Pubs and clubs and bars… Oh my!

As my fifth full day in London draws to a close, it’s time to start really looking back on my research and what I’m beginning to learn about social media and its applications to small business marketing.

When I began my research in the U.S., I decided I wanted to examine this topic through the lens of the hospitality industry. Bar culture is something prevalent in college towns like Kent all across the U.S., and the nightlife here in the U.K. is a prevalent cultural staple as well.

The more I explore the pubs, meet with my interviewees and immerse myself in society here, the more I realize at the core of it all, the strategies are almost exactly the same on both sides of the pond.

The idea that visual content is king when driving engagement through social media seems to hold true here just as it does back home, and I’ve seen some establishments who are doing this very well.

Charterhouse is one of those. This historic bar, located not far from our flats in central London, capitalizes on the scenes afforded by the variety of events it hosts as opportunities for photos to share with its online audience.

The folks at Charterhouse also do a great job fostering conversation on their Facebook page by tying content and promotions they post online back to events in the community, the most recent being Clerkenwell Design Week.

One interesting thing I learned here is the difference between bars and pubs. Prior to my trip, I didn’t really think much of it, and I guess I subconsciously told myself “pubs” were just what the Brits referred to their bars as. One of my interviewees pointed out this isn’t necessarily the case.

Eilidh Mather owns the Slaughtered Lamb, another pub here in Clerkenwell. She told me pubs tend to be more low-keyplaces people come to meet for a bite to eat and a few drinks.

The Slaughtered Lamb, located on a back street in Clerkenwell, is acclaimed by pub critics as one of the many hidden gems of London.

They sometimes feature entertainment, but their main focus is on having light meals, beer and a relaxed atmosphere for guests. Bars are less about food, more about the booze. What they lack in a menu, they make up for with their hard liquor selections. London also has its fair share of clubs, which focus most on entertainment, house music, etc.I found this breakdown interesting, because understanding that separation helps to identify what conversations these establishments are, and should be, starting with their audiences online.

I have some other interviews lined up this week, and I’m excited to see what they have to say about audience segmentation for social media or any other differences they can point out to me.

Author 
Justin Lagore