6 (new) secrets to boost your restaurant on instagram

As Instagram continues to evolve to keep pace with trends, Metricool identifies several significant changes for restaurateurs in 2024. In this article, our experts social media and Malou videos decipher 6 trends and give you all their tips for finding ideas for Instagram posts !

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To go further, enjoy our little Instagram guide for restaurateurs👇

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Les Réels: the format that champions reach

Reals (video format) continue to dominate Instagram in terms of reach with an impressive 37.87% in 2024.

💡The range corresponds to the number of times a real is seen.

The real thing is the format with the best chance of reaching a wide audience!

Reels are essential for your restaurant because they are the best format for :

1. Win new subscribers;
2. Reach a broader customer base ;
3. Become better known (increase your profile);

Tip 1: Create Reels that showcase specific dishes, special events or behind-the-scenes footage of your kitchen.

Tip 2 : Don't just show dishes! Videos that show a human being (a face, your teams, a person talking) perform much better than the average.

Tip 3 : Get inspired by those who succeed with our selection of the 35 best Instagram Real.

"Beware of overlong Réels! The ideal length of a Real is 8 to 12 seconds because the Instagram algorithm rewards videos that are watched to the end. Remember to add text and/or voice. Finally, choose something provocative or captivating for the first 3 seconds. "scroll-stopperthe element that makes you want to stop scrolling and watch the video."

Lucrezia, Video and Photography Manager at Malou.

Carrousels: the master format for engagement

Carousels are the formats with the highest engagement rates in 2024!

Outperforming Reals and photos, they achieve an average engagement rate of 10.15%.

💡 Expressed as a percentage, the engagement rate refers to the ratio between a publication's interactions and the number of subscribers. A high rate means that a large percentage of subscribers react to the content.

Why Carousels are good for your restaurant :

1. They can be used to tell a story in several images(recipe, menu, "dip a spoon"gestures, etc.);
2. They allow you to add up to 20 slides in a single post (photos and videos) ;
3. They appear several times in your subscribers' news feeds: first the first photo, then the second, the third, and so on. 

Tip 1: focus on the first and second most visible images in your Carrousel.

Tip 2: Running out of inspiration? Use our 2024 marketing calendar and plan your posts in advance thanks to the year's chestnuts.

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Conclusion = if you're a restaurateur, use Reals to attract new customers (who don't follow you on Instagram) and use Carousels to bring back your existing customers (those who already follow you on Instagram).

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Stories: the preferred format for your community

Widely used by brands, Stories will account for more than 70% of posts on Instagram in 2024.

Why they're good for your restaurant:

1. Ephemeral but powerful, they create a direct link with your subscribers while generating traffic to their sites or profiles;
2. Very easy to make, they require no editing and can be posted spontaneously;
3. They allow you to film backstage, your teams... Less smooth, they give a"warm" feel;

Tip 1: Because they only last 24 hours, they're perfect for promoting limited offers, events or specials.

Emphasize the FOMO effect ("Fear Of Missing Out"), the fear of missing out on a limited offer, which will encourage your subscribers to act quickly.

Tip 2: Rather than one long story, make several stories in a row. This more dynamic method increases the chances of them being watched to the end.

Tip 3: add as many elements as possible that encourage interaction with your stories: "click here" stickers, quizzes, ask a question, etc.

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Like Carousels, Stories are ideal for building loyalty among your existing customers and keeping them coming back to the restaurant. They create a sense of urgency: use them for promotions, ephemeral à la carte dishes, etc.

Tip: publish your Réels twice to double your reach

To maximize the reach of your Reels, don't limit yourself to just the feed!

Also publish them in your main feed to reach both your existing audience and new users exploring similar content.

For a Real featuring a special event in your restaurant, for example, share it in both sections to reach a wider audience.

Tip: as with stories, if your video is too long, publish it in several parts.

Tip: be careful with the thumbnails of your Reals

Real thumbnails are crucial to capturing the attention of users who "scroll" on Instagram.

💡A"thumbnail", also known as a "thumbnail", is the still image of your video, much like the cover of a book.

A good thumbnail should accurately reflect the content while being visually appealing.

Tip: choose a clear, eye-catching image for your thumbnails, with succinct, impactful text summarizing the content of the Real. For example, "Discover our secret dish!" or "They're testing the spiciest dish in Paris! This will make users want to click and watch.

Tip: the best times to publish

One last interesting result: the study shows that the best time to post on Instagram is at 8 p.m., whatever the day!

Wednesdays and Fridays are also the best days to generate likes and engagement.

Tip: remember to schedule your posts at these precise times to maximize their reach (you can schedule all your posts from the MalouApp).

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It's time to adopt these strategies and turn your Instagram account into a customer-attracting machine!