8 Tips for Food and Drink Brands to Boost Engagement on Instagram

With its focus on sharing engaging images and dynamic video content, food and drink brands have a smorgasbord of opportunities to tantalize taste buds and captivate audiences on Instagram. But how do you stand out in a sea of avocado toasts and artisanal lattes? Fear not, folks in the restaurant and CPG industries, for here are eight delectable tips to spice up your Instagram engagement, straight from the experts (that’s us, you silly goose).

1. Craft Mouth-Watering Visuals

A picture is worth a thousand bites. Posting high-quality, drool-inducing images can make users stop mid-scroll and double-tap in admiration. Showcase your products in the best light—literally. Natural lighting and a keen eye for composition can make your dishes look irresistible.

Check out this post from Trasca & Co., a fast-casual restaurant in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, known for the Panino - their signature sandwich that takes all of your favorite pizza flavors and rolls it up burrito-style. The post below highlights their Chicken Bacon Ranch Panino; the photo is professionally shot, the lighting is on point, and the ranch dripping out from between the perfectly cooked chunks of chicken is enough to make you smash the DoorDash button with a quickness.

2. Stir Up Engagement with Interactive Content

Engage your audience by adding a dash of interactivity. Use Instagram Stories' features like polls, quizzes, and the "Add Yours" sticker to invite followers into a two-way conversation. This not only boosts engagement but also makes your brand more relatable. As an added bonus, Instagram Stories allow you to share links; so the next time you run a promotion, make sure to link to your website, your online ordering app, or any other resource that allows users easy access to your menu, and watch sales skyrocket.

3. Partner with Influencers for Authentic Reach

Influencers are the secret sauce to expanding your brand's reach. Collaborate with food bloggers and culinary enthusiasts who align with your brand values. Their authentic endorsements can introduce your products to new, engaged audiences.

Poppi - a gut-healthy alternative to traditional soda, containing prebiotics and apple cider vinegar - have been at the forefront of outside-the-box marketing campaigns since their inception. Recently acquired by Pepsi, Poppi has leaned heavily on influencers like Alix Earle to help get the word out about their Gen-Z friendly sodas. Check out this article from last year that delves deeper into the topic, and see if you can identify some ways to take a bite out of influencer marketing for your food and beverage brand in 2025.

4. Serve Up Behind-the-Scenes Content

Give your followers a backstage pass to your brand. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your kitchen, introduce your team, or showcase the crafting process of your products. This transparency fosters trust and builds a deeper connection with your audience.

If you’re looking to really break the fourth wall, check out this post from @resturantmarketinginc that depicts a different take on going “behind the scenes.” Instead of showing a peek into their kitchen or how certain menu items are crafted, the post below gives users a glimpse of how the actual content (not sausage) gets made. A clever way to show authenticity without giving your secret recipe away.

5. Leverage User-Generated Content

Encourage your customers to share their own experiences with your products. Reposting user-generated content not only provides authentic testimonials but also shows appreciation for your customers, turning them into brand ambassadors.

Chobani yogurt does a great job of sharing recipes with their user base, and oftentimes they come from regular people who just love their product. While the example below is from a paid partnership, the look, feel, and delivery of the content is exactly the kind of UGC (user-generated content) that we would encourage all food and bev brands to embrace. 

6. Utilize Instagram Shopping Features

Make it easy for your followers to transition from admiration to purchase. Use Instagram's shopping features to tag products in your posts and stories, providing a seamless shopping experience without leaving the app.

If you’re unsure of how to set up your Instagram shop, check out these directions to get started.

7. Create Themed Campaigns and Challenges

Engage your audience with themed campaigns or challenges that encourage participation. Whether it's a recipe contest or a photo challenge, such initiatives can generate buzz and foster community around your brand.

If you’re looking to add some extra crunch to your content, take a look at what Claussen Pickles have done with their “Just The Brine” campaign. 

8. Analyze and Adapt Your Strategy

Regularly dive into your Instagram analytics to understand what content resonates with your audience. Track metrics like engagement rates, reach, and conversions to refine your strategy and serve up content that your followers crave.

By blending these ingredients into your Instagram strategy, your food and drink brand can cook up a feast of engagement and build a community of loyal, hungry followers. Bon appétit!

Are you a restaurant or a food and beverage brand looking to make tummy’s grumble and mouth’s water? Then reach out to our experts at Random, who have years of experience creating scrumptious social content for our culinary clients!

10 Tips for Thought Leaders to Build a Personal Branding Strategy on Social Media

Thought leadership is no longer confined to conferences or articles in trade magazines. Social media has become a powerful platform for leaders to establish their personal brands, engage with followers, and share their insights. But how can you build a thought leadership presence that stands out among the noise and fosters genuine connections?

In this blog, we’ll explore 10 practical tips for thought leaders to build a personal branding strategy on social media, featuring examples from successful leaders like Sara Frasca, Joan Frank, Comerica Bank executives, author and business expert Klaus Kleinfeld, and more.

1. Define Your Thought Leader Niche and Expertise

The first step in building a strong personal brand is defining your niche. Thought leaders are trusted for their expertise in specific areas, so it's crucial to identify what you do best and how you can provide value to your audience. Are you focused on entrepreneurship, sustainability, or leadership? Hone in on the key topics you are most passionate about and knowledgeable in.

Example:

Sara Frasca is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, restaurant owner, and leader in business consulting. She has built her personal brand by not only specializing in organizational growth and leadership, but, more specifically, the key concept of innovation. She focuses on providing actionable business insights and strategies with an innovative twist, tailoring her content to the needs of her target audience: business owners and executives. 

This post from Frasca on inventive thinking and its importance to survival in business is a great example of her innovation niche in action.

Tip:

Make sure your niche aligns with your values and goals, and build content that speaks directly to your audience’s needs.

2. Share Your Story and Journey

People connect with people, not just ideas. Your personal brand should tell a story about your background, experiences, and what drives you. Be authentic about your journey, successes, and even your failures. This builds credibility and relatability.

Example:

Author Klaus Kleinfeld, author of Leading To Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and In Life, often shares his leadership experiences and how they shaped his approach to a philosophy he calls the “inner game” and the "outer game.” By opening up about his journey, he creates trust and builds a deeper connection with his followers.

This post details a story about Kleinfeld and his team tackling a complex issue that demanded an immediate resolution (and the mental fatigue that came along with it). This helped him realize the importance of managing energy. Through the act of storytelling–using a real-life example–Kleinfeld is able to relate to his audience in a meaningful way.

Tip:

Don’t just talk about what you know—talk about how you got there. Transparency can be a powerful tool for personal branding.

3. Leverage LinkedIn as Your Thought Leadership Hub

LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professionals looking to build a personal brand. It’s where you can share long-form content, network with industry leaders, and engage with others in meaningful ways. Posting regularly on LinkedIn about trends, personal experiences, and industry insights can help you build your authority and foster relationships.

Example:

Executives from Comerica Bank regularly post on LinkedIn, sharing insights about community impact, corporate responsibility, and banking innovations. Their posts are informative, consistent, and position them as leaders in the financial services industry.

One such example comes from Comerica’s Executive Vice President, Executive Director of the Retail Bank, Cassandra McKinny. She regularly shouts out (and tags) team members, colleagues, and other industry leaders in her posts to strengthen her connections through public praise. 

Tip:

Use LinkedIn’s article feature to share more in-depth pieces on your expertise and comment thoughtfully on others’ posts to increase visibility.

4. Build Relationships, Not Just Followers

Building relationships is the cornerstone of thought leadership. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, asking questions, and joining conversations. When you actively listen and engage, it shows that you care about your community, not just your brand.

Tip:

Engagement builds trust. Make it a habit to reply to comments, participate in relevant groups, and have meaningful interactions with your audience.

5. Establish a Consistent Thought Leadership Content Schedule

Consistency is key to building a strong personal brand on social media. Whether it’s posting once a day, twice a week, or bi-weekly, set a content schedule and stick to it. This helps keep you top of mind for your followers and ensures your message is seen regularly.

Example:

A great example of consistency comes from Joan Frank, President of B. Frank Communications. Joan shares “Martini Monday” posts every (you guessed it) Monday, dropping tips, tricks, and words of wisdom from a public relations expert.

Tip:

Use social media scheduling tools to plan your posts ahead of time and maintain a consistent posting rhythm that works for you.

6. Create Value-Driven Thought Leader Content

Great thought leaders create content that offers value. Whether it’s tips, advice, case studies, or industry insights, make sure your content is designed to truly help your audience. Content that educates, inspires, or solves a problem will always perform better than self-promotional posts.

Example:

Sara Frasca shares actionable strategies that her audience can apply immediately to their businesses. By offering tangible value, she keeps her followers engaged and coming back for more.

For example, Frasca recently shared a case study about two partners who had encountered a range of critical issues where they were unable to rationally discuss or reach resolution. Her business consultation company Point NorthEast conducted a case study to deep dive into what went wrong, and how her team helped right the ship.

Tip:

Focus on solving your audience’s problems with your content. Educational posts, how-to guides, and actionable advice are the kinds of content that establish you as a valuable resource.

7. Use Video to Connect with Your Audience

Video is one of the most engaging forms of content on social media. Whether it's a thought-provoking video sharing your latest insight or a behind-the-scenes look at your work, video helps humanize your brand and builds stronger connections with your followers.

Example:

Sara Frasca uses video to share snippets of her speaking engagements, as well as thought leadership pieces where she speaks directly to her audience. These videos help her connect with a broader audience while showcasing her expertise.

Tip:

Post videos regularly. Keep them concise, authentic, and valuable. Don’t be afraid to show your personality—audiences love real, human connections.

8. Collaborate with Other Thought Leaders

Collaboration can expand your reach and credibility. By partnering with other thought leaders, you can share different perspectives and tap into each other’s audiences. Guest posts, joint webinars, or co-hosted events are all great ways to collaborate.

Example:

Executives from Comerica Bank often collaborate with other community leaders, influencers, and even other team members to share insights about finance industry related topics. These collaborations position them as authorities in both banking and community engagement.

This post from Comerica’s Susan Siravo, Head of Social Media & Content, is a great example of how to collaborate with colleagues. In this case, Comerica Chief Economist Bill Adams and Siravo discuss the state of the economy via a live video chat. The post was shared to multiple accounts, and Adams was tagged in the caption for extra visibility.

Tip:

Look for opportunities to collaborate on podcasts, webinars, or joint blog posts. Sharing a platform with another thought leader allows you to learn from each other and expand your influence.

9. Stay Authentic and Transparent

Your audience values authenticity. Share your values, be transparent about your opinions, and don’t try to please everyone. Thought leaders who are genuine and authentic build trust over time, creating a loyal following.

Example:

Columbia Business Professor Dorie Clark does an excellent job authentically sharing business advice with her followers. Instead of being buttoned up and in an office setting, she posted this video–sharing tips and best practices about time management–while sitting on the floor, petting her cat. It’s relatable content like this that keeps her followers engaged.

Tip:

Be real. Don’t shy away from sharing your authentic voice, even when discussing difficult topics. Transparency builds a stronger, more engaged community.

10. Monitor Analytics and Adjust Your Thought Leader Strategy

Your personal brand’s success on social media depends on how well you understand what’s working. Use analytics tools to track your content performance and adjust your strategy as needed. If a certain type of post gets more engagement, create more of it.

Tip:

Regularly check your analytics and adjust your posting frequency, content types, and messaging to improve engagement and growth.

Build Your Thought Leader Brand with Purpose

Building a personal brand as a thought leader on social media is a process—it requires consistency, authenticity, and a genuine desire to provide value to your audience. By following these 10 tips and learning from leaders like Sara Frasca, Joan Frank, and others, you can begin crafting a personal branding strategy that not only increases your influence but also builds lasting, meaningful connections with your audience.

Let us know if you need help building your personal branding strategy! Random’s digital marketing experts can guide you in taking your social presence to the next level. 

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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!

Optimizing Your Author Website for SEO: Tips to Increase Visibility and Attract More Readers

As an author, your website is your digital storefront—it’s where readers discover your work, get to know you, and (hopefully) buy your books. But if your site isn’t optimized for SEO (search engine optimization), it might as well be a hidden gem, waiting to be unearthed. The reality is that without proper SEO, your author website can get lost in the vast sea of content online. But don’t worry! You don’t need to be a tech genius to make your site more discoverable and engaging for your audience. With the right SEO strategies, you can increase your website’s visibility, attract more readers, and ultimately boost book sales.

Here’s a guide to optimizing your author website for SEO and making sure it stands out from the crowd.

1. Choose the Right Keywords for Your Niche

The first step in SEO optimization is selecting the right keywords. These are the search terms that readers type into Google when looking for books like yours. Think about the topics or genres you write in—whether it’s romance, mystery, or fantasy—and how your ideal readers might search for books like yours.

Tips for Choosing Keywords:

Integrating these keywords naturally into your website copy (without overstuffing) will help search engines understand your content and improve your visibility in search results.

For example, our client - author Klaus Kleinfeld - just released his new book Leading to Thrive: Mastering Strategies for Sustainable Success in Business and Life. Keywords like “leadership” and “business” and phrases like “success in your business and personal life” and “motivating world-class teams” are used in the copy to help drive organic search traffic to the website.

2. Create High-Quality, Engaging Content

Content is king when it comes to SEO. Google’s algorithms reward websites that offer valuable, relevant, and engaging content. For authors, this means sharing content that not only promotes your books but also connects with your audience.

Content Ideas for Authors:

The more high-quality content you create, the better your chances of ranking higher on search engines and attracting readers who are interested in your genre.

For an example of this, check out naturopathic doctor and author Romi Neustadt’s blog, where she posts relevant, helpful advice on how to manage a balance between work and your personal life. Neustadt wisely uses her blog as a way to expand upon topics she addresses in her books You Can Have It All and Get Over Your Damn Self, making for a great addendum to her overall messaging.

3. Optimize for Mobile Devices

In 2024, mobile optimization is no longer optional—it’s essential. Over 60% of searches happen on mobile devices, so your website must be easy to navigate on phones and tablets. Google also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search rankings, so this is a big one for SEO.

Tips for Mobile Optimization:

An optimized mobile experience will not only improve your SEO but also provide a better user experience for readers, which can lead to higher engagement and sales.

4. Focus on Page Speed and Performance

Slow websites are a major turnoff for users and search engines alike. If your website takes too long to load, visitors will likely leave before even seeing your content, and Google will penalize you in search rankings. A fast website improves both user experience and SEO.

How to Improve Your Page Speed:

Test your site’s speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix, and make adjustments accordingly.

Linking is one of the most important SEO strategies. Internal links help Google crawl your website’s pages and establish content relevance, while external links build credibility by connecting to trusted sources.

Internal Linking Tips:

External Linking Tips:

Both internal and external links increase the chance of your website ranking higher and encourage readers to explore more of your content.

An example in action: Author and television personality Fereed Zakaria’s website has a “tv/press” page that externally links to articles, reviews, media appearances and more, establishing credibility and bolstering SEO.

6. Optimize Your Meta Tags and Descriptions

Meta tags are the brief descriptions that appear in search engine results. These are often the first impression a reader will have of your site, so make sure they’re compelling and optimized with keywords.

Key Meta Tags to Focus On:

Optimizing your meta tags will improve your click-through rate and help search engines understand your page’s content.

7. Use Rich Snippets for Books

Rich snippets (or schema markup) help search engines understand and display your content more effectively. For authors, this could mean displaying star ratings, book titles, and reviews directly in the search results.

How to Implement Rich Snippets for Books:

Rich snippets can increase your visibility in search results and improve your credibility by showcasing social proof directly on the search page.

Our client Klaus Kleinfeld released his book in November of 2024, and has amassed a respectable amount of reviews on his Amazon Authors page, which can be displayed in search results.

8. Leverage Social Media for SEO

Social media doesn’t directly affect SEO rankings, but it can drive traffic to your website and improve your site’s authority. The more engagement your posts get, the more likely people are to link to your content, boosting your SEO efforts.

Social Media Tips for Authors:

By driving traffic to your website via social channels, you improve your chances of ranking higher on search engines.

Poet Rupi Kaur frequently shares excerpts from her book, enticing her audience to navigate to her website to learn more and make a purchase.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by rupi kaur (@rupikaur_)

Conclusion: Boost Your Author Website’s Visibility and Connect with Readers

SEO doesn’t have to be complicated. By implementing these strategies—choosing the right keywords, creating engaging content, optimizing for mobile, and leveraging social media—you can increase the visibility of your author website and attract more readers. Remember, the goal is to make it easy for readers to find your content, connect with you, and ultimately buy your books. So, start optimizing today, and watch your online presence grow!

Are you an author and need assistance optimizing your website, freshening up your social media content, or fleshing out a marketing strategy? We can help! Book a discovery call with Random today.

Banking on Influence: How Financial Brands Can Cash In with Influencer Marketing

While it may not come as a surprise—given social media’s turn towards more authentic content— financial and banking brands are facing an increasing demand to appear more human and relatable. 

Gone are the days when banks could rely solely on traditional advertising methods like TV commercials or print ads. Today, customers want connection, trust, and authenticity—and that’s where influencer marketing steps in.

For industries like finance and banking, which may have historically been viewed as impersonal or complex, leveraging influencer marketing can be a game changer. 

In this blog, we’ll dive into how these brands can effectively use influencer marketing to grow their audience, foster meaningful relationships, build trust with their customers, and essentially “cash in” on a trend that’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Why Influencer Marketing Works for Finance & Banking Brands

Financial services often deal with topics like saving, investing, loans, and mortgages—subjects that can be intimidating for many consumers. What sets influencer marketing apart is its ability to break down complex subjects into digestible, engaging content. By collaborating with the right influencers, financial and banking brands can bring credibility, transparency, and even a little personality to their messaging.

Here’s why influencer marketing has become such a powerful tool for the finance industry:

For example, in 2023, our client Comerica Bank partnered with Dallas-based influencer @awesomejuliee to help publicize its CoWorkSpaces initiative. Comerica hoped to connect with small business owners in the area and turn them on to the free workspaces available at various bank locations (as well as increase the amount of Comerica business customers). Partnering with @awesomejuliee was a great way to reach young professionals in the area.

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A post shared by awesome juliee ⚜️ (@awesomejuliee)

Building an Influencer Strategy for Financial & Banking Brands

Now that we understand why influencer marketing is a valuable tool, how can financial brands craft an effective influencer strategy? Here are the key steps:

1. Define Your Goals & Audience

Before diving into influencer partnerships, it’s important to know why you’re doing this. Are you aiming to raise brand awareness? Educate consumers about a new product? Drive traffic to your website or app? Defining your goals will help determine the type of influencer you need—whether that’s a macro-influencer with a large following or a micro-influencer with a more niche community.

Also, don’t forget to define your audience. Are you targeting millennials who want to know how to save for their first home? Or are you reaching out to Gen Zers who need financial literacy guidance? Tailor your influencer selection to the demographic that aligns with your goals.

2. Choose the Right Influencers

Not all influencers are created equal, especially in the highly regulated financial space. Here’s what to keep in mind when choosing an influencer:

For example, Capital One Bank partnered with finance influencer @ShayBudgets to help promote credit cards to a younger audience. Shay, who shares budgeting, planning, and productivity tips with 90K YouTube subscribers, has built up trust and credibility with her audience by posting content specific to finances. 

3. Create Educational & Transparent Content

Influencer marketing in the financial industry isn’t about flashy ads or gimmicks. It’s about creating content that educates and empowers your audience. Here’s how financial brands can work with influencers to create valuable, transparent content:

There are lots of financial influencers—or “finfluencers” as they are commonly referred to—to choose from that do this very thing, including Humphrey Yang, Jeremy Schneider, Tori Dunlap, Dasha Kennedy, and more. All do a great job of using their background in finance, ability to tell compelling stories, and the use of transparent, relatable language to connect with viewers and offer real-world advice to an audience that might be overwhelmed by finances.

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A post shared by Tori Dunlap — Money Expert (@herfirst100k)

Types of Influencer Content for Financial Brands

Once you’ve selected your influencers, you can explore different types of content. Here are a few ideas:

1. Financial Tips and How-To Videos

Educate your audience with bite-sized videos that explain financial concepts or share useful tips. Influencers can create a TikTok or Instagram Reel breaking down topics like how to start budgeting or how credit works, all while featuring your product as a helpful tool.

2. Sponsored Blog Posts or Instagram Captions

Long-form content, such as blog posts or Instagram captions, can be used to dive deeper into product details. An influencer could write a post about their personal financial journey, including how they use your app or service to stay on track.

3. Livestreams & Q&A Sessions

Livestreams are a great way to build real-time engagement and showcase your brand’s personality. Influencers could host live Q&A sessions about personal finance, answering questions from their followers while promoting your brand’s services.

4. User-Generated Content & Reviews

Invite influencers to create and share content that highlights your product in real-life scenarios. These authentic, peer-generated experiences provide credibility and social proof, which can drive engagement and conversions.

Check out this example from Chime, who used a customer testimonial story to show how their services can help make customer dreams come true.

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A post shared by Chime (@chime)

Successful Examples of Financial Brands Using Influencer Marketing

Here are a few brands that have nailed influencer marketing in the financial space:

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A post shared by 𝐂 (@cameronbrink22)

Key Takeaways for Financial & Banking Brands

By leveraging influencers, financial brands can build stronger relationships with their audience, provide value, and navigate the complexities of financial products in an accessible way. Ready to jump into the world of influencer marketing? It’s time to make your financial brand real and relatable on social media!

Want to learn more about how to integrate influencer marketing into your overall strategy? Contact Random today.

Email Campaigns for Restaurants: 7 Delicious Tips to Stand Out

Email has become an indispensable tool for restaurants to connect with their customers and promote their offerings. A well-crafted email campaign can capture attention, drive engagement, and ultimately boost orders.

It’s no secret that the restaurant industry is highly competitive; if you work at or run one, you know this all too well. Which is why it’s important to employ creative strategies to stand out in your customers' inboxes. By leveraging the power of compelling subject lines, personalized content, and irresistible offers, restaurants like yours can transform your email marketing efforts into a powerful revenue generator. 

Hungry for more? Then read on to find out how you can send piping hot messages right to your customer’s inbox. Order up!

The Appetizer: Why Email Campaigns Matter for Restaurants

Email marketing has emerged as a game-changer for restaurants looking to engage with their customers and drive sales. With an impressive return on investment (ROI) of up to $38 for every dollar spent, email campaigns prove to be a highly effective (and tasty) marketing channel.

The direct nature of email allows restaurants to reach their customers' inboxes, bypassing the noise of social media and other platforms. This personal approach fosters a stronger connection between the restaurant and its patrons, building loyalty and encouraging repeat business. Thinking of it another way, email is the equivalent of having Grubhub drop food off to your customers vs. having to wait in line or to be seated (and let’s be honest, nobody likes that). 

Moreover, email marketing enables restaurants to deliver targeted messages based on customer preferences and behavior. By segmenting their email list, restaurants can send personalized offers, promotions, and content that resonate with specific groups of customers—a strategy that can significantly boost engagement and conversions.

The Main Course: How Restaurants Can Leverage Attention-Grabbing Email Campaigns to Drive Orders

Email campaigns serve as an effective strategy for restaurants to engage directly with their audience. By utilizing this channel, restaurants can deliver targeted updates and promotions that maintain customer interest, announce new dishes, and share upcoming events. 

Furthermore, the success of email campaigns hinges on the quality of their content. Crafting intriguing subject lines and incorporating personalization—such as using the customer's name or referencing their favorite items—enhances the likelihood of engagement. Visual elements, like enticing images of signature dishes or the inviting atmosphere of the dining area, can capture attention and encourage further exploration.

Last, strategic offers play a crucial role in turning email recipients into active patrons. Creating a sense of urgency with limited-time promotions or exclusive discounts can prompt swift responses. 

Let’s “dig in” (see what we did there?) to these concepts a little more. Garcon?

1. Craft Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines

Subject lines function as the gateway to your email, offering a brief moment to capture interest. To stand out, they should be punchy and provoke a sense of intrigue or immediacy, encouraging recipients to explore further. An effective subject line can act as a catalyst for higher open rates, creating an inviting entry point for your message.

Tailoring subject lines to reflect individual preferences adds a layer of personalization that resonates with recipients. For example, referencing a recent visit or a favorite dish can make the message feel uniquely relevant. This approach not only garners attention but also strengthens the rapport between your restaurant and its patrons, fostering a sense of connection and value.

In the example above, you can see an inbox full of emails from restaurants, all featuring their own spin on ways to grab customer’s attention. For example, Famous Dave’s is touting a promo that is only available for one day - increasing the customer’s sense of urgency that the only time to take advantage of the discount is NOW! Similarly, you can see various references to the holidays (timely content always tastes great), sports (relevant topics to your customers), and other keywords like “FREE” or “KIDS MEAL” that will certainly grab people’s attention.

2. Segment Your Audience

Emails sent to a mass group of recipients are certainly effective, but the way to truly deliver relevant content is to segment your audience. By identifying groups based on dining habits, preferences, or engagement levels, you ensure your communications are relevant and impactful. This targeted approach elevates the effectiveness of your campaigns, fostering a deeper connection with each segment.

Consider creating personalized offers for various customer profiles. For loyal patrons, exclusive access to special events or early-bird deals on seasonal menus could enhance their experience. New visitors might appreciate introductory discounts or a warm welcome message to encourage further interaction. By tailoring content to specific audience segments, you enhance their dining journey and incentivize repeat visits.

Leveraging insights from customer interactions and feedback can guide your segmentation strategy. Analyzing these patterns provides a clearer picture of what appeals to different segments, enabling you to design communications that are both timely and engaging. This approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also drives meaningful engagement with your brand.

3. Utilize Visual Content

Incorporating striking visuals in your email campaigns can dramatically boost engagement - and who doesn’t love “food porn” (sorry, that’s a terrible phrase but we digress…). Showcasing your dishes with professionally shot images captures the essence of your culinary offerings, enticing readers to explore further. Highlighting the inviting atmosphere of your restaurant through imagery allows customers to envision an enjoyable dining experience.

Videos also offer a dynamic way to connect with your audience, whether by featuring a chef's special recipe or sharing a virtual tour of your space, inviting viewers into the heart of your restaurant.

Exploring a blend of these visual elements can cater to varied audience preferences, ensuring your email content remains fresh and captivating. By experimenting with different visual formats, you can discover what resonates best with your audience, encouraging them to engage with your restaurant's unique offerings.

For a mouth-watering example of this in action, take a look at the email above, from Italian restaurant Gusto - based in the UK. Backed by a simple, classy design, the image of the pizza - with a giant dollop of burrata cheese - immediately grabs your attention, making it almost physically impossible to not want to jump into your car, on your bike, or hail a cab and make a beeline to get that piping hot pie. 

4. Include Clear Calls to Action

Direct prompts within your emails guide your customers toward meaningful interaction with your restaurant offerings. These prompts should be visually distinct and convey a clear benefit or next step, encouraging immediate action. Whether it's "Book Your Experience Today" or "Discover Our Latest Dishes," an enticing prompt clearly outlines the path forward.

Understanding what captures your audience's interest requires experimentation. By trying different phrases, design elements, or placement, you can determine which strategies effectively engage your readers. Insights from these explorations help refine your approach, ensuring your messages align with what drives your customers to act.

Check out this snippet of an email in the image above, courtesy of our client Trasca & Co. Eatery. Catering is a big portion of Trasca’s business, and they often send strategically planned emails out during times when bulk orders are popular (summer, holidays, etc.). As you can see in the example, there are clear calls to action to reach out and call to create a custom menu order, or a recipient can click a button to order catering online. Either way, the messaging is simple, clear, and effective.

5. Offer Exclusive Deals

Creating unique offers can significantly boost customer interest and drive sales, and be a nice break for your customer’s pocket book. By crafting special promotions like "VIP Discounts" or exclusive early access to new menu items, you instill a sense of exclusivity that resonates with your patrons. These tailored deals not only enhance customer satisfaction but also encourage repeat visits.

Implementing time-sensitive offers can effectively spur decisive action. For instance, offering a "Limited Edition Dish" available only for a short period can create a buzz and draw immediate attention. This approach taps into customer enthusiasm and ensures a swift response, transforming curiosity into concrete engagement.

Check out the above example featuring a few offers; one is a 2 for 1 deal and another offer for the restaurant’s vegetarian and vegan customers. Not only are both presented with big bold text, vibrant colors, and scrumptious looking food pics, but there is also a sense of urgency attached to the offers, enticing customers to order food on days where going out to eat/ordering carry out isn’t as common (Monday-Wednesday).

6. Optimize for Mobile

With the increasing reliance on smartphones for communication, ensuring your emails are easily accessible on mobile devices is crucial. A mobile-optimized design enhances user interaction, making it seamless for recipients to engage with your content on the go. This involves not only adjusting layouts but also streamlining navigation to cater to mobile users.

To achieve this, start by implementing a flexible email template that adapts to various screen dimensions. This ensures that elements like text, visuals, and interactive buttons remain clear and functional across devices. Additionally, consider the overall speed and efficiency of your emails; compress images appropriately to maintain quick loading times, which is vital for retaining user attention.

7. Analyze and Refine

Evaluating your email campaigns requires a strategic approach to uncover meaningful insights. Focus on key metrics such as engagement rates, click-through statistics, and customer actions post-email. These metrics provide valuable feedback on the effectiveness of your messaging and highlight areas for potential improvement.

Explore these metrics to identify trends and preferences specific to your audience. For example, analyzing engagement peaks can inform the best times for sending emails. Understanding which promotional offers or content types drive the most interest can guide future campaign development. Email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, MailerLite, and BeeHiiv, CRM platforms like HubSpot, or point of sale systems like Square.com are all tools that can be used to provide this information.

With these insights, refine your approach to better cater to audience expectations and behaviors. Test various content styles or personalization tactics to discover what enhances performance. Regularly updating your strategy ensures that your email campaigns remain impactful and resonate with your audience.

At That RANDOM Agency, we understand the power of crafting compelling email campaigns that drive results for restaurants. Our team of experts is dedicated to helping you create attention-grabbing emails that resonate with your audience and boost your bottom line. If you're ready to take your restaurant's email marketing to the next level, request a proposal today and let us help you unlock the full potential of your email campaigns.

Local SEO Tactics for Small Businesses: Getting Noticed in Your Neighborhood

According to the Department of Treasury, more people are opening businesses now than ever before. This is why it’s important for small businesses to harness the power of local SEO to stand out in their communities. 

So for all of you local businesses out there fighting to break through the competition, with the right tactics, you can improve your online presence, attract more local customers, and ultimately drive more sales. Here are some essential local SEO strategies that all small businesses should implement right away.

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing is crucial for local SEO. This free tool helps businesses manage their online presence across Google, including search results and maps.

Check out an example of profile optimization below from one of our clients, Trasca & Co Eatery, a fast-casual restaurant located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. 

You can see that there are photos of the business, a catchy description and service options giving new customers some quick info, location and contact information, hours, and a link to the menu. This will help first timers get a feel for what to expect, and lots of clickable links to learn more.

2. Use Local Keywords

Integrating local keywords into your website and content is essential for improving your search rankings. These keywords should reflect your services and location.

Notice how our client KSI, a kitchen and bath remodeling company, uses industry specific keywords like “home,” “kitchen,” “bath,” and “design” in their website copy. 

Look even closer and you’ll see they use local keywords like “Michigan” and “Ohio”—the service areas they cover—to help drive local, organic search traffic to their site. 

Add keywords like “construction” and “remodeling” into the equation and this small paragraph packs a heck of an SEO punch.

3. Create Local Content

Developing content that speaks to your local audience is a great way to engage potential customers and improve your SEO.

The KSI blog does a great job of incorporating a good mix of industry and local content (most of the time in the same blog post) to help drive organic traffic to their website. 

This example references industry keywords like “remodeling” and “elevated kitchen design” alongside local keywords (“Rochester” is a city in Michigan, where they are based) to help bring in visitors that will find their services relevant.

4. Build Local Citations

Citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. Consistent citations help improve your local search rankings.

For a restaurant like Trasca & Co Eatery, it’s important to be featured on listing sites like Yelp, as search engines like Google and Bing take reviews, ratings, and consistent NAP information into consideration when ranking for search.

5. Optimize for Mobile

With more people searching for local businesses on their mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial.

Reware Vintage, a Michigan-based sustainable clothing store, gives us a perfect example of a mobile-optimized website done right. 

The products still look vibrant and easy to navigate, even on a smaller screen, and with the slide door navigation icon in the upper left corner, it’s simple for a user to navigate to different pages of the site. 

6. Utilize Social Media for Local Engagement

Social media platforms are powerful tools for connecting with your local community.

Trasca & Co Eatery hosts lots of events, including weekly live music as well as pop-ups and collaborations with other businesses in the area. 

In the example below, Trasca & Co teamed up with The Beauty Boost in Jacksonville for an in-person, 45-minute yoga class taking place on the patio of Ponte Vedra Tap Room, their sister bar located next door to the restaurant. 

The post features local keywords, hashtags, and a tag for the partnering business to help increase exposure to the event.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Trasca & Co Eatery (@trascaandco)

7. Monitor Your Analytics

Regularly tracking your website's performance can help you identify what’s working and where you can improve.

Implementing these local SEO tactics can significantly enhance your visibility and attract more customers to your small business. By optimizing your Google My Business listing, using local keywords, creating engaging content, and leveraging social media, you’ll position yourself as a go-to resource in your community.

If you feel stuck and want a more personalized strategy, we’re experts in deploying digital strategies and tactics to help your business grow. Contact us today!

Just DM Me: How Instagram Wants to Be Your Hub for Communication

If you’re old enough to remember what life was like before everybody you knew could get a hold of you 18 different ways, then you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of the communication options available in our social media apps these days. 

But if you’re the type of user who likes to consolidate their communication to a single app, your friends at Instagram are doing their best to be a one-stop-shop for private interactions with your friends and followers. 

If all the recent updates have got you stressing about keeping up, well, don’t. Instead, read on for our breakdown of these new features, and if they will (or won’t) be a game changer for users and brands alike.

Check Your DMs

Remember when Instagram was an app where you’d post a picture of your bottomless mimosa brunch, slap the Sierra filter on it, and then just get on with your day? Those times are long gone, grandpa. 

Indeed, there’s been a seismic shift in social media to provide platform users with options to not only share publicly, but privately as well. With the launch of Snapchat in 2011, the idea that you could share something online that disappeared after 24 hours was a breakthrough, and only just the beginning. 

So what’s behind the shift towards messaging at Instagram? Back in 2022, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri tweeted that, “Friends post a lot more to stories and send a lot more DMs than they post to Feed.” 

Ok. That seems to check out, but…anything else, Adam?

Earlier this year, Mosseri said, “When you think of instagram, you probably think of a feed of square photos. But how Instagram works has changed a lot over the years, and if you look at what people share, and how people express their creativity, the primary way they do so is actually DMs on Instagram. More photos and videos are shared in DMs than are to Stories or feed on any given day.” 

Given what we know about the new features (which we’ll get to in a minute), it seems like Mosseri and his team of brains at Instagram are just responding to user behavior, rather than attempting to change it (sort of…more on that below). 

In other words, keep DM’ing those “delulu” memes to your friends while Instagram rolls about a bunch of features to make it more convenient, private, and dare we say…fun?

Can You Recap The Changes For Me? 

Well of course we can. Some of the recent (and not so recent) changes that are specifically messaging/private sharing related are:

Screenshot showing the notes bubbles on the DMs page of the Instagram mobile app
Four frames showing different background themes of Instagram DM chats
Two frames of phones showing close friends livestreams

Impact on Users

With all of these new features, there’s no doubt that they will have at least some impact on even the most basic user of the Instagram platform. For power users, it could mean a complete overhaul in how they interact with their friends and followers. 

Breaking it down, the options seem to revolve around 3 concepts: 1) Privacy 2) Organization and 3) Fun. 

Indeed, Instagram chat isn’t your daddy’s inbox, with a strong focus on keeping your messages contained to the people you want to see them and organized in the way you want them to be - all with an added dash of silliness and fun that keeps users coming back for more. 

For instance, want to make sure your messages disappear (you creep)? Go to your inbox and swipe up to turn on vanish mode. 

Want to ensure that you don’t miss some important conversations happening in your inbox? Well, pin those chats to the top of your inbox (nerd). 

Want to stream some exclusive content that only your tightest homies can see? Turn on a Close Friends livestream.

Love Olivia Rodrigo and want to add some Guts themed wallpaper to your DMs? Well, you can do that too. 

Oh, and if all that wasn’t enough, Instagram is testing an update to the main UI, where the creation button has been moved to the top right and the messaging “paper plane” icon is now sitting front and center in the lower function panel. 

Apparently Instagram is trying to change your behavior. What’s next…you’re going to tell us you can make a phone or video call from Instagram’s inbox? Oh wait, you’ve been able to do that since 2018. 

Impact on Brands

While many of the messaging and private sharing updates tend to focus on regular, everyday users of the platform, these same regular everyday users are also consumers. So it’s not surprising that the folks that are attempting some digital rizzing in their Instagram inboxes are also quite comfy with shooting a brand a direct message when they have a question (or a gripe). 

Below are just a handful of ways we think brands (including corporate, small business, and even influencers) can capitalize on some of the new features, and create a more authentic environment to connect.

Direct Messages

At this point, brands should be used to receiving DMs from their customers. If you’re a brand using Instagram and aren’t responding to these conversations you’re already messing up. Hire somebody to watch and respond to messages coming to your inbox daily; it’s just as important as calling a customer back (if not more so). 

Group Chats

Group chats are a great way for multiple individuals to have a private conversation using Instagram, and can be used to set up a safe environment to receive customer feedback.

Audio and Video Calls

If you’re helping a customer troubleshoot an issue that contacted you through Instagram’s direct message feature, why make things inconvenient for them by requesting they share their phone number? Instead, ask if they would like to receive an audio or video chat so you can better help assist them in a way that’s comfortable to them.

Automatic Replies

You know how we live in different time zones? Or how some of us can’t take care of a customer service issue until after business hours? Well, now you can set up automatic replies on Instagram messages to be able to assist customers after hours. Set up a FAQ to activate in your chat, or explore some of the other automated features to increase efficiency and not leave your customers waiting impatiently.

Reply to Comments with a DM

Ok, we understand that this might seem weird or intrusive, but trust us, most people will appreciate this! If a customer responds to one of your posts with a grievance or question that requires a customized response, send them a DM instead of posting a public comment (best practice is to respond to their comment and let them know you’ve sent them a DM). That way the customer will feel like you are really paying attention to their concerns, and also help you avoid a potentially disastrous back and forth in front of your audience. 

Unsend Messages

Oops! Respond to the wrong DM? Just unsend it. It’s that easy.

Instagram Notes

In addition to your feed and Stories, Notes is another place to communicate with your customers. Found in the inbox (and recently rolled out as a way to react to a photo or Reel in the feed), Notes can be a great way to offer exclusive deals or other kinds of exclusive messages, open to anybody who wants to find it. Just don’t forget to direct your customers to where they need to go to find it.

Call..er, DM Me, Maybe?

Whether we like it or not, the push for every social media app to be more than just a public sharing service is seemingly well underway. Instagram (by way of Meta) looks like they want to be on the forefront of embracing these updates, perhaps as a way to pull users back into its universe and away from competitors like Snapchat and TikTok. 

Either way, the focus on evolving the way we interact with one another on Instagram (and on social media in general) isn’t going away. How else are you going to serve all of those ads to people if you don’t give them what they want every once in a while? 

Need some help strategizing for how your brand is going to embrace the new private messaging options available on all your favorite social media platforms? Look no further than Random and contact us here…or send us a DM; we promise we’re cool and will respond - unlike those other guys.