Driving Growth with Reels for Café Corazón

Café Corazón was founded by George and Wendy Mireles in 2009 in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. Drawing inspiration from their time in the San Francisco Bay Area, they focused on sourcing local ingredients. From beef and produce supplied by Wendy’s family farm to vegetables grown in their own urban garden, the restaurant has long emphasized sustainability and freshness. The concept expanded to Bay View in 2016, with each location maintaining the same commitment to local food and experience. I first met them by taking photos of their menu for updated imagery for online promotions.

By late 2023, Café Corazón wanted to increase visibility on Instagram, attract new customers, and drive more action from its audience. Despite strong community ties, their Brown Deer account was not reaching enough new diners and needed a content strategy that matched the quality and ethos of their food.

I introduced a series of Instagram reels in December, designed to highlight the restaurant’s dishes, atmosphere and fundraiser promotions in a way that felt authentic and engaging. The goal was not only to entertain but to inspire viewers to take action to visit the restaurant and engage with their Tu y Yo Taco Tuesday promotion.

The Results (December 2023)

Audience Growth: 3,521 accounts reached in December, including 2,925 non-followers.
Impressions: 16,235 total impressions, a 247% increase compared to November.
Profile Activity: Overall profile activity rose by 41.4%.

Profile visits increased 37.2%, totaling 177.

External link taps jumped 300%, totaling 12.

The Impact

The introduction of reels shifted Café Corazón’s social presence from static to growth-focused. The content not only attracted attention but also converted views into meaningful actions. More people visited the profile, clicked through to menus and locations, and discovered the brand for the first time.

With this foundation in place, the strategy expanded into January with a focus on specific promotions such as Tu Y Yo Tuesdays and merchandise pushes. The December performance proved that reels can be used as a tool for both awareness and direct sales impact.