People are naturally drawn to stories or videos they easily relate to and connect their emotions with.
When was the last time you watched a movie and cried? Better yet, what was the last commercial you saw that made you want to make an impulsive purchase?
This is the kind of impact that marketing in the form of films aims to generate. The good news is, you do not need any complicated software or expensive editing and directing tools to drive home the point. Videos need not be long, too! With Tiktok, you can now harness the power of effectively promoting your cafe thanks to this hugely popular and influential short-video platform.
As a budding cafepreneur, you will benefit from the myriad of marketing strategies disguised as fun activities that the platform has to offer. Since February of 2020, Tiktok has been the number 11 downloaded app in the Southeast Asain region. Owing to their community of highly engaged users with a diverse age range of audiences, the plethora of content and topics you can shell out is just vast!
Imagine this: 2 out of every 5 users in the Philippines are parents. Meanwhile, 1 out of every 2 users are decision makers with actual buying power1 which means you couldn’t go wrong with Tiktok as one of your active social media platforms.
While we are happy to guide you build your marketing strategies for your cafe (insert link), here Bean and Barley lists down these five creative ways for you to harness the social giant that is Tiktok.
What is Tiktok?
Tiktok is all about short, concise and succinct videos. Imagine retelling the story of your favorite movie in 60 seconds or less! Videos in this platform can be up to 15 seconds long while some users or businesses can connect several clips together. Some users upload longer videos that were taken outside of the app. There is also a live-streaming feature and several tools to help improve your video quality. This is like your recorded and editor in one!
This platform is in tune with modern trends and reaches out to an audience who wants to see fresher content.
How Can Your Cafe Make the Most of Tiktok?
1. Share recipes
You can use jump cuts that show how your coffee or your food is prepared. This will be time-lapsed so everything has to be quick. You need not worry about the mess because you can refine the final look later.
Take a look at this video for example. It did two things right: it is short and easy to follow. Not a lot of words were used and everything was down to the simplicity of the visual. You can also offer tips on the best ingredients your followers can use. Recipes in short videos like this provide a sensory experience that makes viewers want to do them on their own or better - to head out to your cafe and taste the goodness firsthand.
2. Bring your audience to the Behind-the-Scenes
This is the part where you get to make your audience feel that they can identify with your community and your brand. Look at this one or this one. Take your followers backstage and give them a quick tour of your coffee counter, aesthetically designed nooks and the like. Give your followers a snippet of your daily routine and introduce the baristas and other members of your coffee shop whose hard work is poured into every cup of coffee.
3. Provide creative lessons on techniques
Your well-trained baristas may have some tricks up their sleeves! Grab your followers’ attention by showing clips of their skills in preparing the drink or the food that they are about to serve.
Look at this clip or this one for example. It all boils down to creativity when orchestrating videos that aim to teach or inspire. There are various techniques in drink and food preparation and your members can play with them. The bonus is you have to make it interesting to watch by preparing a simple set or adding music that resonates with your coffee shop’s ambience.
4. Feature the people you’re working with
Tiktok’s primary audience are the young adults who are seeking for brands that offer a sense of authenticity and transparency or anything similar to that regard. Look at this one. Short videos that give them a sneak peek, no matter how short, of the faces behind your specialty drinks of food allows you to create that accessibility and establish the connection. You can take them on a quick tour of the farm where your coffee bean is sourced or where your grains are harvested. Introduce your viewers to the farmers who do the hard work behind the scene. Even better, you can take them to a taste test and showcase how your coffee bean is carefully selected.
This whole thing adds to the visual journey and surreal experience that you are offering your audience. And these are certainly clips they will remember when they buy your coffee.
5. Host a live event
Once you have reached the 1,000 followers milestone, you can now host live streaming events on TikTok. This is an opportunity for you to engage and communicate with your audience. You can interview a barista or a member of your team. You can hold interactive games and activities. Your baristas can compete in a series of mini lessons or run a contest on who can name the most drinks. The clouds are the limit to the ideas you can gather in Tiktok. Feel free to explore the depths of your creativity and play with different ideas to market your cafe.
You can also launch a #HashtagChallenges since they are known to prompt high engagement. They’re simple to join in and above all, fun.
That rounds up the five ways you can utilize Tiktok to raise more awareness and eventually lead more customers closer to your cafe. Aside from mainstream platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the organic reach for TikTok remains high. As with natural evolution, there will come a time when more people will migrate to the platform and TikTok will push their paid ads products into users’ timelines.
What does this mean for you? The earlier you board the Tiktok train, the better. It places you ahead of competitors with more exposure.
Generating a good following is one thing. Since TikTok videos are as short as the attention of users, you have to keep your messages easy-to-understand and accessible. Make it visually impressive. Add elements of surprise and humor along with dashes productivity to match your cafe’s personality and you’re all set.
We’re sure you have more questions. Fret not! This is what we’re here for. Message us HERE.
References
BrandRoom, I. (2021). TikTok launches media solutions in the Philippines to help local companies grow their business. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 10 May 2021, from https://business.inquirer.net/322467/tiktok-launches-media-solutions-in-the-philippines-to-help-local-companies-grow-their-business.
Clement, T. (2021). 6 ways to promote your restaurant on TikTok. www.fastcasual.com. Retrieved 10 May 2021, from https://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/6-ways-to-promote-your-restaurant-on-tiktok/.