Another day, another channel! Restaurants have a new social media platform since july, yet again, to work on. It wasnât too long ago when restaurants just started mastering Tiktok, and behold, thereâs a new one in town. Meta, the company that parents Facebook and Instagram, launched a new app called Threads in the United States in early July 2023.
Threads: The X-Killer
The app is believed to have been created to combat Twitter or X, as we know it today. In its early stages, it used to be an only-text platform, but now has the features of being able to upload videos and images. With all its similarities with X, including the limited (500) characters, using the symbol @, and being able to repost, and reply, the app has become very popular.
Threads acquired 10 million users in its first few hours. According to Fast Company, Twitter took over two years to reach that same number of subscribers. Why, you may ask? The answer is simple. Meta used their already existing user base from Instagram, to acquire subscribers on Threads. Signing up to Threads can be done in a few clicks from Instagram!
Restaurant leaders on Threads
Now, with all that buzz on Threads, a lot of famous chefs, food influencers, and restaurants didnât waste any time in using Thread as a new channel to get eyes on their digital storefront.
What does this new channel mean? Is it just one of the channels that come up and disappear afterward? Does it mean that your restaurantâs marketing team or you need to sign up now and be part of it? Well, for starters, a new channel means a new content strategy. At Malou, we spend months on end developing a content strategy for each channel, and one thing we can be sure of: itâs not easy.
That said, here are a few simple steps you can do to get started:
1. Create an account. Be sure to include your logo, bio, and URL. If you already have an Instagram account, this process should be easy.
2. Rethink your brand voice. How do you present yourself on Instagram? For restaurants, itâs usually fun and informal. But you donât necessarily need to take this route. Some restaurants are a lot more formal on Instagram, speaking on behalf of the brand and the stores. On the contrary, on Threads, they can be a lot more personal.
3. Start engaging with people. Follow other restaurant brands, chefs, and businesses in your area. We suggest spending a few minutes per day to like, comment, or repost to join conversations and be seen.
4. Post your first thread. Either ask if anyone is down for a coffee break (if coffee is your specialty), a coque monsieur (if thatâs your specialty), and mention an area where you in. Start with a photo, a question, or a video. Youâll want to begin populating your account and testing what kinds of posts resonate with your audience. So donât be afraid to be creative!
Tips for using Threads to your advantage:
Start a promotion. One of the restaurants in the United States, crumblecookies has been killing it on social media. On Threads, their content is a mix of funny posts, gifs, memes, and replies to people who follow them. When they started on Threads, they announced that theyâd give away a free cooking to the first 1,000 people to use the promo code âTHREADSâ. A clever way to 1) increase following, 2) generate engagement, 3) low-cost promotion of their products. You too can do that!
Answer to conversations using photos youâve already uploaded on Instagram or X. CaliSisters, a restaurant in Paris, had responded to one of the threads with a photo of their brunch setup. This is a good way to hop on an already busy conversation, to get your restaurant noticed, and to also drive engagement.
Again, as you can tell from these examples, no one completely knows what strategy to put in place on Threads. Itâs still experimental, which means itâs a great opportunity to grow your following, to be seen, to test content, to engage, and most of all, to get people to visit your restaurant!
So will we have Threads on Malou? Weâll keep an eye on it for now. Even though some of the Malouers have been on Threads before it had even launched in France to test the app, weâre here for now to deliver you insights on how your restaurant can take advantage of this platform. Follow us for tips, observations, and maybe even free cookies to give restaurateurs some inspiration to navigate through this ever-changing industry.
