For video gaming terminal (VGT) businesses and the bars or restaurants that host them, a strong social media presence can drive foot traffic, build loyalty, and keep your establishment top of mind in a crowded entertainment landscape. It all adds up to added revenue.
But it’s not just about being present. It’s about engagement—how often your audience interacts with your content and takes action, such as visiting your location or telling friends and family about it. High engagement means more visibility, customer trust, and more chances to convert online interest into in-person visits.
Here are some ideas to increase your social media presence and engagement—specifically tailored for VGT businesses like bars, restaurants and gaming cafes.
1. Leverage Promotions, Sweepstakes & Giveaways
Few tactics drive engagement like the chance to win something. For VGT businesses, promotions can double as both a marketing tool and an action-based incentive.
- Promote Sweepstakes and Giveaways: Talk with your terminal operator (TO) about upcoming sweepstakes and giveaways. Plot them on a calendar then mark days in advance to promote them. It’s best to post early (at least a few weeks in advance) and often (at least once per week leading up to the promotion, and more frequently the closer the date gets.
- Photo Contests: Encourage guests to snap photos playing your VGTs and otherwise enjoying your establishment, and to share them by using a branded hashtag (e.g., #PlayAtLuckyLou’s). Or, ask them to share the photos with you and share them on your business’ social media account. You could reward those who share photos with a random drawing for a giveaway. The more people share, the more likely others will see your establishment as a friendly place to relax and unwind.
- Re-post content from your TO. Whenever your TO posts about a new game, a special promotion or a sweepstakes, repost their content to your social media page. Sharing these posts can go a long way toward exposing audiences to these opportunities who might not otherwise see it, as well as build excitement for your location.
Key to success: Be sure to keep any sweepstakes or giveaway entry process simple and the visuals eye-catching.
2. Highlight Menu Items & Drink Specials
For bars and restaurants that host VGTs, food and drink content is king. Posts featuring limited-time specials or new menu items consistently get strong engagement.
- Post behind-the-scenes videos of your chef preparing a special dish. Chefs love sharing their creations, and people love seeing a delicious dish being made! Pick out a couple of your top-selling menu items and film your chef preparing them. Share this on social media and consider pairing the post with a special promotion for that dish for the week.
- Announce new menu items. Whenever you have a new or seasonally-limited menu item, take a photo of it and post it to your social account along with a description of the dish.
- Post about daily, weekly or monthly specials. When your business runs a food or drink special, be sure to post it on your social media accounts detailing the great deal that it is!
Key to success: High quality photos and videos! Remove clutter from the scene, make sure the scene is well-lit, and that dishes are presented cleanly. (Photo filters can help!)
3. Feature Your Patrons
User-generated content (UGC) is one of the most powerful tools to build authenticity and trust on social media.
- Post photos of real guests enjoying your games (with their permission).
- Ask winning players to pose for a photo with their winning ticket! Everyone loves a winning story, and it’s always a good idea to showcase people having fun in your establishment. When other people see winners, they are more inclined to try their luck, too!
- Celebrate “Player of the Week” or “High Roller Happy Hour” regulars. People want to be a part of a community, and this is a great way to make others feel at home in your establishment.
Key to success: Find your most enthusiastic patrons–their energy will come through in photos, and they are more likely to comment and share the content with their friends!
4. Post Surveys, Quick Contests and Other Engagement-Ready Content
Create a sense of urgency with content designed to be fleeting and interactive. Quick content like this keeps people engaged with your social media account in the long-term.
- Survey your patrons by asking them to answer a question, like “what should our special be next week?” Be sure to give them a short list of options to make it easier for them to respond.
- Create a quick contest, like asking people to leave a comment with a certain emoji (perhaps a 🌞 on a nice day), and offer the first 10 people to comment a prize, like a buy-one-get-one drink or menu item.
- Post about seasonal or timely events, including weather, popular sporting events and holidays. Remember that social media is a conversation, so think about it like you might have a conversation with one of your patrons.
Key to success: Urgency motivates action—and platforms like Instagram Stories or Facebook Events are perfect for time-sensitive content.
5. Best Practices for Small Business Social Media Engagement
Whether you operate a gaming cafe or a bar or restaurant with gaming, here are some social media best practices that will raise visibility and engagement across the board.
- Post consistently (try for 3x per week, every week)
- Respond to comments and DMs quickly—engagement goes both ways!
- Use hashtags relevant to your audience and location (e.g. #IllinoisGaming, #Aurora #Bar)
- Use high-quality visuals—this can be a challenge in bars and restaurants but phone cameras can work wonders with even decent lighting and just a little editing
- Monitor analytics to learn what posts perform best and build on your successes
- Every post should offer value—whether it’s entertainment, information, or incentive
For VGT businesses and gaming-friendly venues, social media isn’t just a billboard—it’s a conversation. Done right, it can turn casual players into loyal fans, one post at a time. Focus on authenticity, keep the content varied and fun, and always give your audience a reason to connect with you online and in person.
