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Social Media for Bars: How to Build Buzz and Fill Seats

  • Writer: Billy Aberle
    Billy Aberle
  • Jul 5
  • 3 min read

In a city like New York, your bar’s social media isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s your personality, your atmosphere, and your digital host all rolled into one.


From chill neighborhood joints to wild rooftop scenes, the bars that are winning in NYC hospitality marketing are the ones treating Instagram and TikTok as vital extensions of the guest experience—not just platforms to post on when there’s time.


At Billy Boy Studio, we help bars across NYC transform their social feeds into community-building, buzz-generating tools that drive traffic, boost bookings, and build real loyalty. Here’s how.




1. You’re Not Just Selling Drinks



You’re selling:


  • A Friday night escape

  • A spontaneous first date

  • That golden hour rooftop photo

  • A post-work ritual



Your feed needs to reflect the emotion of the experience—not just the ingredients in a cocktail. At The Riff Raff Club, we focused on movement, mood, and crowd energy—not just product—and engagement tripled.




2. Define and Own Your Visual Vibe



When someone clicks your Instagram, they should instantly feel what kind of night you offer. That comes from:


  • Consistent color grading or filters

  • Branded fonts and announcement templates

  • Matching your social look to your IRL ambiance

  • Prioritizing lighting and emotion in every image



We create custom social kits so clients can stay consistent—even when posting content between shoots.




3. Reels Are Your Best Friend



Reels are the single best tool for discovery in 2025. You don’t need a film crew—you need ideas and energy.


Ideas that work:


  • Cocktail POV: from shake to garnish

  • “Office to bar” outfit transitions

  • Crowd shots with trending audio

  • Quick signature drink features

  • Staff intros and shoutouts

  • DJ highlights or playlist reveals



We produce and edit reels that match your brand tone—from elegant to chaotic—and perform on platform.




4. Don’t Just Post—Engage



Your guests want to feel heard. Make your feed a conversation.


Try this:


  • Respond to every DM and comment

  • Repost tagged stories with branded frames

  • Run polls, Q&As, or voting rounds

  • Share guest content (with credit)

  • Create small giveaways or contests



We manage full engagement campaigns so your brand feels personal—not robotic.




5. Find and Repeat Your Signature Move



Every bar has a “thing.” Whatever makes you stand out—lean into it constantly.


It could be:


  • A flaming cocktail

  • A weekly drag show

  • Disco balls and velvet booths

  • $2 oysters on Tuesday



We help clients create recurring content series (like “Tequila Thursdays” or “Riff Rants”) to reinforce brand memory and simplify content planning.




6. Use Paid Ads—But Make Them Native



Don’t boost a flyer and hope for the best.


Our bar ad formula includes:


  • Cinematic Reels or Stories

  • Carousel promos with branded text

  • A/B testing of multiple content types

  • Hyper-local targeting

  • Retargeting campaigns



We ran summer campaigns for The Pool Club using aerials and animated overlays—and the bar packed out within 48 hours.




7. Treat Every Event Like a Mini-Campaign



An event is more than a night—it’s content gold.


Every event should include:


  • Save-the-date teaser

  • Reel or post announcing talent or promo

  • Countdown graphics

  • RSVP links

  • Post-event recap reel



We build pre-and-post event packages that turn one-night activations into multi-week engagement boosts.




8. Track What’s Working



Posting is guesswork unless you’re measuring.


We provide:


  • Reel reach vs. static post engagement

  • Demographic breakdowns

  • Time-of-day performance

  • UGC effectiveness

  • Monthly reporting with insights



This lets us double down on what’s converting—so your content gets sharper every month.




9. Let Staff Join the Brand



Your team is your most underused content resource. Bartenders and servers are natural brand ambassadors.


How to use them:


  • Feature them in Reels

  • Let them share BTS stories

  • Incentivize posts about events

  • Use them in voiceover or written copy



We offer “staff media kits” to make this easy and on-brand.




10. Keep It Real



Not every post needs to be polished. Your audience wants to see the fun, the chaos, the behind-the-scenes energy.


Repost that blurry photo of the last round of shots. Share the bartender dance-off. Film a messy cocktail spill. Authenticity is content.




Final Pour: Social Media Should Be Fun—And Functional



Social media is where your bar comes alive before anyone even walks in. It should feel like the space, sound like your team, and perform like a marketing machine.


At Billy Boy Studio, we build social systems that look great, sound sharp, and fill your bar—night after night.



📩 Want your bar’s social presence to match your in-person vibe?

Let’s build something unforgettable. Visit www.billyboy.studio or DM us @BillyBoyStudio

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