Instagram has become one of the most important marketing tools for any reputable bakery or patisserie brand. Its significance has grown year by year, and having a presence on this platform is now essential for building brand awareness. However, managing a business profile on Instagram requires a well-thought-out strategy to fully leverage its potential. In this article, we’ll show you how to effectively run a bakery or patisserie Instagram to achieve your marketing goals.
How should you manage the Instagram account of a bakery or patisserie brand? In short, by posting attractive photos and engaging your followers. Once your customers feel that your profile is “their place” and a source of valuable content, they’ll be eager to return for more. Where to start?
Set Clear Goals
When defining the objectives of your communication on Instagram, you must choose between strengthening your brand image, increasing recognition, and driving sales. If you opt for all of these, establish a hierarchy by prioritizing one over the others.
On Instagram, you can showcase your products while also providing information about where they can be purchased. Your profile can also serve as an educational tool or help position your brand as an attractive employer. In short, you can simultaneously communicate, inspire, and engage with your audience.
Having a presence on Instagram can support the acquisition of user generated content, which is content created by followers of your profile. It’s also worth using Instagram to show behind-the-scenes aspects of your business – like the preparation of dough, the baking process, or how you set up your displays in retail locations. This can greatly enhance sales, as consumers will see an image on Instagram and then find your product on the shelf. The key is to consistently stick to your chosen goals, stay focused on your real capabilities, and continuously engage with your audience.
Get to Know Your Audience
By the way… Be sure to gather all available information about your audience in one document. The better you understand their expectations and needs, the sooner you’ll succeed. Ask yourself these questions:
- What do they expect?
- What are they afraid of?
- What are their interests?
- Which of their problems can you help solve?
- What can you do to make them return?
These are just the most important questions, but they form a solid foundation for your action plan.
Create Personas
It’s a good idea to create a few personas, or “profiles,” of your followers. The more detailed the information you include, the better. Of course, this means you’ll rely somewhat on your subjective view of reality, but that’s perfectly fine – after all, you know your potential customers and employees best. You can also gather additional information from statistics, which we’ll discuss shortly.
Personas ready? In their descriptions, make sure to include which topics and types of posts will be most attractive and engaging for them. The most important thing is that they’ll want to keep coming back to the content you publish. The ideal audience is one that eagerly anticipates your next inspirations or “nuggets of knowledge” from your profile.
What’s next? Time to get to work! Publish content that your audience will want to respond to – by commenting, asking questions, and (hopefully, most often) sharing. Don’t forget to ask questions, invite dialogue, and encourage comments.
Focus on Stories and… Carousels
On Instagram, you can share two main types of content: traditional posts on your main feed and Stories, which disappear after 24 hours. Yes, those little circles at the very top of your screen — you can’t miss them!
Workshop Inspiration: How to Photograph Baked Goods
- To create eye-catching photos and videos, all you really need is… your smartphone. Just make sure to set your image quality to the highest settings. Most modern phone cameras also let you shoot in slow motion — perfect for highlighting small details, like the crunch of a perfectly baked crust.
- You can light your “photo set” using something as simple as a regular LED flashlight. Diffuse the light with a white paper bag or a plain napkin to soften the effect.
- When framing your shot, you don’t need to capture the entire baked item. Focus on a chosen part of the golden, crispy crust — the kind of close-up that makes mouths water.
- Keep in mind that almost any bread looks fantastic when placed near or against a background of fresh, green plants. You’ll get a double benefit: a visually appealing shot and an impression of freshness and natural origin.
- If the surface of your baked good looks too pale or dull, improve its appearance by brushing a little olive oil on the crust. Before it fully absorbs, snap your photos — the result will be much more appetizing.
What’s the most popular Instagram post format? Stories tend to perform best. They allow for open-ended questions and short polls — perfect for quick engagement.
Tap into one of Instagram’s biggest trends: educational carousels. These let you share quite a bit of valuable info in an engaging format (up to 10 slides), ending with a question that invites comments. For example, you can explain a technical baking term or walk your audience through the process behind a specific product. Share quotes, fun sayings, or tie your posts to current events — it’s a great way to break the ice between your brand and your audience.
More Content Ideas for the Bakery & Pastry Industry
- Create short video clips (max. 15 seconds) in slow motion — like tearing a crispy bun with crumbs flying, a golden loaf sliding out of the oven, or cookies being delicately decorated. These moments feel satisfying and irresistible.
- Another great idea: design Instagram shareables (aka “Insta-tiles”) that showcase specific baked goods. Followers can repost them to their Stories to show off their personal favorites.
- Use either square (e.g. 1080 × 1080 px) or vertical (1080 × 1250 px) graphics, but we recommend vertical — after all, most people browse Instagram on vertically held smartphones.
- In your captions or comments, mix and match hashtags of different sizes — from niche to mainstream. For example: A branded, niche tag like #wacekbakery A small one like #speltbread (used in ~5,200 posts) A medium one like #sourdoughbread (~61k posts) And a popular one like #bread (over 270k posts). This strategy helps you reach various audience segments and boost your content’s visibility.
One more thing: don’t worry if engagement is low at the start. It’s completely normal. Think of your audience like guests arriving at a party full of new faces — they need a moment to warm up before joining the conversation.
Marketing on Instagram: What Else Should You Know?
Check your analytics regularly — not just to see which posts get the most engagement, but also to understand who your audience is: their age, location, and interests. This data helps you fine-tune your content over time, which is essential for long-term success.
Above all, remember: engaging content is everything. Eye-catching, memorable images make people come back — and encourage them to share your profile with others.
And don’t forget to follow others, too: Your competitors, Baking influencers, Other standout bakery and pastry brands. They’re an endless source of ideas and inspiration.
Aim to keep your profile authentic and visually consistent. Overediting — especially with Instagram filters — can do more harm than good. You want your products to look fresh, natural, and trustworthy, right? Focus on inviting, real-life photos and videos, not stiff catalog-style product shots. In the end, it’s not about the algorithm — it’s about your audience and the emotions you create.
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