Video content is at an all-time high. In fact, research suggests that the global average for video consumption could be up to 17 hours a week![i] This includes time spent on the usual suspects of Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, as marketers and brands look to reach new audiences. Indeed, video content on Instagram has never had a more important place in marketing strategy as it has today.

As a food and drink brand, how can you leverage video content to realise your ambitions? And what are some of the realistic goals you can achieve through video marketing?

Reach & Awareness

Before I explain, I thought I’d share a snippet of a success story.

We recently helped a client introduce reels onto its Instagram page. In just six months, post reach was up +333% compared to the six months prior.

What’s more, we found that often our content was consumed more by non-followers than our own audience.

The takeaway?

Short-form videos, in reel format (1080px x 1920px or an aspect ratio of 9:16) were picked up by the Instagram algorithm, and pushed out onto Explore pages to be consumed by app users. From organic content, we were able to reach new audiences, encourage engagement and offer visually exciting content including recipe inspiration and foodie hacks.

As we continue to see a rise in the number of people using social media as a search engine[ii], it is possible to reach new audiences without paying more for it!

Storytelling

As an agency, we work with fantastic brands across retail, consumer and foodservice. We could tell you the USPs of each of the products we look to advertise, and the reasons for why you should use them. But how do we sell a USP in an exciting and engaging way? The answer… lies in storytelling.

Instagram has always been a visually-led platform, and this is no different when using reels, compared to static images.

In-use action shots, case studies from end-users (read more about how to maximise these HERE) and UGC (or user-generated content) all help to show off your products in a new way.

It’s less about the branding, and more about the brand.

Provide inspiration, take part in relevant trends and have genuine, authentic reviews from users.

Authentic content = engaged audiences = algorithm boost (even on TikTok).

Top Tip? Keep videos short and snappy. Users need to watch for an average of 3 seconds to count as a view, so if you’ve not hooked your audience by then, they’ve scrolled on.

Brand Trust & Recognition

In 2023, jellybean conducted social listening research on over 7,000 chefs.[iii] We found that chefs are more likely to be influenced by video content than the average UK audience! In fact, we also found that the top two factors influencing purchase were: brand recognition and friends and family.

Now with the right tactics on Instagram we can expand reach to build brand awareness.  Combined with traditional PR, trade media and of course, existing socials, a multi-pronged approach can build an effective integrated marketing strategy.

Whilst recent research found that consumers admitted they find UGC to be more trustworthy than brand-created content, some Gen-Z users even said they would be discouraged from buying from a brand if they didn’t have UGC.[iv] So engaging your audience to share content and of course harnessing the power of authentic influencers is crucial when it comes to socials, so for a deep-dive, I recommend you read another one of our blogs HERE.

Here to help

If you’re a food and drink brand, looking to jump into the world of video content, influencer marketing, video case studies or UGC, why not get in touch?

With our experience and expertise, we can help:

  • Plan a strategy for video content, with our know-how on watch times, formats and best times to post
  • Find and liaise with influencers that work within your marketing budget and will help you reach your target audience
  • Develop standout content
  • Manage your social media and content planning, as well as provide in-depth reporting and analysis

To learn more and get a feel for who we are and what we do, follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

[i]  The Social Shepherd, https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics, January 2025

[ii] Meltwater, 2025 Marketing Trends

[iii] Jellybean Chef Research, Survey Of 7,500 Chefs, 2023

[iv] Linquai, 2024 via Meltwater, 2025 Marketing Trends

Caitlin Hynd
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