Pizza Today - May2023 - 47

Media and Technology 2022 study, the
Pew Research Center found TikTok
was the second most popular social
media platform among U.S. teens,
trailing only YouTube. Two-thirds of
teens reported using TikTok and one
in six said they used the app " almost
constantly. "
" If restaurants are already shooting
short-form video, they might as
well maximize its use and post it on
TikTok, " Garcia says. " TikTok reaches
a diff erent and relatively younger audience
with growing spending power. "
(Of note, the Biden Administration
recently gained the ability to ban
Chinese-owned TikTok in the U.S.
Th at political situation bears monitoring
for pizzerias using the platform to
attract and engage with guests.)
Spotlighting sustainability
Th ere is climbing consumer demand,
especially among younger Americans,
for businesses to act with environmental
stewardship and social responsibility
in mind. Such actions are something
more businesses are highlighting on
social media, including restaurants
sharing posts and videos spotlighting
the sourcing of local ingredients, their
steps to reduce waste and their use of
environmentally friendly products like
eco-friendly packaging.
" Highlight your restaurant's eff orts
in these areas on social media to attract
like-minded customers and diff erentiate
yourself from competitors, " Luna
says.
Creating " Instagrammable "
experiences
Instagram is all about the visual and
many restaurants are leaning into this
by creating photo-worthy opportunities
on site to inspire picture taking and
posting.
To encourage user-generated content
that spreads the restaurant's name,
restaurants are creating photogenic
dishes like colorful pizzas or monstersized
desserts served in unique vessels.
Th ey are also goading photos by
installing distinctive décor in their
eateries, such as an oversized throne
in the lobby or a retro neon sign that
reads, " I'm Hungry. " Here again,
inviting customers to take photos and
share them with a branded hashtag
increases the velocity and impact of
the post. " Instagrammability " can
certainly extend to other social media
platforms as well. Jessica Klein of pizzeria
technology platform Slice cites
Joe Brignoni from Joe's Rotisseria in
Asbury Park, New Jersey, as one notable
example. Brignoni's dynamic personality
and over-the-top, creative recipes
like the Triple Th reat (a calzone, garlic
knots and pizza all in one) have helped
him amass more than 72,000 Instagram
followers and over 200,000 followers
and 2.8 million likes on TikTok.
Klein says some of Brignoni's dishes
are " purposely designed to spark audience
engagement. "
Prioritizing engagement, not
promotions
Overly promotional content is
OUT on social media, as consumers
are skeptical of blatant advertisements
screaming " buy, buy, buy. " In line with
the aforementioned " cozy, homemade
aesthetic " trend, there is accelerating
movement toward informative, educational
or entertaining social content.
" Too many restaurants think you post
your food pictures or videos each day
and then wonder why no one interacts, "
says Matt Plapp, the CEO of America's
Best Restaurants, a national media
company that highlights local restaurants.
Instead,
Plapp sees restaurants capturing
success by prioritizing engagement
over promotion. On Mother's
Day, for instance, a restaurant might
post photos of staff members with their
mothers and urge followers to share a
special memory of their own mother in
the comments.
" What's working is using social
media for its intended purpose: creating
conversations, " Plapp says.
Concocting challenges
Social media challenges continue
gaining momentum as a way for brands
of all sizes to capture eyeballs and stir
MAY 2023 / P IZZATODAY.COM / 47
Employing social media to listen
and learn
So often, business owners think of
social media solely as a megaphone, a
tool to broadcast their message. Wise
businesses, however, have noted social
media's potential as a listening tool and
a path to improved customer service
and enhanced off erings. Th rough social
media, pizzerias can gain perspective on
customer preferences and experiences,
double down on what's working and
attempt to recapture customers with
earnest and empathetic responses.
" Social media provides a direct line of
communication between indie restaurants
and their customers, " Venture
Smarter's Morgan says. " Indie restaurants
should respond to both positive
and negative feedback in a timely and
professional manner to demonstrate
their commitment to customer service. "
DANIEL P. SMITH Chicago-based writer
has covered business issues and best
practices for a variety of trade publications,
newspapers, and magazines.
engagement.
A pizzeria might create a poll or
bracket-style competition to select the
name of a new specialty pizza or it
might challenge fans to craft their own
pizzas using a select group of ingredients
and then post their results via
video or photo on social media.
Restaurants might also create hashtag
challenges. In 2019, IHOP found
momentum with its #SyrupTurnUp
challenge, which invited TikTokers to
send in videos doing funny skits with
pancake syrup bottles.
" Humor works really well on social
media so a challenge like [#SyrupTurnUp]
went viral, " says Joshua Wood,
CEO of the tech hospitality company
Bloc. " It's a fun and easy way to
showcase your indie restaurant brand's
personality, which is great for marketing. "
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