Digital marketing for cafés - Winning strategies to attract customers

Today, a café’s reputation is built online as well. Well-curated photos, positive reviews, and authentic communication on social media can make the difference between an ordinary café and a recognized point of reference.

Digital marketing for cafés is not just about visibility, but a true strategic tool to tell the story of quality, service, and brand identity. In a sector where customer experience is everything, communicating consistently means strengthening the connection with your audience and turning every cup of coffee served into a story worth sharing.

Why digital marketing is essential for cafés today

Consumer behaviour has changed: people looking for a new café or a place to have breakfast increasingly do so online, through Google reviews, Instagram posts, and friends’ recommendations. Having a well-structured digital presence makes it possible to be found, showcase your uniqueness, and build loyalty among regular customers.

Through digital marketing, a café can:

• promote offers, events, and seasonal specials
• tell behind-the-scenes stories, showing passion for coffee
• improve brand reputation through authentic content
• build an active and engaged local community

Every piece of content published - whether a photo, a video, or a reel - becomes an opportunity to convey the café’s identity and reinforce the perception of quality.

Social media marketing - Creating content that drives engagement

Social networks are now an extension of a café’s counter. People no longer just drink a coffee: they photograph it, share it, and talk about it. Knowing how to manage this digital space strategically is essential.

Creating valuable content means combining aesthetics and authenticity. Photos should be well-curated but genuine, captions consistent with the café’s tone of voice, and videos able to convey emotion. Alternating promotional posts, curiosities, behind-the-scenes content, and everyday stories helps build a continuous narrative that keeps the relationship with the audience alive.

Planning is also essential: creating an editorial plan (PED) makes it possible to organize content strategically, taking seasonality, events, and current trends into account.

Training to grow - Digital Marketing courses from Accademia Portioli

To support owners and professionals in the Ho.Re.Ca. sector, Accademia Portioli has developed two training programs dedicated to digital marketing:

• Social Media Marketing Course: aimed at owners and employees of cafés, restaurants, and hotels, this course provides comprehensive training on using key online tools - websites, e-commerce, blogs, and social networks - to effectively promote your business. The practical component helps participants create strategies based on target audiences and concrete goals, empowering each participant to manage digital communication independently
   
• Social Media Manager Course: Designed for those who want to learn how to create and publish effective content, the course delves into the daily management of social media channels. From crafting copy and graphics to producing videos and reels, and planning an editorial calendar, each module is structured to build a consistent and professional online presence. Attendance of Accademia’s photography course is required, providing the skills to produce high-quality images independently.
   

Both courses combine theory and practice, featuring concrete examples drawn from the real world of cafés. The goal is to equip professionals with the tools to turn digital communication into a competitive advantage and bring coffee culture online, with the style and care that have always distinguished the Portioli brand.

Digitalization is an essential strategic lever for any business. With Accademia Portioli courses, baristas and café owners can learn to showcase their identity and products, communicating with passion and awareness even in the digital world.