What to post on Facebook as a café: 30 ideas that take one photo

Most café owners we talk to have the same problem with Facebook. It's not that they have nothing to say. It's that by the time the morning rush is over, the moment has passed and the photo never gets taken.

So this list has one rule: every idea needs one photo you can take with your phone in under ten seconds, and one line of text. No campaign, no theme week, no "content strategy". Just the thing in front of you.

Food and drink (the obvious ones, done simply)

1. First batch out of the oven. Scones, muffins, whatever came out first. "Still warm. Open till 3."
2. Today's cabinet. One wide shot before the doors open. People check this at 7am.
3. The special. Photo on the pass before it goes out. Name it and the price.
4. Coffee of the week if you rotate beans. Say where it's from in one line.
5. Something seasonal. Feijoas, the first asparagus, new-season apples. People in NZ notice.
6. The thing that sells out. "Gone by 11 most days. We made extra today."
7. A drink that isn't coffee. Hot chocolate in winter, iced something in summer.
8. Gluten-free, vegan or dairy-free option. One photo, one label. This post gets saved and shared more than you'd think.

The people

9. A staff member on their first day. First name, what they're learning. Regulars love knowing who's new.
10. The barista who's been there longest. How long, and their go-to order.
11. A regular's usual, with their permission. "Trim flat white, extra hot, every day since 2019."
12. The owner. You. One photo, one honest line about why you opened the place.
13. A supplier dropping off. The baker, the milk run, the veg delivery. Tag them if they're on Facebook.

The place

14. The front door at opening time. Sunlight, sign flipped to Open.
15. The quiet corner where people work on laptops. "Power points at every table."
16. Dogs welcome? Say so, with a photo of a dog outside.
17. Rainy day inside shot. "Warm in here. Come in."
18. The outdoor tables on the first good day of spring.
19. Something you fixed or changed. New chairs, a repainted wall, a new menu board.

Hours and practical things

20. Public holiday hours. Post it the week before. This is the single most useful post you'll make all year.
21. Closing early or opening late, with the reason if you like. "Staff Christmas lunch, back at 2."
22. Where to park. Photo of the street with an arrow.
23. Can people book a table? Can they order ahead? Say which.
24. Catering or group orders. "We do morning tea boxes for offices. Message us."

Little moments

25. A latte art attempt that went wrong. More engagement than the perfect ones.
26. The last slice of something. "One left. First to get here."
27. A thank-you post after a busy weekend.
28. A photo from a year ago next to one from today.
29. A question with an easy answer. "Flat white or long black?" Keep it to things people actually have opinions about.
30. A review someone left, quoted with their first name, if they're happy for you to share it.

How to make this take ten minutes a week

Pick three ideas from the list on Monday. Take the photos as the moments happen during the week. Post them when you have a quiet minute, or schedule them. Three posts a week is enough for a local café; more than that and you'll run out of energy before you run out of ideas.

Two things make the difference between posts that work and posts that disappear:

• A real photo beats a stock one every time. Slightly messy, your actual cabinet, your actual staff. That's what people are checking for.
• Say the practical thing. Hours, price, "still warm", "gone by 11". People are deciding whether to come in, so answer that question.

If you'd rather not do it yourself

This is the part HereFlick does. You send one photo or one line from the list above, and we write the post for Facebook, Instagram and your Google Business Profile, make the image, and send it back for you to approve. Nothing goes out until you say yes. See how it works.