The Appetizer Effect: Why Social Media Works in Small Bites

A Simple Strategy for Drawing New People In With Every Post

The server sets down a plate you didn’t order. 

Small. 

Just a few bites.

But it catches your eye. 

The colors pop. 

A drizzle of sauce glistens. 

The aroma rises. 

You lean in.

It doesn’t fill you, but it doesn’t have to. Because now you’re hungry and not just for food, but for the whole experience still to come.

That’s the magic of an appetizer. And it’s the magic our social media can have, too.

Instagram algorithm pushes the first three seconds before a scroll, fifteen seconds to capture attention and value in long-form video content. But it's not just whether or not they consume your content; the real question to ask yourself is, does this moment make someone want to stay at the table?

Small bites. Big story.

Because a post doesn’t have to hold everything, it just has to carry enough of the flavor. Just enough to suggest that a bigger story is unfolding.

Think about your own posts.

• When you share a quick classroom moment, ask: What bigger journey is this a glimpse of?

• When you capture volunteers in action, consider: what rhythm of care or tradition does this reflect?

• When you highlight a holiday craft, frame it as: how does this one spark connect to the larger cycle of Jewish life?

The point isn’t to post more. Post in a way that hints at the whole story, even when you’re only showing a slice.

Every post is an appetizer. 

Small, yes. 

Beautiful, yes. 

However, the real value lies in crafting it with care so that it always points to something bigger.

Not to fill you up. To whet the appetite.

To say: This is only the beginning. There’s more to come.

Because that’s why we post on social media

It’s not about documenting what’s happening, but about drawing new people in. To give them a taste of what it feels like to belong here.

An appetizer doesn’t come after the meal. It comes first.

It sets the tone. It makes you hungry for everything that follows.

And that’s what our posts should do, too.