Thought coffee beans and interiors are all there is to setting up your cafe? Think again.
We live in a time where presence in social media platforms is a necessary means of putting our brands on the map. The internet has afforded us one of the most effective avenues in promoting different products and services. As more local companies in the Philippines follow suit, the internet has since heavily shifted the trend towards online commerce as an approach to attracting potential consumers alongside their brick-and-mortar establishments. This situation holds true even for cafes.
By giving your cafe social media presence, not only are you increasing your brand exposure and engagement. You also effectively place yourself among the ranks with your competition. Most importantly, you gain a hold of easily accessible marketing strategies which you can utilize to draw more attention for your up-and-coming cafe.
Still not convinced? Here, Bean & Barley gives you five tangible reasons as to why your cafe needs to be more social.
Social Media Helps You Convey Your Story
What are your cafe’s specialties? What are the origins of your cafe?
As trivial as these things may seem, your potential consumers would want to know them. Your cafe has so much potential to just live in anonymity. Building an online profile gives them a sneak peek of what they will experience with your coffee and food.
This is the perfect opportunity for you to have a comprehensive and well-written “About Us” or “Bio” section in your FB page or IG feed. Take cues from how The Elk NYC did it. Tell your cafe’s story in a succinct yet appealing manner and visitors are highly likely to find themselves scrolling down for more.
When cafe lovers or casual enthusiasts enter your cafe, they tend to grow curious as they look for their next favorite spot. Getting your message in social media allows you to foster and capitalize on this connection.
Social Media Presence Drives Foot Traffic, Potentially Leading to Loyalty
Now that you have drawn them in by capturing their attention, the next goal is to turn casual cafe lovers into your very own customers. Luckily for you, people now live on their phones as they constantly check in for updates on their favorite brands.
This is an opportunity for your cafe to get involved and be more engaged. By being active and regularly posting aesthetically dynamic content on your Facebook timelines or Instagram feeds, you create the reason for them to keep wanting more. The next thing you know, one or two - delightfully even ten customers are seated in that same nook in your cafe.
Social Media Strengthens Your Cafe’s Brand Identity
What does your cafe brand mean to you? Is there a meaning to your logo or to your name?
In relation to reason number one which tells your cafe’s story, this point focuses on your branding which people will always associate with your cafe. How do you want your customers to remember your brand or your coffee? In establishing your brand identity, it is always down to the smallest of details like your logo, your colors or even your customer service which affect how customers see your brand.
Take a look at Verve Coffee’s Instagram feed for example. They seamlessly integrated their branding into the well-curated posts that carry a similar vibe with their interiors. A consistent branding akin to this creates a stronger recall for your cafe.
The good news is, we have exactly what you need to get started with your cafe's branding and marketing.
Social Media Builds a Community Around Your Cafe
On top of consistent levels of engagement, reach and brand messaging, the goal is to get consumer-driven reviews or feedback. This butterfly effect in consumers provides an opportunity for potential customers to gather and resiliently build a community around your cafe. You may opt to join or create a Facebook group. In addition to having a Facebook page, you can utilize groups to build the conversation with your members around your common fascination for all things related to the coffee business. The next thing you know, you brand becomes the topic of group conversations and trends. Eventually, it will be your customers who will do the marketing for you, a phenomenon that otherwise would have been impossible to reach with just traditional media.
Filipinos are Very Active Social Media Users
As of January 2021, 80.7% of the Philippines' total population are active on social media. From 2020 to 2021, the number of active social media users in the country increased by a whopping 16 million (+22%). This figure is suggestive of the reality that as a cafe business owner, you would benefit from capitalizing on this high social activity.
For as long as your posts continue to hit the note in terms of appeal, aesthetics, captioning and potential for virality, there is no reason for your coffee brand not to reach your target audience.
Social media is indeed, a highly dynamic and vibrant place with vast opportunities to offer for cafepreneurs like you. The likeness of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tiktok, Kumu and more have made it easier for busy owners like you to navigate the realms of these platforms. Your promotion does not have to be confined in your physical cafe space. With the availability of the internet and online channels, you are poised for continuous growth and development.
As an owner who wears many hats, you do not have to necessarily try all the platforms all at once. You can always begin with one or two platforms that work best for your cafe’s branding, style and target audience. One platform is better than none because by not having social media presence, you may be denying your cafe a multitude of opportunities to make a footing online. Social media also allows you to develop long term relationships and build connections through meaningful interaction with your customers. A carefully curated feed, when matched with a strong business strategy, will give your cafe the boost it needs to stand out in a competitive market.
Are you unsure how to get started with your cafe’s brand or do you need help in building your social media presence? That’s what we’re here for. Talk to us.
References
10 Reasons Why Local Filipino Companies Should Use the Internet for Business Promotion? (Infographic) | Digital Marketing Philippines. Digitalmarketingphilippines.com. (2021). Retrieved 3 May 2021, from https://digitalmarketingphilippines.com/10-reasons-why-local-filipino-companies-should-use-the-internet-for-business-promotion-infographic/.
Digital in the Philippines: All the Statistics You Need in 2021 — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights. DataReportal – Global Digital Insights. (2021). Retrieved 6 May 2021, from https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2021-philippines#:~:text=There%20were%2089.00%20million%20social,total%20population%20in%20January%202021.
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