Have you ever come across a photo of your favorite dish on social media and your mouth waters? Far from being a mere coincidence, the flirtation with food is the result of the phenomenon that has made social networks an excellent showcase for restaurants, bars and bakeries. “Without a doubt, they are the ideal place to appear in front of new customers right when they are ready to eat”, explains digital marketing specialist Micha Menezes.
According to him, Instagram has emerged as one of the best channels for awakening the appetite of potential customers and increasing sales through delivery. This is because the network already has the largest number of active users in Brazil — 99 million people use the application daily.
Since 2016, Micha has been testing and validating new digital marketing strategies and tactics. “Everyone is online, so you always need to update yourself to optimize your investment”, says the expert. “Before, the focus was on leafleting and billboards. Today the focus is on bringing enchantment to the consumer’s screen, investing less and obtaining more results.”
Next, check out the expert's step-by-step tips for creating paid ads on Instagram, to reach more consumers and boost sales.
1 – Organized profile
Before advertising, you need to have something to show. “You can’t have a ghost Instagram, with no posts at all, otherwise it won’t attract anyone,” says Micha. His tip for entrepreneurs is to set aside a day to prepare and photograph the main and most appetizing dishes to post in the feed. To finish preparing the profile, he advises informing what the restaurant sells, opening hours and the link to place the order on iFood.
2 – The bait combo
To attract the public to order online, Micha's tip is to choose a bait combo to make the announcement. In the live, he used a portion of hamburger with fries and sauces as an example of something people love to eat and, therefore, will encourage them to explore the online menu and order more things. “When the restaurant attracts people with bait, they rarely order just one thing, because it involves drinks and dessert. It’s a strategy that sells very well.”
3 – Careful photos
The first step to making an appetizing advertisement is to take great care of the photo. “People first eat with their eyes, so a good photo makes a difference when publishing the ad”, says Micha. He recommends photographing the dish in a well-lit place, without using a flash, using natural light to make the colors of the food more vivid. To get along with any cell phone, he recommends using the free Lightroom app to adjust sharpness, remove glare from the plate and enhance colors.
4 – Emotional description
Once the photo is taken, it’s time to think about the text of the publication. “People consume emotionally, so there’s no point in just saying what the dish is and the price,” says Micha. “Describe what’s best about the dish, what will whet your appetite: crispy bacon, spicy sauce, unmistakable flavor.”
To close the text, the ideal is to provoke the consumer to take action – with phrases such as “tap the button and place your order now”. When making the announcement, the most efficient button is “Learn More”. “Of the tests I’ve already done, it has the highest click-through rate. If the person clicks, the chance of converting the sale increases.”
5 – Audience choice
Ads are targeted, so it’s important to choose your audience carefully. For those who are starting out and still have few followers, Micha recommends going to the “Create my audience” option and focusing on a segment so that the ad is more efficient. And when selecting the ad reach radius, it recommends moderation. “Reduce the radius to get a good look at your region,” he says.
Want to know more tips about digitizing restaurants? Watch Super Lives iFood Takes Off, with the participation of Micha Menezes and other experts, on the channel iFood for Partners on Youtube.
