Owning a food business means you’re constantly juggling multiple roles, and with only so many hours in the day, you have to be intentional about where you devote your time. When it comes to marketing, it’s no secret that social media can be a make or break tool for your business. But how can you decide which platform to invest your efforts in? In short: Which social media platform is better to market your food business?
The two biggest players are Instagram and TikTok. Both are popular and have unique advantages for food brands who want to connect with their customers but they also have distinct differences that may make one a better fit depending on your specific goals.
Instagram: A Polished, Local Powerhouse
Instagram has been a marketing staple for years, allowing businesses to build engaged communities around beautifully crafted visual content. For food brands, Instagram can offer several benefits:
Better for Finding Local Customers and Converting Sales
Instagram can often be a better tool to reach people who are actually in your local community. We recommend that you use consistent location tagging and locally relevant hashtags to reach more potential customers in your area. With an easy ordering page linked in your bio, you can drive online orders directly from your Instagram page.
Photos and Videos in One Place
An advantage of IG is the opportunity to show off both photos and videos from your business. Post a mix of eye-catching food photos and videos (Reels) that showcase your brand personality. While photo posts are great for updating your followers, Reels get pushed out to a wider audience and have the ability to go viral. Use video footage to show behind the scenes looks into your kitchen, introductions to the team, your research, and of course, shots of delicious food.
Target Older Demographics
The majority of Instagram’s user base is between 25-34 years old. If your food business caters to millennials or an older crowd, you’ll find your audience is very active here.
Cross Posting to Facebook
One of the advantages of Instagram being owned by Meta (the company that runs Facebook), is that your posts can be automatically cross posted to your Facebook page as well. This gives you a slightly wider reach with no added effort.
TikTok: The Land of Authentic, Viral Entertainment
On the other side, you have TikTok – a social media giant powered by trendy short-form videos. While different from Instagram, it provides its own set of valuable capabilities for food brands:
Low Lift, Funny & Engaging Content
TikTok celebrates more casual, behind-the-scenes style videos showing the human side of your business. Brands that engage in trends or popular music and create relatable content tend to perform best. That means you can get away with amateur filming and minimal editing, as long as it feels authentic to your brand.
Go Big with Viral Potential
With TikTok’s powerful algorithm, your videos have the potential to be seen by millions, even if you’re a small business. This can create widespread brand recognition if your content resonates. Many TT creators say that if you post consistently, eventually you will have a video go viral and bring in followers and business.
Reaching Younger Audiences
TikTok stands out for its ability to reach younger demographics, with over half of its user base under 24 years old. If Gen Z is a key customer base, you’ll find them here.
Find the Right Balance for Your Food Business
At the end of the day, Instagram is better for polished content that tells your brand story, while TikTok allows you to create more raw, authentic videos that showcase your personality. Here are some key considerations:
- If your priority is reaching a younger audience, TikTok should be a bigger focus.
- If you’re looking to partner with influencers, both platforms can work but Instagram likely gives you more opportunities to work with local influencers that have an engaged audience.
- Instagram is superior for driving local awareness and online sales through targeted location efforts.
- TikTok may drive higher engagement rates, but that doesn’t always equate to higher sales or foot traffic.
The bottom line
For most food businesses prioritizing sales growth, we recommend focusing your main efforts on Instagram. Build a consistent strategy around beautiful food photography, local hashtags, location tagging, and sharing news about upcoming promotions or events. Drive traffic to your ordering website through your Instagram bio link.
Then, use TikTok as a supplementary platform to experiment with viral-worthy video concepts and give customers a look behind-the-scenes. While it may not directly impact sales as much initially, it can raise brand awareness and help you connect with that all-important Gen Z demographic.
No matter which platforms you use, authenticity and quality content will always reign king in the social media world for food brands. Find the approach that aligns best with your marketing objectives.