Hyper Goat Coffee spends €2,000 a month on social media, with its owner crediting online promotion with boosting sales. But how can cafés determine whether likes and views translate into money in the till?

 

The café’s owner, Jonathan Maye, points to a social media campaign promoting €5 açai bowls at its Swords branch as an example of how online attention can drive sales.

 

 

“We went from 50 euro on a Sunday to 700 or 800 euro on a Sunday after we launched the açai at five euro,” he said.

 

Maye estimates that sales at the Swords branch increased by 60 to 70 per cent after the business began promoting the shop on social media.

 

“In my opinion, you can’t really survive without it,” he said.

 

Maye said the business has hired two people to manage its social media presence, with its €2,000 monthly investment focused on content rather than paid advertising.

 

However, Maye acknowledges that online attention does not always translate into higher sales.

 

“The majority don’t translate. You get a few at once that will actually convert into sales, but the general posts people look at and move on, so it needs to be something that attracts people’s attention again. Something with a price on it.”

 

Photo credit: Hyper Goat Coffee

 

Dr Niall Minto, a digital marketing lecturer at TU Dublin, said social media provides businesses with valuable data, but owners do not always make full use of it.

 

“Small businesses often lack the time and money to analyse their marketing performance, particularly when owners are occupied with daily operations,” he said. “If you haven’t time to look at the data, you can’t really get the benefits of the data.”

 

Minto suggests tracking promotions through the café’s till system. A discount code shared on social media and recorded when customers make a purchase can help owners identify which posts generate sales.

 

He also suggested a loyalty app could help cafés understand purchasing habits and encourage repeat visits. Unlike paper stamp cards, an app can link purchases to individual customers and allow businesses to send offers directly to them.

 

“With an app, you know who I am, and you know what I drink, and how often I drink it,” he said.

 

However, collecting that information is only useful if owners have time to examine it; Mintos research suggests those less involved in day-to-day customer interactions are more likely to use data to inform business decisions.

 

“The further you were from the customer, the more likely you are to use the data,” he said.

 

That does not mean losing contact with customers. Minto also acknowledged the importance of spending time on the café floor, where owners can hear directly from customers and understand their needs.

 

“Be on the floor some of the time because you need to know what’s going on.”

 

For Maye, appearing in social media content is another way to connect with customers.

 

“You need to put a face to the brand. So that’s why, unfortunately, I have to jump in a lot of videos,” he said.

 

Photo credit: Hyper Goat Coffee

 

Maye said Hyper Goat monitors Instagram and TikTok analytics alongside sales and footfall to assess whether its social media activity is working.

 

“You can see the difference in it,” he said.

 

Minto said businesses need to choose their social media platforms according to the customers they want to reach.

 

“If it’s Generation X, then it’s Facebook. If it’s Generation Z, then it’s Instagram or Snapchat or something.”

 

He cautioned against assuming that someone’s age or familiarity with social media automatically equips them to manage a business’s marketing. Understanding the target audience is an important part of deciding where to invest time and money.

 

“There’s this perception: you’re young, you’re on social media, of course you know what you’re doing, but if you’re not qualified, it’s not always the case.”

 

Maye’s experience and Minto’s advice point to a practical lesson for cafés: win attention, then measure the return. Knowing what works helps owners decide where to spend next. After all, likes won’t keep the till ringing.