Everybody’s gotta eat, right?
Maybe that’s why foodie content on social media is universally popular.
Food for thought: the #TasteTest hashtag on TikTok has over nine billion views. Meanwhile, #FoodiesOfInstagram is thriving with 17+ million unique posts.
And so it’s no surprise that food products go viral via TikTok and Instagram all the time.
If you're a food brand, you have a massive audience that's ready to eat up what you're selling.
Like, literally.
That's why food and beverage brands are prioritizing posts featuring influencers' authentic reactions and creativity to reach more customers and earn organic content at the same time.
Looking for inspiration to make it happen? We’ve compiled five proven content ideas for food and beverage brands to try!
How to Promote Food and Beverage Products on Social Media
Here’s the deal: food brands have tons of creative freedom when it comes to social marketing.
This is especially true if you collaborate with creators. The more, the merrier!
There are plenty of low-hanging content ideas that can be created with just a smartphone. Below are five ideas that should be staples of your content strategy (and are super popular with food influencers).
1. Taste Tests and Reaction Videos
Test tastes are a playful way to promote your products and highlight why they’re worth trying.
From off-the-wall flavors to pitting your product against another and competing against each other, test tastes are packed with entertainment value. They also pique the curiosity of viewers who want to see how people react to what they’re tasting.
For example, blindfolded taste tests are big among creators right now. Check out this creator taste test on behalf of the sparkling water brand Aura Bora.
Source: @drinkaurabora
The creator’s personality and humor shine throughout the entire video. Her enthusiasm for the product does, too.
Comments like “To me, this just tastes like what fairies would drink” highlight how nobody can promote products quite like food and beverage influencers can.
After all, authentic feedback from real people is much more compelling than a list of flavors.
One of the biggest benefits of taste test videos, though? By default, the format encourages viewers to watch your videos all the way through. This serves as a bonus for both the TikTok and Instagram algorithms. The longer people watch your videos, the more likely you’ll be rewarded with reach.
2. Recipe Videos (#CookWithMe)
When in doubt, educational posts about your product are always fair game.
We’ve lost count of how many viral recipes we’ve seen on TikTok recently.
Data says TikTokers love content that teaches them something new. That’s why many food and beverage content ideas highlight how people can use products in their favorite dishes.
For example, check out this creator video featuring Grounded Food Co.’s hemp-based cheese in an Italian salad. Looks pretty tasty, right?
Source: @groundedcfc
There is no “right” format for these types of posts, by the way. Some are simple time-lapse videos with text instructions on-screen. Many #CookWithMe videos narrate the process of putting together a dish.
Product recommendations fit seamlessly into these types of posts, too. Skilled food and beverage influencers know how to seamlessly promote brands throughout their content.
For example, the creator below breaks down how to make a chicken dish using hacks she learned from TikTok. Note how she features her new favorite spice blend in the vid.
Source: @lifewithkenk
Social consumers are obsessed with food hacks and easy meals. Fact: the #EasyRecipe hashtag has 42+ billion views on TikTok. Simple, step-by-step recipes are totally fair game and straightforward for influencers to make.
3. Contests and Giveaways
Granted your product is easy to ship, contests and giveaways are a great way to promote your brand on TikTok.
But we know firsthand that getting food products into the hands of creators can be tricky!
Doing so is worth it, though. Because food vloggers and influencers are perfect for introducing your brand to an established audience that’s interested in what you’re selling.
Source: @cookieemonsterr
Giveaways are awesome for drumming up engagement and likewise earning more user-generated content. For example, you might run a contest asking for people to post about your brand in exchange for a prize package featuring your products.
This results in more buzz, audience interactions and new pieces of content for you to repurpose.
Note: if you decide to hold a UGC contest, review Instagram's promotional guidelines and TikTok’s advertising policies.
4. Day-in-the-Life Videos
Day-in-the-life content is exploding on TikTok right now.
Similar to the “#CookWithMe” content, “What I Eat in a Day” videos highlight how food and beverage products might feature in a viewer's everyday life.
Check out how Bloom Nutrition partnered with a #FoodTok influencer to show how the brand’s powder fits into the creator's daily routine.
Source: @babydumplingg
Note that food and beverage social media marketing centers around off-the-cuff content like this.
These videos are straightforward and manage to show off your brand’s human side. Likewise, this type of post makes it easier for people to imagine themselves with your product in their hands.
Similarly, many food brands promote products on TikTok via “Go Shopping With Me" videos. These types of videos invite viewers on a journey to the store to pick up a product in person. Perfect for retail support, these videos represent a prime way to build anticipation for your next launch.
Source: @itsautumntiktok
5. Aesthetically-Pleasing Photos
We’ve highlighted a lot of video content but don’t discount photos altogether!
People love to see pretty pictures during their social media scrolls. Aesthetically-pleasing food snapshots have dominated platforms like Instagram pretty much forever. This includes:
- Colorful product flat lays
- High-quality photos of your products in real-world settings
- Studio-produced photoshoots
Source: @califiafarms / @halotopcreamery
If you’re going to show off static product photos, at least make sure they score some style points. Just remember that aesthetically-pleasing photos can feature food and beverage influencers, too.
Source: @angiesboomchickapop
The Secret Ingredient for Stellar Foodie Content
With so many content ideas and creative ways to show off products, we hope our list can help you brainstorm some fresh ideas.
The common thread between most of these awesome food and beverage marketing examples?
They feature authentic creator content to work up viewers' appetites!
If you're ready to get hundreds of creators hyping up your food brand on TikTok, Statusphere can help. Our micro-influencer marketing platform matches brands with influencers from our vetted creator community.
The fact that we use 250+ first-party data points for influencer matchmaking is a huge plus for food brands. For example, want to reach vegans? Celiacs? Fitness enthusiasts? Getting granular ensures that your product only gets into the hands of relevant influencers that know how to promote it.
On that note, our fulfillment technology streamlines the (sometimes messy!) process of shipping products to creators. This includes packaging, tracking and ensuring deliveries in a timely manner.
Want to learn more about how our platform works? Get in touch with one of our experts to see how we can help your food brand scale its influencer marketing efforts in a fraction of the time.
This article was first published in October 2022. It was last updated June 5, 2023.