We assist food and beverage businesses to excel through digital marketing
Put these dates in your calendar 🗓 Jumping on key dates not only helps with content planning, but allows you to connect with others, whether it’s your niche through hashtags or customers through imagery. But what kind of content could you post?
👉🏻 Share an image of your staff on Christmas jumper day
👉🏼 Share your Christmas opening hours
👉🏽 Share a Merry Christmas post
Have you planned your content for December yet?
The secret to WINNING at social media ⬇️
🌟 Create consistent content and interact with your community 🌟
Yes, it really is that simple. Of course, it depends on WHAT kind of content you create, and HOW your community engages with it ... but that’s just a case of looking into what your audience reacts to and doing MORE of it. What’s the trick to this? Checking your insights and analysing what does and doesn’t work.
If you need help looking into this, get in touch today 😁
Lockdown has lifted and we can FINALLY eat out with friends. Now, more than ever, is the time to support small businesses who are getting back on their feet. I had my first meal from in .village and it was GLORIOUS. Have you headed shopping or for food / drinks this week yet?
I’m super excited to announce a new client has been added to my roster 🙌. Welcome , a boundary-pushing CBD gel formulated for amateur and professional athletes. I’m excited to help launch the brand and grow their following 😄
ORGANIC GROWTH ISN’T DEAD
Yes, that is a bold statement in the era of declining reach and low engagement. It’s not easy by any means, and it takes persistence and consistency, but all you gotta do is:
👉🏻 Find your niche
👉🏼 Design a strong, unique brand
👉🏽 Create shareable and save worthy content
👉🏾Get involved and engage with your community
I’m trying to schedule fifteen minutes each day, morning and night for engagement. What’s your tips for getting some community time in?
Happy guys! I haven’t shown my face on here in a while but Planted is run by a one-woman band, me, Taylor. I’m a social media manager for one of London’s biggest publications by day, and run Planted as my side hustle in tandem 🙌.
So how important are female-owned start ups? We are still disproportionately outnumbered compared to men. But, the amount of women-owned startups doubled from 10% in 2009 to 20% in 2019. This is SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE 🎉 .
So how can we encourage women to own their niche? Tell your friend that they’re killing it, encourage your mate to ask for that raise and support all the female founders on social media through engaging with their posts.
Comment your fave female founders below and I’ll give them a follow 😁
WHAT HAS GOTTEN YOU THROUGH LOCKDOWN 3.0? 🤔
I’ve channeled my creative energy and discovered a love for crafting things. Whether it’s upcycling wine-bottles, candle-making, pottery or espresso martini making. Two of which the & kit combined for their Valentine’s boxes, complete with b**b pot tutorial, and it was a right hoot. Swipe to feast your eyes on a decent pair of knockers 😁 Have you discovered any newfound hobbies? SEND THIS to a mate who needs to get crafty ✨
✨ BRAND SPOTLIGHT ✨
You might call Minor Figures the hipster of the non-dairy milk world. I mean, just take a look at their design, it screams beards, beanies and fixie bikes 🚲. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing at all. They STAND OUT in a sea of blandness, and isn’t that what good marketing does?
Apart from their eye-catching branding, they know exactly how to target their customers through direct under-branded ads, they’re based about 15 mins away from me, are carbon neutral AND are the first plant-based company to install oat m*lk refill stations across the UK to minimise wastage. Talk about MILKING their credentials 🙈. What brand are you loving right now?
Stage 1 - BEGIN. What do you need to get started?
CONSISTENCY IS 🔑
A good amount is three to four posts per week or even up to daily. However if you take a break from posting there is less chance of your audience seeing it.
This is because Instagram prioritise content they think you will like, so if it is a quality, engagement-driven post that means higher visibility of your profile. If you stop posting consistently the algorithm will be less likely to suggest your content to the right audience.
They don’t say persistence pays off for nothing ✨ If you struggle with concepting, designing and scheduling posts get in touch to see how we can help 😁
15 MINUTE MEAL IDEA 💡. This is from a quick shoot we did at home to promote an offer one of our clients ran but if you haven’t tried truffle and artichoke pesto before you are MISSING OUT, big time 🤯
Simply cook the pasta as per instructions, drain, and stir the pesto through. Top with a dash of black pepper and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Ooooweee 🤤. If you want to add a lil summin’, chuck a couple of tenderstem and sliced mushrooms into the oven with olive oil before the pasta goes on. Mandatory - enjoy with a glass of vino 🍷What are your fave accounts for food inspo?
Hello to the first in our new series of quick wins that you can action immediately to help encourage growth and engagement. Who’s going to be making sure they do this in future? 🙂
We are so on the hype and have smashed it 🙌🏽. Is this the best plant-based burger we’ve tried? Possibly 🌱. They’re currently selling an Ultimate Vegan kit complete with their chilli cheeseburgers, onion salt chips, espresso Medatini’s & elderflower spritzes and cookies. If you’re looking to spice up your weekend, order this in now. Don’t forget to people! Which kits have you ordered?
Great customer service = higher brand sentiment. It’s obvious .... right? So, how can you ensure customers recommend your business?
👉🏿 Respond ASAP
👉🏾 Reply open-ended to initiate conversation
👉🏽 Share useful information
👉🏼 Don’t just respond with emojis
👉🏻 Follow the persons account
👉🏿 Like the comment
All of this ensures the potential customer feels valued and appreciates, leading to a high opinion of your brand and a greater chance of recommendation. Social customer service is SO important in this day and age. Do you have it locked down? SAVE THIS FOR FUTURE REF ✨
What’s the difference and why is it important? 🤔
Having preplanned content is invaluable because it allows for set topics and images to be plotted across the feed that will help further the business through conversions, awareness etc ✅
However, when something happens across the world that either impacts or can be discussed by the business they should jump on it ASAP. Why?Because the content consumer has an emotional investment in the topic, whether it be political e.g. Brexit news or cultural e.g. a trending meme or challenge and so will be more likely to engage with your post 👍🏻. Has anyone else found this to be the case?
So it’s lockdown 3.0. Some might think it’s time for but others (🙋🏼♀️🙋🏾♂️) think we’ve got enough crap to deal with so why not whack out the quarantini’s.
can be used for many refreshing drinks like your standard g&t but if you wanna get practicing those cocktails why not go for a martini or negroni instead? 🍸🍹 What are you going to do with yourself over lockdown?
HOW TO NAIL YOUR SOCIALS IN 2021 👍🏻
✅ Get Organised - create a monthly content calendar and plot out key dates or topics
✅ Be Reactive - keep an eye on what’s going on in the world, pop culture or economy, see how it affects you and communicate this to your following
✅ Engage, Engage, Engage - you scratch their back and they’ll scratch yours and it’s valuable to be interested in your community
✅ Show Up - be authentic to your brand and don’t be afraid to show personality or your face
Don’t forget to SAVE THIS POST for future ref ✨
Here we go again, entering the ‘new normal’ in tier 4. No matter what happens though, the chance to take a wander in a green space really helps to lift the spirits 🦆
Current mood:
One bowl of pasta isn’t enough
to this amaze truffle dish from Gloria .uk 😍 Anyone else think Winter calls for carb central?
So you’ve been posting consistently on social media and can see in your analytics what is doing well and what isn’t. But WHAT DOES IT ALL ACTUALLY MEAN?
Swipe to understand the basic metrics that you NEED to know to take control of your social media marketing. Save this for future use ✨
NEW CLIENT KLAXON 🚨 We're excited to annouce that legendary Camberwell coffee spot and general store is now on our roster. During their FREE month trial we grew their followers by a whopping 10% alongside raising their engagement rate by 1.5% ❗️
If you'd like to see these kind of results get in touch today to see how we can elevate your business doing what we do best, whilst you get on with what you do best 🎉
HOW TO CONVERT FOLLOWERS FROM ONLINE > IRL ✨
👉🏻 High quality images that appeal
👉🏼 Caption copy that evokes a response
👉🏽 Strategic hashtags that reach a new audience
👉🏾 Organic conversion strategies
👉🏿 Consistent posting
Are there parts of this you struggle with? Wish you had more time on your hands to integrate these tips? Understanding the intricacies of social media takes expert knowledge and dedication. Are you ready to knuckle down? SEND THIS TO A MATE WHO NEEDS HELP WITH THEIR SOCIAL PROFILES ⏩
Jave, cup 'o joe, brew, coffee. Whatever you call it, we want it. LET'S DO THIS MONDAY ☕️💪 Where's your fave coffee spot in London?
The biggest shopping day of the year is coming up but we’ve got a little offer for you that won’t cost a pretty penny.
That’s right, a no-strings-attached audit of your biz that’ll get you clued up what you NEED to change and HOW you can do this. Send us a DM for further deets 😁
With news lockdown IS actually lifting next week we’re all on tenterhooks to find out which tier London will be entered into. Tier 2 = socialising outdoors & Tier 3 = delivery and takeaway only. 🤞 we’re doing well enough for that second tier. Either way have been slinging buns all lockdown long and they are bloody great😍
WHAT CAN IMPACTFUL PRODUCT SHOTS DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS? 🍩
👉🏿 Convert online followers to irl
👉🏾 Create an aesthetically pleasing feed
👉🏽 Showcase your suppliers
👉🏼 Promote your product range
👉🏻 Increase engagement on your posts
This pic is a throwback to a shoot we did for one of our clients of their delish stocked .john.restaurant doughnuts. Need some help with your images? We’ll send some help your way
Posting times are a much-debated Insta topic which completely vary depending on the day or month it is 🕑. If only there were a one-size-fits-all guide right?! 😂Ultimately, you need to test this out, and through trial and error figure out the best posting schedule for your business. HOWEVER, there are some basic guidelines which will make it a whole lot easier. First of all, get in the mindframe of your consumers 😶. Are they at work or in education at that time? Will they be on a break? Are they early risers or night owls? Then think about what drives the urge to engage with posts.
With food, this is relatively simple. People need to be actively looking at their phones and be either hungry or want a a piece of it (at that point or in the future)🤤.
🥩 Got a tasty bit of rib-eye steak lined up to post? Lunch or dinner time works well as that's when food is on the mind and people are free.
🍰 Are you a bakery business? Hit 'em where it hurts the most - that's right 3pm snack time (also when people tend to be lagging at work and take a quick social spin)
Before work between 7-9am is also effective and another point when people are hungry so make sure to post at these hours to really make your content fly. Don't have time to post at any of these times? That what we're here for, so give us a shout if you need help getting your social content sorted 😁
This would be such a ROAST BOAST if only we weren't stuck in lockdown. Ah well ... Throwing it back to the days when we could eat out, this vegan extraordinnaire from The Spread Eagle was definintely up there with our top of all time. Yeah, we went there 😮. Please send any other roast reccies our way for that post-lockdown list 😁
It might seem like such a simple thing to do for some but it's mind-blowing the amount of businesses that don't respond to their followers 🤯. This is a CRITICAL mistake❗️. You wouldn't ignore your (potential) customers in real life, so why do it over social media? But what ARE the benefits of engaging with your following?
👉🏿 It humanises the brand
👉🏾 Expresses that you value people's comments
👉🏽 Doesn't disrespect people that have engaged with you by ignoring them
👉🏼 Provides opportunity to share your tone of voice & brand personality
👉🏻Positively enforces brand values to potential customers
So how do you respond? A quickly-written reply, emoji or even a like of the comment shows you are present and interested. TIP - regularly check through your last four posts to ensure you haven't missed any people that have commented a while after posting. Haven't got time to respond? We can help you with that 🙌🏻
Our heart goes out to all the independent food businesses out there who, right now, are hustling, pivoting, and trying their hardest to make it through lockdown 2.0 💪🏽. We are doing our best to support them, but sometimes’it’s difficult to know what the most effective way to do this is, so we’ve compiled a few ideas on where to go from here. SWIPE FOR TIPS ON HOW TO SUPPORT OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY 👌🏻
It’s the FINAL day to eat out before lockdown 2.0 kicks in. We wouldn’t mind heading back to Lina Stores before then, but the chances we’d get a table are probably pretty slim ... Where are you heading out to tonight?
WANT TO LEVEL UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING BUT NOT SURE IF THE COST IS WORTH IT? 🤔
We completely understand. It’s like researching into a holiday / new make up product / pair of trainers and realising - is it worth paying for this? Will it actually make our life better? What if I pay and the service / product isn’t good?
These times are hard and very testing for everyone, with the hospitality industry being one of the hardest hit. This is why we want to offer you the chance for a no-obligation one months FREE trial. The only thing we ask for in return? A testimonial once the month has ended. However, we are so confident in our ability to:
👉🏿 Increase engagement
👉🏾 Give you back much needed time to work on your business
👉🏽 Increase sales conversions
That we imagine you’d like to continue with our services, and all at a very competitive and affordable monthly cost. If you’d like to learn more, send us a DM today 😃
What’s one thing you love about London? We think the diversity is underrated😍. There’s not many places you can go from an Indian restaurant, to a Georgian restaurant, to a Vietnamese restaurant in a one mile radius, AND with everyone getting along so cohesively. For instance, we have one of the best Vegan scenes in the world in this relatively small capital city 🤯 (compared to China, America etc. anyway).
A couple of weeks ago we visited one of our local community-run Vegan joints the for this massive Full English for under a tenner. Right now it’s more important than ever to , so get out there and show your fave foodie places some love. We represent any small, independent foodie business, and are here help you at this critical time by offering a MONTH’S FREE TRIAL. Yeah, you heard right. Get in touch to see how we can help 👌🏻
To summarise bluntly, yes.
But why?
People are STILL yearning for experiences, whether it’s real or imagined. And isn’t that the life of an influencer, for the content consumer to imagine themselves in the influencers shoes ... eating at that fancy restaurant or popping to a bakery to pick up that newly-launched IT pastry dominating our feeds.
The exposure that is gained from a photograph of your food on several carefully-selected influencers goes along way for exposure of your brand, it basically increases your brand awareness to a wider, untouched audience. Something that is vital in today’s economy wouldn’t you agree?
At the moment the experience doesn’t HAVE to be in person, there’s a thriving catalogue of delivery and at-home kits that are begging to be promoted by influencers. That’s not to say you can’t invite people down to try your food, it’s hard to beat the real thing. Plus you can wow them with your excellent customer service and expertly-plated food, which will help in convincing the influencer to post amazing images on their feed.
Recently the onus has been placed on micro-influencers (< 30,000 followers) rather than influencers with a large following. Research suggests that people with a smaller following have a more engaged and committed audience that are loyal to the influencers. At the end of the day wouldn’t you rather promote products to people who are going to get involved and be interested than a larger audience who might ignore the messaging?
If you don’t know where to begin with Influencer Marketing get in touch to find out how we can help 😃
If this is the future of co-working spaces, then sign us up ✅. Congrats to the Tramshed Project opening last week, as they’re ushering in a new era of working out-of- office. This one is a HUGE, cavernous space that will play host to events, private bookings and top-class chefs.
The concept is simple - pay a deposit for a table or booth and redeem it on food and drink throughout the day. Theres plugs 🔌 all round so you can stay as long as you like. With food coming from top chefs like Andrew Clark, James Cochran & Zoe Adjonyoh it’s not going to be hard to spend the 💰. I CAN confirm it is DIVINE too 😍
3 QUICK hacks for fast yet effective image editing on your phone 💥
1. Our top tools for editing images:
Snapseed
Apple iPhone editing function
All are free, Lightroom has more technical functions but Snapseed has a great blur function if you don’t have portrait mode on your phone. We most commonly use the image editing function if uploading for stories - use auto edit then work from there for speed and ease.
2. But HOW should you edit your image? Below are some tools we mostly always edit to get bright and vivid images (if you’re going for a dark and moody vibe the edits will ofc be different).
Brightness - up
Sharpen - up
Saturation - slightly up
Ambience - up
Highlights - up
Shadows - slightly up
Contrast - slightly up
3. Create presets - In Lightroom you can make an edit then save it as a preset so you can add the effects to another image without re-doing them each time. This is great for image / feed consistency and saving time.
What’s your fave image editing hack? Save this for future ref ✨
HOW DID PLANTED COME ABOUT? ✨
Our founder Taylor talks about how Planted Social came on the scene.
It’s a bit of a difficult one when at 17 it’s your time to choose a career path to go down. What do you really have to base it on apart from what you ‘think’ you like? Social media management wasn’t even around then and Insta was a shell of its former self.
Fast forward a uni degree in Event Management and several years spent in the industry working with big-name brands like Campari, Google, Virgin and Unilever and there was an itch that couldn’t be scratched. What was missing? Independence? Sure. Responsiblility? A little. But most of all, doing something that pushes our passion forwards. Next stop - working at London’s biggest independent lifestyle and foodie website which has HUGE ties to the London food scene as their social media person and here we are.
So why social media? Let’s spell it out. C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y. You might think social is all analytics (which it partly is) or engagement (also true) but there’s something SO GOOD about planning and taking that ‘perfect shot’ or thinking up a witty caption to go with a post. Not that I don’t love those other things - reading into analytics is like putting the pieces of a puzzle together - there’s something pretty awesome about it too.
So Planted ties everything together into one neat little package and we back our clients like their own Bessie mate, making sure we give as good as we can to make them successful. We are independently run and independently-focused after all.
What makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning?
💫 71% of consumers who have had a positive experience with a brand on social media are likely to recommend the brand to their friends and family 💫 That’s almost THREE QUARTERS of your audience 😱 So what counts as audience engagement?
🗣 Responding to comments on your post
✍🏼 Commenting on people’s pictures
👋🏿Using buttons in stories and replying
💌 Responding to DM’s
👍🏾 Liking people’s pictures
📫 Post / story shares & saves
So WHY is it important? It increases:
👉🏻 Brand loyalty - people appreciate that you value their response or like their content
👉🏼 Brand awareness - your brand appears more ‘human’ and favourable
👉🏽 Reach - leads to more eyes on your content
👉🏾 Shares and saves - means people believe your content is worth something
If you are a food business one of the best possible things you can do to make your content go far is to action all of the above steps. This creates positive engagement, which should lead to an increase in sales conversions. Who’s going to try these engagement tactics out from now on? 🤚🏻
HOW TO NAIL YOUR BRAND PERSONALITY ⚡️ have opened the doors to their first perm outpost and it’s a beaut. Bright pink, and with tonnes of attitude, it’s an extension of their very sassy brand and we LOVE IT ❤️. Count them as an example of a food biz who’ve got their brand personality OH SO RIGHT. But what makes them so good?
💫 Vibrant and high-quality social images
💫 Sassy and unique tone of voice
💫 Consistency of posts and stories
💫 Same graphic style throughout
💫 Clear bio on who they are what they’re about
💫 Informative posts keep their followers up to date with their business
If you need help creating your brand guidelines or ideas for creating content get in touch today to see how we can level up your social media game
Are you finding it difficult to get eyes 👀 on your content? Struggling to get new customers through your door? Increase your social reach with the 3 C’s 💫. Use the below strategies to get a whole new audience to your social profiles and see how this impacts your footfall.
👉🏻 Competition
👉🏼 Co-creation
👉🏽 Character
Who’s putting these strategies to good use? Save this for later or send to a friend who NEEDS to see this 🙌🏻
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