By Abby Wilbanks

It’s no secret that January is a slow month of the year for restaurants. People are holding strong to their New Year’s resolutions, recovering  from big holiday spending, and opting for cozy nights at home. But fear not! You can take some  strategic steps on your social media platforms to breathe life back into those empty seats. 

Before we dive into the ins and outs of how to optimize your platform use, let’s start with the basics. You need a strong social media presence for your restaurant. Whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, social media has become one of the highest forms of credibility among consumers. Your pages are not just menus; they're a tool for promoting specials, happy hours, and real-time updates on hours, closures, and more. The internet is a highly saturated place these days, so maintaining a consistent presence is key to staying relevant.

Don’t get overwhelmed at the thought of maintaining  eight  different social pages for your account, though. Instead, focus on two or three of the most popular  platforms that will give you the most bang for your buck. Instagram is the most important. If you decide you only want to use one social media source, this would be the one. Instagram has a little bit of everything these days. Twenty-four hour stories, feed posting, reels, statuses, you name it, they’re on it. It is a visual platform at its core, making it perfect for restaurants. Here are a couple factors to focus on the ‘Gram. 

• Visually appealing content: Showcase your dishes, drinks, and ambiance with high-quality, attractive images. Let potential guests envision the experience your restaurant offers.

• Engaging captions: Accompany your photos with captivating captions. Share delicious details and descriptions to further engage your audience. Don't shy away from emojis and strategic hashtags to boost engagement.

• Consistent posting: Stay relevant by maintaining a consistent posting schedule. Regular updates on both your feed and stories keep your restaurant top of mind when customers ponder dining choices and have the dreaded “where do you want to eat” conversation.

• Instagram stories: Embrace the power of Instagram Stories. Share your own content, community members' posts, and tagged stories that mention your establishment.. Today’s short attention spans make Stories one of the most utilized features on the app. 

Ultimately, when you focus  on representing your restaurant in the best way possible, being authentic will  get you the furthest. Combined with the tips above, staying true to your brand and connecting with your audience is  the perfect recipe for taking your restaurant’s Instagram to the next level! 

Thank you for reading along, and stay tuned for my following blogs, which will cover other social media platforms, tips for taking mouth-watering photos of your dishes, and the phone-eats-first phenomenon!