“Will social media work for my bakery?”
Yes, social media will work for you! In today’s world, so much time is spent on cell phones that businesses need to maintain a presence on social media. Although every platform should be utilized and taken advantage of, Instagram will yield great results without paid advertising. Instagram can be used to showcase individual products as well as allow you to post videos of the baking process. It’s a great platform to share pictures of your freshly baked breads and sumptuously rich pastries. Foodies love Instagram. We’ve compiled some tips on how to use Instagram to promote your business.
Place one person in charge of social media. This will help create a consistency with posts across the board and make your brand more unified across all platforms. There are tools out there, like HootSuite, that allow you to schedule multiple postings from a single place, but you’ll still need to engage on each individual site for that personal one-on-one touch.
Take high quality photos. If you don’t have a high quality camera, a cell phone with proper lighting and camera filters will work. Think about food magazines, food shows, and plating when it comes to your photos. Investing a little time for a great picture will go a long way.
Use social media to create a brand culture. What are you saying about your business and your products? Talk up your quality ingredients, hand-made items, organic coffee, vegan pastries, or gluten-free breads. Create curiosity about your products and your story. What makes you stand out from everyone else? What are you known for? People love behind-the-scenes looks and want to know your story.
Maintain a daily presence on all the social media accounts you have. Posting several times a day can also be a great boost. A good number to keep in mind is up to 4 times a day. Post too much and people get annoyed. The goal is to remind your customers what you have to offer and get them into your locations. If you don’t have a retail location, always let your followers know where they can buy your products.
Social media is all about connecting to other people, so remember the human element in your posts like adding a touch of humor or kindness. Also include pictures of people working hard to make the wonderful products, or sampling a new one as a teaser. The whole goal is engaging your audience and keeping their attention.