Every day, over 4.62 billion people around the world use social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Notably, 62% of Instagram users say they research brands and products on the platform. Therefore, having a social media strategy that accurately reflects your coffee brand is an essential part of growing your customer base.
When creating social media content, it is important coffee roasters have the bigger picture in mind. Each post should not sit in isolation. Instead, all the content should flow to create an accurate picture of your brand and the coffee you offer.
A strong social media marketing campaign should be a comprehensive, harmonious, and united set. Each post, regardless of the content type, should play a role in further fostering the brand identity.
To learn more about how roasters can create social media that accurately reflects their brand, I spoke to the founder of The Happy Coffee Network, Wendelien van Bunnik.
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Sign upThe importance of branding in coffee content
Today, marketers have a wealth of social media content types and platforms at their disposal. Social media content can range from static images to interactive polls and videos. More so, the number of platforms to use continues to grow.
Recent research shows the user base for short-form video-sharing platform TikTok, continues to grow, with over 1.023 billion active users. It is also the top app in terms of time spent, with users spending up to 23.6 hours a month browsing the platform.
“Having a social media presence is important because these days, people spend as much time online as they do offline,” says Wendelien, who also won the 2019 World Aeropress Championship. “Even for roasters without a web shop, having an online presence allows you to be discovered and can turn loyal customers into fans of your brand.”
She explains that a roaster’s social media account should be an accurate reflection of the band, as it’s the ideal way to build a community around it. “If used well, it can increase sales, of course. However, in all cases, an authentic account can help build a loyal following of consumers that are enthusiastic about your coffee and can spread the word.”
Social media has been a game-changer for companies, putting the power of branding directly into the hands of small independent businesses. Beyond this, it has enabled small teams or individuals who are just starting out to reach global audiences.
That said, it’s important to note one of the key reasons a brand’s social marketing campaign fails is because of inconsistent branding. One report reveals 68% of businesses say brand consistency contributed to revenue growths of 10% or higher.
When studying consumer social media habits, this growth is understandable for a few reasons. First, the average individual uses an average of seven different social networks a month. Second, a single platform, such as Instagram, hosts at least 95 million photos and videos every single day.
Clearly, a strong, consistent, and personable brand image is needed in order for coffee content to successfully stand out. “Consistency is everything, both in presence and in branding,” Wendelien explains. “This refers to how often you post and on which platform, as well as whether there is a uniform, recognisable style throughout all your content. This is why having a strategy can be so helpful: once you have a plan, it’s easier to stick to it.”
How does branding feature in social media content?
Social media content can feature numerous design elements, each of which needs to be kept on-brand:
- Colour palettes
- The size and position of the logo
- Typography
- Tone of voice in both the written captions and audio if using video content
- Content style and aesthetic
- The nature of the content being created. For example, is it designed to be fun or informative?
- Key messages and values, such as sustainability, social responsibility, and innovation
- A final call to action
All the above elements ensure a roaster’s social media presence is cohesive and immediately recognisable as part of the brand. For instance, research shows using a signature colour in a marketing campaign can increase brand recognition by 80%.
Consistency is critical for keeping customer experience high and ensuring content has an authentic feel. Often, a roaster’s efforts are rewarded through increased brand awareness and recognition, as well as sales.
“We consume social media to form an opinion about who you are as a brand,” Wendelien says. “So, the truer you are to your brand identity, the more it will resonate with consumers.”
What does it take to create stand-out coffee content?
“Social media is just one marketing aspect, and it’s a fickle one at that,” she adds. “There’s no way of controlling the algorithm to ensure your carefully curated content reaches potential customers. Beyond this, content that performs well on Instagram may flop on LinkedIn.”
Wendelien explains curating content for specific platforms is often a speciality within itself, and there should be no shame in outsourcing the task.
“However, it’s important to find a partner that understands not only social media but also your brand identity and the specialty coffee industry. This will help save roasters time, especially when social media is not their field of expertise.”
Consistent branding is one of the most effective ways to increase the impact of your social media content. That said, reports continue to show that authenticity and personality across posts can boost engagement, and even lead to increased sales.
Wendelien explains: “If your coffees are exceptionally rare, your content should focus on exclusivity. But, if it’s about bringing specialty coffee quality to a larger audience, for instance, the content could be focused on educational topics such as processing methods and brewing guides.”
Overall, Wendelien believes a roaster’s social content should always be authentic. “Feature real people in real situations. Consumers are more likely to connect with your brand, which can turn passive followers into brand advocates and active customers.”
By posting images of coffee bags, roasting, and cupping sessions, roasters can ensure their products are at the forefront of a consumer’s mind. The team at MTPak Coffee can help roasters and coffee shops reflect their brand personality on sustainable coffee packaging.
Our range of coffee packaging is 100% recyclable and made from renewable resources such as kraft paper and rice paper. Our line of coffee bags contains recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable options to boost your eco-friendly credentials.
Additionally, we are able to digitally print custom coffee bags to convey your brand’s personality. We offer quick turnaround and shipping times, as well as low minimum order quantities (MOQs) no matter the packaging’s size or the material used.
