Influencer partnerships have become a powerful marketing strategy for businesses, particularly in the food and beverage industry. With summer on the horizon, now is the perfect time for brands to leverage the popularity of social media influencers to boost their presence.
The sway of influencer marketing in the food and beverage industry cannot be underestimated. Influencers connect with their audiences on a personal level, creating a strong sense of trust and authenticity. Food bloggers and social media influencers have incredible reach and engagement potential. With their vibrant and visually appealing content, they can captivate audiences, enticing them to try new recipes, visit trendy restaurants, or explore unique food and beverage products.
Food and beverage influencers have the unique ability to create engaging content that captures the essence of the summer season. By crafting compelling campaign concepts that resonate with this time of year, they can tap into the excitement and anticipation people tend to feel during sunny and warm weather.
The power of partnering with influencers
Influencers extend far beyond traditional advertising, as their followers actively seek their recommendations and trust their opinions. Partnering with influencers adds another layer of creativity as they bring their unique perspectives and voices to the table. Influencers can brainstorm and develop content ideas that are fresh, authentic, and memorable. To truly captivate their audience, they can incorporate eye-catching imagery and videos that showcase vibrant summer colors, refreshing drinks, and delicious seasonal ingredients.
By sharing mouthwatering recipes that evoke the flavors and aromas of summer, influencers can create an emotional connection with their followers, sparking their curiosity and inspiring them to try new culinary experiences.
How the industry benefits from user-generated content
Brands in the food and beverage industry also leverage user-generated content (UGC) to enhance brand visibility, engage with their audience, and build trust among consumers. UGC is content that another party (who has no affiliation to your brand or business) creates. It could be as simple as a social media post, a review on Yelp, a podcast, or a video about their experience with your brand.
User-generated content allows food and beverage brands to tap into the creativity and passion of their customers, creating an authentic and relatable brand image.
Influencer marketing and user-generated content (UGC) are both valuable strategies in digital communications, but they differ in several key aspects. While influencer marketing provides access to influential voices and targeted audiences, user-generated content adds an element of authenticity and trustworthiness.
Food and beverage brands can leverage both strategies to amplify their public relations and marketing efforts and effectively engage with their target audience. This powerful combination allows businesses to create a compelling brand narrative, establish trust, and amplify their marketing and PR efforts across various platforms.
What are some hot summer trends in food and beverage influencers will be talking about?
The summer season brings a variety of food and beverage trends that capture the essence of the season and cater to consumers’ preferences for refreshing, vibrant, and seasonal options. Here are seven hot summer food and beverage trends to watch out for:
- Plant-Based and Vegan Options: As the popularity of plant-based diets continues to rise, consumers seek plant-based and vegan alternatives for traditional summer favorites like burgers, sausages, ice cream, and milkshakes.
- Fresh and Seasonal Produce: Summer is the perfect time to enjoy an abundance of fresh, locally sourced fruits and vegetables. From juicy watermelons and ripe berries to crisp cucumbers and flavorful tomatoes, incorporating seasonal produce into menus and beverages is a must.
- Creative Ice Cream Flavors: Unique and adventurous ice cream flavors are gaining popularity, including combinations like lavender-honey, matcha-ginger, or strawberry-basil. Expect to see artisanal ice cream shops and food trucks offering unconventional yet delicious flavors.
- Cold Brew and Iced Beverages: Cold brew coffee and iced teas remain a summer staple, providing a refreshing and energizing alternative to hot beverages. Experimenting with flavored cold brews, infused iced teas, and creative mocktails can elevate the summer beverage experience.
- Health-Boosting Drinks: Consumers increasingly seek functional beverages that provide health benefits alongside refreshment. This includes the best foods for a cold and beverages infused with antioxidants, probiotics, adaptogens, or natural ingredients known for their wellness properties, like hemp-derived CBD.
- Creative Mocktails and Spritzers: Non-alcoholic cocktails, also known as mocktails, are gaining popularity as people look for refreshing and flavorful alternatives to traditional alcoholic drinks. Incorporating fresh fruits, herbs, and unique flavor combinations can create exciting mocktail options.
- Outdoor Dining and Picnic Foods: With warmer weather, people enjoy dining al fresco and having picnics. Portable and shareable foods like gourmet sandwiches, charcuterie boards, fruit salads, and chilled salads are perfect for outdoor gatherings.
- Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Practices: The focus on sustainability extends to the food and beverage industry. Consumers appreciate businesses prioritizing eco-friendly practices, such as using compostable eCommerce packaging you have to add just one-word “eCommerce” between “compostable” and “packaging” sourcing locally, reducing food waste, green garden waste and supporting ethical farming practices.
Brands must remember that consumer preferences often vary across regions and cultures, so be sure to consider local trends and adapt them to your specific target audience. Stay innovative, keep an eye on emerging trends, and embrace the flavors and experiences that define the summer season.
Here are some of our favorite food influencers on Instagram
As we’ve discussed, influencers can play a huge role in the decision-making process when it comes to food. Their knowledge, personality and skills have an impact on consumer purchase behavior. Sales can skyrocket when they recommend a particular food or beverage brand — either by itself or as part of a recipe.
Food influencers are among the more popular accounts on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. They can be well known internationally, in the US or even achieve a popular following at the local level.
British Chef Gordon Ramsay is a restaurateur, cookbook author, TV personality and social media influencer. His incredibly successful restaurants have been awarded 16 Michelin stars over the years. With 14 million followers on Instagram, he is widely regarded as one of the top food influencers in the industry.
Another popular Instagram influencer is Kevin Curry. I first became aware of him as the founder of Fit Men Cook, his online community that encourages men and women to eat healthy while staying fit with interesting ideas on getting exercise. With 1.6 million followers, he is one of the most sought-after influencers for brands looking to promote their nutrition, fitness and health products.
Rachael DeVaux is another top-level food influencer who also happens to be a successful registered dietitian and personal trainer. She is literally a trifecta of health and wellness. What I like about her social media footprint is that she encourages the fun side of eating healthy and being fit.
My favorite local influencer is Chicago-based foodie Erin Byrne. Her social media posts are packed with a lot of great tips for using Chicago products in your recipes, as well as recommendations on the latest and greatest restaurants to check out. And with 147,000+ followers on Instagram, she can share her unique local knowledge with the masses around the windy city.
Conclusion
Partnering with the right social media influencers can be a game-changer for your brand’s summer PR and marketing efforts. By creating authentic collaborations, developing engaging content, and leveraging the power of social media, you can elevate your brand’s visibility, connect with your target audience, and boost your business’s success during this vibrant season.
Embrace the summer vibes and let influencer collaborations take your brand to new heights! Remember, building strong relationships with influencers requires time and effort, so invest in nurturing these connections for long-term success.
With social media dialogue and commentary evolving by the second, monitoring the internet for what people are saying about your brand, business, or organization is more crucial than ever! Burrelles’ social media monitoring lets you know the who, where when and why of what’s being said. Contact us today and let our professionals help you decide which platform suits your specific needs.