5 Content Plating Tips for TikTok

You’re probably wondering why that restaurant from around the corner has a waiting list when you haven’t even welcomed a fifth customer since opening two hours ago.

Is it the food? But your food was a favorite among locals pre-pandemic. Is it the look and feel of the restaurant? It shouldn’t be, since your restaurant is newly renovated.

It’s hard when you don’t even know what went wrong. All you know is that another local restaurant is outperforming your business and magnetizing your clientele. During these times, you need to make sure that you are staying relevant and optimizing your marketing strategies so that you don’t have to close your doors like many businesses have had to do since the start of the pandemic.

That’s when it hit you. There’s a secret formula you’re unaware of, and it’s not a food ingredient or recipe.

It’s no secret anymore that TikTok is now the fastest growing social media platform with over one billion monthly active users globally with an average time spent of more than 850 minutes per month.

What most brands don’t know is how they can navigate and leverage this new social media giant which before, they thought was just a passing fad.

Why TikTok?

TikTok is a short-form video-sharing app that made editing and posting content easier through its wide variety of sound effects, song clips, filters, and effects. It’s a no-frills do-it-yourself platform that makes creativity accessible even for the busy professional.

1. It reimagines social experience.

Consumers are now more empowered than ever. A bland “shop now” button won’t cut it if you want them to make it to a sale or a repeat buy.

Customers are looking for resources to know a brand or a product before hitting that final click. Do you know where they’re looking? Social media.

According to We Are Social and Hootsuite’s Digital 2022 report, businesses have to stretch the social experience as social media is widely used for every stage of the purchase journey and comes second only to search engines as a channel for brand research.

What makes TikTok the perfect channel for this is its “hook-line-sinker” format. One minute you’re watching this short clip of someone dancing, then you’re instantly sucked into this endless pit of content where you seem to have no way out but to scroll up, until you realize that you’ve been in it for hours.

With TikTok, you don’t need bait for your audience to see you, another video will do that for you. You just need to be out there and create a video that will be remembered. The majority of audiences prefer to absorb information visually. What better way to do that than by creating some entertaining and catchy videos for them to indulge in?

2. It helps you get acquainted with Gen Z.

Hootsuite reports that Gen Z is currently the largest age group worldwide, and notes how they are today’s social drivers. Though they are not your target audience, their social influence is worth understanding as they can direct you to the right moments and trends to ride on.

Where do you meet them? On TikTok.

The platform has surpassed Instagram’s popularity among Gen Z users, and now has over 41.4 million young natives in the U.S., and that number is expected to reach 48.8 million by 2025.

3. TikTok runs the dish.

You don’t have to worry about your content dying because TikTok is sure to run the dish to your audience. Your #FoodIsLife niche is on TikTok and there are billions of them.

Data from Statista reveals that recipes or cooking is among the channel’s most popular content categories with around 18 billion hashtag views.

Plating Your Content for TikTok

TikTok is a whole new digital landscape because it does not have a space for traditional display ads, so it’s a completely different playing field for marketers to dabble on. Without proper planning, the content will not reach the desired audience.

Here are a few content plating tips to consider:

TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes content shot and posted within the vicinity where the user is located, so it lets you connect with users from within your restaurant’s community.

Improve your chances of being seen by tagging your location before sharing your video. Your content might just reach someone who has no dinner plans yet.

People are now more intent on buying experience more than food. Establish the overall ambiance of your restaurant and highlight how you serve your customers.

Be creative and as brief as possible. You have up to 10 minutes to show your audience what they’re missing.

There’s no way that dish would taste as good as it looks on camera, right? Someone who’s viewed your video may initially have this thought about your new dish. This skepticism may lead her to your door, and that’s when you prove her wrong.

Word of advice? Quit the chalkboard. TikTok, because of its localized content, is the best channel to use when launching a new menu item or announcing the day’s special.

The DIY has been many people’s go-to since the start of the pandemic. That’s why posting easy recipes, although not directly helping sales, will keep your restaurant’s account top-of-mind for people who need quick fixes for their late-night cravings.

You can do this by posting simpler and home version recipes of your well-known dishes, and who knows? They may visit soon to taste the real thing.

The best way to trend is to start a TikTok challenge. Ask the audience to take a video while recreating your dish, and to post it using your hashtag.

To make things easier, you can also launch a DIY set, which they can purchase, and use for the challenge. A Wisconsin restaurant did this with a Bloody Mary drink challenge during the start of the pandemic. They created kits that included the mixes, garnishes & glasses to serve them up in. Get creative. This will not only generate buzz, but also bring an added revenue source.

Your Takeaway:

People are being fed more content than food. Rather than being forgotten, it’s more likely that you are being overpowered by other businesses who are serving information and experiences as fast as their tables turn.

If you’re new to TikTok, the first step is to get out there; create and share your content; learn about your audience along the way; then optimize. Reach out to our marketing affiliate today, and they’ll help you create a TikTok recipe that’s built for you!

Let’s get 10% of your day back, so that you can optimize your digital strategy. Let’s simplify your payroll process & get to TikToking!