We all know that creating great customer experiences and building a brand that stands out in the digital universe today starts with building an online presence. An average person spends about 144 minutes each day being on social media and every minute is an opportunity for your restaurant to connect with a new customer. We’re talking over one billion restaurant searches on Google every month and everyone looking to get a piece of the pie. That’s why it’s more important than ever to stay competitive and relevant when customers have abundant options to choose from.
There’s probably no place better to start building your online presence than — you guessed it — TikTok, where there are more than a billion active users globally. Whether they’re creating their own content or using the platform as a source of entertainment, 9 out of 10 TikTok users access the app multiple times daily. The platform’s simplicity and its repertoire of easy to use tools makes TikTok a great place for your team to get creative and grow your customer base!
While there may be a lot happening on TikTok, we know you probably have more going on at the restaurant. From operations to staff management and more, making TikTok videos might be the last thing on your mind. So we’ve outlined the ultimate guide for you to get started on TikTok.
Here’s what you’ll find inside this blog post:
- What is TikTok and how does it work?
- Why your restaurant should use TikTok
- How to create your first TikTok video
- Free TikTok video ideas and examples to get your restaurant started
Keep reading to learn all about how to get started on TikTok and free ideas to keep your account going!
What is TikTok?
If TikTok is still undiscovered territory, let us walk you through what it is, how it works and why it became a global phenomenon.
TikTok is a short-form video sharing app packed with a whirlwind of bite-sized videos that are 15 seconds to 10 minutes long. A mix of dance videos, comedy, micro-vlogs and more, TikTok is known for easy content creation, sharing and viewing where businesses, brands and individual creators express their creativity and personality.
Not only has TikTok surpassed other social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, in terms of global internet traffic, but it’s also fast becoming more used for searches than Google and its suite of services. Because of its creative and trend-driving nature, TikTok is extremely popular among Gen Zs. The platform is also perfect for modern day customers with a lower attention span. Let’s face it, we’ve probably been in that rabbit hole of endless scroll and never-ending supply of video content ourselves!
Should your restaurant be on TikTok?
Keeping up with all the emerging social media apps and trends might feel impossible, but TikTok is worth your time and effort, and not just because everyone is on it. 36% of TikTok users actually visited or ordered from a restaurant after coming across a video about the restaurant. Still not convinced? Here are more reasons your restaurant should be on TikTok.
1. Help new customers find your restaurant
Simply scroll through the app and you’ll find endless examples of restaurants taking advantage of TikTok trends to gain attention. With over a billion videos watched on TikTok everyday, you can reach hundreds and thousands of potential customers through a 15-second video clip created using only your smartphone.
Even those who aren’t in your area — 45% of TikTok users said they are likely to visit an out-of-state restaurant they saw on the platform. You can also attach links to your online store or delivery platforms to increase sales and boost your bottomline.
2. Connect with local TikTok foodie community
Thanks to TikTok’s all-knowing algorithm, your content can also lead you to more local foodies in your area. Since the
system recommends content by ranking videos based on users’ interests, your content will appear to users who are interested in food, restaurant or hospitality videos and are more likely to engage with you.
Don’t forget to include your restaurant’s location tag in your videos so that it increases the chances of your content being seen by users near you!
3. Give your staff an outlet to let loose and get creative!
TikTok can be a great place for your team to take a break from their daily routine and express their creativity with new trends landing every week. Just have fun with the team!
For example, you can have the team get together to do a viral TikTok dance or a therapeutic ASMR of them whipping up a viral TikTok recipe.
4. Feature TikTok creators for more exposure
Your restaurant can team up with local micro-influencers to drive exposure and boost your presence on and beyond TikTok.
Think viral challenges, skits, a kitchen takeover or even host a live session with them. Discover creators with personalities that clicks with your brand and learn how you can work with them to drive brand awareness on TikTok Creator Marketplace.
5. Build better customer relationships
57% of consumers will increase their spending with a brand they feel they can relate to and 76% will buy from them over a competitor. TikTok’s short and authentic video format is a great way to showcase your personality as a restaurant.
Engaging in trends that allow you to maintain brand relevance and stay top of mind is also excellent in creating connections with your customers!
For example, you can come up with a creative hashtag challenge like #DinnerDelivered for diners ordering from your restaurant to post videos of their meals.
How to create your first TikTok video
Ready to get started with making your first TikTok video? We’re here to guide you through the steps:
1. Open your TikTok app and tap the “+” at the bottom of the screen.
2. Upload content from your device Library or use the TikTok camera.
To create your content using the TikTok camera, press the Record button and start recording your content.
3. Get creative!
Make use of TikTok’s array of creative tools including Sounds, Effects, Filters, or other camera tools to express your creativity.
4. Once you're happy with how your video looks, press Next to proceed.
5. Make additional edits on the post page.
Add your caption, hashtags and your location tag to help you reach audiences that relate to your content.
6. Post your video!
12 easy TikTok ideas and examples to get your restaurant started
- Take your viewers behind the scenes: Showcase the unseen territory of your restaurant and let them take a view of how your restaurant operates. Take your viewers on a tour around the restaurant and introduce your staff to make them feel like they are a part of the community.
- Share a fan favourite recipe: We’ve seen enough TikTok viral recipes to know that this category of content works well with the community. Ride that wave by sharing some of your easily replicable staple recipes for viewers to recreate at home. Who knows? It might even become the next viral TikTok recipe!
- A day in the life of your employees: Take your viewers on a day in the life at your restaurant. Make them feel in-the-know by sharing some of your kitchen hacks or tricks on how to ace a certain recipe.
- ASMR cooking videos: The therapeutic yet satisfying nature of ASMR videos makes it more than just a phenomenon on TikTok. Feed the ASMR trend by capturing sounds around your restaurant such as recording your sizzling pan, biting into crunchy yet juicy fried chicken, spreading butter on toast and so on.
- Tell a story: Audiences are always curious and looking out for authentic and vulnerable content. Share the story about how it all started or a funny incident that happened in your restaurant, perhaps even a story about who inspired your signature recipe to feed their curiosity!
- Showcase your restaurant’s dining experience: Amazing experiences drive consumer trust and love for your brand. Flaunt those unique experiences your restaurant offers that others don’t, TikTok users love trying out new stuff!
- Test out TikTok viral recipes: TikTok is all about keeping up with the ever changing trends. Add your own touch and recreate your restaurant’s version of that viral recipe on TikTok.
- Shout out an upcoming promotion: Tease a new seasonal menu or let your customers know about a not-to-miss deal. This will get your regulars pumped up and attract new customers who have heard of your restaurant but haven’t made the time to visit.
- Do a challenge video: Whip up an extra large burrito or team up with your local influencer to do an “Eating Vegan for Day” challenge to promote your new vegan menu. You get the idea, the fun nature of challenge videos will catch the eyeballs of TikTok users while creating brand recognition for your restaurant.
- Answer FAQs: Get your followers to ask you questions about your restaurant and answer them on a video or through a live session. Not only can this create a better understanding of your brand, it is also a great way to interact with your viewers.
- Therapeutic time-lapse of restaurant operations: This one’s easy! Just set up a camera (wherever that doesn’t get in your way) and have everyone go about their day in the restaurant. It can be a time-lapse of your restaurant during rush hour, kitchen staff preparing ingredients before opening, or even a time-lapse of stocking up your restaurant inventory!
- Unboxing delivery: Give your audience an idea of what ordering from your restaurant will look like by unboxing a delivery order. Make sure food looks safely packaged and appetising to get your viewers feeling hungry and tempted to order for themselves.
If you’ve made it this far, you’re pretty much ready to start your TikTok journey!
We hope these ideas and examples can help get the ball rolling for your team on making great TikTok videos.
Just remember, consistency is key to succeeding in almost every social media platform so keep doing what you do and look out for what’s trending, or brainstorm with the team to see if anyone has ideas to explore. It might even turn out to be a fun activity for your team to bond over.
