It’s easy to believe that simply posting to your Instagram story will generate customers walking through your door, but unfortunately with social media being as overly saturated as it is, that just isn’t the case anymore.

It’s time restaurants got serious about their Instagram Story strategy, so let’s get right to the good stuff…

Add your location to your Insta Story post.

You want to target a local audience, right? This is one foolproof way to start getting your delicious food in front of your future and current diners.

Share less professional photography and more “iPhone” quality pictures.

Your future and current diners want to see what they’re getting, how they’re really going to get it. There’s nothing more disappointing than being deceived when you’re hungry

AmIRight?! 

Stop using Instagram filters on your photos.

Natural/good lighting, the right angles, and a mouthwatering dish is all you need to attract your future diners and entice past diners to return.

If you want to brighten up your pics we suggest using the Adobe Lightroom mobile phone app.

Consistency is key.

You don’t have to share a hundred times a day & let’s be honest, people aren’t going to be focused on your story that long. Start with a few Instagram Story posts a day and adjust as necessary. Maybe today you share 3 Instagram Stories and tomorrow you share 5. You do what’s right for your restaurant.

Don’t hesitate to advertise your specials.

If you don’t post it, how will they know? Let the people know what you have going on!

Reply to replies

Let’s face it, engagement is key to a long lasting social media relationship with your future & current diners. Treat every engagement just as you would if you were face to face with the person.

Watch your future and current diners Instagram Stories.

This helps keep your restaurant name in front of their eyeballs, also known as social brand awareness marketing.

Host Influencer events and encourage Instagram Story sharing.

Don’t forget to engage and reshare!

Use Instagram story template apps to elevate your stories.

Here are a few of our favorite Instagram Story template apps:

• StoryArt – Insta Story Creator
• Story Maker For Instagram
• Canva
• Featured
• Storyluxe
• Adobe Spark Post

Elevate your Highlight section by showcasing your specials, customer pictures, interior & exterior tours.

Get creative with it, but don’t forget to customize the Highlight Cover and Highlight Title.

Here are a few of our favorite apps for Highlight Cover icons

• Highlight Cover Maker
• Story Art – Insta Story Creator
• Highlight Maker – Story Cover

Can’t find anything you like with those apps?

Use Canva to create your own. Make sure your graphic is 1080 x 1920 pixels.

Reshare customer generated pictures in your story.

Obviously not all customer pictures are going to meet your standards. One of our biggest pet peeves are pictures of food with bites taken out. That’s unappealing to us so we would never share half eaten food pictures on our client Instagram Stories. If the picture isn’t “attractive”, just comment on it instead.

We’ll leave it up to you on what type of customer pictures you want to reshare.

Lastly: Don’t give up.

It may take a while to build your views and engagement, but keep at it…trust us, sometimes it takes time to build the following you wish for.

Need some help with your Instagram Story strategy and campaign?

Don’t hesitate to hollar at us!

Comments