Francis Beaumont lived in Shakespeare’s shadow. He was an English playwright who lived at the same time as Will. One of his best-known works is The Knight of the Burning Pestle, first performed around 1607.
Inside the play is a character called Old Merrythought. He has spent his money, avoids his responsibilities and sings whenever life becomes difficult.
His frustrated wife finally leaves him, saying:
“Let him stay at home and sing for his supper.”
And that’s where the expression “sing for your supper” comes from.
Sing for your supper
That’s what social media is. Us singing for our supper.
Or, at least, that’s what we think is expected.
The first narrative we’re conditioned to believe is that we need to be on it. If you’re not on Instagram, does your coffee business even exist?
The second is that we need to be seen. You can be on Instagram but if nobody sees you there, does your coffee business even exit?
So do whatever it takes to be seen. Which invariably means we do whatever is trending. Whatever happens to be getting views that week.
So we dance, we perform, we fall to the floor, we spill drinks, we pretend to be a difficult customer, we say things like “f*ck matcha.”
Finally, we’re told that being seen means feeding the algorithm. Chasing virality.
And when we go viral, the job is done.
Is it though?
Attention is not the same as demand
Researchers from Harvard, MIT and the Harbin Institute of Technology matched 2,685 influencer videos on Douyin, the original Chinese version of TikTok, with actual sales of the advertised products on Taobao.
The sales data were collected between May and November 2019. The peer-reviewed study was published in December 2024.
Food was the largest product category in the study. And the average video received 38,515 likes, 542 comments and 936 shares.
None of those numbers had a meaningful relationship with changes in sales.
They then looked more closely at 259 of those videos. The average video generated an estimated $292 in additional sales. The average influencer charged $2,826 to make it.
Attention is not the same as demand.
When someone watches your baristas dance, they may crack a smile. They may even laugh. But they’ll keep scrolling. Because the fact is, they can like the joke without liking your coffee. They can share the video without knowing where your shop is. And they can follow your account without ever walking through the door.
Attention is not the same as demand.
What to do instead
Stop beginning with the question, “What should we post?”
Begin with:
“Why should someone visit us this week?”
Perhaps you want more people to try breakfast. Perhaps weekday afternoons are quiet. Perhaps customers don’t know that you bake everything in-house. Perhaps the menu doesn’t do a good job of explaining your signature drink.
Choose one reason to visit. Build the week’s posts around it.
Customers are already telling you what to post
Write down what people ask at the counter, in messages and in reviews:
Which drink is not too sweet?
Do you have tables near power sockets?
What time do the pastries sell out?
Is there parking nearby?
Can I bring my dog?
Each question can become a useful post.
Show what people need to see
Rotate between four simple subjects.
The product
Show the pastry being cut open. Compare two drinks. Explain what the signature coffee tastes like. Show the actual portion size.
The visit
Show the shop at different times of day. Film the quiet tables, outdoor seating, parking entrance or walk from the nearest landmark.
The people
Introduce the baker. Ask a barista what they drink after a shift. Show the team preparing before opening.
The proof
Share a customer’s regular order. Show a tray that sold out. Explain where the beans come from. Place a genuine review beside the item it describes.
Give every post one job
Before filming, complete this sentence:
“After seeing this, I want someone to…”
Try the new drink. Come in for breakfast. Visit during a quiet afternoon. Save the location. Send the post to a friend.
If you can’t finish the sentence, don’t make the post.
Follow a simple plan
You don’t need to publish every day.
Monday: Show one product and explain who will enjoy it.
Wednesday: Answer a common question about visiting.
Friday: Show a person, process or customer favourite.
Weekend: Give people one specific reason to come in.
If a trend helps you make one of those posts clearer or more entertaining, use it. If the trend is the only reason the post exists, skip it.
Stop performing for the feed
At the time of writing this Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth is $ 253.6 Billion. He doesn’t need your help making him richer.
Use social media to help people choose your coffee shop. Show them the drinks, the space, the people and the experience waiting for them.
Stop singing for your supper.