Food Marketing Content Strategies

Social media is shifting, and for restaurant marketers, it’s not just about chasing trends anymore. It’s about creating content that’s useful, relevant, and actually connects with people. Here’s what I’m paying attention to right now: Social SEO is becoming a real thing. - People are searching on Instagram and TikTok like they would on Google. Think “best brunch in Denver” or “dog-friendly patios near me.” If your captions use natural, searchable language, you’re more likely to show up. It’s less about hashtags, more about how people talk. Carousels are having a moment. - They’re such an easy way to tell a story, share a full menu lineup, or walk someone through a special. Swipeable content slows people down just enough to keep them engaged. Video doesn’t need to be perfect. - Some of the best-performing content I’ve seen lately is casual, quick, and real. A cook plating a dish, a bartender shaking up a new cocktail, someone explaining the weekend special. Personality always wins over perfection. Build community, not just content. - It’s not about the follower count. It’s about turning guests into fans and fans into ravers. Highlight your regulars. Celebrate your team. Respond to comments. Invite people into the story. That’s where the loyalty starts. And look—I love a good trend (just go check out Snooze an A.M. Eatery's Instagram). I’m always down to jump in when it makes sense. But the core of your strategy should always be rooted in clarity, value, and connection.

🍒 Here's how we helped a healthy food brand transform their social media in 3 months by using 4 steps: When our new client approached us at The Z Link, they were struggling with: 🌀 Low engagement on their Instagram despite consistent content 🌀 Consistently getting less than 1000 views on TikTok 🌀 Minimal conversions from their social posts 🌀 Frustration with paid ads that weren’t delivering an ROI Their team was disappointed, seeing their efforts fall flat, and doubting whether social media was the right channel for their brand to be on at all. When we started working together, we focused on redefining their strategy from the start. Here are the 4 steps we took to turn things around: 🎨 Content revamp: We developed a new creative approach that showcased the brand’s appeal to audiences interested in health and wellness, while focusing a lot on founder-led storytelling that showcased the humanity behind the brand. 🤝 Community engagement: We implemented tactics to foster a genuine connection with their audience, proactively engaging with them and including them in the brand's story by purposely creating content that started conversations. 📱 Influencer partnerships: We identified micro-influencers who aligned with their brand, and started strategic short and long-term collaborations that boosted their reach and credibility. 📈 Analytics-driven adjustments: We believe in consistently analyzing what's working, experimenting and adapting, to optimize every post and campaign for maximum impact. Now, they're seeing a 60% monthly increase in engagement on Instagram, their community is growing consistently, and TikTok is getting them new customers through word of mouth thanks to creators and organic content. I'm doing this little deep dive today because I want to highlight that this could be your brand too. 👀 I’m looking for 3 more brands who want to refresh and improve their social media presence and start turning engagement into sales. DM me "social strategy" and I'll send over some details!! 💙👩🏻💻

How do you take on giants like Gerber in an industry they’ve dominated for decades? This is how one brand did it. This week’s 🏆 goes to Little Spoon! Welcome to episode 4 of Crushing Growth, where I spotlight companies nailing their growth marketing game — and break down their strategies. Here’s how Little Spoon is rewriting the baby food playbook: 1/ Paid Ads with Personality Little Spoon’s ads don’t just grab your attention. They hold it. From vibrant visuals to creative formats like tic-tac-toe and flow charts, their ads pop. They were even named AdBrownie’s Best Advertiser of the Week. Besides experimenting with new ideas… They retain best practices ads like UGC-driven content in their arsenal. The result? Distinct ads filled with personality that cuts through the noise. 2/ Community-Centric Marketing Little Spoon’s mission isn’t just about selling baby food. It’s about rallying parents against an enemy: In their case, it’s stale & processed food sitting in the supermarket aisles. “Your baby’s food shouldn’t be older than your baby.”™ By positioning themselves as the fresh alternative, they’ve created a movement. Parents aren’t just buying products. They’re buying better health for their kids. 3/ Content Marketing That Clicks If there’s any brand that takes content marketing seriously. It’s Little Spoon. Their blog and resources are a masterclass in meeting parents where they are: • Navigating baby growth stages from well, baby, to when your kid gets older • Supporting moms from expecting to postpartum But the most impressive part? Their weekly newsletter with nearing 1M subscribers. It’s a powerhouse for building trust, staying top of mind, and driving value. Build content and create value before asking for the sale is crucial. 4/ Growth Marketing = Relentless Testing Their founder is obsessed with growth testing to find the best product-market fit. They’ve launched 100+ products in the last few years. Growth marketing isn’t just about campaigns. It’s continuous growth testing to move the needle. Key Takeaways: Want to take on industry giants like Little Spoon has? • Test non-stop • Don’t compete. Disrupt • Build trust using content • Bold branding and personality wins Little Spoon is proof that even in the most crowded markets. You can win big. Kudos to their marketing team and founders: Angela Vranich Ben Lewis Alexa Roland Catherine Shanahan Krissy Moss

Most content teams treat marketing like a guessing game. I used to do the same: Post what felt right. Hope it worked. Move on. Then I saw this framework… And it changed how I think about content strategy completely. It’s called the Content Marketing Matrix: Map content based on two things: - How ready the buyer is - What kind of mindset they’re in (Emotional or Rational) That gives you 4 clear content roles: 🎭 ENTERTAIN (Emotional + Awareness) “How do we spark attention?” - Product teasers - UGC giveaways - Interactive reels - Launch hype Use when people are just discovering you. No hard sell yet. ✨ INSPIRE (Emotional + Purchase) “How do we build belief?” - Creator endorsements - Customer reviews - Community stories - Social proof Use when people are interested but need trust to take the leap. 📚 EDUCATE (Rational + Awareness) “How do we answer early questions?” - Blog articles - Trend reports - Ingredient breakdowns - Founder insights Use when people are curious, comparing, or searching. ✅ CONVINCE (Rational + Purchase) “How do we help them decide?” - Size guides - Price comparisons - Case studies - Product FAQs Use when they’re close to buying, but still hesitating. The best part? You don’t need to guess what to post anymore. You just need to know where your audience is and what they need to hear. Because content doesn’t work when it’s random. It works when it’s mapped to intent. Save this. Share with your team. And use it to build a strategy, not just a calendar. Try Glowtify for free: https://glowtify.com/ Helping D2C brands grow with smarter marketing systems Was this helpful? Repost and share it ♻️ Follow me, Marc Allard, if you're scaling a DTC brand without burning out.