Food has become todays social currency thanks to how we share it online!
A few years ago choosing a restaurant or cafe was simple.. recommendations from a friend or a good review in a newspaper was suffice. We are seeing a shift in how restaurants are creating PURPOSEFUL INSTAGRAMABLE MOMENTS.... with special touches designed to entice Social Interaction.
1 -2 people take food photos on their mobiles. When it comes to food the camera really does eat first!
Food trends like 'Freak Shakes, Rainbow Frappucinos, mermaid toasties fill our insta feeds and ultimately drive clients into our venues!. Crazy as it sounds food has become a 'CLICKABLE STATUS SYMBOL'. We are happy to wait in line for hours just to try the next viral food craze!
Desserts are the current 'graming' trend the more indulgent and decadent the more they seem to go viral!
Instagram has 40 million users everyday, 5 million photos are being uploaded daily. Todays Millennials form more that 50 percent of your customer base, they want great food, great service and great photos! They present the largest segment online. This demographic want experiences, connecting with friends, sharing shopping tips, what to buy, where to eat... Offer Millenuils what they are looking for as this is the social group that love experiences around food!
Image @kyndcommunity
Your fit out is equally as important to attracting your tribe. Instagram triggers include things like funky wall paper, neon signs, lifestyle-sayings. Decor has become as much a part of the ever growing insta-trend! Bloggers or foodies will frequent a cafe just to have a photo taken against that wall!
@thebotanicavaucluse - has captured the instagram fit out perfectly! Trending botanical wall paper and tones of pink, hanging greenery has made this venue an instagram hot spot.
Selficinoes.... Yes this trend exists! Ask yourself what are you doing to attract your customers. Are you as an eatery exploiting this marketing phenomena. Well plated dishes, tasty fare and food served with a bit of theatre can be your ticket for tags, likes and shares. In order to find upcoming food trends and what your target audience is craving you need to broaden your social listening. Use your social to gather data and tap into what is current.
75% of users say they have picked a restaurant based on social media photos alone!
Instagram food trends promote a certain lifestyle because all of us are on our phones throughout the day, its another way to connect with other peoples lifestyles. With this in mind think of a ways to adjust your menus to provide meals that photograph well. People are more aware than ever of what food looks like, independents can get a leg up by coming up with a value proposition that can make your eatery an instagram hot spot!
Find your niche and a dish that can become an instagram treasure trove!
Lets talk social... the look and feel of your feed is so important to your brand! Getting potential clients to 'linger longer' and standing out in the noise of instagrams is key! How to do this? Creating amazing and consistent content is vital. Your feed must be cohesive not only in its look and feel but also in the content your are posting. If you look at my feed for example, it tells you about me, its personable and has a style that is easily recognisable to my brand.
My food styling page tells a story of my brand. Make sure your feed looks enticing and your content is fresh and original.
How to create amazing food shots. A few tips to getting insta - food famous!
* Work in natural light. Try and shoot your food shots in good light which generally is in the mornings. Photograph your dish outside if need be. There is nothing worse than a dark and over edited food shot.
* Less is often more with food shots, let the food do the talking! A simple dish that is accessorised with the right tableware can become a highly likeable instagram moment.
* Garnish is your friend... you cannot go wrong with adding a touch of greenery to your dishes. Work with fresh herbs to breathe life into your food shots.
*If you are struggling Food apps like "foodie" have built in filters to make you look all the more professional.
Raw, vegan and healthy dishes are equally as popular on our socials. A beautiful açai bowl with an artisan feel is equally as trendy as the decadents.
We have to pay attention to this trend. If you are a food brand or business and you have neglected your social its time to switch on and pay attention to this growing trend. 200 million posts have appeared on insta since its inception. In a time poor society social media really provides the platform to have these conversations.
Create a signature dish this could be your instagram kryptonite!