In an era where attention spans are short and competition is fierce, memes and creative content can help you stand out from the crowd, connect with your audience, and boost your brand visibility.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Choose the Right Platforms for Your Brand
Not all social media platforms are created equal, especially when it comes to food and drink. Focus on the ones where your ideal customers spend the most time.
Instagram: Perfect for showcasing beautiful food photography, daily specials, behind-the-scenes shots, and Reels.
Facebook: Great for connecting with local communities, sharing events, and posting menus.
TikTok: Ideal for short, snappy videos, kitchen hacks, or funny hospitality moments.
X (formerly Twitter): Useful for witty banter, trending memes, and quick customer interactions.
Pinterest: Excellent for recipe content, party planning ideas, and seasonal inspiration.
YouTube: Long or short videos
Memes are one of the internet’s favourite languages. They’re fun, shareable, and great for showing off your personality. Whether it’s a trending format or a food-related pun, memes can help humanise your brand and make you more relatable.
Tips for meme success:
Keep it on-brand: Use humour that aligns with your business values and target customers.
Stay timely: Jump on popular formats and trends (like Barbie, "No one: Absolutely no one:", or AI jokes) while they’re still fresh.
Use free tools: Canva, Imgflip, or Meme Generator allow you to create memes in minutes.
Example:
A bakery meme during exam season:
"Me: I’m going to be healthy this week. Also me: Buys six brownies to cope with stress."
📸 Include a shot of your brownies and a cheeky caption: “We’re here for emotional support. Always.”
3. Showcase Your Day-to-Day with Authentic Content
Customers love to see the people behind the food. Use Stories, Reels or TikToks to show:
How your croissants are made
The staff prepping for a busy breakfast
New cocktail recipes being tested
Guests enjoying a Sunday roast
Keep it real and fun, you don’t need polished video production. A bit of humour, a happy tune, and a peek behind the curtain go a long way.
4. Ride the Trends. But Put a Foodie Spin on It
Jumping on trends is a free way to boost visibility. Monitor trending hashtags and challenges and think about how they could apply to your business.
Dance challenges → Your bar staff making cocktails in rhythm
Voiceover trends → A dramatised take on your daily delivery arriving late
Seasonal trends → Pumpkin spice everything? Share your version with a wink.
Tools like TikTok’s “Discover” tab or Instagram’s “Explore” section are great for spotting what’s hot.
5. Encourage and Repost User-Generated Content
Happy customers often post about their meals. Encourage them to tag your business and then reshare their posts (with permission). It’s free publicity and adds authenticity.
Offer a small incentive: “Tag us in your post and you might win a free coffee.”
Create a hashtag for your brand: e.g., #BrewedAtTheBay or #StickyToffeeSnaps
6. Schedule and Plan for Consistency
Using social media doesn’t have to take up your whole day. Free scheduling tools like Meta Business Suite or Buffer allow you to plan your content in advance. Aim for a mix of:
Product photos
Behind-the-scenes
Customer reviews
Humorous memes
Local collaborations or events
7. Join Local Conversations
Don’t underestimate the power of your local community online. Join local Facebook groups, tag other local businesses, and comment on posts where appropriate. Memes that tap into shared local experiences (“that moment when the seagull steals your chips on the promenade”) are great for engagement. But be careful not to hijack conversations as that never ends well.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a marketing agency or a massive budget to get people talking about your food and drink business. All it takes is consistency, creativity, and a willingness to have a bit of fun. Memes and social media let you tell your story, share your values, and build relationships with customers – one funny post or delicious photo at a time.
So go ahead – bake it ‘til you make it.
The meme image illustrating this blogpost was created by me using https://imgflip.com/memegenerator