Although the restaurant industry has been hugely impacted by COVID-19, it’s important to recognize that social media is crucial in times like these. These are the virtual platforms where you can communicate important messages, share vital safety and wellness tips, and continue to provide your customers with the same level of service you’ve always provided. In fact, social media scheduling platform Later has reported that Facebook and Instagram have seen a 40% increase in usage due to COVID-19, with views for Instagram Live and Facebook Live doubling in one week.
With people stuck inside their homes and working online, they’re consuming social content more than ever before. That said, this is truly an opportunity to keep your audience engaged, so when you are ready to reopen and ramp things back up, your followers are still listening.
Unsure of what to post? Whether you’re open or closed, there’s a number of things you can do. Read on for some ideas and real examples we’ve seen across our feeds.
1. Share how followers can support you
On a positive note, people are looking for ways to come together and support/give back to the businesses they love.
Are you selling gift cards online for future visits? Not only can you promote online sales, but think about adding an incentive. French restaurant Parc Bistro-Brasserie is promoting $100 gift cards available for $75, and makes sure to stress that there are no expiration dates on them.
If you’re open for takeout and delivery, have you thought offering about special deals or bundles? Italian chain Maggiano’s is running a useful deal to stock the fridge at home — pasta dishes for $10 each or five for $40 — available for both takeout and delivery. Tuscan Kitchen is packaging pizza and cookie DIY home kitchen kits.
2. Share how followers can support your team
Another thing restaurants have been doing while closed is hosting a fundraiser for staff while they’re out of work. GoFundMe and Venmo are popular approaches for this, and here’s how a few of them are running. You can also check and see if your city’s Eater website is compiling a list to make sure you’re included, like this one for Boston.
“We’ve set up a Venmo account if anyone would like to help our service staff that is getting hit the hardest to help them with rent and utilities. The money will go directly to those loving faces that have served you so well. You can find that account on Venmo @foragecambridge.” – Forage
“100% of proceeds from this Gofundme page will go directly to our staff to help support them through these incredibly difficult times.” -Cushman Concepts
3. Bring your customers and staff together — virtually
Does your restaurant or bar normally host events like trivia or karaoke? MM client Hong Kong took their monthly karaoke contest — which has a loyal following and cash prize — and hosted it virtually on Zoom. This made it easy for everyone to participate in a regularly scheduled event, only from home instead!
4. Show customers how to make a signature item at home
If they can’t have the real thing, show them how to do it at home! Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar took to IGTV with a tutorial for one of their cocktails. It garnered thousands of views and hundreds of comments from followers! This is also a good idea for easy dishes to make. If they’re not on-site, you can have bartenders and chefs do this from home as well. Instagram & Facebook Live are great places to stream these first, as live streams have been taking over lately!
Nobody available? No problem! Offer a simple recipe in the form if a post like MM clients High Street Place did here and Jake n Joes did here.
View this post on Instagram
5. Run a giveaway & dress up your content
Giveaways are a great way to to gain new followers and engagements. MM client Anna’s Taqueria recently ran a contest for five sets of five “Next One’s On Us” cards. Another piece of content they posted was one of their items having a spa day — funny, relatable, and relevant.
6. Post some polls to see what people are most looking forward to again
This is an interactive way to engage customers with the poll feature in both feed posts and stories. Take it a step further and create bingo and “this or that” templates — custom to your menu or cuisine — for followers to fill out and share!
7. Repost customer photos
The content is already there, just search your tagged photos and geotag to find it! Choose some favorites and post with messaging about how you look forward to reopening and serving everyone again. (Don’t forget to include a photo credit!) Also a good reason to post a #TBT.
8. Share some staff picks
If you’re one of those restaurants or bars where regulars are particularly fond of your staff, include their faces in the feed! Customers will be happy to see and hear from them — try sharing their current favorite shows to binge, activities to do at home, or pets… like MM client Kings Dining & Entertainment has done.
Metter Media is a Boston-based social media agency that runs the social media for more than 50 businesses of all types. We are offering free consultations during COVID-19. You can reach us at info@mettermedia.com to set one up.
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