Threads has been around for a few weeks now and is starting to get into its groove. Especially with the recent disastrous rebrand of Twitter to X, Threads has the opportunity to really gain market share and become one of the most important social media platforms of the year.
Meta’s newest social media platform still has a number of shortcomings and kinks to work out. But it is clear that it has the potential to be a really useful digital marketing tool for small businesses, and restaurants in particular.
If your restaurant is just getting started on Threads as a part of your restaurant marketing strategy, keep in mind the types of posts you do and don’t want to be sharing. Here are the best and worst Threads posts for restaurants in 2023.
Best Threads Posts For Restaurants
Questions to start a conversation
Start a thread! As the name suggests, one of the big ideas of Threads is to get a conversation, or thread, going. Unlike Instagram which is very focused on photos, or TikTok which is solely focused on videos, Threads puts a larger emphasis on text posts. More than most of the other social media platforms out there, Threads is a perfect spot to ask questions and encourage more personal conversations with your audience.
For instance, if you’re a pizzeria try asking about the hot topic of pineapple on pizza. Or as a deli, you may want to delve into the age-old “Is a hotdog a sandwich” debate. Get a conversation going and the Threads algorithm will likely reward you.
Eye-catching photos
Even with Threads’ emphasis on engagement and text posts, visuals still matter! There’s no good reason you shouldn’t still include eye-catching photos with your posts. They will get people’s attention enough to get them to stop scrolling and actually read what you have to say. Sharing mouthwatering photos of your food or stylized shots of your dining room or patio are great ways to get attention on Threads. Just make sure the captions or text to go along with them are attention-grabbing too!
Humor
For the time being, as Threads grows, users as a whole are not taking it overly seriously. This can be a great platform for your restaurant to let your hair down, so to speak, and show off a bit of personality. Humor and light-hearted content have been performing well on Threads so far. You can still stick to your brand’s voice and values while showing a more playful side of yourself on Threads.
Engagement with other small businesses
Whether you’re playfully making fun of a rival or showing support for a complementary small business in your city, Threads is a great place to engage with other restaurants and local businesses. Potential customers can see these interactions and they can paint your restaurant in a positive light. Threads is set up to be a much better platform for direct interactions like this than Instagram.
Worst Threads Posts For Restaurants
Long videos
Unlike platforms like TikTok and spaces like Instagram Reels, Threads has much less of an emphasis on video content. You are still able to add a video to your posts. But Threads does not make sense as the place to share long videos. Keep your visual content short and attention-grabbing: Focus on photos, GIFs, or short videos that people can watch quickly, engage with, and then continue scrolling.
Long-winded educational content
There is a time and a place to educate your viewers. However, Threads is not that place. It’s not designed for posts that are multiple paragraphs long, explaining your business or a relevant food topic. Threads is a quick-scroll site like Twitter has been. People want to be able to keep moving through their feed, not have to stop and read a novel along the way. Plus, posts are currently limited to 500 characters, so extremely long content would have to be split into multiple posts on a thread.
Controversial content
Unlike Twitter (aka X), which has come to be known for its hostile and volatile environment, Threads is thus far trying to maintain a more positive and inclusive atmosphere. Threads users are subject to all of the Instagram community standards. There will undoubtedly be more issues and hostility as the app grows, but a major focus of Threads seems to be to not let it turn into the next Twitter in that sense. So, be careful about the content your restaurant is posting. Not only would you risk being kicked off the app for posting something too controversial or inflammatory, but you also risk alienating a large portion of your customers as well. Try to keep things light and relevant.
Whether you’re looking to build a social media presence on Threads or need help with other aspects of your restaurant’s digital marketing, BYK Digital can be your Swiss army knife for hospitality marketing. Reach out today to set up your free audit, and it won’t be long before we can grow your Threads account, optimize your other social media channels, build you a beautiful website, and so much more!
