Instagrammable space: 8 ideas for your restaurant
Some say a dining or entertainment experience is only complete if it's shared on social media.
Colorful drinks, dishes that are genuine works of art, fun little corners and neon signs are a hit in Instagram stories and feeds. After all, who doesn't like posting a beautiful photo and getting lots of likes?
To ride this wave, restaurants, bars and nightclubs have started offering an Instagrammable space: a spot designed for customers to take photos and share them on their profiles, contributing to the marketing at your establishment.
How about creating one at your establishment? Check out our tips and ideas below!
What is an Instagrammable space?
The term “Instagrammable” came about to describe something — an object or a setting, for example — that's ideal for posting on Instagram. In other words: something visually appealing, interesting, inspiring and that often represents a lifestyle. To be Instagrammable, it has to fit the aesthetic standards of this social network and, in doing so, encourage people to create content and share it on their profiles.
An Instagrammable space, therefore, is a place with those characteristics. It's created in restaurants, bars, clubs, stores and other commercial establishments so customers can take photos and post them on the social network. It's also quite common to have an area with this purpose at weddings, music festivals and other events.
an Instagrammable restaurant, for example, can be a place with distinctive décor, with eye-catching dishes and drinks that encourage customers to share the experience.
Leia também: Themed bars: why and how to invest in them
Why create an Instagrammable space?
Having an Instagrammable space — or Instagrammable meals, drinks and experiences — is a strategy for marketing.
That's because, by posting a photo, reels or stories showing the experience at your establishment, customers are essentially doing free advertising. It's a more up-to-date version of word-of-mouth marketing, with one difference: the reach.
A single customer can influence dozens of followers to visit your restaurant, bar or club. This kind of exposure is very effective because, in general, people trust the opinion of friends, family and even the influencers they identify with more.
Besides being a great marketing tool, having an Instagrammable space also enriches your customer's experience, letting them enjoy a special corner, have fun and take good photos.
Learn more: 11 Instagram post ideas for restaurants and bars
8 ideas to create the perfect Instagrammable space
Décor is what creates an Instagrammable space. If you have the budget to bring in an architect or interior designer, great!
If not, look for references on social media (Instagram itself or Pinterest) and use your creativity. Often, a well-lit corner with plants or one small detail is already enough to make a difference. Check out some ideas for creating an Instagrammable space below.
1 – Lighting
Lighting is powerful for transforming spaces. Lights can bring coziness, create a romantic mood, make the setting feel cooler. Some ideas you can apply:
- Colored LED
- Neon Signs
- Candles
- Fun light fixtures
- Interactive lights that customers can control
2 – Themed Settings
You can create a themed setting to reinforce your business's concept and style. For example: an area with 1920s-inspired décor for a cocktail bar. Or a tropical area for a seafood restaurant.
Another idea that's more traditional but is also a big hit is seasonal decorations, such as Halloween, Christmas or Valentine's Day.
Learn more: How to develop special programming to drive traffic to your business
3 – Furniture
Furniture with distinctive design — colorful or playful — can become the main attraction of the place. It catches customers' attention and makes great backdrops for photos. An elegant sofa in the entrance hall, with good lighting, can yield excellent shots.
4 – Restroom
The bathroom mirror selfie is a classic and, if you can create a unique setting, plenty of photos will definitely come out of there. To pull it off, you can invest in mirrors with bold frames, creative wallpaper and tiles, an eye-catching color palette and carefully planned lighting.
5 – Plants
Use plants to create a pleasant setting that grabs attention. Build vertical gardens on a wall, add hanging plants or large potted foliage for a lush look.
6 – Graffiti
Invite a local artist to create a graffiti mural that matches your business. Since they are usually big and colorful, they become a trademark of the place and, besides looking great in photos, they help reinforce your brand.
7 – Panels
A wooden panel decorated with geometric patterns, mandalas or other elements that match your venue is also great for creating an Instagrammable space. Add built-in lighting to make the look even more interesting.
Panels can also be an image that works as the backdrop of the photo, with elements that match your business.
8 – Interactivity
Interactivity also encourages customers to share photos of your business on Instagram. Chalk message walls, phrases on sticky notes, games, panels with some element customers can change.
More than having a distinctive space that inspires customers to take photos for their social media, you can also create Instagrammable experiences.
One way to do this is by serving drinks and meals with an attractive presentation that everyone will want to capture and share. Special glassware and tableware also help create an irresistible look.
Another good idea is to turn the preparation of the order itself into an attraction: cocktails, sushi and flambéed food catch customers' eyes, spark curiosity and generate great stories.
Finally, you can also think about promotions that encourage posting on social media. Create a hashtag for your business, run contests and challenges, offer discounts to anyone who promotes it. That way, you will be expanding your reach and attracting new customers.
To help you create these marketing campaigns, we put together the Calendário Definitivo de Datas Importantes Para Bares e Restaurantes! Download it for free to plan events and promotions with ease.
