Dubai, being home to one of the most active restaurant scenes out there, has great competition in the restaurant industry. Standing out among the crowd is the need of the hour. Restaurant owners can do countless things to market their brands. But among them, the most important is the marketing of the product they offer: Food.
Did you know that, according to a study, 82% of people buy food if it looks pretty in the picture? Yes, it’s true. At first, it is a photo or video which helps the customer decide whether they should choose your restaurant or someone else’s. Good food pictures play a huge role in promoting your restaurant.
What is Food photography?
As the name suggests, food photography is a type of life photography that takes attractive photos of dishes. Food photography is the type of content creation used to attract diners. It combines the art of restaurant industry trends, styles, and shots and creates meaningful relationships with customers based on emotion and not just a product. These types of pictures can be used in ads, cookbooks, menus, websites, and any other visual platform.
So, Why is it so important for a restaurant? All restaurants would benefit from some sort of food photography, here are a few reasons why:
- Consistent branding
Brand identity for your restaurant doesn’t stop at the interior of your restaurant or your logo. It is reflected in the quality of pictures on your menu along with the food styling.
Food photography, much like a first impression, can leave a powerful lasting effect.
Isn’t it all about the taste, not the presentation? Yes and no.
Food is not only about taste, but how beautiful it looks. It adds to the dining experience and also helps a restaurant keep up its reputation.
- It increases sales
How you present the menu items visually will affect if the diner will order them or not. You can describe your dish with the most amazing content writing but at the end of the day, people make decisions with their eyes. This is why food photography is not only about showcasing the dish but to entice people to try the food.
Food photography is an important way to promote your business online, gain new customers and increase profit.
- For Social media
Every expert marketer will tell you the importance of visual content for the success of a brand. According to a study done by Hubspot, 46% of marketers believe photography is vital to their storytelling and marketing.
However, It can not be more true for a restaurant than for any other business. First, they choose with their eyes then they stay for the taste.
We all know that all social media platforms are about connecting people. What do people do when they like something on, let’s say, Instagram, they share the content with their friends and families. Good pictures will get more shares and will increase your reach.
- Tells a story
Food, being so important in all cultures, needs to be presented in a way that it doesn’t only feed the mouth but also the soul. As they say, first impressions last.
A good photographer will help you tell your restaurant story through food. He/She will use great care in creating this important pillar of your restaurant in order to make people crave the dishes, you so lovingly, created.
Should you hire a professional food photographer in Dubai?
It may seem to many people that clicking food pictures is as easy as whipping out a mobile phone and clicking a shutter. However, food photography is more than what meets the eye.
For one, good food photographs depend a lot on how a dish is presented i.e, how it is styled. Another added benefit, styled dishes will go a long way as they will encourage people to click dishes’ pictures and share them on social media.
Second, photography includes so many factors such as special lighting, quality lense, knowledge of professional cameras, and of course, skills. Anyone can click a picture, but to make it high-quality is another ballpark altogether.
Additionally, it is extremely important for your food dishes to be clicked by a professional if you want the pictures to be clicked for billboards or banners.
Food photography is a great way for your restaurant to get the word out there about your dishes and what you offer. But is food photography really worth it? It most certainly is. If you can offer proof that your food tastes as good as it looks, you are likely going to see great returns on your investment. Although remember: good content will bring in the customer, but good taste will make them stay.
