Kettle boiled? Check.
Ready to learn? Check.
Biscuits at the ready? Check.
That’s how you know you’re back for another Tea & Trends.
We’re bringing together some of the most impactful trends and updates in digital each month so you don’t have to, putting a focus on one of our sector specialties: pubs and restaurants.
Of course, these trends and tips could apply to any brand, really, so stay open-minded and creative! Oh, and don’t miss out on last month’s Tea & Trends…
Now let’s get into it before your brew goes cold. Here’s everything you need to know from August 2022…
1. TikTok is a key platform for News and Search among younger generations.
Although you might consider TikTok a place for entertainment, it’s quickly becoming a place of discovery and learning in younger generations. In fact, Google’s Senior Vice President, Prabhakar Raghavan, had this to say at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech 2022 event:
“In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search, they go to TikTok or Instagram.”
That means, if you’re not on TikTok when this audience starts searching for a place to eat or drink, you’re not even in the competition.
How to make these work for your pub or restaurant:
This is just another reason to get on TikTok if you or your team members feel comfortable creating video content. Even though an audience of under 15-year-olds isn’t who you’re aiming to reach right now, they’ll be 18+ before you know it.
If they discovered your pub or restaurant on TikTok previously, they might start heading to yours for weekend drinks and more.
2. Instagram to steal daily photo prompt feature from BeReal app?
#Instagram is working on IG Candid Challenges, a feature inspired by @BeReal_App
ℹ️ Add other’s IG Candid to your story tray. And everyday at a different time, get a notification to capture and share a Photo in 2 Minutes. pic.twitter.com/caTCgUPtEV
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) August 22, 2022
App researcher, Alessandro Paluzzi, revealed that Instagram may be looking to “borrow” a feature from BeReal, an app which sends you a daily prompt to take and upload an unfiltered picture within a certain amount of time.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Instagram has taken a feature from other platforms – Instagram Stories came from Snapchat Stories, after all – and with BeReal experiencing serious growth in 2022 and becoming the #1 social networking app in the App Store, it’s unsurprising that it’s caught their attention.
As seen in the thread shared by Paluzzi, Instagram Candid Challenges would ask users to “Add other’s IG Candid to your story tray. And every day at a different time, get a notification to capture and share a Photo in 2 Minutes.” This is almost identical to BeReal’s entire purpose as an app.
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
For a quick and easy way to join this trend, either download the BeReal app or wait for the potentially identical feature on Instagram in the near future. From there, prepare to share behind-the-scenes snaps of your pub or restaurant as the prompt comes in each day.
This may be the toe in the water you need to become more comfortable on social media with only one picture a day. Why not try it out?
3. Last month: Will all videos on Instagram become Reels?
This month’s update: Nope.
Only a month after we shared that Instagram were teasing the idea of making their Feed a full-screen affair, similar to TikTok, the platform has gone back to its original look. This is one of those rare cases where a social platform has listened to its users, who mostly wanted to keep the current style.
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
Just make a little note that nothing is changing to your beloved Instagram Feed… for now.
4. TikTok Stories to be shared on other social platforms?
Just like in real life, we have another reason to go back to TikTok – this time because TikTok may start allowing its users to share TikTok Stories directly to other platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. Currently, TikTok Stories can only be shared with other users on the platform.
Even if this is the case, however, Meta has warned that “content that is visibly recycled from other apps [will be] less discoverable” on their platforms, which makes sense considering it’s like free advertising for a competitor.
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
If you’re already creating videos on TikTok or have been tempted to give it a try, now’s your chance. You may be able to create fun, engaging content on TikTok that can be shared across Facebook and Instagram without additional effort.
Although, keep in mind that they may not be widely seen as those platforms will not be actively promoting TikTok content. Also, your audiences may differ widely across each platform, so remember that content is not one-size-fits-all.
5. LinkedIn to get eye-catching new templates!
We love to see a new LinkedIn feature for the more business-orientated social users among us, and this is a fun one… LinkedIn users will soon – if they don’t already – be able to select a template feature when creating a post on the platform. These templates are pre-designed and eye-catching, allowing users to create more engaging content with ease.
LinkedIn’s Product Lead for Creator Strategy, Karen Baruch, stated that, “we want to make it even easier to create visual content that helps you stand out and inspire your professional community.”
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
If you’re on LinkedIn, keep an eye out for this feature and give it a try… Why not share some tips on running a great pub with your network?
Dates to keep in mind for September marketing!
Start of September: Kids go back to school!
2nd-4th: Dutch Grand Prix
4th-11th: Tour of Britain Cycling
8th: World Literacy Day
9th-11th: Italian Grand Prix
From 20th: Recycle Week
22nd: First Day of Autumn
22nd-1st Oct: Basketball – Women’s World Cup, Australia
25th: Russian Grand Prix
Planning your September 2022 marketing: What should you focus on now?
Effective marketing is all about planning ahead, so where should your mind be as we head into September? Well, here’s what we’re starting to think about now:
- New starts: From new school terms to first-time university students, the start of September can be an important time for families. See if you can tempt them to join you for one last family meal before everything changes.
- Grand Prix: If you’re showing the Grand Prix, make sure people know about it! Nothing gets peoples’ engines revving quite like knowing they can watch every adrenaline-inducing moment at their local with a couple of mates and a round or two.
- Autumn: When a new season rolls around, so do new ingredients, new flavours, new menus, and so much more. Share anything new that people might want to eat or drink when they pop in, or simply lean into the atmosphere of the season, promoting your pub or restaurant as the place to keep cosy or head after a long, autumnal walk.
- Christmas… still: Don’t think you can forget about this one unless every single table in the house is booked for festive celebrations. It’s time to start sharing the details that will get people booking, such as Christmas menus, events, or limited-time offers that’ll drive people to make their Christmas bookings with you.
Finish your brew…
That’s all for this month, but we’ll be back again at the end of September for another Tea & Trends, keeping you at the forefront of digital, from brand websites to social media innovation and everything in-between.