Over the past several years, the internet has fueled the rise of social media. Today, social media has become an indispensable communication tool for growing a business. It offers companies numerous opportunities to increase brand awareness, boost revenue, and build community loyalty. It is therefore essential to incorporate social media into one’s digital strategy—including for artisan bakers.
We support our employees as they develop their skills
Managing a social media account requires time and training to be as effective as possible. To support our artisan bakers in their digital transition, our Point-of-Sale Advisors have been trained to guide our baker clients, whose primary focus is baking bread, not marketing.
Specific, practical advice tailored for bakers was discussed; here are some key points to keep in mind.
What best practices should you follow when communicating on social media as a professional?
1 - Choose the right social media platforms to ensure consistency with your target audience/customer base.
Each social media platform is aimed at a very specific audience. For example, Facebook tends to target people over 35, while Instagram is used primarily by 18- to 35-year-olds. Pinterest, on the other hand, is a social media platform used mainly by women. TikTok, meanwhile, is overwhelmingly used by people under 20.
-> For our bakers, it’s best to focus on managing a Facebook and/or Instagram account to promote their products and shop.
2 - Develop your visual identity
A visual identity makes it easy to associate content with a business. It is helpful for artisan bakers to develop a brand guide with a specific visual identity that ensures consistency and coherence in their visual communication across all platforms, both in-store and on social media.
A brand style guide is a document that outlines usage guidelines and the characteristics of various visual elements (logos, colors, fonts, typography, symbols, etc.) that can be used across the company’s various communication channels. It specifies what to do, as well as what not to do.
To perfect your visual identity, content must be tailored to each social media platform. To create effective and relevant visuals, there are free and easy-to-use software options such as CANVA, a graphic design platform that offers numerous customizable templates (presentations, posters, banners, and other visual content for social media).
-> The Marketing and Trade Marketing teams also provide our bakery customers with poster templates and social media posts to help them engage with their customers.
3 - Create high-quality, impactful content
"It's important to know how to use the basics of social media.
Implement simple steps: post attractive content and photos,
use straightforward language, and know how to respond to a customer comment.”
Romain THOMAS, Point-of-Sale Advisor
Creating professional posts is essential to establishing credibility with your audience. Your content should be interactive to engage your audienceand build trust. You should also choose the right hashtags and create dynamic Reels, Stories, and videos.
We strongly recommend using all distribution formats to maximize your impact.
4 - Develop a communication strategy
Developing an editorial line and creating a social media plan are two key elements of a successful social media communication strategy.
A social media plan is a communication strategy for social media. It takes the form of a schedule outlining the posts to be published each week.
When it comes to posting, it’s important to share a variety of content at intervals that aren’t too close together, but above all, to post on various platforms.
To make the most of your time, you should plan your posts in advance: come up with catchy headlines, use a tone that suits your customers and grabs their attention, and brainstorm post ideas (talk about what’s new at the bakery, run contests, share updates, showcase products, highlight special offers or packages, give a behind-the-scenes look at the business, introduce the team you work with, and send wishes for a happy Valentine’s Day, a joyful Easter, a happy return to school…).
And let's not forget interacting with users who comment on posts!
Interaction goes hand in hand with moderation! When we talk about moderating a social media platform, we’re referring to managing reactions to your posts as well as the messages you receive. Whether comments are positive or negative, it’s generally best to respond while maintaining appropriate and professional language. In the case of insults, discriminatory remarks, etc., you can report, hide, or delete public comments.
Social media is also all about immediacy! That’s why moderation is something you need to do regularly: make sure to read and respond to comments within 48 hours of their publication.
5 - Create sponsored campaigns on social media
Today, every social media platform offers its users the option to runsponsored posts, known as “ads.” Sponsored ads help increase visibility, traffic, and brand awareness by precisely reaching the target audience. These “ads” appear directly in the news feed and are more effective than disruptive ads, such as mobile banners.
Grands Moulins de Paris on social media
Today, Grands Moulins de Paris has a presence on five social media platforms:
• Facebook : Our posts are primarily aimed at artisan bakers—both current and aspiring—whether they are customers or not.
• Instagram with two accounts France and International : Primarily used to showcase French expertise in milling and artisanal baking through images, targeting both professionals and the general public
• LinkedIn : Shares company news and highlights the women and men who make up the company to build our employer brand among current employees and future talent, as well as to raise our profile among our partners and industry stakeholders.
• Twitter : Targets our stakeholders and opinion leaders in the agriculture and food sectors. This social network provides near-real-time updates on industry news
• YouTube : To host our various videos, recipes, etc.
