5 Social Media Tips You Need to Know (for Foodservice Manufacturers)

Social media marketing comes with its own set of nuances and unofficial guidelines. Even more so when you’re marketing in the B2B space. Read on to discover a handful of social media tips and tricks for the B2B industry we know best—foodservice.

1. Understand your goals
   • Are you using social media to drive traffic to your website? Increase brand awareness? Generate leads for your sales reps or brokers? Give operators recipe inspiration? Perhaps it’s a combination based on a variety of campaigns? Whatever the answer, this is something you need to know before posting.
2. Have a strategy (don’t wing it)
   • Know your audience and social media platforms. What kind of content would they like to see and where? What voice do you want your brand to have on these outlets? This doesn’t have to be the same on each platform. For example, you might reserve Instagram for recipe information or LinkedIn for new products and tradeshows.
3. Tap into your network and be authentic
   • The old saying, “It’s about who you know, not what you know” rings true. Tapping into your network on social is a great way to build a loyal following. Plus, it humanizes your brand and gives you added credibility. Recognize your chefs, sales teams, distributors, and other team members on social media. Showcase behind the scenes peeks, innovation ideas and what goes into making products. Overall, show that what you do takes a team!
4. Engage with operators
   • Follow restaurants and influencers on all of their social profiles. Like their posts, comments and spark conversation. This is great for reminding operators about your offerings and getting them to see your posts.
5. Make followers feel special
   • Acknowledging and responding to the comments and messages that come through your notifications is a starting point to making your followers feel important. Expand on this by offering more incentives to follow, such as sneak previews for new products or the first chance to win a giveaway.

All in all, social media is a great place to try new things and find what works for your brand. Use these tips to get your start or to freshen up your online presence. Stay tuned for what not to do on social media—coming to the blog soon!

From developing social media strategies to community management and reporting, we bring expertise and experience to achieve your social media marketing efforts. Contact Anita Nelson directly at 612-353-3410 to discover how you can grow your foodservice business.