One of a restaurant’s most valuable marketing assets are photos of their mouthwatering collection of dishes.

Nothing quite convinces potential customers to eat at your restaurant like a savory snap of a delicious plate of food. There are various platforms to display your restaurant’s feed of succulent food shoots, but one stands above the remainder as the best digital platform to stimulate customers’ bellies growl.

By the end of 2016, Instagram had reached over 600 million users . Even more impressive is the rate in which it is growing. According to their official site, more than 100 million users joined in the last six months .

The picture-sharing social platform has captured the mind of potential clients, and if your business is not one of these 600 million accounts, you could be missing out on reaching new clientele. Thankfully, joining Instagram is pretty simple, and by following the steps below it can be even easier.

Downloading the App :

One element of Instagram that induces it stand out from the crowd is the emphasis on being mobile-only. You can visit on a web browser, but it is impossible to post immediately from the website. Though it may seem restrictive, the original notion was to encourage sharing experiences that happen away from your desk.

Even though account creation is possible on a desktop or laptop, it is best to use the mobile app to set up your profile considering you will be logging in on your phone or tablet to post anyways. Search Instagram on the Apple Store or Google Play Store and download the app.

Creating your Account :

Next you need to create an account. First, Instagram will ask for your email or phone number. You could use the restaurant’s email or your personal email, it won’t be publicly displayed.A Next, it will ask for your name and password. Your “name” is not the same as your “Username” . Your name will appear on your profile, and will make it easier for people to search for you.

Unlike your username, your name can include spaces and may already exist on the platform. Lastly, you must decide on your unique username. It cannot include spaces, but it is common practice to utilize a a . a to divide terms. Try to find a username that is easily recognizable and is associated with your brand. A The closer it is to your restaurant’s name, the better.

Editing your Profile :

Now that your account is made, you will want to complete your profile before sharing your awesome photos. From the app, tap the profile icon in the bottom left corner, and under your number of followers should be the “Edit your Profile” button. From here you can change your photo, edit your “name” or a username, a add a website, and complete your bio. Your photo will appear on your followers feeds beside your username, so choose something that is identifiable, such as your logo. Adding a link to your website will make it easy to redirect followers to your business.

Know that it is impossible to share connections on your individual posts, but you can refer to the “connect on your page” in posts. You can also change the link to reflect special offers, but make sure to change it back to your default page when the offer is over. The bio is a chance for you to be creative. Be concise, and remain true to your brand. Your photos will do most of the talking, but a strong bio will assist you define your restaurant Instagram identity.

Activate Business Tools :

You now have all you need to start posting to Instagram. If you want to go a step further, you can convert your account to a business account. All that you need is a Facebook Page for your business. This allows you to add a phone number, email and locating immediately on your page to make it easier for customers to reach you. It also opens the door to promoted posts and analytics to learn about your followers.

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These features come at a cost and are something that you can explore once “you’re feeling” more comfy on the platform, but if you have a Facebook Page already, it doesn’t hurt to pair them even if it is just to add more robust contact information.

You are now ready to share your photos on your restaurant Instagram account! Remember that these are now public and should be a reflection of your restaurant. Use only high quality photos, and do not drown them with too much text. Twitter employs 140 characters for a reason, so aims to achieve that length. No matter how frequently you post, remain consistent.

With a little time and endeavor, you will be able to better reach and understand your clients on an insanely popular platform. For more on how to effectively use Instagram for eateries, check back for next week’s article.

Originally posted by Yelp WiFi