Why Your Cafe's TikTok Isn’t Getting Engagement (And How to Fix It)

Many cafe and small business owners face the same challenge: posting content on TikTok but struggling to get the engagement they hope for, or sometimes, any engagement at all. You’ve been promoting your products with delicious photos of your cakes or carefully crafted lattes, but something still feels off.

Here’s the key: TikTok isn’t about pushing sales. It’s about creating engaging, authentic content that resonates with your audience. In this blog, we’ll show you exactly how to make TikTok work for your business. With real-life examples of viral cafes and juice bars with millions of views on TikTok, plus practical tips from each, you’ll learn how to craft content that entertains, educates, and inspires—so your cafe can start building a viral presence.

By the end, you’ll have a solid, scalable strategy to boost your TikTok engagement and start seeing real results.

Why People Don’t Care About Your Products... Yet

The key to successful TikTok content is understanding that people don’t care about your products until they care about your brand. Nobody goes on TikTok to be sold to—they go there to have fun, learn something new, or get inspired.

To make your content engaging, you need to speak to what your audience actually cares about. When you align your content with their interests, you’ll create opportunities for them to engage, comment, and share. That’s when the magic happens.

This is where customer experience (CX) strategies play a crucial role. Just as the best brands use CX data to anticipate and solve pain points for their customers, you can craft TikTok content that anticipates what your audience wants to see. By tapping into your customer’s emotions and preferences, you turn casual viewers into loyal followers.

If you’re looking for a tool to help you map out these touchpoints and identify key moments where engagement is most likely, tools like Viral CX can make it easier to understand your customers’ journey. Viral CX helps you optimize customer experiences, so you can deliver TikTok content that resonates with your audience and drives better results.

Create Content Your Customers Actually Want to See

When it comes to TikTok, your customers don’t want to be sold to—they want to be entertained, inspired, or educated. Especially for small businesses, posting perfectly staged photos of your latte, cakes, or opening hours won’t make your cafe engaging or viral. TikTok thrives on authenticity and creativity, so your content needs to go beyond just showcasing products.

In 2022, TikTok found that 73% of users said they feel a deeper connection to brands when they interact with them on TikTok, compared to other social platforms. And 71% of Gen Z, which makes up to almost 70% of total TikTok users, said "I'm always open to discovering new brands".

What your audience truly craves is content that connects with them emotionally. Whether it’s making them laugh, giving them a behind-the-scenes peek into your business, or teaching them something new about your products, your content should serve a purpose beyond selling.

This is where creating shareable, authentic experiences becomes crucial. The more you understand the types of content that will entertain or inspire your audience, the better you can connect with them. And when you create content that your followers enjoy and want to engage with, your chances of going viral dramatically increase.

Learn from the Cafes That Went Viral on TikTok

Let’s take a look at some real-life examples of cafes and food businesses that have nailed TikTok content, built strong brands, and gone viral in the process.

The Nitro Bar

The Nitro Bar, a local coffee shop in Rhode Island, has built an impressive following on TikTok, with nearly half a million followers. What’s their secret? They’ve managed to create content that feels more like a normal TikToker sharing their experience at a local cafe rather than traditional business promotion.

Their content invites participation with fun, conversation-starting questions like, “What’s your barista ick?” or “What’s your most controversial opinion?” These questions spark engagement and boost TikTok’s algorithm, helping their videos reach even more viewers.

They also stick to a simple, repeatable format because it’s both effective and easy to produce. Content creation can be time-consuming, especially if you don’t have a marketing team to help you out. That’s why it’s crucial to find a content style that’s both scalable and easy to replicate. By using the same format for their videos, The Nitro Bar saves time and effort while consistently engaging their audience.

Key takeaway: Create content that’s shareable and easy to engage with. Encourage participation by asking questions that spark conversation and invite followers to comment.

Joe & The Juice

Despite being a global chain, Joe & The Juice has successfully maintained a cozy, authentic vibe on TikTok. Their videos feature relatable, humorous moments with their staff, making the brand feel personable and approachable.

What sets them apart is their ability to engage with followers. Joe & The Juice doesn’t focus on direct sales but instead builds engagement through authentic, fun content and direct interaction in the comments.

With just 200k followers, they achieve better engagement than many larger brands, including Starbucks with 2.2M followers.

Key takeaway: Focus on fun, lighthearted content. Engage actively with your followers to build a loyal community around your brand.

Matcha Bar

Matcha Bar in Ireland is a perfect example of how transparency and sharing the behind-the-scenes journey of building a business can create a strong emotional connection. Before opening their doors, the owner had already gained 20,000 followers on TikTok by sharing everything from website design to matcha sourcing trips in Japan.

By bringing followers along for the ride, the brand built anticipation and excitement. When the cafe finally opened, there was a huge line of customers eager to support the brand they had watched grow.

When done right, this marketing strategy is almost fool-proof, especially for small businesses. This strategy—known as founder-led marketing—where the owner or founder personally connects with the audience and become the face of the brand. It allows customers to feel like they’re part of the journey, which builds trust and loyalty. A similar approach was used by Signet Sunday, a fashion brand founded by a "finance bro" who sold £100,000 worth of sweaters in just two hours.

Key takeaway: Share your journey early and often. Transparency builds trust and helps your audience feel involved in your process, making them more likely to support you when your doors open.

The Strategy That Works: Shareable Content

So, how can you apply these lessons to your own TikTok strategy? Here are the key takeaways for creating engaging content that will help your cafe or juice bar grow its following and go viral:

• Create Shareable, Relatable Content: Focus on making content people will want to share. This could be fun questions, behind-the-scenes moments, or humor that resonates with your target audience.

• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and make your followers feel like they’re part of your brand’s journey. Building a community is as important as building content.

• Focus on Personality: Put a face to your brand. Whether it’s you or your staff, let your audience see the people behind your business. The more relatable and genuine your content, the more likely people are to engage.

• Be Transparent: Don’t wait until your business is fully established to start creating content. Share the process, the highs and lows, and let your followers feel involved. Transparency builds trust and emotional connections with your audience.

The secret to viral content isn’t flashy ads or over-the-top production—it’s about creating shareable, relatable experiences that resonate with your audience and make them want to engage with your brand. When you focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience at every touchpoint, your content will naturally perform better.

Want to Learn More?

If you want to dive deeper into how customer experience can help your business go viral, check out our full in-depth blog on the topic. Learn how to create customer experiences that drive engagement and growth—not just on TikTok, but across all your marketing channels. With tools like Viral CX, you can optimize your customer experience strategy and take your content to the next level.