of advice for your bar’s social media would be to write your posts with your audience in mind. Think like them – when are they active? What do they like? What do they like about your bar or what will draw them to you?
If you think like the customer, your posts will not only be relatable but they’ll also peak their interest, ready for when they can visit the bar again.
I’m stuck!
If you have any questions or you’d like to find out a bit more about our services, we’re currently offering free 30-minute online consultations!
Contact us today for more information or to book…
