Social Media

GBPA 2023

GBPA 2023 social media highlights

21-Sep-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Operators from across the sector took to social media to share their excitement at the Great British Pub Awards (GBPA) 2023.

Digital delights

21-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

How does the digital world fit into the analogue world of pubs? The Lock In team take a deep dive into digital with help from a range of guests including superstar chef Gary Usher.

The Lock In Podcast

Do pubs need to improve on tech?

31-May-2022 By Ed Bedington

Are pubs behind the curve when it comes to the digital world? Are we not embracing technology enough? The Lock In team tackle the subject with a range of guests debating everything from back of house tech, to whether customers should be allowed to google...

Star boosts social media support with new training package

05-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Star Pubs & Bars is ramping up its social media support on existing platform Avocado Social, as licensees label help with social media a top priority.

Teens crave face-to-face experiences when visiting hospitality venues

17-Jan-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Technology and social media played a key part in attracting younger people to hospitality venues, but most teenagers craved in-person interaction, new research from hospitality tech firm Zonal has shown.

How to make your pub more 'Instagrammable'

21-Oct-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Social media has always been an important tool for the hospitality sector but following several lockdowns and the nation getting used to the ‘new normal’, a strong social media presence is more important than ever.

Opinion

Pub PR: how can operators reassure customers returning after 'Freedom Day'?

20-Jul-2021 By Sarah Murray, client director at PR and digital agency Edson Evers

For the hospitality industry, the road to ‘Freedom Day’ on 19 July was a bumpy and tumultuous journey.

Estimated 2,500 pubs lost in 2020

09-Dec-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

More than 2,000 pubs have been lost this year, over double the number in previous years, it has been estimated.

Operators mentally drained, joyless and heartbroken after a week of new tiers

07-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

The Morning Advertiser’s social media followers shared their experiences of trading under various levels of the Government’s more stringent Covid alert system since 2 December.

Great British Pub Awards on social media

25-Sep-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs shared their delight at being recognised by The Morning Advertiser’s Great British Pub Awards Pub Heroes on social media last night.

Operators encouraged to use TripAdvisor to reassure customers

14-Jul-2020 By Emily Hawkins

TripAdvisor has said pub operators should use its platform to draw attention to their safety measures.

#Unitedwestand

How can pubs help fans get their sporting fix during Covid-19 lockdown?

22-Apr-2020 By Stuart Stone

There’s no live sport on TV nor a pub currently open to watch it in. But this doesn’t mean operators can’t help fans and customers get their fix during the Covid-19 shutdown

#Unitedwestand

Doors closed, DMs open – social media hints and tips for pubs during the coronavirus shutdown

09-Apr-2020 By Stuart Stone

With publicans unable to speak to customers directly during the Covid-19 shutdown, digital experts from Molson Coors and communications agency Jam outline why it’s important for pubs to be on the same social media page.

Operators alter sites for social media

12-Dec-2019 By Alice Leader

Social media is proving to have quite an impact on small businesses as operators reshape their sites to make them more visually enticing.

Guv'nor

Don’t be afraid to experiment with social media and content to drive footfall

11-Nov-2019 By Rob Bass

Pubs must be creative and demonstrate individuality to stand out from competition, according to Rob Bass of the Kings Arms in Okehampton, Devon.

Pub may lose licence after Facebook post ‘inciting violence’

22-Oct-2019 By Emily Hawkins

A Stockton-on-Tees pub could have its licence revoked after police intervened over a Facebook post that its MP described as glorifying domestic violence.

Social media ‘helping change perceptions’ of working in pubs

18-Sep-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Social media has helped to ease pubs’ problems with recruiting and retaining staff, one general manager has said.

‘Selfie spots go a long way’ in pub promotion

17-May-2019 By Emily Hawkins

A positive image on social media matters more than ever, and one growing area of focus for operators and designers is how to make it onto customers’ Instagram grids.

Can you post images of customers on social media?

17-Apr-2019 By Emily Hawkins

You want potential customers to see images of a bustling venue with happy faces when they look up your website or go to your social media page. But is there a risk in posting images of punters?

Unique A-boards can ‘raise a pub’s profile’

26-Mar-2019 By Emily Hawkins

With social media more important to pubs than ever, The Morning Advertiser looks at how inventive A-boards can help you stand out among the crowd.

How can technology keep your customers loyal?

18-Oct-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Using technology to ensure your venue sticks in a customer’s mind is crucial to ensure they return, according to Call Systems Technology.

Revolution growth plan will target Millennials

09-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Bar group Revolution is set to open six new bars during the next 12 months, with a new marketing strategy focused on those aged between 20 and 40.

Pub dress code angers industry chiefs

08-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

A pub has sparked a debate on dress codes after a picture of its rules was posted on social media.

Publican hits the headlines for social media post over drunken punter's forgotten pooch

28-Feb-2018 By Georgina Townshend

A publican has found himself in a media frenzy after sharing an image on social media of himself and a drunken punter's dog she left behind - a post that was merely "intended as a mildly amusing anecdote".

Get the picture: promoting your pub with Instagram

15-Feb-2018 By Claire Churchard, Georgina Townshend and Stuart Stone

Humans are visual beings, making Instagram an ideal place to showcase your pub. Experts and operators reveal how they get over the line first in a photo finish.

How NOT to fire your pub staff

11-Jan-2018 By Georgina Townshend

After a pub landlord has been blasted this week for firing five staff members via text and Facebook, The Morning Advertiser finds out the best way of letting your staff go - and avoiding a potentially costly employment tribunal and a damaged reputation.

Notting Hill pub removes slave auction poster after accusations of racism

10-Jan-2018 By Stuart Stone

The Stewart Arms faced a backlash from social media users imploring punters to boycott the pub and submit negative reviews over its displaying of a slave auction poster.

Deltic Group reports December like-for-like sales increase

08-Jan-2018 By Georgi Gyton

The Deltic Group has reported like-for-like sales increased by 8.2% in the four weeks to 31 December 2017.

Hardknott launches new ‘Crowd Rewards’ scheme

18-Oct-2017 By James Beeson

A Cumbrian brewery has announced details of a new scheme aimed at rewarding customers who engage with it on social media.

Scare their pants off – top tips for Halloween in the pub

16-Oct-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Everyone loves a theme, especially around Halloween. Whether it is a spooky drinks menu, a ghoulish food offer or a full-blown American-style fancy dress party, Halloween is the perfect time of year to boost sales.

Gen Z are key to future success of pubs, licensees must work to attract them

18-Sep-2017 By Claire Churchard

The pub industry must engage with Generation Z to ensure its survival because this age group are the customers of the future, MA500 delegates heard at the latest event in Edinburgh last week (Thursday 14 September).

Need to know: how to deal with complaints

23-Aug-2017 By Fred A'Court

Complaints are an occupational hazard in the pub trade – no matter how good you are – so what are the best ways to deal with them constructively?

Men discuss issues at the pub, not on social media

27-Jul-2017 By Fred A'Court

When it comes to talking about serious issues with friends, men are more likely to want to discuss them in the pub than on social media.

Generation Z ‘too awkward for pubs’

05-Jul-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

The next generation suffers from an obsession with social media and a limited desire to drink, which puts visiting the pub almost to the bottom of the list of where they want to spend their time.

In association with Diageo

How to drive spirits sales

07-Jun-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Cocktails in pubs are on the rise, but making money from mixed drinks is not as simple as just putting a menu together. Operators must not only consider what their back bars say to customers walking through the door, but also how their online and social-media...

Smirnoff stands against LGBTQ+ hate with #chooselove campaign

05-Jun-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Hate against the LGBTQ+ community is something vodka brand Smirnoff wants to shine a spotlight on through its new campaign #chooselove.

What the Millennials say about pubs

18-May-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Drinks offers, atmosphere, ‘shareability’ and the entertainment available in the pub play a big part in where Millennials choose to spend time in the on-trade.

Millennials want a digital experience when eating at a pub

16-May-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Millennials are calling out for pubs to better tap into the digital world to improve their dining experience, according to research from technology company Eagle Eye. 

Is social media ruining the UK's pub culture?

08-May-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Millennials are drinking less than any other age group and licensees have put the blame on social media, but is this really the case?

There’s A Beer For That launches interactive initiative #dinewithbeer

28-Feb-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Licensees are being urged to help consumers pair food and beer through social media by posting photos of their favourite pairings using #dinewithbeer.

TOILET

'Wee jobby' pub sign is 'just a joke'

21-Nov-2016 By Helen Gilbert

A manager of a Scottish pub has declared that he has no issue with people using the toilet in his pub after a sign he wrote as a ‘joke’ went viral.

MA500

Northern Powerhouse: how the top operators roll

11-Nov-2016 By Nikkie Sutton & Liam Coleman

The latest MA500 event took place in the booming Yorkshire city of Leeds in September. Members heard from experts in the field of design, employee engagement and social media, as well as fellow top operators. 

Technology

Social media and the law

30-Aug-2016 By Poppleston Allen

Whether you are a social media guru or have never posted a tweet in your life, the platform is here to stay.

Technology

Snapchat your food and drink for better sales

15-Aug-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Operators must embrace newer social media outlets such as Snapchat and Instagram, and ditch older forms like Twitter to maximise food and drink pairings, a research organisation has said.

TripAdvisor

Customer 'ate 95%' of pub meal then left scathing review

11-Aug-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

A West Midlands pub has hit back at a customer who posted a one-star review on TripAdvisor, criticising the site’s food and staff.

Technology

Using customer feedback: Be a positive part of the loop

08-Aug-2016 By Helen Gilbert

Online feedback is increasingly being used by consumers to research the best place to have a pint or enjoy a meal and it’s a trend that’s set to continue.

FUTURE TRENDS: BEER & CIDER

Adapt to fast-changing youth culture, pubs warned

22-Jun-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

‘Generation Z’ tends to get a rough ride in the press, being simultaneously branded as humourless tech-obsessives and shameless social media self-promoters. 

Digital Marketing

5 simple social media tips for pubs

15-Jun-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Although it might be unfair to brand the pub trade as stuck in the dark ages, there’s certainly more licensees could be doing when it comes to social media. Here are 5 tips to get started.

Technology

Revealed: Chefs’ social media habits

08-Jun-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Chefs are social media savvy and take to platforms like Twitter and Facebook to look for suppliers, jobs and staff, new research from William Murray Communications claims.

Bookings

The Guv'nor: Please show up if you say you're going to!

27-May-2016 By Karen Errington

Easter Bank holiday is usually the busiest weekend of the year at the pub, with Sunday lunch being booked up to capacity for many weeks in advance.