TikTok for Pubs – How to Reach Customers with Video
TikTok for pubs can be an effective way of reaching new customers.
It can also be used to retain current customers with engaging content.
If TikTok currently doesn’t make it into the marketing mix for your pub, then you’re probably mixing out on a huge opportunity.
TikTok is the most downloaded app in the world and is where most people spend their screen time.
It’s unique in the sense that it has an incredibly engaged audience and video is the main engaging factor.
TikTok for pubs can work wonders as an incredibly cheap marketing avenue.
1. What is TikTok?
2. Who’s on TikTok?
3. What kinds of videos should you be posting on TikTok?
4. How to take and edit TikTok videos
5. Take advantage of influencers
6. Use spark ads for your perfect reach
7. TikTok for pubs tricks and tips
8. How to measure TikTok success
1. What is TikTok?
TikTok is a video sharing app where users can scroll to watch different videos.
The reason it’s so effective is because the algorithm is incredibly smart with how it shows videos that the user is probably interested in.
For example, if a user watches a video showcasing a pub all the way through, likes the video and comments on it, the TikTok algorithm will count that as likely the person is interested in pubs.
Therefore, TikTok will show that user more videos to do with pubs.
This incredibly powerful from a marketing perspective because if you create a TikTok video for your pub, your video will likely reach an audience that could be incredibly interested in pubs and attending them.
2. Who’s on TikTok?
It’s no longer true that TikTok is just for ‘kids’ or ‘young’ people.
This was true at the start of the TikTok revolution, when it was youngsters doing dance trends.
Now everyone is on TikTok.
The fastest demographic downloading the app now is 60+, this means your audience for your pub is definitely on TikTok.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking TikTok won’t work for your pub because the demographic is too young, it’s simply not true.
As we’ve stated above, you can trust the algorithm to reach the audience you need.
3. What kinds of videos should you be posting on TikTok?
TikTok started as a video app that preferred short form videos, of 30 seconds or less.
This was due to wanting to appeal to the younger audience that had very low attention spans.
However, TikTok has developed to accept short form and longer form videos.
It seems that TikTok wants to take on YouTube head on.
In terms of the kinds of videos you should be creating for your pub, here are some ideas:
1. Behind the scenes
People love watching people on TikTok, so go behind the scenes at your pub.
Show off your staff, film the chefs cooking, the bartenders pouring pints, the staff having fun.
This is sure fire way of adding personality to your videos and showcasing your pub in a positive light.
2. Food and drink videos
Treat your video grid as a menu.
Show off your food and your best cocktails.
People might land on your TikTok from your website and make a booking decision based on the videos of your food.
Create incredible content of your best food and watch your bookings increase.
3. The venue and atmosphere
You can create videos of the interior and exterior of your pub and showcase the fun atmosphere.
Similarly, to your food and drink, people want to see what your pub is all about.
If you show live sports, show off the areas that are doing so and give people a better idea before booking.
4. Trends and funny videos
To go viral on TikTok the best way is either by being funny or jumping on a trend and smashing it.
Have a bartender who’s a great dancer? Get them to jump on a dancing trend in your pub.
Got a funny chef? Get him to tell a hilarious joke whilst cooking a roast.
You can have fun with TikTok, it’s not supposed to be as serious as your website or Instagram. It’s a place to be creative.
4. How to take and edit TikTok videos
Your smart phones video is good enough to take the videos and that’s the great thing about TikTok.
You don’t need professional videographers or editors to create great videos.
The best way of creating a great TikTok video is to film 3-5 second clips and then edit them together so it gives the video a better pace.
Videos taken in one shot can get really boring quickly.
InShot and Canva are both incredibly cheap and perfect for editing TikTok videos.
We prefer InShot for TikTok because you can do it quickly on your phone.
5. Take advantage of influencers
Although you should be posting from your own pubs TikTok account, you have to be realistic about your reach.
At the end of the day, will your TikTok get 1m followers and over 1m views on each video? Probably not.
This is where influencers come in.
Influencers (individual accounts) can build up huge followings and go viral much easier than businesses.
Seek out local influencers to you who create good content.
Remember they are an influencer for a reason, people either love them or they’re great at creating engagement content.
Invite them to your pub, wine and dine them and see if there’s a way of them creating a video on your pub that might be able to go viral.
6. Use spark ads for your perfect reach
Spark ads on TikTok are incredibly smart.
They allow you to put ads on another creators video so you can reach your perfect audience.
Say for example you find an influencer who lives 5 miles from you, but they create incredible content.
You can get them to create an amazing video for you, knowing their followers probably don’t live near your pub.
But you can put a spark ad on that video and set it to go to every single person within 1km of your pub.
So you’ll be left with an engaging video, posted on an influential persons account but reaching people within walking distance of your pub.
This is incredibly effective marketing.
7. TikTok for pubs tricks and tips
a) Post often (every day is best – even if a re-post). The TikTok algorithm rewards accounts that post often.
b) Tik Tok rewards videos that get watched all the way through. So, use tricks like using a quote at the start ‘wait for it’. Then put the funniest/best thing at the end.
c)Get more comments by asking questions in your captions or in the video. You want to spark conversations.
d) Don’t be worried about posting a long video (3m+). TikTok want to keep people on their app and are therefore rewarding videos that keep people watching.
8. How to measure TikTok success
While TikTok provides analytics that can be helpful, it’s important to go beyond the platform’s built-in metrics to truly understand your success. Here are some key areas to focus on:
Engagement: Look beyond likes and comments to gauge true engagement. Are people sharing your videos? Are they saving them for later? This indicates that your content is resonating with your audience.
Website Traffic: Track how many people are clicking through to your website from TikTok. Are they making purchases or signing up for your mailing list? This is a direct measure of your TikTok efforts’ effectiveness.
Customer Acquisition: Monitor the number of new customers who mention TikTok as their source of discovery. This shows how well your videos are converting viewers into paying customers.
Brand Awareness: Measure changes in brand search terms and social media mentions. Are people talking about your pub more frequently after your TikTok campaigns? This indicates increased brand awareness.
Customer Satisfaction: Use surveys or feedback forms to gauge how satisfied your customers are with their experience. Are they mentioning your TikTok content as a positive factor? This can help you refine your strategy and create content that truly delights your audience.
By tracking these metrics, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your TikTok success and make data-driven decisions to improve your future campaigns.
Summing up
When used correctly TikTok for pubs can be incredibly effective.
This is because it has such a high chance of going ‘viral’ and reaching people who will be interested in your offering.
TikTok is no longer just for the younger generations and is the most downloaded app in the world.
It should 100% be added to your pubs marketing mix.
Our advice is to give the responsibility to a younger member of your team and see what they can do. Don’t worry if your videos don’t do well, all it takes is one well-timed video to go viral.
