When you have your café selling cappuccino, espresso, lattes, shakes, sandwiches, wraps, and desserts, Instagram is your best bet. Yes, you can promote your café using high-definition photos, intriguing video content, Instagram stories, Instagram shopping, and many other exciting features. Then, you will find Instagram shopping to take your café to the next level. It will help in making your Instagram marketing game second to none. There is no doubt about the same. All you need to do is create a perfect synergy between the photo-sharing site and your café business or website.
Then, it will not happen overnight. You will need some time to make an impact on your targeted audience. Therefore, do not rush if you want the best results out of your Instagram marketing for your coffee shop.
According to an article published on huffpost, more than half of the millennial generation is now on Instagram and use it daily. When you own a café, your customers are the millennials. Then, why not tap into this segment and drive sales. It will take your café business to the next level provided you know how to leverage your Instagram profile the right way. Take some time out of your busy schedule and research. Look what your competitors are doing. Therefore, if you are in the café business for some time, this is the time to use Instagram to market your coffee shop.
Design a relevant theme on your Instagram page
When it comes to your café, consistency plays a crucial role. You sell quality coffee and sandwiches. Then, your Instagram page should reflect the same. Make sure you use a constant color filter proving that your brand messages are relevant to your business. Let us explain this point with the help of an example. Say, for instance, you sell high-quality latte at a premium price. Then, it will not make any sense to promote two-for-one offers and posting memes.
The use of a consistent color is essential. Try to use the same hue in various ways when posting photos of your coffee on Instagram. The consistency would maintain a sense of luxury, quality, and sophistication.
When your coffee costs more than what’s sold at standard coffee shops, it is no use penny pinching when it comes to the layout of your Instagram page and website. Here consistency and rich visual is the key to the success of your café.
Maintain visual quality
Instagram means quality photos and videos. Therefore, you must maintain the same standard as a reflection of your brand. We recommend that you use the services of a professional photographer for the images of your café, its ambiance, décor, staff, and food. If you have a friend or family member with good photography skills, there is nothing like it. Else, you should hire if your targeted audience is the elite section of the society.
Next, you use a catalog of photos and use them over the weeks or months. You can schedule them in advance for ease and convenience. You will find many scheduling tools and options. However, basic scheduling is free. On the contrary, if you are using your smartphone to click photos of your café, here are some rules to follow:
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- Change the angle. Make sure you get the camera level to the counter level or shoot from the top for a unique effect. For example, if you are taking the picture of a cold coffee glass with ice cream, take the snap from above to highlight a dollop of vanilla on top. These little things matter a lot. There is no doubt about the same.
- Do not take photos if the interiors are dark. You can get some natural lighting by clicking a photo from near a window.
- Include quality graphics. Use apps such as Legend for videos or Canva for photos.
- Use apps like VSCO to gain full control of the phone’s camera.
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Converse like as if you are at the coffee counter
Social media sites exist for a reason. When you connect with coffee lovers through your Instagram page, the conversation should be as if you are actually interacting with your customers in real life. You might be wondering what we are talking and have no clue. Do not worry. Your questions will be answered regardless.
Make your Instagram profile stand out by commenting on users’ posts, sharing relevant user-generated content, and showing real people in most of your posts. For example, if a group of college teens have coffee and sandwiches regularly at your café and take their selfies together with the food, repost them on your Instagram page for growing your followers.
These tactics help in creating an emotional connection to those people who are getting a glimpse of your business without being present. Remember emotional bonding is powerful. There is no denying the same.
You can even post a behind-the-scenes video of your café staff at the backof the coffee counter taking orders with a smile on her face.
Use smart, witty, and matter-of-fact captions
Make your Instagram captions witty, humorous, fun, and casual. If your café is a fun-filled place with live music where people like to hang around with friends, reflect the culture of your business through captions. Be yourself and people will like the way you are in real life.
There is no hard and fast rule to write captions. Make sure that they do not read formal or boring. If your best friend or old flame in school visits you café, mention his or her name in the captions to trigger a conversation.
You can also use emojis in the captions based on the theme of your café. These emojis are forceful enough to attract customer attention to specific words or phrases used in the copy. Your captions must reveal the relationship and bonding you share with your customers.
Conclusion
Now that you have these tips handy, build the perfect synergy between your café and Instagram page. Grow your following and boost sales. Using Instagram for business is not that challenging if you know the rules of the game.