Simple social media goal that clarifies everything

Doing social media for a bar or restaurant can feel daunting, especially if you've got a million other things going on. Many folks just don't really commit to it.

It's easy to see why because questions abound: What should you post? When should you post? How often should you post? And on which platforms? And what if you're not a talented photographer?

We'll dive into all those things in detail over the summer. But today we're sharing high level advice from marketing expert Rob Austin, who runs marketing for Leader Bar in Chicago. His advice is this: your only goal with social media—and any visual marketing—is to show prospective guests what they can do at your bar, restaurant, or brewery.

That sounds reductive, but if you frame up this advice as your north star, your social media marketing quickly falls into place. You'll actually spend less time on it than if you're scrambling to post just because you feel like you should.

Here's how to go about it:

• Make a list of what people can do at your bar/restaurant. What can they do there that they can't do elsewhere? What makes your bar special? Make a short list (like 3-5 things). For Leader Bar the list is: high quality pizzas and burgers, their big beautiful space, their patio, events, and their staff.
• Instead of wondering what to post because there are a million different things you could post about, you've now got a limited list. If you look at Leader Bar's Instagram profile, you'll see basically all of Rob's posts fit into his list.
• OK, now that you know what to post about, it's time to gather the collateral for making those posts a reality. Take a ton of photos—hundreds, seriously—of things, dishes, moments, etc. that show or prove the things on your list are true. (Don't be too much of a perfectionist here! But later this summer we'll teach you how to setup a totally worth it DIY photoshoot day :).)
• Check out Leader Bar's Instagram profile for inspiration, and keep in mind this doesn't have to be complicated—just go down the list you made of what makes your bar/restaurant/brewery special and take photos that prove it.
• Now execute: post about the things on your list, and do it often. You never know when someone will be looking at your profile, so make sure you're doing what you can to be there regularly. For example, in the last week Rob posted to Instagram 6 times.

You'll be hearing from Rob a lot throughout the next couple months as we return to his well of marketing knowledge. Check out the interview clip below to learn more about his background in photography, videography, website design, and bar-visiting as well as more advice on marketing in general:

More troubling—but not surprising—data from the Brewer's Association this week, which reported that 29 out of the top 50 craft breweries in the US saw year-over-year volume declines in 2022.

18 of the top 50 grew, while 3 remained flat. Overall craft volume remained flat.

The Takehome

Earlier this year we reported that for the first time ever spirits surpassed beer in overall marketshare, a change driven by huge RTD and seltzer growth, super-premium spirits, and spirits tourism.

This new data indicates that shift didn't just come from folks moving away from domestics. There was some churn away from craft beer, too.

Basically, it seems that craft beer's growth trajectory has decidedly changed from the absolute rocket ship it was 5-10 years ago to a flatter holding pattern. (It's of course still gigantic.) I think we all knew this was the case and felt it anecdotally. The data is just finally showing it too.

• Famous east coast grocer Wegmans joined the NY state fight to allow grocery stores to carry wine. Liquor stores, long successful at lobbying against such a move, continue to stand their ground. It's currently in the hands of the state legislature, whose session ends at the beginning of June.
• Brewer's yeast turned up in multiple paintings by famous Danish painters from the 19th century. Researchers believe it was used as a canvas primer.
• Basketball superstar Steph Curry is launching a new bourbon called Gentleman's Cut (pictured above). It'll be available nationally for about $80 per bottle.
• And in the dummy department, an Ohio man got jail time for throwing a beer can at a Cleveland Browns game in 2021. The can wound up hitting another fan in the face, which sent her to the hospital.