How Food & Drink Brands Can Drive Sales and Orders on Social Media

For food and drink brands, social media is a direct way to connect with your audience, foster loyalty, and, ultimately, boost orders.

Whether you're a restaurant, a beverage company, or a packaged food brand, social media provides a unique opportunity to showcase your products and create genuine relationships with your customers. In this blog post, we’ll explore actionable strategies that food and drink brands can use to drive sales and orders via social media, backed up by real-world examples.

1. Run Targeted Paid Social Media Ads

Paid social ads are an effective way to drive immediate sales, whether you're looking to promote a new product, push limited-time offers, or encourage website visits. The beauty of paid ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok is that you can target specific demographics to ensure your ads reach the right audience.

Example: Dunkin’ Donuts Instagram Ads for National Donut Day

Dunkin’ Donuts often runs paid Instagram ads for specific days like National Donut Day or promotional events. For National Donut Day in 2024, Dunkin’ used Instagram to offer special deals, creating excitement and encouraging followers to visit their stores. These targeted ads, featuring mouth-watering donut shots and clear calls-to-action, drive foot traffic and increase sales.

Best Practice:

• Use geotargeting for local promotions, driving customers to nearby stores or to order for delivery.
• Create time-sensitive offers to create urgency and push for immediate sales.

2. Make Your Social Media Shoppable

Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok allow brands to tag their products directly in posts, stories, and videos. This “shoppable” feature is game-changing for food and drink brands looking to streamline the buying process.

Best Practice:

• Set up Instagram and Facebook Shops so users can easily shop your products directly from your posts and stories.
• Create a clear and seamless shopping experience with easy check-out options.

3. Collaborate with Influencers to Expand Your Reach

Influencer marketing is a powerful tool for food and drink brands, allowing them to tap into new audiences by partnering with influencers who resonate with their target market. When influencers share genuine content about your brand, it can generate buzz and encourage purchases.

Example: Chipotle and TikTok Influencers

In 2024, Chipotle teamed up with TikTok influencers to promote their new "Fresh Mex" menu. Influencers created engaging recipe videos, showing how to personalize Chipotle’s menu items with unique toppings and hacks. This campaign generated buzz and drove engagement, with fans eager to try the new menu items.

Best Practice:

• Collaborate with micro-influencers (under 100K followers) who have an engaged and loyal audience.
• Encourage influencers to showcase real-life product usage to create authentic, relatable content.

4. Engage with User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is one of the most powerful tools a brand can use to drive social proof. When customers share photos, reviews, or videos featuring your products, it not only boosts credibility but also helps you engage with your audience on a deeper level.

Example: Sweetgreen’s Instagram UGC Campaigns

Sweetgreen encourages customers to share their healthy meals using the hashtag #SweetgreenBowl. By reposting these photos on their Instagram feed, Sweetgreen fosters a sense of community and builds trust with potential customers. Plus, UGC generates social proof that promotes brand authenticity.

Best Practice:

• Encourage customer photo submissions and use branded hashtags to track UGC.
• Repost customer-generated content and thank them for sharing, making them feel valued.

5. Offer Exclusive Discounts and Promotions for Followers

Reward your loyal followers! Offering exclusive discounts, special promotions, and flash sales to your followers encourages more customers to follow your accounts and increases the chances of converting them into paying customers.

Best Practice:

• Run flash sales or exclusive offers that are available only to your followers on specific platforms.
• Use discount codes in your stories or posts to drive traffic to your website or app.

6. Host Virtual Events and Giveaways

Giveaways, virtual events, and live streaming are fun and interactive ways to engage your audience while promoting your products. Whether it’s a live cooking demo, a behind-the-scenes look at your food preparation, or a virtual tasting, these events make your audience feel more connected to your brand.

Example: Coca-Cola’s Virtual Product Launch

Coca-Cola held a virtual product launch event to introduce a new beverage flavor, engaging fans through a live-streamed event on Instagram. The event featured exclusive content, giveaways, and real-time interactions with fans, boosting brand excitement and driving sales.

Best Practice:

• Use Instagram Live, TikTok Live, or Facebook Live to engage with your audience in real-time.
• Incorporate giveaways into your virtual events to increase engagement and prompt sales.

7. Create Limited Edition or Seasonal Products

Everyone loves something that’s only available for a short time. Offering limited-time or seasonal products creates excitement and urgency among customers, driving them to make a purchase before the item is gone.

Example: McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is a seasonal favorite, released only around St. Patrick’s Day. The excitement surrounding its limited availability causes customers to rush to their nearest McDonald’s, generating increased sales for the company.

Best Practice:

• Introduce seasonal menu items that are exclusive for a short time.
• Promote these items heavily on social media with countdown timers and sneak peeks to build anticipation.

Food and Drink Brands Need to Be on Social Media

For food and drink brands, social media creates opportunities for engagement, drives sales, and builds loyal relationships with your audience. By using paid ads, influencer marketing, UGC, exclusive discounts, and more, you can turn social media from a passive channel into a dynamic, sales-driving tool.

So, get cooking on these social media strategies and watch your sales rise in 2025!

Ready to turn your social media game up a notch? At Random, we specialize in creating custom strategies that turn your social followers into loyal customers. Let’s chat and get started!