If you run a restaurant, I’d place a pretty decent bet that you see people taking pictures of their food all the time. We live in the age of Instagram, and foodies are all over the popular social media platform. And believe it or not, Instagram can actually have a substantial impact on getting people into your restaurant! It’s time to start capitalizing.

Whether you’re trying to improve your restaurant’s Instagram page, or you’re looking to get more people making posts of their own, we’ve got the tips for you!

  1. Start by creating an Instagram account for your restaurant (if you don’t already have one). Make sure that your handle is clear and easily identifiable, so that you can ensure people find your account when they search for you. Even if you can’t get the exact handle you want, try to come up with one that fits for your restaurant.
  2. Populate your account with high-quality photos. Get creative here! Your followers don’t just want to see pictures of food, but of your entire restaurant experience. If you’re having trouble here, check what the competition is doing for some inspiration.
  3. Master hashtags. You’ll want to create your own hashtags for your restaurant for both your use, and your customers. You can promote these hashtags on your menus and marketing material. In addition to that, take a look at hashtags being used by popular restaurant and “foodie” accounts. Adding a #nom or #yum to your posts is a good way to maximize your discoverability.
  4. As you should be doing with all of your social media, keep your posts consistent. And I know it’s tempting to post those three great photos you just took all in a row, but try and space them out. If you’re aiming for one or two posts a day, spread them apart by a few hours. Monitor which times get the most engagement, and don’t be afraid to switch up your posting times.
  5. Preparation counts when serving your food. Each dish you serve should be finely tuned and presented to be as picturesque as possible. It’s the little things that count here: garnishings, the position of the food, the plate, etc. You want people to think “Wow! I need to take a picture of this.”
  6. Follow and engage with your customers. Customers love to see it when you’re engaged with them. Reply to as many comments as you can on your posts. If a customer takes a photo, and tags your restaurant as the location, maybe like their photo and give them a follow! They might just follow you back.

Master Social Media with CoGoBox

CoGoBox is your key to getting on top of social media. With our state-of-the-art WiFi, SMS, and Email solutions, we provide you with all of the crucial data you need to engage with, and understand your customers. If all of this Instagram marketing sounds a little daunting to you, the information we’ll provide can make it infinitely easier.

Between digital loyalty programs and fully realized customer profiles, CoGoBox has an entire array of features to keep you growing your restaurant’s success (and help promote your Instagram). Check out the rest of our website to learn more about what CoGoBox can do for you!