Eating with Your Eyes – Food, Design and Social Media

Speedos Cafe serving up aesthetically desirable and instagrammable Pitaya Chia Pot
(Image via @speedoscafe via Instagram)

Eating with your eyes

– Food, Design and Social Media 

We live in a digital era where we are all critics. Social media and the Internet, in general, drive our ability to offload our opinions on every element in our lives. Food is a major part of this because our exposure to food globally has dramatically changed. We can view the latest trends from around the world while sitting on our couches.

All businesses, but especially F&B operators, need to adapt to this new normal and recognise that their presence cannot just be confined to within their four walls. Use social media but use it tastefully

The key to remember is that the online personality of your business has to match both the in-store experience and the profile of your customers. Use digital communications to draw customers in and then deliver the best. Represent who you are and what you have to deliver. Above all, be genuine and be real.  

The success of any food business is driven by its customers’ opinion: Do right by them and they will keep on coming back. So with increased food awareness and expectations, what does this mean for food businesses? How do you use social media to your advantage and what traps must you avoid, to remain successful and thriving?

---

Daughter In Law Restaurant - A Complete Sensory Experience Online & In person

---

Being Present online 

• Know and utilise multiple channels. Websites, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin. Research and utilise the channels that work best for you.
  
  Understand why you are going online in the first place. If the real reason is because someone (maybe us) told you to, then stop. Before you can decide on an online presence, you have to know what you expect from the investment. Some of the outcomes could be: Connecting better with and rewarding existing customers, reaching out to new audiences (i.e. corporate clients, functions/events), gaining recognition from peers or tourists.
   

• Create impactful posts that reflect your brand. Don’t portray your business in way that you can’t replicate day-in, day-out. There is a balance that needs to be stuck between marketing and eating – it’s about managing expectations. It is the same issue when writing a menu.
  
  Helena Amante, a Portuguese/Spanish writer, in her latest piece, “Eating with our eyes”, puts it very well: “The food needs to be shot like you are going to serve it or eat it. Food is about sharing. You tell a story of cooking and making, or a story of serving or tasting, or even a story of just ingredients. Whichever story you pick, you need to stick to it and choose everything accordingly, including setting, cutlery, tableware and so on.” 

• Interact with your followers and update (without overloading) them. Stick to a schedule because if you go overboard you will lose their attention. Utilising schedule programs like Hootsuite can always be useful. 
  
  Magazines, newspapers and supermarket circulars all come out on a regular basis. Their customers know when to look for them and look forward to seeing them. Make sure that you have something to tell them.
  

• Be personable yet desirable. Expand your reach but don’t over commit if you cannot deliver as inconsistent social media can be less impactful.

---

Island Market visually curated Instagram account

Island Market in restaurant on brand experience

---

Deliver what you preach 

For those people who don’t know your business personally, the digital communications with your potential customers will build up their expectations on what your food and your food business will look like. And while they do not know exactly what their meals will taste like their eyes are telling them what they should expect. 

The aim is to satisfy the customer and keep them coming back. To avoid disappointment or a bad review, plan your social media around your business and build your business with strong foundations. Maximise your operational standards including beautiful food presentation, clear product display and ticketing, maintain strict hygiene and cleanliness and stay on-brand with all signage, promotions and visual merchandising. 

With digital mediums playing a major role in brand promotion it is only natural that customers are quick to judge when they enter your business for the first time, so be ready. You need to be able to marry the digital experience with reality. Every time.

…

It is important to remember that these theories are not just for food providers but for all customer facing industries. Use social media tastefully and leverage digital communications to draw customers in and then deliver a truly excellent experience.

---

Brunetti’s instagram page successfully reflecting their in store image.

---

Related Future Food Blogs

Cover Image: Pink Restaurant - Designed to be Melbourne’s most Instagrammable restaurant (Image via Boradsheet)