Fat Media, the digital marketing agency, discusses how you can be using social media to advance your business.

Social media is a vital part of any hospitality business’ communication mix. But it can be a tricky one to get right, so here are a few things to think about and to try, to make sure you’re getting the most from the platform.

Platforms

The first thing to consider is which platforms to use – you don’t necessarily need to be on everyone! If you already use a number of social channels, you’ll likely already know which bring the best results in terms of engagement and raising brand awareness. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are likely to be amongst the most effective – but choose which work for you.

You’ll then want to make sure you tailor the content to each of the channels you use. Different post lengths and image dimensions across the various platforms mean that one post won’t look its best if shared amongst all your profiles. It’s worth taking the time to recreate your graphics according to each specification, as this will mean that users will get the best impression regardless of the app they’re using.

Consistency is also key. While you don’t need to share the exact same content over all your channels (indeed there are several arguments for not doing so!) you do need to develop a consistent tone of voice and style for your posts. This should reflect the tone and style of your business, so for example, a sports bar could use a very friendly, casual tone, while a premium restaurant would probably take a more formal approach.

Posting

When it comes to sponsored social media posts, there are a whole range of options out there. As with any marketing activity, the choice should depend on your aim. Are you looking to increase your online followers, or drive footfall to a specific event at your venue?

For the former, a simple competition is often a great way to grow your audience. Asking users to follow your page or comment on the post for the chance to win a voucher for your venue, for example, gets the engagement flowing and gives a huge boost to brand awareness.

If it’s the latter, you’ll want to take advantage of the extensive location targeting options most social media platforms give for their sponsored posts. Craft a post that has a clear call to action, and make sure all the key information about the event is there.

Social media is undoubtedly a huge opportunity to improve your brand awareness, drive footfall and communicate with your customers. Having clear goals for your activity, and tailoring each post for the channel it will be shared on will make a big difference to the results you get. Sponsored posts also present a great opportunity to grow your audience for a very modest fee, with advanced targeting getting your message to exactly the right people.

If you’re looking for a little support, or just some advice on how to make the most of your social media channels, Fat Media are an award-winning digital agency with bags of experience with hospitality clients. Check out www.fatmedia.co.uk for more information and to get in touch.