Picture this: food porn matters

Unless you’re one of those venues that confiscate mobile phones at the door, you will no doubt know all about 'food porn'. This is the rather salacious title given to the growing passion for photographing our meals, then sharing the images online.

We're not just talking about professional snappers, who make food look incredibly appetising and aspirational. You only have to browse Instagram, check your friend’s posts on Snapchat or peruse your Facebook feed to know it’s something everyone does!

At some point, you will take out your smartphone to take a picture of a meal or beverage you’re particularly inspired by to post on your social media.

Food porn is more sales! - For cafes, this is a trend that should be encouraged. Particularly if you provide free WiFi and encourage diners to 'check in' when they're eating at your place.

The benefits are clear. A good recommendation from a customer - particularly accompanied by a photo of mouth-watering food – costs you nothing. But it has far greater marketing power than any form of advertising you pay for.

If the 'food porn' results in sharing, likes and comments, your social media reach gets bigger and digital word of mouth gets even more customers through your door.

Encouraging customer photos - Clearly, this means food presentation is even more important than ever and could even require you to add a few extra touches. For example, don’t just drizzle raspberry sauce at the side of the dessert plate, write a message or draw a heart instead. Add a few novel garnishes, vary heights on food and don’t be stingy with the portions. The time and cost of implementing these tips could be well worthwhile, as they encourage customers to photograph and share their dining experience.

As well as actively encouraging customers to 'check in' at your café or restaurant, you can create your own filters on social media. Filters are the very popular creative designs people use to frame or add to their social media posts.(You must have seen all those dog ears and noses on profile pictures!)

It could cost less than you think to create a Snapchat filter for your specific café, for example.
Make your own photos fabulous - The way images have become such an important part of customer relations and your online profile, also means you need to up your game. If your website or social media is not showing regularly updated and appealing food photos, you are seriously falling behind the times.

Lastly, to make sure your eatery looks appealing on food porn photos (and not seedy), make sure those café tables look great! Speak to our team for help on the best backdrops to get your customers snap happy while they eat.