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 March 2022.
1. New emojis released:
Everyone loves emojis, and they’re so ingrained in the way we communicate as brands and people that it’s exciting to see a new batch we can add into our visual vocabulary.
Here’s a list of all the newly added emojis:
Face-related emojis:
- Melting Face
- Face with Open Eyes and Hand Over Mouth
- Face with Peeking Eye
- Saluting Face
- Dotted Line Face
- Face with Diagonal Mouth
- Face Holding Back Tears
Gender-focused emojis:
Two gender-neutral variations of:
- Person with Crown and
- Pregnant Person
Plus, a pregnant man!
Hand gesture emojis:
- Rightwards Hand
- Leftwards Hand
- Palm Down Hand
- Palm Up Hand
- Hand with Index Finger and Thumb Crossed
- Index Pointing at the Viewer
- Heart Hands
- Multi-racial handshakes
Animals, objects, and symbols:
- Coral
- Lotus
- Empty Nest
- Nest with Eggs
- Beans
- Pouring Liquid
- Jar
- Playground Slide
- Wheel
- Ring Buoy
- Hamsa
- Mirror Ball
- Low Battery
- Crutch
- X-Ray
- Bubbles
- Identification Card
- Heavy Equals Sign
All these emojis should be released to iOS users by the end of April if they haven’t popped up on your phone already!
How to make these work for your pub or restaurant:
Well, it’s as simple as dropping them into your content, where relevant, for a touch of colour and personality. For example, emojis brighten up an email’s subject line or app push notification, and it’s almost weird if you don’t use them on social media at this point.
Of course, if you’re looking for ideas for engagement, why not get your audience to vote on their favourite new emojis?
2. Instagram launches Enhanced Tags:
Instagram’s new “Enhanced tags” allow a creator’s profile on their professional accounts to be displayed in their People Tag. This means that people have the ability to tag a creator into a photo or video post, promoting their involvement in the content being shared.
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
This new function could be put to good use with content creators who are using a professional Instagram account. For example, let’s say you get a content creator in to help you craft a new cocktail, design a new dish, or even host an event at your pub.
You’ll be able to tag them easily in Instagram posts, making it even easier for your audience (and theirs!) to see this exciting new collaboration.
3. Twitter Shops set out their stalls in the US:
Twitter Shops allows merchants to showcase up to 50 products via Twitter, letting people view directly from the top of their Twitter profile and purchase via an in-app browser. Wherever you are, it’s getting easier to shop than ever.
Currently, Twitter Shops are only available to select merchants and partners in the US, with only those using Twitter on iPhones, in English, and in the US able to shop via this method.
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
If the initial test is successful and this feature rolls out across Twitter, start thinking about the things you might want to sell on there… You could use the Twitter Shops feature to sell:
- Your full menu, almost like an “order at table” option if you don’t have an app
- A takeaway menu, allowing people to place their order online before they come in
- Pub merchandise, such as kegs, coasters, bar pulls, etc.
One such brand is All I Do Is Cook (@AllIDoIsCookUS), and although you won’t be able to see their shop if you’re outside of the US, this does show how a food-and-drink brand could use this new feature.
4. TikTok launches 10-minute videos:
As YouTube announces Shorts to rival TikTok’s short-form success, TikTok is going the other way, having just announced that users will now be able to upload videos of up to 10 minutes. This comes after TikTok introduced three-minute videos last July.
In a statement given to Verve, TikTok stated that this new video length is believed to “bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience” and “unleash even more creative possibilities for our creators around the world.”
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
It’s as simple as this… If you’re thinking about creating some kind of video content for YouTube—or perhaps you already do, such as behind-the-scenes of your pub or how-to guides for cocktails—put it on TikTok, too!
With long-form content now available on TikTok, you may be broadening your horizons and reaching an entirely new audience.
5. Email engagement increased by 78% last year:
Now, considering this is from an article shared in August 2021, you might be thinking, “How is this relevant to March?” However, think about it like this…
Email engagement was up 78% last year while many of us were still trapped in lockdown. Now that people are legally allowed to go back out to then pub, don’t you want to make sure it’s your pub they’re going to?
Either keep up, or urgently begin, your email marketing strategy! No matter how many times the industry tries to convince us that email is dead, we know it’s not going anywhere (at least not any time soon).
How to make it work for your pub or restaurant:
For an effective, sustainable email marketing strategy, perhaps start with one monthly newsletter. This could wrap up anything new coming in the following month, from new dishes and drinks to local events (in and out of pub!).
Once you’ve got the basics down, start thinking about your customer relationship management (CRM), which may include automated emails, such as:
- Welcome emails
- Post-visit emails
- Non-engaged guest emails (including an incentive to visit again!)
Dates to keep in mind for April marketing!
1st: April Fool’s Day
7th-10th: Golf – The Masters
9th: Grand National
11th: National Pet Day
9th-14th: Snooker – Men’s European Championship
15th: Good Friday
16th-17th: FA Cup Semi Finals
17th: Easter
18th: Easter Monday
19th: National Bicycle Day
21st: Queen’s Birthday (get the bunting out!)
21st: National Tea Day
22nd: Earth Day
23rd: St George’s Day
22nd-24th: Formula 1 – World Championship (Imola, Italy)
Planning your April 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 April? Well, here’s what we’re starting to think about now:
- Easter Bank Holidays: They’re almost here! Long weekends are perfect for spending at the pub, so you don’t have to work very hard. Simply post some engaging content close to the Bank Holiday as a reminder of where they should be.
- Summer events: You’ve still got plenty of time to consider how to attract sun-tanned guests to your pub from far and wide. Be aware of what’s happening in the local area and offer people what they’ll want most… Will they be hungry and thirsty after a day of walking around a summer market? Well, guess which pub is cooking up freshly battered fish and chips just down the road? You.
- Father’s Day 2022: Just like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is a big family occasion that may see people looking to book a meal or share a few drinks. Where better than a pub? Start planning out the reasons Dad might want to visit your pub over anywhere else and think about how to turn that into a multi-channel marketing campaign.
Finish your brew…
That’s all for this month, but we’ll be back again at the end of April for another Tea & Trends, keeping you at the forefront of digital, from brand websites to social media innovation and everything in-between.