Everyone enjoys looking at photographs. People like living vicariously via other people’s images, whether they be of nature or animals, of family and friends, of culinary experiences, or even of fun events. This has expanded to encompass the desire to see a delectable dinner that another food aficionado was able to sit down and enjoy. Over the last few months, I’ve really started to see the impact Instagram has had on the food business. Whether it’s home cooking, dining out, or exploring new places, people’s images have proved to be a unique advertising tool for anything food related. After viewing one of these mouth-watering photos, I’ve had to make a wild run to the kitchen cabinets to satiate my hunger. Chefs who cook at home or those who have visited a certain restaurant may take brief images with their phones and publish them on social media platforms such as Instagram for all to see. As a consequence, it may pique another person’s curiosity in trying that dish, visiting that restaurant, or just activate that person’s appetite for any meal.
I’ve been on Instagram for almost a year and have really liked viewing the lives of my friends and family via images and short videos. However, one tendency that particularly stuck out to me during this period was how pleased these cuisine aficionados were with their food orders or the meals that they had made. Eating is a passion or activity that everyone will enjoy, so why not share your favorite recipes or culinary experiences with the social world? Anyone with internet access can take photos of their appetizers, main dishes, desserts, or even fancy beverages that they were able to consume, upload them to Instagram, and within seconds, that tasty photo will potentially be visible to thousands of followers on some of the world’s largest social media resources. Furthermore, several applications can improve these images, as well as dozens of filters that will make the food and beverage items appear even more appetizing. Even the most unpalatable foods may be made more appetizing by using some of the latest technological advances.
Another appealing feature of using Instagram for meals is that it integrates with Foursquare, which enables users to post their position on a map with their followers. Individuals may “check in” at certain food establishments, buildings, or other areas to notify their friends of their whereabouts. As a result of this collaboration, I see Instagram as a unique marketing tool not only because restaurant goers and food consumption specialists can take appealing photos of their food and drinks, but they can also attach a location to that photo so that other interested parties know exactly where to find it if they want to experience that same menu item. Even though Instagram is not currently regarded as one of the most successful forms of marketing, I would suggest the free application to any chef, organization, or a small company owner trying to advertise any product or service.
Over the past year, this unique photo-related application has served as a motivator for me by allowing me to see others’ accomplishments, it has allowed me to better engage in people’s lives that I do not see regularly, and it has even raised my awareness of certain things such as local events or charity information. For example, I’ve found myself saying things like “Well, I didn’t realize they had that cuisine there,” “wow, that healthy eating plan really paid off for that individual,” or “dang, I didn’t know that bar had that nice special their last weekend!” and seeing images of people’s experiences in these scenarios has inspired me to attempt new things, become more active, or not miss another comparable event. Is this the reaction that everyone who views these photographs will have? Not probable, but with Instagram being a free tool that anybody can use, why wouldn’t organizations and companies want to utilize it as a marketing tool? It would have no negative impact on the company or organization!
Instagram may be a great tool for any small company or non-profit that does not want to spend a lot of money on marketing. For example, I just started a kitchen-related retail shop with a blog, Twitter account, and Facebook page, and as a fun marketing tactic, I built a different Instagram account from my personal account that was only for this e-commerce business. It enabled me to publish unique photographs to all of my other websites as a means of communicating with my followers and visitors, and as a result, my website has witnessed a rise in traffic and engagement. Showing beautiful images of dishes I made or menu things I ate may not necessarily sell goods or earn me a lot of money, but it will increase user interaction on all of my pages, which is something I want for my company
The promotional picture possibilities are limitless, which is why I strongly advise integrating this resource into one’s marketing strategy. Business owners like myself can take and upload photos of almost anything related to their business, such as people having a good time using their products, people tasting new foods, specials or discounts that are being offered for a limited time, or simply photos of all the different menu items or product lines that managers and owners want to promote more. Instagram, in my perspective, has not become as popular as a free marketing tool as Facebook and Twitter, but I believe it will, particularly given the simplicity with which users may combine their Instagram with these other big social networking sites. As a result of all of this, restaurants and bars may freely market their menu alternatives to their guests as long as those hungry consumers loved their meals.
