When it comes to foodservice, the power of social media is often overlooked due to the busy nature of the industry. If you’ve never fully utilised social media for your business, you’re probably not aware its benefits. If you’re currently looking at new ways to reach more customers, create positive conversations around your brand, and be more active in the industry online, keep reading to discover how a good social media presence can elevate your business, whilst delivering a return on investment.
With over 20 years in the foodservice field, I’ve learned the most effective methods to drive positive results, including the use of dedicated B2B campaigns, and live event coverage. More and more we are seeing social media form an integral part of any overall marketing and PR strategy, making it a vital consideration for any foodservice business.
Why is social media so important for foodservice in 2022?
It’s no secret that your online presence is often a potential client’s first impression of your brand. With the digital world becoming an increasingly popular place for people to find what you offer, an outdated, irregular social media strategy may be the deciding reason for a company to go elsewhere.
No matter the industry, you want your company to stand out from the crowd and whilst social media allows you to share the best parts of your brand, it also allows you to communicate with the industry outside of trade shows, awards ceremonies, and networking events.
The key industry channels to use
When putting together a social media strategy, it’s important to first identify which social media channels are best for business. This will vary throughout most industries, with some platforms being better suited than others. In the world of foodservice, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are the leading
platforms, generating the most thought-provoking content and conversations.
Twitter is the perfect platform for live reporting events such as trade shows and awards ceremonies as it is the go-to for real-time news. Instagram, on the other hand, is popular due to its image-oriented nature. The platform allows brands in the foodservice industry to showcase their products, while still being able to provide long or short captions.
Instagram’s stories and reels options allow for a huge range of interactive tools, perfect for sharing scroll-stopping content and engaging potential clients.
Finally, LinkedIn is a very important platform for many industries, allowing us to further explore human connections, and generate good quality business leads.
When it comes to Facebook, the industry presence is minimal. Meaning that if you have a limited budget and you want to focus your resources in the most cost-effective areas with the biggest reach, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are the places to be.
Why is it important for international companies to have UK channels?
International brands miss out on huge potentials to reach vital audiences by not utilising the UK foodservice industry. Although translation features on social media are becoming increasingly popular, even in other English-speaking countries, there is still a need for a UK-focussed social media strategy.
Timings of posts, tone of voice, and number of posts differ per country, therefore it’s impossible to have a one size fits all approach in which you can maximise your social media strategy in every country. For example, Spanish customers aren’t likely to be interested in a post about a UK-based event in which they’ve never heard of and aren’t likely to attend.
Trends and awareness days also change frequently and are often dependent on the country or culture. To utilise these online opportunities, brands must have the freedom to talk about trends and awareness days, without confusing their customers.
Choosing an agency to take on your socials
Starting up a consistent social media strategy in a fast-paced, ever-changing industry may feel a little daunting. Especially if you’ve never done it before. Which is why there’s agencies out there, like Proactive Solutions, who can take off the pressure and help you reach your digital goals.
With over two decades of experience, I have incredible knowledge of the industry and a team which works together to create tangible results. We are experts in transforming an irregular or even non-existent social media strategy into a recognisable, professional online B2B brand. If you are seeking tailor-made
foodservice social media solutions, get in touch today!