How can restaurants use Threads?

Another day, another channel! Restaurants have a new platform social media on which to gain visibility. Restaurant owners have only recently begun to master TikTok, and now there's a new platform. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, launched a new app called Threads in the US in early July 2023. A few days ago, Threads made its debut in Europe!

Threads: The X-Killer

It is thought that the application was created to compete with Twitter or X, as it is known today. In its early days, it was a text-only platform, but when Threads was launched in France, the network already had the functionality to upload videos and images. With all its similarities to X, such as the limited number of characters (500), the use of the @ symbol, the ability to repost and reply, the application has become very popular among the French over the last 96 hours, despite delays in its launch in Europe.

Threads acquired 10 million users in its first few hours. According to Fast Company, it took Twitter over two years to reach the same number of subscribers. The question is, why? The answer is simple. Meta used its existing user base on Instagram to acquire subscribers on Threads. Subscribing to Threads is just a few clicks away on Instagram !

Restaurant leaders on Threads

With all the buzz around Threads, many celebrity chefs, culinary influencers and restaurants have wasted no time in using Threads as a new channel to attract attention. Early adopters include Yann Couvreur, Constance Lasserre (hungrycosti), Cyril Lignac, and others.

What does this new channel mean? Is it just one of those channels that appear and then disappear? Does it mean that you or your restaurant's marketing team need to sign up now and become part of it? Well, for starters, a new channel means a new content strategy. At Malou, we spend months developing a content strategy for each channel, and one thing we can be sure of: it's not easy.

That said, here are a few simple steps you can take to get started:

1. Create an account. Be sure to include your logo, a bio and a URL. If you already have an Instagram account, this should be an easy process.

2. Rethink your brand values. How do you present yourself on Instagram? For restaurants, it's usually fun and informal. But you don't necessarily have to go that route. For example, Yann Couvreur on Instagram is much more formal, as he's probably speaking on behalf of his brand and stores. On Threads, on the other hand, he's much more personal.

3. Start interacting with people. Follow other restaurant brands, chefs and businesses in your area. We suggest you spend a few minutes a day liking, commenting or reposting to participate in conversations and be seen.

4. Publish your first post. For example, ask if anyone is up for a coffee break (if coffee is your specialty), a croque-monsieur (if it's on your menu), and mention an area where you're located. Start with a photo, question or video. You want to start feeding your page and testing what types of publications work with your audience. This photo below, for example, is a great way to start a conversation - and voila, in 22 hours, over 1,000 likes and 142 replies. So don't be afraid to be creative!

Tips for using Threads :

• Launch a promotion. One of the restaurants in the U.S., crumblecookies, has been a hit on social media. On Threads, their content is a mix of funny posts, gifs, memes and responses to their followers. When they started on Threads, they announced that they'd be offering a free drink to the first 1,000 people using the promo code "THREADS". A clever way to 1) increase the number of followers, 2) generate engagement, 3) promote their products at a lower cost. You can do it too!
• Respond to conversations using photos you've already uploaded to Instagram or X. CaliSisters, a restaurant in Paris, responded with a photo of their brunch setup. It's a great way to participate in an already lively conversation, get your restaurant noticed and boost engagement.

Again, as you can see from these examples, nobody knows exactly what strategy to implement on Threads. It's still experimental, which means it's a great opportunity to grow your audience, be seen, test content, interact, and most importantly, get people to visit your restaurant!

So, will we have Threads on Malou? We'll keep an eye on that for now. Although some of the Malouers tested the app on Threads before its launch in France, we're here to provide you with information on how your restaurant can benefit from this platform. Follow us for tips, observations, and maybe even free cookies to inspire restaurateurs to navigate this ever-changing industry.