Does the content around your restaurant on Instagram have guests dining or scrolling by?
In 2020, Media Niche reported that the average restaurant guest will take pictures for 10 minutes before they’ve even ordered any food.
But, as most of us know, nothing ‘ugly’ tends to get uploaded to the ‘gram; just the bright, happy, shiny fun stuff. These Insta-uploads also contribute to the decision-making of others in regard to where they want to eat next, what looks good, what looks dull or gross, and what they’ll order.
While 20% of millennials, and rising, continue to eat out more than the generations before them, 30% admit that they’ll often skip restaurants with a less than aesthetic or active Instagram presence.
So, how can you make your restaurant more gram-worthy than ever?
1. PHOTO-READY WALL DECOR
Cameraphone-wielding guests love an Insta-ready wall in almost any type of business. They also appreciate attention to detail, beautiful wall décor or well-selected wallpapers. Consider something colourful, with or without branding, that is eye catching and individual to your business so that users online know they’re looking at the (your business) wall.
2. LIGHT ‘EM UP
Is your lighting ‘bomb,’ or bombing? Typically, the best selfies are those that don’t require the bright, white washout flash of cameras and smartphones, nor should anything be so bright that it’s blinding or making everyone look pale as a vampire. If your venue is lacking in natural sunlight, soft overhead spotlights should do the trick.
3. GOOD TASTE CAN (STILL) BE UGLY
It’s been reported that 69% of millennials take photographs of their food before they begin to eat, but nobody wants to photograph ‘ugly’ food! Even if that dark, mushy dish is the most delicious thing on the planet, Instagram users can’t taste that with their eyes, they’re only indulging in what they -see-. Keep how your food is plated in mind, as well as how aesthetic the plates themselves are too!
Extra Bite: Some of the most Instagrammed foods ever include pizza, sushi, salad, pasta, burgers, steak and salmon.
4. GIVE THEM THE TOOLS
To express-raise their organic engagement efforts on Instagram, many restaurants are resorting to leaving the tools of the trade ready for the guests at their own tables. These include tagging info, mini LED lights, monopods, and more. All they need to do is whip out their camera, everything else is right there; no searching or stumbling needed.
5. DON’T SKIP ANY STEP
When you’re working on how to improve your restaurant’s Instagram aesthetic, no step is too small. Think beyond the food and the décor and have a look at things like your entry way (often the first impression), any waiting areas, the halls, the bathrooms, even the take-out containers they’ll be handed for the way home. All parts of their experience matter here.