Is Instagram the choice of chefs? By Mark Morris
Here at Cooking Towers we are always looking at where and what chefs are using as both a work and recreational tool. Often the lines are blurred between the two, if a chef creates an amazing dish and wants to share it, is this personal, or great marketing or both perhaps?
We began to see a number of very high profile chefs switch how they operated when sharing images from Twitter to Instagram, those included Tom Aikens - 35.9K followers, Sat Bains - 34.6K followers, Nathan Outlaw - 49.4K followers, Paul Cunningham - 28.8K followers and many, many more. This quickly influenced a number of other to follow suit.
Much has changed on Instagram, it's now owned by uber rich Facebook, who interestingly changed their wall layout to show images much larger, a direct result of the purchase. However, the popularity of the social network remains, so we decided to create a poll and ask the following question: "Chefs-when sharing images of your food, which social platform do you think works best?" We offered three choices Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, those who took part had to pick just one social network. We created a poll on Facebook within our page, and on the @CanteenTweets Twitter account, we used targeted ads on both, both adverts received the same investment, here are the results:
So despite the poll being carried out on Facebook and Twitter users of both felt that when sharing food pictures Instagram was their preferred platform. What does this tell us? For us it backs up our thoughts that as visual learners chefs are moving to Instagram very quickly. When we filmed Ashley Palmer-Watts at Dinner by Heston, I was really surprised when he said: "No one in Australia is using Twitter." Ok a sweeping statement, but an interesting point from his experience of chefs in the Dinner Melbourne kitchen. Twitter we know is struggling to draw in a newer and younger audience something Instagram is clearly achieving.
We've changed how we use Instagram, now only sharing the best images from the app Chef + on our Instagram feed something that chefs are keen to do as they are keen to be part of The Staff Canteen Instagram feed.
Our best advice to suppliers is open an Instagram account and get sharing, remember, don't "sale to chefs" but engage with them. Comment on their images, like them, add great images and use this as part of your approach to reach chefs.
Why not take advantage of our 73k Instagram followers perhaps and use that audience to target chefs?
Contact our Senior Sales Manager, Jen Farrell
@TSCJen - you can also call 01202 612328 or email jen@thestaffcanteen.com
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